Skip to main contentThose hoping to settle into a spicy bowl of ramen at acclaimed Japanese restaurant Afuri can no longer do so in Old Town. The restaurant announced today that its location at 50 SW 3rd Ave.—formally titled AFURI kara kurenai, for the restaurant’s blend of spices—will close immediately and permanently.
Afuri CEO Taichi Ishizuki cited the lingering negative perception of downtown Portland’s safety post-pandemic, a decline in tourism, and high office vacancy rates as contributing factors to the closure. Afuri has had a ramen and dumpling restaurant in that Old Town space since 2017 but rebranded into Afuri Kara Kurenai in summer 2024. (Afuri launched in Portland in 2016 with the Buckman location at 923 SE 7th Ave.)
Ishizuki began his letter to the Portland community about the closure “with a heavy heart,” noting that the decision was not made lightly and only after “a thorough evaluation of the challenges we have faced in recent years.”
“While there have been improvements in public safety, the return of local residents and foot traffic to the area remains limited,” Ishizuki wrote. “After seven incredible years of serving the Portland community since this location’s opening in 2017, we have made the difficult decision to close our doors. We want to express our deepest gratitude for your support and loyalty over the years. It has been an honor to serve you, share a passion for ramen, and create lasting memories together.”
Other local Afuri locations in Buckman, Slabtown and Beaverton remain open. Afuri is a Tokyo-based ramen chain with restaurants all over the world, though Portland was the brand’s first location outside of Japan.