ZOOM IN!! SUPER

I’ve had some interesting ramen adventures in these past couple years. The latest started with an email from a producer at Nihon TV‘s morning show, Zoom In!! Super. It’s a daily, nationwide news program with random segments thrown in the mix. The Maru Q bit takes a topic, asks questions to strangers on the street, and consults with an expert. Yesterday, the Maru Q piece was about how dirty your curtains get, and how to clean them. This Thursday, December 2nd, the subject matter is foreigners and their love of ramen.

They wanted me to be the expert in their show. Jumping at the opportunity, I recommended about 10 shops that I often take foreign visitors to. We ended up filming at 3 of those. Nagi, Bassanova, and Fuunji.

We filmed a lot of stuff. Introducing the shop to the news reporter, eating, commenting, talking about the web site.

A surprise, Nagi had on hand some of their new spice mix that was made for their Hong Kong shop, Butao.

I mentioned before that I am really loving this taberayu boom that is happening now. Well this was the best so far. A mix of hot oil, numbing sancho spices, shrimp meat (I think), and peanuts. We all had a taste, and though it might have been too spicy for some of the crew, Imanaka-san and I loved it.

Next up was Bassanova.

Keizo and I got interviewed side by side. I really hope it makes the final cut. It’s been great to share so many things with my good friend.

On camera, Japanese people eating food is a cliche. Take a bite, ponder for a second, then give a deep, emotional response. Follow it up with an insightful comment. I tried my best!

Another cliche of Japanese food shows is the closeup shot of the bowl, steam rising, spoon gently swirling the soup.

And the noodles slowly being lifted. I have never seen a food program where this was not the case.

There’s a better shot over at goramen.

The next shop was Fuunji. I think it’s the best tsukemen in Tokyo, though sometimes I miss the hot stone over at TETSU.

Same deal. Intro the shop, eat in front of the camera, make comments.

A piece of advice. Some people say not to wear white after Labor Day, but I say don’t wear white to a ramen shop.

I used Japanese and English. I’m curious how they will edit it.

The show will air sometime between 7:00am and 8:00am on Thursday, December 2nd here in Japan on Nihon Terebi, which is channel 4 here in Tokyo. I’ll try to get my hands on a copy. This sort of thing usually makes it onto youtube.