Blog 5: Tokyo ~ What do you like better Ramen or Sukyaki?

Tokyo What do you like better Ramen or Sukyaki? 

January 7^th, 2018

Bullet Train

On this sunny day we take the bullet train back to Tokyo and are greeted with a fantastic view of Mount Fuji.  Tokyo is the most populous city in the world. It is on the SE side of main island and became the capital after the emperor Meiji moved from old capital at Kyoto in 1868 and named it Tokyo (previously was called Edo). It has a population of over 13 million, 23 special wards. It is ranked best overall city experience by Trip Advisor’s world city survey in terms of helpfulness of locals, shopping, cleanliness, public transportation, and livability, but is expensive. It is ranked first out of 50 cities in the Safe City Index and is mainly modern and contemporary architecture due to earth quake in 1923 and WWII firebombing.

 I am very impressed with Tokyo’s cleanliness and although I don’t see any public garbage cans there isn’t even a spec of trash on the ground! No graffiti either. Where does the trash go in Tokyo? I have noticed that people don’t walk around eating or even holding coffee cups in their hands so perhaps this helps reduce littering. Clearly there is a culture of cleanliness and people take responsibility for their own trash.  I later learn that in 1990s Japan introduced strict recycling laws and Japan now recycles 70% of its plastics. I think further about all the cleanliness efforts I have seen so far on this trip such as the bidet toilets, taking off shoes at the door before entering our hotel room and at last night’s restaurant, being given wash cloths in restaurants and on the train to wash hands before food is served and then there were the ladies in pink cleaning the bullet train. Even the taxis we have taken have had pure white covers on the seats without a single stain spot on them. One of our drivers even had white gloves on. Also I have noticed that about 5% of people are wearing surgical masks in public.  Is this because they are sick or are they being considerate and don’t want to spread germs or get germs?  Later I learn that religion also plays its part as there is a link between religion and bathing. Bathing is central to both Shintoism and Buddhism. Evil is associated with dirtiness, good with cleanliness. According to Japanese adherents of Shintoism, the original creator was born in the sea; worshippers at Shinto shrines still wash their mouths out. (later we learn now to do this in a clean way) For many, cleanliness is not next to godliness, it is godliness. Also I believe this focus on cleanliness starts with how children are parented and taught at school to take care of their classrooms and homes. I must check this theory out when I meet my psychiatrist friend in a few days. Nonetheless I am a clean nut and John thinks I am OCD and I realize I feel at home here. 

Tokyo Ramen Street

We meet Seth and Laura who arrive mid afternoon. We set out for a snack before dinner and discover in the labyrinth of paths beneath the train station a special street that has exclusively 8-10 high caliber ramen restaurants from all over the country.  Ramen consists of Chinese-style wheat noodles served in a broth, often flavored with soy sauce or miso, and with some toppings. The street is crowded and many of these restaurants have queues. We have difficulty knowing which restaurant to choose. It is probably hard to go wrong anywhere, but outside of most places there are pictures of all the ramen dishes options on their vending machines. You can press on the picture of the food you want, pay with your Sucia card and get a ticket before entering. 

We are not sure what we have ordered or are eating because everything is in Japanese but when it comes it looks and tastes delicious. We slurp the scrumptious noodles and I coach Seth telling him he should hold up the soup dish to his mouth, acting as if I am some kind of expert on Japanese manners! I recall giving my children instant ramen noodles made by adding boiling water when they were young and they loved it. Moreover, it only took 2 minutes to prepare.

Sukyaki Restaurant ~ Yonezawagyuooki

John has made reservations at a restaurant that specializes in sukiyaki, a Japanese one pot dish that consists of meat (usually thinly sliced beef) which is slowly cooked or simmered at the table, alongside vegetables such as scallions, tofu, mushrooms, and Chinese cabbage in a shallow iron dish or skillet in a mixture of soy sauce, sugar and mirin.  Each of us is given our own skillet on a burner as well as a small bowl with a raw egg in it. We aren’t sure what to do with the egg but our waitress gives us the nonverbal signal to stir the egg and after cooking the meat to dip it into the egg before eating. Hmm.. not sure about eating a raw egg but after tasting this combination I was definitely in raw egg heaven.  Steamed rice was also served along side crunchy pickles and miso soup. Sukyaki is similar to the shabu-shabu we had the night before but is sweeter, the meat is not as thinly sliced and it is cooked in a more casserole style. Shabu-shabu is like a hot pot, cooked like a soup and I think is more savory with the sauces but less sweet. We all love this meal and Seth and Laura manage to stay awake. Moreover this time I believe we managed not to overcook the meat. Not sure which I like better shabu shabu or sukiyaki?  Both are pretty amazing.