# 02
Starsky, I was thinking for a long time about what to tell you about Japan, and time just passed by.Studying Japanese is important, but I think it would be even more fun if you also learned some useful questions and phrases for when you visit Japan.
Today, I decided to talk about _ramen_! I’ll also teach you a special phrase that will help you have an amazing experience in Japan!
### **🍜 Let’s Go on a Ramen Adventure in Japan!**
Wherever you go in Japan, there’s always a ramen shop around the corner. Seriously — it’s everywhere!
I think the phrase, **“I want to go to your favorite ramen shop,”** is really special.
If you say this to a Japanese person, they’ll almost always smile and say,
**“Oh! You have to try this one!”**
Japanese people really love ramen. Many even have their own favorite place.
And when you visit those recommended spots, you’ll start to see just how many **different kinds** of ramen there are — and how much care people put into it.
### **🍥 Ramen Is Everywhere!**
There are about **18,000 ramen shops in Japan**, and **Tokyo alone has over 2,000!**
At my local station, I can walk to **four** different ramen shops in just 5 minutes. Isn’t that wild?
There are all kinds of ramen styles —
different **broths** (what the soup is made from), different **noodle shapes**, and all sorts of **toppings**. Each bowl is like a new adventure!
### **🏠 What’s “Iekei” Ramen?**
One really cool type is called **Iekei** ramen, which means “house-style.”
It started in **Yokohama** in the 1970s at a shop called **Yoshimura-ya**, and many other shops followed, like a big ramen family!
Iekei ramen has:
- A rich, creamy **pork and soy sauce broth**
- **Thick, chewy noodles**
- Toppings like **roasted pork (chashu), spinach, seaweed**, and a **boiled egg**
And the best part? You can **customize** it!
You choose how thick the broth is, how firm the noodles are, and even how oily you want it. It’s like building your dream bowl!
### **🌟 Michelin Ramen? Yes!**
Some ramen shops are even in the **Michelin Guide**!
Near my place, there’s one that uses **broth made from 80 freshwater clams (shijimi)** — that’s a lot of umami!
### **💪 Meet “Jiro” — The Power-Up Ramen!**
If you’re really hungry, try **Jiro-style ramen**. It’s famous for being **huge**!
- It has **thick noodles** and a **mountain** of bean sprouts and cabbage
- Big slices of **juicy pork (chashu)**
- And a huge spoon of **chopped garlic**
- The broth is super **rich and oily**
It’s like eating a power-up in video game form!
But start with a small size first — it’s no joke! 😄
### **🤫 Ichiran: The Quiet Ramen Booth**
Another special place is [**Ichiran**](https://www.ichiranusa.com/about/).
At Ichiran, each person sits in their own little booth to focus on eating ramen. It’s peaceful and quiet.
You can even order more noodles (called **“kaedama”**) without speaking — just press a button and place your tray with an IC tag!
You can also choose everything the way you like it: spicy level, noodle firmness, and more.
### **🎌 Japan = Tiny Spaces, Big Ideas**
Japan is full of creativity. Even though some places are small and crowded, people come up with **smart and fun ways** to use the space.
It’s like turning a small room into a magical world. That’s one of the reasons Japan is so **lovely and exciting**!
---
So…
If you ever come to Japan, **let’s go eat ramen together!**
I’ll take you to my favorite shop — and maybe you’ll find a favorite of your own, too.
### **🍜 I Want to Go to Your Favorite Ramen Shop**
**Japanese Phrase:**
**あなたのおすすめのラーメン屋さんに行きたいです。**
**Romaji:** _Anata no osusume no rāmen-ya san ni ikitai desu._
## Meaning in English
> “I want to go to your recommended ramen shop.”
> More naturally: **“I want to go to your favorite ramen place.”**
## Word-by-Word Breakdown
|**Japanese**|**Romaji**|**Part of Speech**|**Meaning**|
|---|---|---|---|
|あなたの|_anata no_|pronoun + particle|your|
|おすすめの|_osusume no_|noun + particle|recommended / favorite|
|ラーメン屋さん|_rāmen-ya san_|noun|ramen shop (polite form)|
|に|_ni_|particle|to (destination marker)|
|行きたい|_ikitai_|verb (want form)|want to go|
|です|_desu_|copula (polite ending)|polite sentence ending|
## Vocabulary List
|**Japanese**|**Romaji**|**English**|
|---|---|---|
|あなた|anata|you|
|の|no|(possessive particle)|
|おすすめ|osusume|recommendation|
|ラーメン|rāmen|ramen|
|屋|ya|store / shop|
|さん|san|polite suffix|
|に|ni|to (location particle)|
|行く|iku|to go|
|行きたい|ikitai|want to go|
|です|desu|polite ending|