Iron Chef in Yokohama Chinatown

One reason that I needed to go to Yohamachina Town was (again) "HANA CHINA" manga !!! It's about one girl (Hanako) who was trained in chinese restaurant in Yokohama Chinatown. At the beginning she met a ghost (Yangkuifuey who actually was a wife of King of Tang Dynasty) at a temple in centre of chinatown ... Then, the adventure began when Hanakojung made various type of chinese fried rice and Yangkuifuey was the one who help her and tasted every dishes ...

Then, I also went to this temple ... along the way I saw lots of pao shops with commercial such as movie stars visit, etc.

The most excited one were the one made by one of the iron chef !!! See below picture ...

Note : Iron Chef is a Japanese television program (a kind like game show) presents thorough background information (e.g., ingredients, past history of contenders) to give a viewer context for what is happening in the kitchen is.

Yokohama Chinatown : Pao Shops

As I said Pao was a kind of famous food in Yokohama Chinatown -- Lots of advertising & claim were made to drive customer in. Here is the shop at almost the end where showing 4 chefs who won lots of awards on Pao & other Dimsum.

Signage showed visual of 4 chefs were able to be seen from long distance. Moreover, the real chef was standing behind the counter !!!

About pao, we ordered 2 types as : Pork in normal bun, Red bean in green tea bun ... Wow, the filling were a lot (very juicy - not dry) and outside is so soft ...

Yokohama Chinatown

Talking about Yokohama --- it is one of Japan's major ports along Kobe, Osaka, Nagoya, Hakata, Tokyo and Chiba.

Yokohama Chinatown is the largest Chinatown not only in Japan but also in Asia (larger than Chinatowns in both Kobe and Nagasaki) and it is one of the largest in the world -- over 200 restuarants included.

For a visit to Chinatown, just try to get off at Ishikawa-cho since it's a short walk from there. No way to get lost since, on the station, there're signage painted on wall for "China Town". After walking for few minutes, there's white entrance.

Now, what I found most popular foods in Chinatown : Pao (a type of steamed, filled

bun or brak-like item in Chinese cuisines, with variation of fillings) and Roasted Chinese Chestnut ...

Shin-Yokohama : Discover Ramen

Again, this is about Raumen Museum in Shin-Yokohama. Let's see what are in 1st floor of the museum.

- Origin of each type of ramen in Japan

- Various type of instand ramen

- Exhibit how to make ramen (noodle) including show different type of ramen ...

Shin-Yokohama Raumen Museum

This is a must for me for my visit to Japan. Ramen Museum in Shin Yokohama. Anyone who plan to go there via train, don't get confused between Yokohama Station and Shin-Yokohama Station !!!

Ramen Museum is near (in walking distance) Shin-Yokohama Station which is a train station in Yokohama city in Japan.



Actually, here they use "Shin Yokohama Raumen Museum" which position itself as rumen & amusement park. Ticket cost 300Yen for adult. Once walked past the entrance turnstiles, the first floor is museum exhibits (Noodle making factory, ramen utensil, and souvenir shop). There we found lots of instant ramen (able to take home) and instand ramen around the world !!!

The fun began when I walked down (on two underground levels) which was like a historical theme park. Actually, they made it to be in year 1958 of shitamachi (a typically bustling working-class neighborhood crowded with tiny shops, houses and restaurants.)

If any one read "Nijiiro Ramen" or "Menyatai Road Narutoya", you will love this place ... There are lots of ramen shops from all over Japan : Sapporo, Asahikawa, Tokyo, Yokohama, Wakayama, Hakata, and Kumamoto.

We had to order from ticket vending machine in front of each shop and gave them to the waiter and waited for seating. On that day, we ordered from Fukuchan Shop which was Hakata native (rich taste of white pork broth with mild aroma).


Here's where I made my dream comes true !!!