(Ramen Walker, Tokyo 23 Wards)
Koizumi, are you going to have ramen again today?
Yes, I am. Why?
Where to today?
Pork bone? Shoyu? Miso?
Or perhaps a family-style ramen?
It's pineapple.
Papapapapine?
(Papapapapine)
(Papapapapine, Nishi-Ogikubo)
Here you go. Pineapple salt ramen.
There really is pineapple in it.
Thank you for the food.
- Thank you for the food. - Thank you for the food.
What?
It's delicious!
Unbelievable.
Why does the pineapple make it so tasty?
Pineapple in the seafood broth...
gives it the perfect sweet and sour taste.
The exquisitely perfect balance is maintained.
Amazing.
And the pineapple-flavored soft-boiled egg...
that was raved about.
The fancy creation of eggs marinated in pineapple juice...
enables one to enjoy the main dish and the dessert at the same time.
Impressive.
(Today's bowl)
(This drama is fiction.)
(But the ramen is from the actual ramen shop.)
- Good morning. - Good morning.
Koizumi and I are planning to eat ramen this Sunday.
- Will you come too, Yu? - What?
Of course.
Koizumi, which restaurant will it be?
It's Japanese Soba Noodles Tsuta in Sugamo.
In the 2014 Tokyo Ramen Walker Grand Prix,
they were ranked first out of Tokyo's 23 wards.
It also won the Bib Gourmand in "Michelin Guide Tokyo 2015".
I don't really understand, but that's amazing!
I understood that it is an awesome restaurant.
It's normally packed with people and there are long queues.
It is even worse on weekends.
So be prepared for that.
- Okay! - Okay!
(Japanese Soba Noodles Tsuta)
(Japanese Soba Noodles Tsuta, Tokyo, Sugamo)
All right.
They are already lining up!
Good morning, Koizumi.
Do you wear the uniform on Sunday too?
I was looking forward to seeing you in regular clothes.
Eating ramen has nothing to do with clothes.
Well, that's true too.
But the queue is really long.
That's right.
But since there is still an hour before opening,
this is considered very few people.
I see.
What? Wait a minute.
Is there still another hour before opening?
Yes.
Judging from this queue,
I'm afraid we can only have our meal an hour after they open.
- How lucky. - No way!
Do you mean to say we are going to wait two hours from now?
Didn't I tell you before this?
But I get to chat with you while waiting,
so it's fine, I guess.
By the way, Misa sure is late.
She told me she would be a little late.
Late?
(120 minutes to ramen)
The line is getting longer.
Koizumi, what does Japan's number one ramen taste like?
The truffle oil blended shoyu soba...
Are you listening?
Come on.
Hey, Koizumi.
Are you listening to the sound of water being drained again?
What sound is this?
It's the one we are going to eat, Japanese Soba Noodles Tsuta.
I got permission to record it the last time I was here.
But what sound is it?
Thanks to you, I think I know...
this isn't the sound of water being drained.
This is the sound of noodles being eaten.
What?
Their noodles are a blend of four types of domestic wheat.
They are stone-milled and handmade with added whole wheat.
I really can't wait.
Actually…
Okay, I'll try to make it easier to understand.
Tora Shokudo, Matsudo branch...
uses green bamboo to make their handmade curly noodles.
The harmonious sound that comes out is very distinctive.
(Tora Shokudo)
Isn't it the same sound as what I just heard?
Hey, Koizumi.
Does it make you happy listening to this?
Yes, very happy.
Different noodles give off different sounds.
Like the handmade noodles for example.
Different flour and water ratios change the sound of kneading.
One can enjoy the full individuality of the sounds.
On the other hand, in noodle factories…
(80 minutes to ramen)
There is still 20 minutes before the shop opens.
But then we still have to wait in line for another hour.
Is Misa not here yet?
I'll try contacting her.
(Osawa Yu)
No answer.
It can't be helped.
Hey, Koizumi. What are you eating?
We are going to eat ramen in a while.
I know.
I'm making adjustments for that.
I don't really get what you are saying.
Although they say an empty stomach is the best spice,
but standing in line for too long will make us hungry.
This will adversely affect us.
At this time, the body needs a little food to keep it going.
So we eat this and wait another hour and a half.
When we eat ramen later, we will be in the perfect state of hunger.
You even made such preparations for the sake of ramen.
You are welcome to have one if you like.
What? Can I really?
Thank you.
Moreover, you made this yourself, didn't you?
By the way, do you make rice balls with your bare hands...
or do you use a plastic wrap?
With my bare hands.
Bare hands?
That's great! I'm so happy!
Thank you for the food.
It's delicious.
Thank you for waiting.
Welcome.
(60 minutes to ramen)
Great.
They are open at last, Koizumi.
Yes, but this is just the turning point.
There is still an hour before we get to eat.
Has Misa contacted you?
She hasn't.
Goodness, what is she doing?
At this point, I hope she doesn't come at all.
It's about time.
(15 minutes to ramen)
Finally!
We finally made it this far, Koizumi.
Yes, the feeling is incomparable.
Sorry to keep you waiting!
Misa, you are very late!
I'm really so sorry.
What happened to you?
We have been waiting in line all this while.
I saw the both of you patiently waiting in the queue.
Good work.
What do you mean?
Actually, I read about this shop on the Internet before I came.
I was shocked. This shop opens at 11am.
But Koizumi said to meet here at 10am.
So the genius me had a thought.
I figured Koizumi intended to wait in line from 10am onward.
I refused to be caught in her trap.
Did you deliberately let us be the ones to wait in line?
But I wanted to wear my new heels.
It would have been impossible for me to wait in line for so long.
Why do you have to dress up when we are only here to eat ramen?
Look at Koizumi. She is in her uniform.
Seriously, Misa. That is so unfair.
Come on. I was just using my brains.
Seriously.
But it's good you made it.
You came at the perfect timing.
It's the worst timing.
- What? - What?
The three of us will start queuing at the end of the line.
Hey, wait a minute!
I know she made you very angry,
but at least she made it in time.
Just let Misa join us, okay?
That's not it.
No matter the reason,
jumping queue is simply unacceptable.
But we have been waiting in line for two hours.
That's right. I'm not some stranger jumping queue.
I'm an additional friend. Isn't it fine?
Can you say those words...
while looking at these people in the eye?
Queue-jumpers...
have no right to eat ramen!
Misa, let's just go to the end of the line.
But do we have to be so serious about this?
You'll be killed if you say that.
Apologies to those at the back.
We won't jump queue.
We will queue once again.
The line is very long.
So how long will it be before we get to eat?
That's right.
It will be about a two-hour wait.
(120 minutes to ramen)
Two hours? I won't be able to take it!
That should be our line!
We wasted our two-hour wait before this.
But I'll have to wait in line wearing these heels.
That's your own problem!
You should have prepared accordingly knowing that we were going to queue!
Regular shoes and comfortable clothes!
Even a sleeping bag, if necessary!
No way! That would be too much.
Right, Koizumi?
No, it's not too much.
At times, the shop has to close due to unforeseen circumstances...
or because their limited edition ramen has sold out.
There are people who bring along a tent for this reason.
Are you talking about us?
You guys again!
Then do you all bring tents with you?
Yes,
I guess we do.
I noticed when I saw you at Ramen Jiro...
and Mouko Tanmen Nakamoto.
There was a certain aura about you.
It's no wonder you are experts.
I never thought you would go so far as to bring tents along to queue.
I take my hat off to you.
We are impressed by your style of eating too.
You flatter me.
I am still a novice who has never brought a tent to queue for ramen.
There is no hurry.
You are still young.
But, even if I am young,
there are still times when I am impatient.
For example, Higashi-Ikebukuro Taishoken.
I haven't gotten the chance to eat Mr. Yamagishi's tsukemen.
I understand how you feel.
He is known as the God of Ramen, after all.
What's going on?
Who knows?
He passed away last April.
Mr. Yamagishi Kazuo, the founder of Higashi-Ikebukuro Taishoken...
was the pioneer of tsukemen and the creator of mori soba.
He is a legendary connoisseur.
He did researches on soups, noodles, roast pork and bamboo shoots.
All of it were homemade.
But Mr. Yamagishi's greatest emphasis...
was showing his gratitude toward his customers.
That goodwill was the very essence of Higashi-Ikebukuro Taishoken.
Have you all eaten Mr. Yamagishi's tsukemen?
Can you all tell me about that time?
Shoyu soba.
Here you go.
(30 minutes to ramen.)
(Total waiting time of 3 hours 15 minutes)
Speaking of waiting in line,
Kyokou in Shinbashi has closed down.
That feels lonely.
Do you mean that legendary Kyokou?
It was very rare at the time.
It was the only famous shop in Asahikawa...
where you could eat shoyu ramen.
I shed tears when I heard the announcement of their closure.
Enough. This is my limit.
Waiting in line for one and a half hours in heels...
and listening to ramen stories that I know nothing about,
I can't stand it anymore.
I'm going home.
Hey, Misa. What did you say?
Are you really going home?
There are only 30 more minutes to go.
There is still a 30-minute wait.
Ramen is like a mirror that reflects life.
If you run away from here,
you will be running away...
from any hardships from now on.
You'll become a weakling.
What?
Don't use ramen to determine my life.
I'm going home.
Hey, Misa. Wait.
You have persevered for one and a half hours.
Miss, if you go, we will get to eat a little earlier,
but that would be a pity.
Move!
It's truffle oil blended shoyu soba.
Are you sure?
What? Trouble with the system?
Okay, I'll be right there.
What are you doing?
What? What is it?
I have been waiting for this day for three months.
Damn!
You still have the chance to eat, don't you?
What?
I won't stop you if you insist on going home.
You are free to go.
But…
I couldn't eat at Higashi-Ikebukuro Taishoken...
or at Kyokou.
There are things that you can never eat again if you don't eat them now.
It'll be too late to regret then.
Life and ramen both...
only come once in a lifetime.
That's the way!
Delicious ramen is waiting for you.
Misa, let's do our best together.
Okay.
(Award, First place)
What is this? This is amazingly tasty!
It is such a simple dish,
yet there is such depth to its taste.
I can't wait any longer. I am at my limit.
Thank you for waiting.
I have been waiting for so long.
-Can I take a picture? -Go ahead.
Thank you for the food.
What's this? It's so delicious!
This is well worth the four-hour long wait.
No wonder it's the best in Japan.
The broth is so fresh and rich.
Handmade noodles.
Plus the black truffle's mellow taste proliferating in the mouth.
This is the ultimate that can't be found anywhere.
The one and only top-grade ramen!
I'm so satisfied.
Indeed, ramen is worth lining up for.
What? Should you be the one saying that?
I'll be good and line up next time. Let's go together, the three of us.
I decline.
- What? - What?
Wait.
Koizumi.
This is the story of Koizumi who loves to eat ramen.
(Koizumi Observation Journal, Volume One, Osawa Yu)
Koizumi Observation Journal.
The shops Koizumi and I visited today...
were Papapapapine and Japanese Soba Noodles Tsuta.
They were delicious!
Here you go. The thick ramen.
Because I wanted to try it.
I heard Yu is transferring to another school.
Let's organize a surprise send-off for her.
Ramen is a food that has unlimited possibilities.
I would like to give Yu...
a bowl of delicious ramen for the last time.