Alvinology goes to Japan – Day 9 of 14

April 13, 2009

3 minute read

On the ninth day, we left Tokyo and headed to Osaka (大阪市) via the Shinkansen (新幹線) bullet train. We woke up at 4am in the morning to avoid the frantic Tokyo rush hour crowd at the train station as we were carrying a lot of luggage. For most part of the journey, we were only half-awake.

Floor map of the Shinkansen - there are smoking and non-smoking cabins — Floor map of the Shinkansen – there are smoking and non-smoking cabins

Upon reaching Osaka, we checked into the local Super Hotel and then headed to the Momofuku Ando Instant Ramen Museum (インスタントラーメン発明記念館). The museum is dedicated to instant noodles and cup noodles, and Taiwanese-Japanese inventor and businessman Momofuku Ando (安藤百福) who created them via the Nissin brand. The museum is located in Ikeda in Osaka, and is located within walking distance of Ikeda Station on the Hankyu-Takarazuka Line. Admission is free.

Momofuku Ando is a very inspirational figure. A late bloomer, he invented instant noodles at 48 and cup noodles at the grand age of 61.

An interesting thing to take note when you visit the museum is the residential home standing just in front of it. The nameplates outside the house bores the same surname as Momofuku Ando. I won’t be surprise is that house belongs to him or his descendants.

We had fried chicken for breakfast, bought from the 24hrs Family Mart next to our hotel — Fried chicken for breakfast, bought from the 24hrs Family Mart next to our hotel

Yummy! Mark bought this for supper every night thereafter

Mark pretending to be the owner of a nice sportscar spotted at the carpark beside our hotel — Mark pretending to be the owner of a nice sportscar spotted near our hotel

Count the number of signboards pointing to the Hankyu line!

There are Women Only cabins during rush hours — There are “Women Only” cabins during rush hours

Chinese food stall spotted at Ikeda station

A strawberry red bean mochi that Rachel bought

Wanted criminals in Japan - we saw this outside a police station — Wanted criminals in Japan – we saw this outside a police station

The area near the museum is peppered with nice large houses like this

Large shrubs like this surrounded the perimeter of most of the houses

Berries growing in someones garden — Berries growing in someone’s garden

A model of Andos house where he invented the first instant noodle — A model of Ando’s house where he invented the first instant noodle

Some of Andos personal belongings — Some of Ando’s personal belongings

All kinds of instant noodles and cup noodles

Theres even noodles in the ceiling — There’s even noodles in the ceiling

Wide view of the instant noodles and cup noodles time line

My favourite instant noodle brand

Ando got his inspiration for the cup noodle from this pack of nuts served to him in an airplane — Ando got his inspiration for the cup noodle from this pack of macadamia nuts served to him in an airplane

Roving cup noodle van in olden days Japan

Vintage instant noodles in early post-war Japan

Retro machine used to seal the instant noodles

Top ten greatest inventions in Japan - check out number 1 and 4 — Top ten greatest inventions in Japan – check out number 1 and 6

Giant cup noodle model - the vacuum beneath the noodle allows water to flow in — Giant cup noodle model – the vacuum beneath the noodle allows water to flow in

Nissin chick sitting in a model of the futuristic car seen in the hit manga, Akira

At the museum, we got to make our own Nissin cup noodles! I created a Alvinology version while Mark and Meiyen created their own designs. Rachel did not want to make one as she is not a fan of instant noodles and cup noodles as she thinks they are unhealthy food.

Mark checking his digital dictionary on what Japanese words to write on his cup noodle — Mark checking his dictionary on the Japanese words to write on his cup noodle

70 percent completed (just need to add in the ingredient and seal it up)

You get to choose the flavour and ingredient to put into your own cup noodle

Nissin staff putting in the ingredients for us

Alvinology cup noode on its way out — Alvinology cup noode on it’s way out

The staff at the cup noodle factory — The staff at the “cup noodle factory”

Rachel with my completed Alvinology cup noodle

Mark and Meiyen with their completed cup noodle designs

We had instant noodles for lunch in the museum. We tried out the cheese flavoured Nissin cup noodles which were not available in Singapore. They tasted quite good, even to Rachel who usually don’t eat cup noodles.

I cooked my own lunch — I “cooked” my own lunch

Valentines Day special souvenirs — Valentine’s Day special souvenirs

The English brochure says the sex of the Nissin chick is unknown... how come he has a girlfriend here though? — The English brochure says the sex of the Nissin chick is unknown… how come he has a girlfriend here though?

As we headed back to the train station, we passed by a western-style Japanese family restaurant. We decided to head in for more food as the instant noodles were not entirely filling. Rachel and I ordered a beef hamburger steak to share. Mark had a cheese-filled hamburger steak to himself and ordered some potato side dish for Meiyen.

Nice milk shake from a 100 yen vending machine

Nissin cafe — The restaurant where we had our second lunch for the day

Purple sweet potato chips - Rachel and I love this! — Purple sweet potato chips – Rachel and I love this!

Boy enjoying hot water from his thermal flask

Japanese teens like their handphones very much – just like Singaporean teens

Thereafter, we spent the rest of our day shopping. As we were busy shopping, I did not take much photos for the rest of the day. We had our dinner in a buffet restaurant that serves spaghetti and many different kinds of desert. The customers were mostly Japanese schoolgirls with high-pitch voices. I am not a fan of sweet food. Hence I did not enjoy the meal as much as the other three.

We headed back to our hotel rather early that night as we woke up too early in the morning and were fighting to stay awake throughout the day. That concluded our first day in Osaka.