The makeshift ramen pavilion in Wangjing International Business Center will close in 10 days, to the disappointment of noodle fanatics in the capital.

The pavilion opened to the public in June, playing host to six noodle stalls from Japan, including renowned ramen restaurants Tetsu, Tsujita, Tayamablack.

The stalls were brought to the capital by ZPRO Diet Culture Communication Corporation, which aims to make Japanese noodles popular in China.

Noritaka Hisano, deputy manager of the corporation, expressed regret at having to leave the street, but insisted it was not for lack of business but rather the natural expiry of a contract. 

"We achieved our goal of cultural communication via traditional Japanese noodles, and it has boosted the effect of our brand," said Hisano.

However, he did state that business had suffered of late due to cold weather.

According to Hisano, two stalls ceased trading in November and the remaining four will close before December 30.

"We only planned to run the pavilion in China for six months, as a first step to introduce Japanese cuisine to China," he added.

The Beijing Youth Daily reported yesterday that only a few people occupied the 30-meter stretch of the noodle stalls. Service staff were reportedly napping at the tables while others were playing with mobile phones.

"This noodle street is leaving Beijing, I am trying to seize my last opportunity to sample their great noodles again," Chen Xiaoyan, 28, a Beijing resident, told the Global Times yesterday.

One member of staff working at the Wangjing business center, where the pavilion is located, confirmed to the Global Times that ZPRO had only signed a six-month contract with them and didn't intend to renew.

"I don't think their business is too bad, but due to the expiry of the contract, they will withdraw from our center in ten days," the source confirmed, declining to give his name.

The pavilion opened in June to much media attention, but was temporarily shut down for breaching fire safety regulations three days later.

Hisano suggested that the company has plans in the works to bring the noodle street back to the western side of Wangjing next year.