Originally Posted by
Braindrain
I don't know what part of Japan you're talking about, but eating ramen is a cult there.
+7
You have to go somewhere like Takamatsu in Shikoku to find the udon religion outstripping the home grown ramen cults but as an udon and soba enthusiast who is married to a locally born ramen lover, here in Tokyo there is no sign at all of udon and soba shops (even combined) outnumbering ramen ya.
In the last week I've been here there have been numerous TV programs focusing on the joys of ramen with the styles of different ramen shops being investigated and discussed in detail and their offerings consumed with lots of appreciative noises and lip smacking by panels of celebrities.
Udon and soba are enjoyed in a much more sober fashion.
What you will find is that most ladies will never drink a full bowl of ramen broth but they may down the lighter dashi based broth from a bowl of soba or udon.
The udon and soba you can buy for home consumption in Japan does approximate all but the very best handcrafted restaurant noodles.
For Ramen you HAVE to eat out as there is no instant or refrigerated version that comes close to your average ramen shop noodles. Perhaps this is the main reason that ramen joints are so very very popular.