About food in Japan

Kawagoe(川越), an old town easily accessible from Tokyo

As a series of posts, from today, we will introduce you Kawagoe (川越) an old town accessible by just 40minute-train-ride from Tokyo.

As more detail access information, from Ikebukuro (池袋), one of the major terminal stations in central Tokyo, take “Tobu Tojo Line(東武東上線)” and get off at Kawagoe(川越) or Kawagoe-shi(川越市) stations. The line is also accessible from Shiuya and even from Yokohama via Tokyu Toyoko line. Other options are also available from Shinjuku but it will take longer time and it will be easier to take Tobu Tojo line from Ikebukuro.

The old town area is 10-15minutes walk from all stations of Kawagoe central area. Tourist information stand is available at “Kawagoe” station and you will find some information in English and other languages.

Before going to some food related spots on following posts, on this page, we talk a bit about the town in general.

Kawagoe is an old town existing since 15th century. Due to the prosperity, the town has been called “Ko-Edo” (smaller Edo, Tokyo). Kawagoe Castel has not been any more but only a part of it remains as “Kawagoe Castel Honmaru Goten” (川越城本丸御殿).

The main spot of Kawagoe sightseeing is the old town area called “Kurazukuri zone” where it used to be a large commercial town in Edo Era. While looking at Kura(storehouse) style buildings and the symbolic wooden bell-tower, stroll on the main street is the main attraction of Kawagoe sightseeing. We will introduce some interesting sports in the area on following posts.

If you have extra time, it will be also good to visit a few temple or shrine scattered in the town. Each of them is located within 15minute-walk each other.

 

Here we put some recommendable “non-food-related” tourist spots in Kawagoe.

Kawagoe Festival Museum: where you will be able to feel a bit of the town’s vital Autumn Festival taken place on October through the parade floats and a short movie on a big screen.

Information on Kawagoe Tourist Information HP:

http://www.koedo.or.jp/foreign/english/sightseeing/museum/index.html#festival

Museum of Kurazukuri (Traditional Architecture): Lean more about the town’s history and its architecture

Information on Kawagoe Tourist Information HP:

http://www.koedo.or.jp/foreign/english/sightseeing/museum/index.html#kurazukuri

 

Kawagoe Castel Honmaru Goten: As explained above, it is a part of former Kawagoe Castel remained.

http://www.koedo.or.jp/foreign/english/sightseeing/highlight/index.html#honmaru

 

 

Kita-In Temple: One of the biggest temple in this area. Don’t forget seeing “500 statute of Ryokan” especially.

Official HP: http://www.kawagoe.com/kitain/english/

 

As a series of posts for Kawagoe, from next time, we will introduce you some food-related spots in the old town!

 

Cupnoodles Museum, Yokohama

You may know that instant noodle was invented in Japan. Mr. Momofuku Ando, may be one of the most creative innovators from Japan, invented first “Nissin Chicken Ramen” as the world first instant noodle. Then he also came to the idea of “Cupnoodles” (instant noodle in a cup) when he was exploring a way to expand his instant ramen to the world from Japanese domestic market.

The four-floor modern building is dedicated as “Cupnoodles Museum” with the theme “Creative Thinking”. Thanks to the work by an excellent art director Mr. Kashiwa Sato, the museum has become a space where the great history of innovation by the founder of Nissin Foods is well presented and also where both adults and children can learn from and enjoy the exhibition.

 

On the 2^nd floor, we can find the history of innovation and what Mr. Ando was thinking and doing through his life. It is filled with insights for creative ideas. In another part, we can find covers of instant noodles by Nissin Foods. Some of them might be familiar with you.

 

The 3^rd floor is occupied by two “Factory” space. One is for Cupnoodles and another for Chicken Ramen. The space provides on visitors opportunities to involve in instant ramen making experiences. Chicken Ramen factory is exclusive for kids and junior high school students and advance reservation required. Because the experience is available in Japanese, it must be a bit hard for international visitors to join in it.

On the other hand, Cupnoodles factory is easier to participate for international visitors as explanation in English is provided. With the price Yen300, we can create a pack of own original Cupnoodles.

First we painted a cup as we like.

 

 

 

 

Then we proceeded to the factory area where noodle was put in a cup (or noodle was covered by the cup).

We can select 1 soup flavor and 4 different condiments for our own Cupnoodle.

I got the mascot of Chicken Ramen, Hiyoko’s fish cake, which can never be found at an ordinary version Cupnoodles, as well as cheese, bacon and leek.

 

My cup was wrapped as a product in the factory. The original cupnoodle’s shelf life is a month.

 

It is put in a cushion bag to bring it back to home. (But please keep in mind that it can’t be brought to an aircraft.)

 

The fourth floor is separated into two areas. One, called Cupnoodles Park is for kid’s playing park. As we are adults, we could not enter to the area. As per the official information, the playing park is designed based on the idea of “noodle factory” and kids can go through the factory-like field, like usually noodle does.(They can feel like noodle!)

The rest is a food court style dining. Several different noodle bowls from “Noodle Road”(like Silk Road) are offered as a memory of Mr. Ando’s journey. In addition, Chicken Ramen is also available, which I chose with cheese and leek toppings.

 

The price is quite reasonable at Yen300 for a half portion bowl. So we can try more than one noodle bowls for a meal or just one as snack.

 

Cupnoodles Museum is located in Minatomirai area in Yokohama. By train, it takes a few stops from Yokohama station or China Town subway station. To access to Yokohama from Tokyo, it is 20 minutes train ride from Shinagawa station in Tokyo.

If you are interested in instant ramen as a food culture, we recommend that you visit Cupnoodles Museum.

For Cupnoodles Factory experience and Cupnoodles Park(kids playing area), during busy period, it is available for only limited numbers of people and numbered ticket will be issued for first-come-first-sereved base. Otherwise, Cupnoodles Factory experience can be booked through a ticket system at Lawson convenience stores across Japan. (Operation available in Japanese though)

 

Spot name: Cupnoodles Museum

Address: 2-3-4 Shinko, Naka-ku, Yokohama City, Kanagawa

Official website: http://www.cupnoodles-museum.jp