Jul 10

Visit Yokohama’s Cup Noodle Museum

by in Japan

Momofuku Ando dedicated his life to thinking about food in creative and new ways. In 1971, upon seeing how Americans broke up his first invention [instant chicken ramen] in cups, pouring hot water over them, Ando invented Cup Ramen. Ando single-handedly invented the instant ramen industry and probably helped many of us stave off hunger during our college and single adult years.

Yokohama’s Cup Noodles Museum, dedicated to the man and his invention, opened in 2011 and is one of the most popular museums in the Greater Tokyo Metro region. Visit the Minatomirai area of Yokohama on a weekend and as you walk from the famous Cosmo Clock 21 ferris wheel to the Red Brick Warehouse, you will see dozens of children and adults carrying plastic handbags containing cup noodles.

What they are carrying are the very own cup noodles they created at the museum.

A fully interactive museum with great exhibitions, facts and attractions, one of the best things about visiting here is that guests can create their own cup noodle flavor.

The entrance to the Cup Noodles Museum in Yokohama.

 

With over 5,400 different flavor combinations you can create, visitors will find that creating a flavor of cup noodles is as fun as creating a drink combination at Sonic.

From my personal visit there, I can tell you that this museum is very fun. I enjoyed World Noodles Road where you can sample noodle varieties from around the world from Vietnam and Indonesia to Italy and Singapore, in a setting that reminds of many of the night markets you’ll see throughout Asia.

If you’re in the Yokohama area, visit the great Cup Noodles Museum and create your favorite ramen flavor.

 

 

 

The process starts.

 

The flavor station.

 

 

The finished product.

 

Posing with the Ando statue.

 

How to get to the Cup Noodles Museum

The most central station is Minatomirai Station on the Minatomirai Line. It is located in the basement level of Queen’s Square and is only two stations  from Yokohama Station. If you’re coming from Shibuya, you can take the Minatomirai Line direct (get on the express train).

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  • Erica

    Fun! I’ve been to Yokohama a few times, but still haven’t made it here :)
    and I have to ask.. what exactly is Ohio flavor?

    ps- It’s the Touyoko line that you’ll want to take from Shibuya. It ends up turning into Minatomirai at the end. You can also get a pretty awesome day pass, which includes roundtrip from Shibuya to Yokohama and then all-you-can-ride on the Minatomirai line. I think it’s something like 840JPY.

    • http://www.scenewithahart.com/ Fidel

      Ohio flavor includes the best ingredients from the best capital city in the nation. :-)
      Thank you for the useful train information.
      You should go to the museum when you have time.

  • http://2summers.net 2Summers

    You can create your own drink flavor at Sonic?! Wow, times have changed in America :)

    • http://www.scenewithahart.com/ Fidel

      Not drink flavor per se, but you know how you can mix all the different flavors they have at Sonic?

  • http://www.thehungryegghead.com/ thehungryegghead

    I love hands on museums. Thanks for blogging about this, I definitely will keep it in mind when I visit Japan next.

    • http://www.scenewithahart.com/ Fidel

      You’re welcome. When are you and your husband planning to visit?

  • http://twitter.com/thatbackpacker Audrey Bergner

    Looks like a fun place! I was eating a lot of cup noodles when I first moved to Korea, but now I’m taking a break from them. I definitely over did it a bit…

    • http://www.scenewithahart.com/ Fidel

      I always get the spicy cup ramen in Korea. I over do it as well and wind up paying for it later.

  • https://aweinclusive.com Michaela

    That flavor station makes my heart so happy. I’m sitting here imagining the possibilities. Sigh. Can we get one of those in Washington, DC?

    • http://www.scenewithahart.com/ Fidel

      Ha ha, you would love creating a cup, believe me.

  • http://nomadicsamuel.com Nomadic Samuel

    I would love to visit this museum. Having been based in Korea for several years, I’ve had many a cup of noodle at all times of the day :)