高山市 Up in the far reaches of Gifu prefecture, nestled in the Northern Alps, is Hida-Takayama, more commonly just called Takayama. It means tall mountain (高山), which applies to a few places here and there in Japan. Luckily, this Takayama is #1 in terms of tourism, and it is a must-hit for people with a…
今、この顔がすごい I received some requests to talk about my TV appearances in Japan. Since starting this blog I’ve done a handful of these spots. It is fun, as long as you have the time. Shooting for a five minute clip seems to take an entire day! The NY Times article I helped with a few…
長崎 Nagasaki City is just about the westernmost big city in Japan. The location is prime for trade, historically at least, and the area developed with a huge Chinese and Dutch influence. During the sakoku period (鎖国) a small part of Nagasaki was open to foreign trade. Stepping foot on Japanese soil anywhere else meant a swift…
あけましておめでとうございます 2012 wasn’t just a great year for Ramen Adventures, but a great year for ramen in general. Tokyo continues to be the epicenter for amazing shops, with a handful of young chefs doing everything right. There is a balance in ramen – a balance between tradition and new thinking and variety – that keeps…
北海道のラーメンお土産 I usually avoid ramen gift packs. Though the noodles are semi-fresh (alcohol is added to preserve them), it is usually a waste of money in my opinion. But Hokkaido puts five shops, each distinct of a different region, into one box. Very cool. They were all decent. That is as far of a compliment…
Tokyo Ramen Show 2012 Yeah, I ended up going. I didn’t want to, especially since last year’s event was only slightly better than the lame experience two years ago; where I waited in line for three hours and then had to leave empty stomached because I had somewhere to be. But a recent stamp card…
Along with eight other ramen nuts, I was named one of Yahoo Japan’s 2012 Ramen Ambassadors. We all helped to create content, and you can check it out at: http://ramen.yahoo.co.jp/ The best part, goofy videos! I talk about the easy process of ordering ramen using a fancy ticket machine. Ramen 101, anyone? Ben (http://www.friendsinramen.com/) lays…
岩手の盛岡 Welcome to Morioka, far north in Iwate prefecture. Morioka, a rather uncommon tourist destination, is known for not one, but three different noodle dishes. わんこそば – Wanko soba 盛岡冷麺 – Morioka Reimen 盛岡じゃじゃ麺 – Morioka Jyajyamen Reimen is a Korean noodle dish, served cold, that usually follows a hearty meal of Korean barbecue. The…
大つけめん博 I had the opportunity to work at the 2012 Tsukemen Festival in Daimon this year. A big THANK YOU to everyone who came out to visit me. Even if everyone only ended up being two people! Weather took my working time from about 20 hours down to only a few. I announced that I…
喜多方 A few hundred kilometers north of Tokyo, on the west side of Fukushima, is Kitakata. A rather sleepy place, it is nonetheless one of the most famous spots for ramen in Japan. The location, a fertile valley fed by countless natural springs, is a haven for rice production. And what better food for a…