The following post was written by United Planet team member, Susie Liu.
Spring has finally arrived!
You can see signs of a new beginning everywhere. The flowers are blooming, birds are chirping, the sun is shining, and people are smiling.
In Japan, April signifies the beginning of almost everything new. Students start their new academic year, college graduates start their new jobs and all while amidst the beautiful Sakura (cherry blossom) season. Sakura season is a big deal in Japan, even the daily weather forecast has a section dedicated to showing the current cherry blossom phase in the different regions of the country.
Photo taken by macduckston, Flickr.
Yet, when I think of Japan, all I can think of is Ramen! Ramen! And more Ramen!
Ramen is a Japanese noodle dish which originated in China. Today it is widely popular among both Japanese and visitors. I would even argue that Ramen has achieved an iconic status in Japanese society that is comparable to sushi and sashimi.
Ramen shops are everywhere in Japan; you can find one at every street corner. Yet, each shop prides itself on its own very unique flavor. There are many ramen cooking competitions throughout the country and the winner is awarded with honor and a prize along with a guarantee that his ramen shop will become instantly popular! This “Best of” ranking system lengthens the wait time for the top ramen shops. Yet for some people the longer the line the more alluring the the dish becomes, because they know they are waiting for a worthy bowl of ramen.
Fanatics all over Japan research these shops and wait for hours to get a bowl of the savory noodle. It is important to know that not all ramen tastes similar; different regions have different soup bases and different types of noodles. Hence, different people have different preferences for the type of ramen they like.
Photo taken by phreddie, Flickr.
The energy and enthusiasm people put into finding delicious ramen is astonishing to me. Ramen is no longer just noodles in broth. It is an art that many of the best chefs dedicate years of their lives trying to master. If you go to Japan, I recommend spending some time trying out different ramen shops or going to the Ramen museum and theme park in Yokohama. Chances are high you will like what you find!
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