In 2016, there are some 20,000 ramen shops operating in Tokyo alone. And while the dish—a mixture of Chinese-style noodles served in an ever-expanding array of broths, styles, and flavors—is often considered “fast-food” in Japan, a new video from the YouTube channel Life Where I'm From sheds light on just how much grueling labor goes into operating a bustling noodle bar each day.

The video focuses on Kunimoto, the owner of Mengokoro Kunimoto in Katsushika City. According to the video, Kunimoto works from 8 a.m. to 11:30pm everyday, totaling a mind-bending 80-hour work week. Occasionally, Kunimoto—who took over the business from his father and did an apprenticeship at the famed Menya Musashi ramen shop in Shinjuku—will be able to take a 15-minute break. But mainly, he’s spending every waking moment brewing broth, boiling noodles, and tending to customers.

“Former co-workers at Menya Musashi, they all have their own restaurants,” Kunimoto, who gave up a life as salesman to cook ramen, says in the video. “Everyone works crazy hours. It is worse than mine. Like, some work from 5 a.m. It’s a tough job. Since I work for myself, and I’m not someone’s employee, this is my only chance. I won’t get another opportunity like this.”

Still, Kunimoto says he loves what he does, and wouldn’t trade it for another profession.

“There’s nothing I don’t like,” he adds. “I try to put my very best into each bowl of ramen.”

[via Digg]