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by A.K.

As I watched Juzo Itami’s “Tampopo” for my Japanese film class, Iwas instantly reminded of my first visit to an authentic ramen shopduring my first trip Japan.

My wife took me there after visiting temples in Kamakura. It wasa place almost identical to Tampopo’s - a tiny shop crowded with customers. There were only two empty seats at the end of the counter,and I remember how narrow the walkway was between the wall and thebacks of the other customers. The workers greeted us with”Irashaimase” as we attempted to squeeze our way to the empty seatswithout disturbing anyone’s meal.

Honestly, I wasn’t very excited about the idea of eating ramenfor lunch that day. In the United States, it isn’t exactly consideredto be an A-list cuisine. At 13 cents per package, ramen is mostlyeaten by people who are on a tight budget. Many get their fill oframen during their college years and never want to see it again after that.

However, I was quite surprised by what my wife had encouraged me to order. There was no resemblance whatsoever to the instant ramen I had been accustomed to. I expected only soup and noodles. Instead, my bowl was filled with surprises like boiled egg, green onion, fresh seaweed, pieces of bamboo, and slices of pork.

When it comes to cuisine, the differences between Japan and the United States are very profound. However,some of these differences are not as big as most would believe. A lot of the ceremonies involved in Japanese meals share similarities to those in the Western world. For example, the saying of “Itadakimasu” or “I shall receive” prior to eating is similar to the tradition of reciting a short prayer before a
meal in Western countries. Likewise, the saying of “Kampai” and touching glasses before drinking is a direct parallel to the English version of “Cheers”.

One of my favorite scenes in “Tampopo” was when the homeless man broke into the restaurant kitchen to cook Omrice. I had just eaten
some prior to watching the film. It’s one of my favorite Japanese dishes because it’s both familiar and exotic at the same time. I read that Omrice became very popular in Japan because of this particular scene in the film, but couldn’t find any other information to back it up. Perhaps someone reading this who knows the facts about Omrice will be kind enough to post a comment on the Feedback board on this
subject.

The only thing that disappointed me about “Tampopo” was that there was no mention of Udon - one of my favorite Japanese foods - in the film. I’ll never forget the first time I tried it along with Tempura at a place in West Shinjuku called “Hanamaru”. The entire shop was filled with men salarymen slurping away at their noodles. The acceptance of slurping may possibly be the most surprising thing about Japanese noodle-eating to Westerners. In our culture it’s considered to be very rude, so it was difficult for me to hide my disgust at the sound of an entire roomful of people doing it.

Aside from the slurping, I found most Japanese social customs to be very pleasing and agreeable. When visiting the family home of my wife’s friend for dinner one evening, our hosts served Sukiyaki, a meal that is usually reserved for special occasions. I noticed how important it was for everyone to fill one another’s drink glass, and I sensed that it is very important not to allow your guest’s (or host’s) glass to go empty.

Food even plays a vital role in Japanese culture during death. Rice is offered to the deceased by way of chopsticks sticking up from the center of the dish. I learned about this the hard way when my wife and I were eating at a Yoshinoya restaurant in Fujisawa. Ignorant to the tradition, I stabbed my chopsticks into the rice in the middle of the meal. My wife set me straight very quickly about how rude that particular gesture is.

“Tampopo” does an excellent job in presenting the culture and
tradition of Japanese cuisine in an interesting and humorous way. From the young salaryman who embarrassed his superiors during a business lunch to the woman who gathered up the very last of her strength to make one last meal for her family before dying - the characters of “Tampopo” are good vehicles for explaining the importance of food in everyday Japanese society.

As I watched Juzo Itami’s “Tampopo” for my Japanese Film class, I was
instantly reminded of my first visit to an authentic ramen shop during my first trip Japan.

My wife took me there after visiting temples in Kamakura. It was a place almost identical to Tampopo’s - a tiny shop crowded with customers. There were only two empty seats at the end of the counter, and I remember how narrow the walkway was between the wall and the backs of the other customers. The workers greeted us with “Irashaimase” as we attempted to squeeze our way to the empty seats without disturbing anyone’s meal.

Honestly, I wasn’t very excited about the idea of eating ramen for lunch that day. In the United States, it isn’t exactly considered to be an A-list cuisine. At 13 cents per package, ramen is mostly eaten by people who are on a tight budget. Many get their fill of ramen during their college years and never want to see it again after that.

However, I was quite surprised by what my wife had encouraged me to order. There was no resemblance whatsoever to the instant ramen I had been accustomed to. I expected only soup and noodles. Instead, my bowl was filled with surprises like boiled egg, green onion, fresh seaweed, pieces of bamboo, and slices of pork.

When it comes to cuisine, the differences between Japan and the United States are very profound. However, some of these differences are not as big as most would believe. A lot of the ceremonies involved in Japanese meals share similarities to those in the Western world. For example, the saying of “Itadakimasu” or “I shall receive” prior to eating is similar to the tradition of reciting a short prayer before a meal in Western countries. Likewise, the saying of “Kampai” and touching glasses before drinking is a direct parallel to the English version of “Cheers”.

One of my favorite scenes in “Tampopo” was when the homeless man broke into the
restaurant kitchen to cook Omrice. I had just eaten some prior to watching the film. It’s one of my favorite Japanese dishes because it’s both familiar and exotic at the same time. I read that Omrice became very popular in Japan because of this particular scene in the film, but couldn’t find any other information to back it up. Perhaps someone reading this who knows the facts about Omrice will be kind enough to post a comment on the Feedback board on this subject.

The only thing that disappointed me about “Tampopo” was that there was no mention of Udon - one of my favorite Japanese foods - in the film. I’ll never forget the first time I tried it along with Tempura at a place in West Shinjuku called “Hanamaru”. The entire shop was filled with men salarymen slurping away at their noodles. The acceptance of slurping may possibly be the most surprising thing about Japanese noodle-eating to Westerners. In our culture it’s considered to be very rude, so it was difficult for me to hide my disgust at the sound of an entire roomful of people doing it.

Aside from the slurping, I found most Japanese social customs to be very pleasing and agreeable. When visiting the family home of my wife’s friend for dinner one evening, our hosts served Sukiyaki, a meal that is usually reserved for special occasions. I noticed how important it was for everyone to fill one another’s drink glass, and I sensed that it is very important not to allow your guest’s (or host’s) glass to go empty.

Food even plays a vital role in Japanese culture during death. Rice is offered to the deceased by way of chopsticks sticking up from the center of the dish. I learned about this the hard way when my wife and I were eating at a Yoshinoya restaurant in Fujisawa. Ignorant to the tradition, I stabbed my chopsticks into the rice in the middle of the meal. My wife set me straight very quickly about how rude that particular gesture is.

“Tampopo” does an excellent job in presenting the culture and tradition of Japanese cuisine in an interesting and humorous way. From the young salaryman who embarrassed his superiors during a business lunch to the woman who gathered up the very last of her strength to make one last meal for her family before dying - the characters of “Tampopo” are good vehicles for explaining the importance of food in everyday Japanese society.

I advise anyone traveling to Japan for the first time to watch this movie before they go. It will provide insights into Japanese culture and cuisine that will allow you to appreciate your experiences all the more. I only wish that someone had given me the same advice - it would have done me a world of good.