Were you intrigued by the cup noodles museum in Yokohama? Wait till you read more about the other noodle museum you can check out in the area! This article tells you everything you need to know about the Shin Yokohama Ramen Museum and why you need to add this to your list of places to visit in Yokohama.
What the Ramen Museum Features
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The Shin Yokohama Ramen Museum is the world’s first exclusively Ramen-themed museum, first opening in 1994. It’s a place where the major ramen hotspots of the country – Sapporo, Hakata, Kumamoto and Kitakata – have their share of representation, along with some from the Tokyo and Yokohama area. This aim for representation was to bring an everything-in-one space, for ramen enthusiasts to experience the varieties of ramen the country has to offer all in one location.
This museum is particularly unique because it has a separate section for the history of ramen, how it originated within Japan, how it evolved, and how it is at present (this is on the first floor of the museum).
There is also a separate section where you can make your own ramen from scratch! This involves making the noodles through the traditional Chinese method of “green bamboo beating”. You do need to make a reservation in advance, however, so make sure to keep that in mind before heading over to the museum!
The Ramen Shops
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This is the most interesting (and fun!) part of the museum. When you go down to the basement, it’s like you’re right back in the 50s (specifically, 1958). Down here, there are seven ramen shops with a wide range of ramen options available so you can take your time and try each one at your will and leisure.
In case you’re thinking about not being able to try every ramen option out because of the portions (which are enormous by the way), don’t worry about missing out! They also have “mini” options available.
Some of the popular ramen dishes served here include the Rishiri Ramen Miraku (a scorched soy sauce based dish with medium-thick wavy noodles), and the Ryu Shanghai Honten (a spicy miso-based ramen). There is also the Asakusa Rairaiken (umami-based with grilled pork) which is only sold for a limited period of three years (best to check this out as soon as possible!). Another popular one is the Komurasaki (pork bone-based). Vegetarians and vegans, I know what you’re thinking. Where are the options with no meat? Fortunately, you have them here! The Ryu Shanghai Honten and the Komurasaki ramen swap out the meat for vegetarian options. I definitely recommend trying them out because they were absolutely delicious!
The Museum Shop
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Once you’re done experimenting with all the ramen options, head back up to the first floor because there is one section left to explore – the museum shop. There are a wide range of goodies you can buy here from ramen related utensils (like ladles), tiny adorable showpieces (like a ramen bowl and spoon) to even ramen themed T-shirts! They also sell instant ramen packs from various parts of the world so for those interested in checking this out, the museum shop is the perfect place for you.
How To Get To the Ramen Museum
You can take the JR Yokohama Line from Yokohama to Shin-Yokohama, after which you need to walk for about 10 minutes to reach the museum. For more on how to get to Yokohama, you can check what train is most convenient and/or accessible for you here.
Museum Timings And Tickets
The museum is open from 11 AM to 9 PM on weekdays and from 10:30 AM to 9 PM on holidays. Tickets are a maximum of 380 yen (for adults between the ages of 19 and 60) and for the entire day. It’s 100 yen for everyone else. If you’re a group of 15 or more, you get a discount! One more recommendation is that you order the food you want to at least an hour before they close (the shops say 30 minutes but they are almost always crowded so you could lose time) so you can truly enjoy the experience!
Shin Yokohama Ramen Museum – A Guaranteed Fun Experience
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If you’re a ramen enthusiast and want to try out every single dish they have to offer, or would like to experience the ramen culture here for the first time (like I did), I definitely recommend the Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum. It has everything from providing you information on the background and culture, to actually being able to taste authentic ramen from various places in one spot. This is definitely not an experience to miss out on if/when you do make that trip to Yokohama!
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