Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum!

  Shin-Yokohama, Japan
Saturday, March 31, 2007

Today, after our morning exercise and an afternoon of studying and getting work done at school (I never write about the details of those things and so it must seem like all we do is eat and party- but trust me those things are boring) we headed out to the Shin- Yokohama Ramen Museum for a Saturday evening of fun. We considered checking out this famous phallus festival in Kawasaki. Apparently it is held at a shrine and consists of giant phallus floats, lollipops, and more and features many lavishly dressed transgendered people. It raises money for AIDS awareness and seemed very strange and entertaining to me. Chris of course wasn't as crazy about the idea, and since the main part of the festival was tomorrow and only the kickoff ceremony was today we went to the R amen Museum instead.
 
The Ramen Museum is what it sounds like, a museum dedicated to the various types of ramen from across the country. There is an informational floor, but the real action is on the two basement floors which feature 8 different shops serving some 25 kinds of ramen. What they have done is get all of the most famous old ramen shops from across Japan to come in and set up mini shops within the museum. The museum is supposed to be a replica of 1950s Japan, complete with old storefronts and a fake sky with sunrise and set above.

inside the museum

You pay 300 yen (less then $3US) per adult to get in and then about 500 yen for a mini bowl and 800 or 900 yen for a full sized bowl.

yummy

 The brochure describes the history and ingredients in each type of ramen so you can choose. If you are hungry you should be able to eat 3 or so mini bowls! There is some kind of weird old time game shop where you can win chewing gum and an old time candy shoppe inside as well.

chris playing old fashioned game

 After our first few bowls Chris and I went to the little bar inside to digest. We heard that this is the place to hang out and request some of the old LPs in their collection which include awesome Japanese hits fro the 80s such as Pink Lady as well as American hits back to the 50s. After a while in the bar (I accidentally spilled on my skirt so we had to stay until it dried) we were ready for one last bowl.

spilled.

This bowl ended up being our favorite- it is the place in the brochure that has the little red scoop pf spicy stuff of top. And this stuff was SPICY. You have the option to mix in none, part, or all of the spicy stuff and we went for the gusto. As we were enjoying it, the owner came over and asked Chris if I had Spanish blood! Actually, this is not the first time this has happened to me. Must be my hair and ability to eat so much spicy stuff! The last thing we did before we left is try to take our pictures in one of those photo booths where it will make it look like you are in a ramen alley or something. We were so confused as to how to use the machine (no English) that the picture came out really screwed up but funny!

me being silly

 
To get to the museum, you need to take the Yokohama line to Shin Yokohama station and then can ask at the information stand or tourism office there. It is only about a 5 minute walk from the station and is open until 11pm!