Blogmas Day 23: Takeshita Dori

We didn't have much time left in our time in Tokyo to explore Harajuku but of course we walked down Takeshita Dori.  I'm pretty sure there is always a sea of people down this street so its really only worth the visit except to tick it off your bucketlist.  It would have been nice to walk around Harajuku and next time, I would look into what sort of shops to check out.

Ramen at Kyushu Jangara ramen 九州じゃんがら.  A great little ramen stop after an afternoon of shopping in Harajuku.  Go for the creamy tonkotsu Ramen - very fatty, very rich, YUM!

My holidays do very much centre around food and that includes fast food too!  There is no need to shun fast food chains especially when McDonalds not only has regional menus but fantastic seasonal stuff too.  I didn't plan on going to McD's in Japan but the advert for this Choco-Pie was everywhere! and I'm not going to lie, I enjoyed it very much!

Make sure to stop in the Daiso and grab yourself some silly kitchen trinkets!

Other Posts:

- Blogmas Day 20: Studio Ghibli Museum

- Blogmas Day 22: Burnt Miso Ramen

- Blogmas Intro: Japan Trip

Blogmas Day 22: Burnt Miso Ramen

Nishiazabu Gogyo 西麻布五行 - My new favourite ramen, I found the place online, it's in Roppongi, I went and loved every slurp of it.  I dream of this ramen and will go back any chance I get!

There was nothing special about the gyoza, they actually had a lot of other side dishes available that looked good so if you are feeling adventurous, I'd probably recommend one of those instead.

Do NOT let the black colour put you off! The Burnt Miso Ramen is a rich fatty Miso soup with a barbeque-like taste.  Definitely not for those on a diet but if you like your ramen with an incredibly rich broth then you have to try this!

Other Posts:

- Blogmas Day 20: Studio Ghibli Museum

- Blogmas Day 21: Roppongi Hills Mori Tower

- Blogmas Intro: Japan Trip

Blogmas Day 18: Ichiran Ramen

Another unmissable experience in Tokyo is Ichiran Ramen.  This large chain is open 24 hr, it's a fast food joint really, and honestly, it serves some really fab tonkotsu soup ramen.  

What draws in the tourists is the unique dining experience - you pay for your ramen at a vending machine and sit in isolated booths, where your ramen gets served to you through the window at your booth.  On paper it doesn't sound great but it's such a silly novelty for us foreigners and did I mention that the ramen is really good!

Other Posts:

- Blogmas Day 19: Odaiba

- Blogmas Day 17: BAKED CHEESE TARTS

- Blogmas Intro: Japan Trip

Blogmas Day 12 Part 1: Tsukemen at Rokurinsha

When looking up Ramen places to try in Tokyo, I kept coming across a different type of noodle dish called Tsukemen, where the soup is rich and thick and the noodles are served cold for you to dip into your hot soup.  The dish is popular for summertime and the restaurant I picked was the famous Rokurinsha 六厘舎 at Tokyo Station.

Expect queues! We arrived at 11:30am on a Wednesday and I had prepared to wait for as long as an hour but in the end we only had to wait 30 minutes, the service is very quick!  Lots of men in suits around, as the restaurant is located in the busy Tokyo Station, you'll see lots of business types having lunch.

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I remember feeling that the rich soup did get a little sickening towards the end and the soup flavour is a fish-based one, so the mackerel flavour is very strong.  I loved the noodle and I did enjoy the idea of a Tsukemen but I'm not sure about the flavour of this soup, I'll have to try out a different flavour at a different restaurant maybe.  After you've finished your noodles, there is some hand signalling from a waitress who will then top up your thick sauce with a soup broth for you to drink the remainder.

Other Posts:

- Blogmas Day 12 Part 2: Gyukatsu 牛かつ

- Blogmas Day 11: Meiji Jingu and Imperial Palace Gardens

- Blogmas Intro: Japan Trip