Ramen Museum at Shin-Yokohama by Dennis

Hello everyone. I think, all of you have known ramen right... Ramen is noodle from Japan. Ramen in Japan is very popular and each area has noodles with a special taste. This time I went to the ramen museum in Shin Yokohama. In this museum, you can try the local specialty noodles in Japan. Starting from, Sapporo in Hokkaido, Kanagawa and Tokyo, to kyuushu. They have different flavors. If divided, Japanese ramen has five basic tastes, the miso ramen, shio ramen, ramen tonkotsu, shouyu ramen, shouyu tonkotsu ramen.

Ramen from various place in Japan

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In this ramen museum you can try all the ramens. The special thing of this museum is not only the ramen, but the museum layout is also very unique. The museum layout is like Japan ​​in 1958 with all forms of houses and furniture in that year. You also can know how Japanese at that time. The Museum has 3 floors, but not upwards but downwards, basement 2, basement 1, and 1st floor.

Stairs to Basement

First, let's go to the basement first to try the ramen-ramen at this museum. There are 9 restaurants you can visit here. While thinking, I circled the museum and they have interesting places, like the old style bar, Japan old style house, police stations and even grocery stores, and of course the layout is in 1958.

museum's layout

Old style bar and old Japanese house layout

Old style grocery stores

 Police office and property agent in 1958

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I finally decided to eat miso ramen of Hokkaido in the ramen shop eki. And my choice is right, they have miso soup is very unique and cannot be described in words. The miso soup is very thick and very tasty.  After that I tried shio ramen at genkotsuya. Shio ramen has a lighter taste compared with tonkotsu. The soup was clearer and not too thick. Next, I tried Kurume taiho ramen of kyuushu area. kyuushu is the origin of tonkotsu ramen and this ramen shop is First tonkotsu ramen shop in Japan. If you have tried the usual ramen tonkotsu, this tonkotsu ramen have a little different taste. Compared with the usual, Kurume taiho ramen’s soup has a bit watery and slightly colored black with a thinner noodles.

Miso ramen at Sapporo Ramen no eki

Shio ramen at Nidaime Genkotsu ya

Tonkotsu ramen at Kurume Taiho ramen shop

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 I really wanted to try all the ramen there, but my stomach is not allowed for it. I have been very satisfied. I have a suggestion, when trying ramen there, buy the mini size. So you can try different kinds of ramen and the price is cheaper than buying a full bowl. Price of mini size is around 500 yen. After that, I look for desserts there, I decided to eat ice cream and bring back the traditional bread called agepan.

Agepan shop

Agepan

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So, let's back to the future. Because there is exit sign but only, the kanji of mirai that means future. On the 1st floor of the museum, there is a museum shop that contains a ramen at this museum to take home, the history of ramen and ramen accessories. You can also make your own ramen in there. After take a look and buy some accessories at top floor, I decided to return to Kawasaki.

Exit

Museum shop entrance like a bowl

Museum shop

Ramen from Yokohama

make your own ramen

 ramen tools

Ramen's cart

Accommodation

If you go from Tokyo station, you can take Tokaido Line to Yokohama Station (26 minutes, 450 yen) and then change onto Yokohama subway line to Shin-Yokohama Station (11 minutes, 230 yen).

More information you can check Ramen Museum:

Kanagawa-ken Yokohama-shi Kōhoku-ku Shin-Yokohama 2-14-21
Tel: 045-471-0503

http://www.raumen.co.jp/ramen/

Entrance fee 

Adults: 300 yen

Children and Senior: 100 yen

3 months ticket: 500 yen

1 year ticket: 800 yen

Guide to Ramen Museum: 

 http://www.raumen.co.jp/ramen/so_froms.html

 

San Nou Sai (San Nou Festival) By Thaa

Hi Everyone,

 I am glad to come back here to tell my story again.

On August 3, 2011, I got the great opportunity to take apart in San Nou Festival or The Japanese would call in “ San Nou Sai” . Actually this activity is one of my language school activities, by helping of Kawasaki Lions Club.

The festival started from the morning, I and a lot of friends walked to the gathering point. After few minutes passed we started to carry “ Omikoshi ”,the portable shrine, we carried this portable shrine around the city. Not only me and my friends, a lot of members of many clubs also carried with us. Turn in and out, we helped of each other. While carrying, we said “Yo~I, Syo~u”, the leader who control the direction started to say it out loud, then the members who carrying the portable shrine will answer the leader call more louder. Every time we passed the corner or any junction, the leader will sign the signal for slowly moving, but not to stop. We still carried up and down, waiting for moving of signal. At the moment, I could really feel to the shrine’s weight. It was not light as I thought at all. Even though everyone got tried and worn out, but I saw only happy face on their faces. Everyone was happy and willing to carry the portable shrine to the marked point. After forty minutes gone, we reached there. Everyone sweat like a pig ,also me too.

This festival that I had joined was belonged to the Inagi Shrine. A little shrire which is located on the middle of the Kawasaki town, was crowned at there. The place where the portable shine that we had carried come out, and turn back at the night around 8 P.M. At that time, the Inagi shine was crowned by the people who wait to see the Omikoshi turn back to the shine and I was the one in that crowned.

I heard a story from my Japanese teacher, Mr.Matsumoto, that long time ago the God and the Goddess would like to see how their people life is fine or not. But they cannot go by themselves so the carrier made the two of portable shines and carry the portable shrine out there once a year for the God ‘ need.That is why the festival was take place every year. Kind of an interesting story, don’t you think?

 

I can say I was very proud to be a part of their member. I had dream a long time ago to carry some portable shrine like this. Few years before I decided to study in Japan, I had seen one of  the TV Show which they said about Japan Festival like this. I saw many people helped to each other to carry and support the weight of “the Omikoshi” Tried but everyone had a smiley face. Since that time, I had promised to myself  that if I had a chance I would do it certainly. Finally I got that chance and I was not disappointed at all. It was really great feeling.

One of the reason that why I am very proud to join this festival is, normally woman was not allowed to carry “ the Omikoshi”, so it was my rarely opportunities for me for joining this event.

Well, since I done and I really feel great about this experience, so I would like to share my feeling. Even you maybe can’t join the festival like me. Just join it, watch it, then you will feel it. Trust me!!
And I hope there would be some miracle for some of you to have this experience like me some day.

Have a nice day.\/(^-^)\/

Access
http://takemikatsuchi.net/etc/index.html
You  can get off  the JR at Kawasaki Station and walk along the above like around 15 minutes.Or If you come from Keikyu Line, please get off the train at KeikyuKawasaki Station then take a 10 minutes walked.


Information at Shinage Shrine
7-7 Miyamotochou, Kawasaki Ku, Kawasaki Shi,
Kanagaa Pref. 210-0004

Tel : 044-222-4554

Fax: 044-245-2003
稲毛神社 〒210-0004 神奈川県川崎市川崎区宮本
町7-7 tel:044-222-4554 fax:044-245-2003

Toriiyaki Matsuri at Hakone by Dennis

Lake Ashi

This time I will tell my trip to Hakone. I went to a festival whose name Toriiyaki Matsuri. It hold in 5th August every year. The first thing you should do to make a trip to Hakone is to buy a free pass ticket at Odawara station. Hakone free pass is a good vale ticket for tourists.  With just 3900 yen you can ride all public transportation in Hakone, from trains to the cable car. The free pass ticket can be used for 2 days. If you not buy a free pass ticket, for example to take the bus from Hakone Yumoto to the Lake Ashi, the bus fee is about 1000 yen one way.  If you want to ride the train or the other transportations, it will cost you more than the free pass price. 

Hakone Lake Ashi Sightseeing Cruise

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In this festival, they have a Torii (shrine gate in Japanese) burning ceremony in the middle of the lake. Torii usually found at the front of Shinto Shrine which usually serves as a symbol of that Shrine. Out of curiosity, I interviewed a festival organizer about it. Before that I tried a snack in that festival, the name is Jaga Bataa (potato with butter). The common of jaga bataa is boiled potato, but in that festival the potato is deep fried potato. And it was very delicious.

Foods at the festival

Deep Fried Jaga batā (Potato with butter)

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Three Gods of Hakone
Ninigi no Mikoto   Konohanasakuya-hime no Mikoto  Hikohohodemi no Mikoto source: http://hakonejinja.or.jp/ 

Hakone people pray to Gods source: http://hakonejinja.or.jp/

According to him, at the ancient time there are a lot of demons at Hakone. They roamed at the village and disturb the villagers. Because of that the villagers made a wish to the Gods so Gods can repel the demons from Hakone.  瓊瓊杵尊（Ninigi no Mikoto）, 木花咲耶姫命（Konohanasakuya-hime no Mikoto）, 彦火火出見尊（Hikohohodemi no Mikoto）granted their wish and repelled the demons from Hakone. This ceremony continues until now. Further, 1252 years ago discovered a Jinja (Shinto Temple) located at the edge of Lake Ashi.  And the people who discovered this temple believed that this temple is the continuation of the villagers ceremony as a tribute to the 3 Gods who helped them. Now, this festival also commemorate the Hakone Temple which located beside the Lake Ashi, the place where this festival being held.  Furthermore, fireworks have been added to attract tourists.

Fireworks at Festival

The Height of the burning gate are 6 Meters

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From what I saw and felt, this festival is very different from other festivals. They mix traditional Japanese style ceremony with modern style fireworks. And they do it in the middle of a lake that in fact has a fairly high level of difficulty. At first I didn’t think that this festival is one of major festivals in Japan. Not only the domestic tourists, tourists from abroad also really enjoyed this festival. And if you have a wish you can write them in lanterns which will be swept away along with the ceremonial burning of the gate.

Wishes lanterns at Gate Burning Ceremony

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Hakone Tozan Train

Hakone Tozan Bus

I started my journey from where I stayed at Hakone Yumoto. From there you can ride the train to the Gora Station. The train which being used was quite unique, with classic impression showed from its shape. You can enjoy an amazing experience, when the usual train circling the mountain to reach the top, this train doing it with the system switches back to the top. I went to a little shrine beside Tonozawa Station. That Shrine was small but full of natural scenery. When you have free time, you can go to several museums and Hot springs in Hakone.  They have a famous spot in there like The Hakone Open-Air Museum, Hakone Gora Park, Hakone Sekisho Exhibition Hall and Himeshara hot spring. And if you have enough time to spare, you can go to Gotemba Premium outlets. This is the largest factory outlet I've ever attended. And there is a lot of famous brands, ranging from Lacoste to Gucci. To go there, from Gora Station you can take a bus at Gotemba for 1 hour. On the way you will be satisfied by the view of the beautiful scenery around the mountains at Hakone.

Little Shrine Beside Tonozawa Station

The Hakone Open-Air Museum

Hakone Sekisho Exhibition Hall

Gotemba Premium Outlet

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After you return from Gotemba to Gora Station, you can take a cable train and ropeway to reach the Ashi Lake. When the riding the ropeway, there are lots of scenery that only being seen from above, for example sulfur valley and city views from the top of Hakone. With this ropeway up the mountain we reached a height of more than 1400 meters from the sea. After arriving at the lake Ashi, you can climb aboard Hakone Sighting Cruise. After the ship docked and the clock has also indicated 5 in the afternoon, I decided to go back to Kawasaki.

 

Hakone Tozan Cablecar                                                  Hakone Ropeway

Sulfur Valley

Hakone Sightseeing Cruise

Famous Hakone Shrine Gate at Lake Ashi

Accommodation

If you go from Tokyo station, you can take Tokaido Line to Odawara Station (1 hour 26 minutes, 1450 yen) and then change onto Hakone Touzan line to Hakone Yumoto Station (15 minutes, 300 yen).

More information you can check Hakone City Tourist Association:

256 Yumoto, Hakone Town, Kanagawa Prefecture 250-0398, JAPAN
TEL 0460-85-7410 / FAX 0460-85-6815

http://www.hakone.or.jp/

For Hakone Shrine Tourist Association:

Kanagawa-ken Ashigarashimo-gun Hakone-Machi Motohakone 80 – 1, JAPAN

TEL 0460 - 83 - 7123 FAX 0460 - 83 - 6669

http://hakonejinja.or.jp/

 

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