Popcorn Papa

If you visit Universal Studios Theme Park in Osaka, then you need to make a stop at Popcorn Papa (http://www.popcornpapa.jp/, Japanese only) in the Universal City Walk area outside of the park.  It's at about the midway point and you can't miss it with the giant popcorn kernel wearing a cowboy hat that greets you from atop the store.

There are 32 flavors to choose from - including sweet and savory offerings.  My husband and I love popcorn, especially flavored ones!  So, we went with 2 savory flavors - Bacon & Cheese and Garlic Butter.  Wow, they were so good!  Packed with flavor and totally delicious.  I wish we had bought more.

What I like most about Popcorn Papa is that they aren't skimpy with the flavoring and they have a lot of interesting flavors.  The ones we picked are relatively safe, but their number 2 most popular flavor is Ume Katsuo (pickled plum and fish flakes)!  They also have flavors like Caramel Nuts, Milky Maple, Sweet Potato, Cream Soda, Mentaiko Mayonaise, Nori Wasabi, and Spicy Curry...to name a few.

A small bag will run you about 350 yen and a large is 900 yen. I think we need to make another trip to Universal, just so we can snag a few more bags...and this time, maybe we'll be brave and grab one of their more interesting flavors!

FRIESTA KUMAMOTO

FRIESTA KUMAMOTO, a photo by The Paper Crane on Flickr.

Kumamoto Castle

Near, a photo by The Paper Crane on Flickr.

Kokura Castle

Kokura Castle 2, a photo by The Paper Crane on Flickr.

Kumamoto Castle

Fukuoka’s Yatai (Food stalls) – Mami-chan’s

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not big on eating outside.  I’ve never been a “picnic” kind of girl, so the idea of having a meal on the side of the street didn’t seem very appealing to me.  But when you visit Fukuoka, the first thing people recommend is visiting the yatai – food stalls.  So how can I pass up this opportunity?

For my very first yatai visit, I did considerable research online to find the best one.  I had read stories about people being ripped off or the food not being very good, which didn’t make me any more excited about the idea, but one yatai seemed to always stand out in people’s reviews…Mami-chan’s.

So, 4 of us made our way to Tenjin to give Mami-chan’s a try.  We got there at about 7:00 pm and you could see many yatai lining the side of the street.  Mami-chan’s was the first one on the street.  We recognized it by its red and white striped sides.  But it was completely full when we arrived.  We decided to check out the English menu hanging outside and wait for some spots to open up.

One of the patrons inside the tent heard us talking outside and asked if we wanted to eat at Mami-chan’s.  When we said yes, she immediately let Mami-chan herself know and they proceeded to usher us to the back of the yatai to wait for some seats to open up.  They also graciously provided us chairs and the nice patron who found us spent time talking to us about our visit while we waited.

After a short time, we were shown to some benches within the yatai and we all squeezed in under the tent.  It was very cozy and warm compared to the chill from outside.  They got us some English menus to look at and were each given a delicious chicken wing to start our meal…FREE.  And it was delicious, perfectly seasoned and crispy on the outside, but juicy inside.  It was a great way to start our dinner!

We ordered two plates of gyoza, two bowls of garlic tonkotsu ramen, garlic fried rice, a yaki onigiri, pork legs and yaki ramen, as well as 4 drinks and it was all delicious!  The portions were huge and we all left stuffed…  We got to watch them make all of the food in front of us and it was a marvel to see them create all of this food in such a tiny space.  My favorite was the gyoza, unlike any gyoza I’ve had before…I just wish we had ordered more than 2 plates.  It was crispy on the outside and soft and moist in the inside with a full garlic flavor…just wow!  And it cost us less than 40USD for all of the food!

Now I understand why people tell you to visit yatai in Fukuoka.  Not only for the wonderful, inexpensive food, but for the terrific people you can meet at the yatai too!  Don’t be afraid of eating on the side of the street, especially if you do it at Mami-chan’s!

Website: http://yataimamichan.daa.jp/

Kero’s tip: Mami-chan’s is very foreigner-friendly and Mami-chan likes to take pictures of her patrons to add to her website.

がんこ

Taken in Dotonbori, Osaka

Tokyo Disneyland Station

Cup Noodles Museum - Yokohama

There aren't a lot of people who don't know what Cup Noodles are. They have even been to space! And I have certainly eaten my fair share of these quick, cheap and yummy noodles in my lifetime...but an entire museum dedicated to them? You bet! Japan has a museum for everything! Why not Cup Noodles?!

The opening of the Yokohama branch of this museum (http://www.cupnoodles-museum.jp/index.html, English site available) coincided with a trip we were taking to Japan in 2011. I had been wanting to go to the original museum in Osaka, so I jumped at this opportunity! The new museum is located in the Minato Mirai area of Yokohama and is about a 10 minute walk from Queen's Square Yokohama.

The museum is a brown rectangular building with large glass windows around the top. The lobby area is beautiful and airy and it makes for an impressive entry way. We purchased our admission tickets (500 yen for adults) and reserved a time for making our own Cup Noodles (yes, you can even design and make your own Cup Noodles, but I'll elaborate on that in another post).

We walked up the stairs and took in all of the information about Cup Noodles they had on display. Cup Noodles were invented by Momofuku Ando and the entire museum is dedicated to promoting creative thinking and innovation. They have an entire room filled with all of the different products they've introduced over the years (over 3,000), as well as recreated the work shed where Momofuku invented the first instant ramen!



There is a food court with noodle dishes from around the world. You can sample most for about 300 yen a plate. There is also a kid's play area that gives them a chance to experience the manufacturing process of Cup Noodles from the noodle's perspective (300 yen for a half hour session)! And on the bottom floor a gift shop is available to purchase Cup Noodles souvenirs. We found the museum to be very interactive and lots of fun!



The museum certainly gives you a greater appreciation for the innovative thinking that went into creating Cup Noodles. It's a must see for any fan of instant ramen!



Directions from Tokyo:

• Catch the JR Tokaido Line from TOKYO Station towards YOKOHAMA (Appx. 25 min.)


• Get off at YOKOHAMA Station and transfer to the Tokyu Toyoko Minatomirai Line (Appx. 3 min.)


• Get off at MINATOMIRAI Station


• Exit towards QUEEN'S SQUARE, walk towards World Porters (Appx. 8 min.)

Ichiran - Hakata Ramen

Tell a Japanese person you've visited Fukuoka and they will invariably ask you if you've eaten two things: mentaiko (明太子 marinated fish roe, typically spicy) and/or ramen (ラーメン hot noodles).  These are the two delicacies Fukuoka is known for, and while most foreigners might pass on the fish eggs, no visitor should pass on Hakata ramen (博多ラーメン).

Hakata ramen is characterized by its white, almost milky soup made from pork bones, or tonkotsu (豚骨), and thin noodles, topped with green scallions and thin-sliced pork, or cha-shu (チャーシュー).  And my favorite restaurant for Hakata ramen would easily be Ichiran (一蘭) (www.ichiran.co.jp/english/).

What separates Ichiran from other ramen places is the unique experience.

Some shops serve you in a standard round bowl, others in a rectangular box.

Unlike most ramen shops, each seat is an individual booth, so that every customer can focus solely upon his/her bowl of noodles. There is a call button for when you want to give your order tickets to the attendant or when you're ready for a second bowl of noodles.  You have your own cups and water dispenser.  Everything is set up so that you have no distractions, no outside influence on your enjoyment of your ramen.

Also unlike most ramen shops, Ichiran hands out a form that allows patrons to customize their ramen.  Pictured above is an English version (available upon request) and it shows how much thought goes into personalizing your dining experience.  Ichiran's recommendation for first-timers is "medium" and "regular" for most options.

My wife's recommendation is their soft-boiled egg.

After all the build-up leading to your ramen, Ichiran does not disappoint.  The first time I visited one of their locations, I thought I had eaten ramen before, but this just blew my mind.  The broth is rich and garlicky and the noodles, firm and chewy.  I had been shoyu ramen lover all my life, but Ichiran converted me to tonkotsu.

Ichiran may be a restaurant chain, but there is a reason why it's consistently ranked as one of the best ramen shops in Japan.  And don't fret if you're not visiting Fukuoka, they have locations across Japan, so if you're in Tokyo, you can stop over their Ueno shop for some hot, steamy, heaven in a bowl.

Masa's tip:  Order an extra bowl or half-bowl of noodles so you can enjoy your leftover broth.  When you do, they give you a little metal plate (pictured in the collage) for your seconds (kaedama (替玉), in ramen-shop-speak).  When you're ready, ring the bell and place the metal plate on the button.  The attendant will take the plate and bring you back a fresh, hot bowl of noodles!

Miyajima Torii

Untitled, a photo by The Paper Crane on Flickr.

Mister Donut - Best Donuts in Japan

I am not a donut snob...as long as it's not too old, I'll eat it and probably enjoy it.  I've had Krispy Kreme, Dunkin Donuts, donuts from bakeries...but my favorite donuts in Japan are from Mister Donut!  They may not have the "best tasting" donuts, since everyone's tastes are different, but my heart firmly belongs to Mister Donut in Japan.



I grew to love Mister Donut while I was living in Japan.  I would visit Sendai on the weekends and stop by Mister Donut in the station to grab a few donuts or sometimes a dozen.  It always felt like their donuts were on sale for a 100 yen a piece!  My favorites were the Angel French (a cruller dipped in chocolate with whipped cream in the middle) and the chocolate Pon de Crunch ring.  Then I joined the Misdo Club and accumulated points so that I could get their special logo merchandise.  I managed to get a squishy pillow and an Elmo date book.

After moving back home, I really missed Mister Donut, since there aren’t any in Hawaii.  On subsequent visits to Tokyo, I would always keep my eyes open for a Mister Donut, but could never seem to find one in the places I visited.



Then a year ago, we made our first trip to Fukuoka and I rediscovered my love for Mister Donut.  They have a Mister Donut in Hakata Station!  And everywhere we visited in Kyushu, I found another Mister Donut store!  They seemed to be everywhere and I couldn’t be happier!

Now, if you ask my husband, he’ll say that I mostly love Mister Donut because they have Snoopy goods and promotions (I am a huge Peanuts fan!).  And he’s absolutely right about that!  I ended up buying a ton of donuts so that I could get 2 limited edition Snoopy appointment books (they are adorable).  But I say that I loved Mister Donut before they partnered with Peanuts…the partnership just solidified my love even further.

Currently, Mister Donut is doing a promotion with Hello Kitty and we got to try some of the cute new donuts they are offering.  I tried a Hello Kitty strawberry cupcake, a Pon de Lion chocolate donut and a Pon de Chocolate Crunch ring.  And because we spent more than 700 yen, I received a cute Hello Kitty bow phone plug!  Delicious donuts and a free gift…gotta love Mister Donut!

Mitsukoshi Department Store - Food Basement

One of the many vendors in the basement of Mitsukoshi

I admit it…I’m what you would call an impulse buyer. I’m the person stores are targeting when they put items near the check-out counter or offer free samples. Not only do I love trying samples, usually you’ll find me buying the product, either out of guilt or because I genuinely enjoyed what I tried.

So, walking into the food and omiyage (gift) basement at Mitsukoshi is my heaven…and my wallet’s hell. There is a vast array of foods to try and the good folks at Mitsukoshi are more than happy to shove samples at you left and right – but only in the most gracious way possible, of course!

Custard Cream (top) and Chocolate Cream (bottom)-filled Waffle Sandwiches

As soon as you walk in, you are assaulted by all of the sights, sounds and smells. I’m offered green tea, senbei (rice crackers), chiffon cake, waffle sticks (yes, these are as awesome as they sound!), macaroons, dried fruits, honey, sake, fishcake, yakitori (grilled chicken) shumai…and the list goes on. And I try them all because it would be rude to say no. At least, that’s what I tell myself as I walk down each aisle. Then I drag my poor husband to each new place exclaiming how delicious each item is and make him try some too!

Custard Pudding from Kojima-tei

But the double-edged sword of these free samples is the guilt I feel as I tell the seller how “oishii” (delicious) each food is, but don’t buy any. And they never make you feel bad about just trying their food and passing on, which makes me feel worse… So invariably, I’ll bring out my wallet and buy “just a little something” from each of them.

Maple Sugar Waffle on a Stick

Now, I could just walk past without trying their samples, but I’m in Japan and it seems silly to pass up the opportunity to try new foods that I can’t get back home. So, even though my wallet is much lighter, I always leave with a smile on my face and a very happy and full stomach.

Kero's tip: Most large department stores have food basements filled with terrific foods to sample and buy. Instead of going to a restaurant, consider picking up some of the hot and cold prepared foods for your next meal.

北九州 - Kitakyushu

北九州, a photo by The Paper Crane on Flickr.

Fukuoka Tower – Japan’s tallest seaside tower

I had the chance to visit Fukuoka Tower (http://www.fukuokatower.co.jp/, English site available) on my last trip to Japan. Being afraid of heights, it’s a wonder that I like to visit these tall structures at all, but Fukuoka Tower is definitely worth a visit.

Standing at 234 meters, it is Japan’s tallest beachside tower and located in the Seaside Momochi area. It offers stunning 360 degree views and only takes a little more than a minute to get to the 123 meter observation room. A nice touch for the non-Japanese speakers is that the introductory tower information is also offered in English by the elevator personnel.

Be ready to have your picture taken before you get onto the elevator to the observation deck. You can then purchase this photo in a cute paper frame for 1,000 yen after taking the elevator back down.



There are also 2 restaurants, a 7-11 convenience store, a few specialty stores and a souvenir store in the lobby area.

There are a number of ways to get to the Tower. We caught the high speed ferry from Uchinonakamichi (20 minute ride for 1,000 yen), but you can also catch the bus from Hakata Station (takes approximately 30 minutes) or the subway.

Blogger’s Tip: Foreigners with a valid passport and coupon (we got our coupons at our hotel) or those using a valid JR Rail Pass can receive a discount to their entrance fee – from 800 yen to 640 yen.

Fruit Picking

While it may not be something that pops into the mind of many visitors to Japan, fruit picking is a fun, family-friendly activity that can be enjoyed year-round.

I recently visited Pooh's Strawberry Garden (http://gennousya.com, Japanese-only) in Fukuoka, where I got to eat the "Amaou" strawberry, which is a regional specialty.  I was also able to sample other varieties of strawberries, such as the "akahoppe," "saga honoka," and "tochi otome."  I've never had fruits that were so juicy and sweet until I had the chance to pick them myself!



Of course, as with all places with four seasons, the fruits available change with the season  and the prices also vary depending on the fruit, with most operations charging a flat fee for 30-60 minutes of fruit picking and this includes whatever you eat on the premises, plus an additional charge for any extra you want to take with you.  For example, I paid 2100 yen per person for 30 minutes of all-you-can eat strawberry picking, with an additional 500 yen/100 grams for any amount I wanted to take home.

While that sounded a little expensive at the time, considering the price of fresh fruits in Japan and the fun, unforgettable experience (plus the delicious fruit!), it was a price well-worth paying.  If you're looking for a family-friendly activity and a chance to eat delicious fresh fruit, think about going fruit picking on your next visit to Japan!

For more information about fruit picking, including what fruits may be in season when you visit, check out Japan-guide.com (http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2268.html)

Directions to Pooh's Strawberry Garden via train:

• From Hakata Station, catch the 8:41AM JR Kagoshima Line Rapid bound for OMUTA on Track 6 (49 minutes)


• Get off at JR Hainuzuka Station


• Catch Horikawa Bus to BENGARA-MURA

*Specific times are due to the limited number of buses running to Pooh's Strawberry Farm.