Do you love noodle soup?
Do you enjoy eating ramen?
Then you have to check out the Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum!
Access to the Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum
The Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum (新横浜ラーメン博物館) is located in Kanagawa Prefecture (map) and makes a nice 1/2-day trip from Tokyo. It takes about 15 mins to get there from Yokohama, about 50 mins from Tokyo. The museum is a 10 minute walk from Shin-Yokohama Station.
What Awaits You There
The museum opened in March 1994 as the first “food-themed amusement park” worldwide. It is dedicated to Japanese ramen noodle soup.
While ramen is a very popular Japanese noodle dish it was originally introduced from China.
Maybe you know that there are various regional types of ramen in Japan. Usually you can’t eat all of them in one place and have to travel to the region that serves the soup if you want to enjoy it.
The great thing about the Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum is that you can eat a bowl of ramen from Kyushu and Hokkaido on the very same day.
The museum houses famous ramen restaurant branches such as Ide Shoten, Hachiya or Fukuchan.
The food is served on the two basement floors where you’ll be thrown back into the late 50s of Tokyo’s Shitamachi Town. There are nine ramen restaurants, each offering ramen from a different region of Japan.
If you wish to try more than one bowl, I highly recommend the “mini ramen” version. It’s cheaper and you won’t be full immediately.
(Please note that the ramen bowls in my photos were not the “mini version”.)
Tickets have to be purchased at the vending machines in front of each store.
Back to the future. ;)
On the ground floor you’ll find a small souvenir shop where you can purchase cooking utilities, instant-ramen packages and even ramen bowls.
On the first floor you can learn about the history of ramen noodles in Japan. Displayed are also the variety of noodles, toppings, soups and bowls used all over Japan.
I even spotted some German food brands. They also introduce ramen restaurants in other countries, so definitely check if there’s one near your city.
Is it worth visiting?
If you’re really craving for various regional bowls of ramen – and if you absolutely love ramen, I’d say yes. It is quite expensive considering that you have to pay not only for the food but also an entrance fee.
Can you have a go a making Ramen here?
It looks like the mini ramen would be the best way to go. In my experience, ramen over here is very ‘volumey’ so it would be difficult to go around trying different variations without ‘downsizing’ a little.
Bet this place is packed on holiday weekends.
Not there – at least not as far as I know.
Although I’m quite sure there must be places where you can. I’ve just never been to one.
For most tourist spots you should avoid the “high seasons” and the weekends as they usually get crowded. ;)
Hi Tom
Nissin cup ramen museum.
You can create your own cup noodle flavors packaged just like the real maccoy.
Also in Yokohama. I took my kids there and it was a pretty good time (crowded on wknds).
http://www.cupnoodles-museum.jp/english/
@zooming –
Excellent blog by the way, have started reading older blog entries \^o^/
Thank you very much! ^__^
I hope I get to check out the Cup Noodle Museum in a few days!! :D