A Day In Tokyo: Harajuku and Meiji Shrine

After my friend and I were done in Odaiba, we got back on the train and made our way to Harajuku Station.  Our plan was to make our way down Takeshita Street, check out Omotesando Hills and finish with Meiji Shrine which is basically right next to the station (also on the list was to find somewhere to eat along the way).  I had been to Takeshita Street once a few weeks prior but I didn't have time to walk down the whole thing. That last time had been in the afternoon on a Friday so the street was aleady packed, but this time it was slightly before noon on a Tuesday which allowed for a more leisurely stroll down this Harajuku hot spot.  For a second we considered getting crepes at the infamous Marion Crepes since there was no line (which is a rare event) but we had just had soft serve ice cream back at Odaiba and also we were a little overwhelmed by all the choices at Marion Crepes. 

We continued down Takeshita Street and we also hit Cat Street where we found some really cool shops (one of them had tons of hats).  Then we went into Omotesando Hills where I thought perhaps we could find a place to have lunch. At the time, I didn't know that Omotesando Hills was a super upscale mall, but I soon found out.  Architecturally, it's really cool but shopping-wise, I can't really say....I mean, I don't think I could even afford to buy truffles from the French chocolate store. We took a quick stroll around the top floor where all the restaurants were located but as we didn't feel like spending a small fortune on lunch, we decided to walk around the area and find someplace else.  I think it was fate that as we happened to be crossing a street, I turned my head and recognized the sign for Ichiran Ramen. There were no ifs ands or buts about it, we headed straight there.  My friend loved the "cubicle eating" experience and this time around, since I knew what to expect, I was a bit more adventurous with the customization of my ramen.  In any case, it totally hit the spot.

The great thing about ramen is that even though you're full, it's a pleasant full (not a disgusting I want to vomit kind of full).  It was already late in the afternoon so we made our way to Meiji Shrine which was just a short ways up the road.  Meiji Jingu is a Shinto shrine dedicated to Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken. It was originally established in 1920 but the original shrine buildings burnt down in 1945.  The buildings that exist today were built in approximately 1958 (see their website for more info on the shrine at Meiji Jingu Website).  The shrine is located in a forest that covers approximately 175 acres and includes over 120,000 trees which were donated by people from all over Japan when the shrine was first established.  It is also consistently listed as one of the top spots to visit in Tokyo, so there is generally always a good amount of foot traffic in and out of the shrine grounds.

Literally as soon as we passed through the Torii gate (the main entrance) of the shrine, there was this really loud rumbling sound which turned out to be thunder.  We looked up and the skies had really darkened so we figured we should probably hurry it up.  Usually visitors come here to take a leisurely stroll through the grounds but the skies were dark and depressing and we didn't want to get caught in the rain so we did a quick tour of the grounds.  I had taken Japanese History in college which was, needless to say, a long time ago, but my memory was definitely refreshed as I read the information they had posted around the grounds on Emperor Meiji and the path the country took during his time as emperor (i.e., the Meiji Restoration).  We also got to see a wedding party right after they finished their ceremony, so that was pretty cool.  I ended my trip to Meiji Jingu by purchasing some charms and then practically sprinting back toward the exit (and Harajuku Station) just as the rain started coming down.

Adventures in Ramen: Ichiran Ramen in Shibuya

Ramen eating is serious business here in Japan.  It is one of Japan's most well known and popular foods - perhaps even more so than sushi. I love them both, so living in Japan is a dream for me. Before I moved here, one of my besties and I would eat dinner at Goma Tei in Honolulu every chance we got.  I realize now that I was fairly ignorant about ramen and the fact that there are so many different types and different aspects to it.  I'm still no expert, but I feel like I know a little more than I did before.  For example, the different regions in Japan have their own unique ramen style based on the type of soup/broth used (e.g., miso, shoyu, shio).  There's even a whole museum dedicated to ramen in Yokohama, but that's a post for another day (if you're interested, here's the website: Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum. There are a few things about ramen consumption in Japan that are common to most places: (1) you order by machine: (2) ramen restaurants are generally not meant for socializing; (3) it is perfectly acceptable to slurp your ramen (sometimes it seems like the louder the better). 

I met some friends visiting in Tokyo earlier in the week and the first thing on their list of things they wanted to do was check out Shibuya.  None of us had eaten as of yet so that was our priority upon getting to Shibuya.  Someone found Ichiran Ramen on Tripadvisor and since it had good ratings, we headed there.  However, we almost had a totally different experience because initially we walked into the wrong place (both places had "ichi" in the name) but after looking at the menu above the vending machine, we were pretty sure we were in the wrong spot - this place was very fast foody looking and served what appeared to be more donburi type dishes.  So, after all 5 of us turned around and walked out, I saw another sign with "ichi" in the name and promptly led us down the stairs (I should've known it was downstairs - underground restaurants usually end up being the best ones).

As I mentioned, ordering at ramen establishments takes place by way of a vending machine. Basically you select and pay for all the things you want - i.e., your ramen, extra condiments for your ramen, gyoza perhaps, a drink if they offer them.  Some places will have their menu items listed in Japanese AND English AND/OR will at least have a picture of the item (if not, then you pretty much just guess and hope for the best).  Once you put the correct amount of Yen in the machine, it spits out a ticket which you present when you sit down.  When I first looked at the choices on the machine, I was a little skeptical because there was only one option for ramen (usually, there are at least 2-3 different options), so I wasn't really sure what I was going to get.  As I waited for the rest of the group to finish ordering, I took a peek around the corner to look at the seating area.  What I saw was a row of cubicle looking seating - I had heard about ramen establishments like this where you don't talk to anyone and it's really all about just eating your ramen.  This was clearly a serious ramen joint, so I was excited.

Everything you would need to enjoy this meal is right there in your cubicle area - water dispenser, a pen to complete the customization form and a buzzer to let them know you need something or when you are finished.  As soon as I sat down, I was instructed by the guy on the other side of the counter to complete the form so they could prepare my ramen according to how I wanted it.  The form was pretty intense (thankfully it was in English); it was almost like taking a test except there were really no wrong answers.  Ichiran allows you to customize your ramen based on the following  (1) flavor strength; (2) richness (fat content); (3) amount of garlic; (4) amount of green onions; (5) whether I wanted roast pork in it; (6) how spicy I wanted it; and (7) how hard/soft I wanted the noodles.  Also, I had the option of whether I wanted to add egg,  mushrooms and a variety of other condiments.  After I completed the form, the bamboo shade was dropped to ensure maximum privacy - like I said, this was a serious ramen joint.

As per usual, it only took 10 minutes before my steaming bowl of ramen was put in front of my face. Although we were talking to each other up to this point (and not really abiding by the "don't talk" policy), once our food came, you could hear crickets. So how was it?  I thought it was really yummy and I loved the fact that you could customize the ramen to your specifically tastes (and now I know why there was only one option on the vending machine), BUT I prefer my ramen to have a bigger/thicker piece of pork in it.  Everyone has their own preferences when it comes to ramen and in fact some people that I know (I'm not going to name names ) are very adamant about which restaurant/establishment has the best ramen.  Anyway, back to what I was saying, people have their own preferences based generally on one or more of these : (1) broth; (2) noodles; and (3) meat. Some people may not think the meat is an important part, but I am not one of them. While Ichiran was definitely a winner, unless I happen to be in Tokyo, I'll stick with my hubby's fave down here in Kamakura (we don't know the name because we can't read the kanji).