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The God of Ramen

For the record, I do not write about Ramen all the time. It’s not even my favorite Japanese food. This is. However, my recent post about Tampopo was popular, so I’m adding this more recent movie into the canon of must-watch movies for Ramen lovers.

The God of Ramen (2013) is a documentary about Kazuo Yamagishi, who invented tsukemen (dipping noodles). It’s like Jiro Dreams of Sushi but much more emotional, rough around the edges, and focused on ramen.

The director, Takashi Innami, followed Yamagishi for 13 years, chronicling his journey as he fought severe osteoarthritis and grief over his wife’s death while running Tokyo’s Taishoken ramen joint in Ikebukuro and turning it into a legendary place.

His dedication to his craft resulted in the creation of tsukemen. The lines were long, and the customers were happy.

Although his shop closed in 2007, his legacy lives on through his apprentices, some of whom are now famous chefs in Japan’s ramen scene.

Warning: this movie is heavy and you may shed a tear or two.

You can watch The God of Ramen trailer here, and you can watch the movie for free here.

Ramen is a deep, deep rabbit hole of deliciousness.

A good starting point is this book.

Kushikatsu

Originating in the Shinsekai district of Osaka in the early 1900s, kushikatsu is deep-fried skewered food. It is similar in appearance to yakitori if yakitori had been dipped in batter and then deep-fried until golden brown and crispy. 

The skewered ingredients can be vegetables, meat, seafood, or even cheese. Kushikatsu is paired with a tangy Worcestershire-style sauce. Often, the sauce is communal, in which case, do not double-dip.

Like yakitori, kushikatsu is usually not expensive and thus attracts an everyday crowd. 

There are some regional variations in how kushikatsu is made, with Osaka-style favoring smaller portions of single-ingredient skewers to encourage trying multiple varieties, Tokyo-style offering more combinations like shrimp with mushroom or pork with onion on a single skewer, and Nagoya featuring rich miso sauce for dipping. 

All the variations are fantastic.

Kushikatsu is fun and not frequently found in the USA (not sure about other Western countries), so enjoy it in Japan.

Japanese Onomatopoeia

Start hanging around Japanese people, and you’ll notice how frequently they use onomatopoeia (words that sound like what they represent, like bang, boom, buzz, hiss, vroom, meow, woof, moo, etc). 

I’ll never forget my buddy telling me how saku-saku (crispy, crunchy) the tempura was at our favorite izakaya. He said it with such incredible delight and in a way that implied, “Notice the saku-saku of this tempura. That’s what makes it so exceptional.” From that moment, I started hearing Japanese onomatopoeia everywhere, and soon, I was hooked on them.

It’s so common, it’s an essential part of everyday conversation. Onomatopoeia is used to describe many things, including sounds, actions, sensations, feelings, and conditions.

Best of all, they are easy to learn and fun to use. 

Here are some common ones you may enjoy and find useful:

ゆっくり (yukkuri) - slowly. (Extremely useful)

にゃんにゃん (nyan nyan) or ニャーニャー (nyaa nyaa) - meowing.

ワンワン (wan wan) - barking.

わくわく (waku waku): excited or thrilled.

どきどき (doki doki): nervous or excited.

くたくた (kutakuta): exhausted.

カリカリ (kari-kari): Describes crispy foods like tempura or fried chicken.

もちもち (mochi-mochi): Used for dense, chewy textures like mochi, udon, or certain types of bread45.

さくさく (saku-saku): Refers to foods that are freshly cooked, crisp, and light, such as tempura.

ふわふわ (fuwa-fuwa): Describes light, fluffy textures like pancakes5.

ねばねば (neba-neba): Used for slimy, sticky textures found in foods like natto (link), okra, or raw eggs

ペコペコ (peko peko) - very hungry.

ペラペラ (pera pera) - fluent speaking. (slightly different but still considered onomotopoeia)

A very thorough (and free!) guide to Japanese onomatopoeia.

LAST WEEK’S MOST CLICKED LINK:

Back by popular demand.

Last week’s most clicked link was also the most clicked link two weeks ago. It’s a popular Japanese TV drama about a disgraced Japanese Michelin Star chef who teams with an up-and-coming chef who has an incredible palate to create a new, unique restaurant.

Bonus: Last week’s second most clicked link is a place to write that novel you’ve been dreaming of finishing.

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