Still wandering around Showa Era Japan.
まだ昭和時代の日本の探索が続いてます。
Looks like love hotels have been around for a while. The top price is for rest, the bottom price is for staying the evening.
ラブホテルは結構昔から存在してたね。ここは本物のラブホではなんですが。
The phone box is just inviting you to "phone home".
なんだか電話に誘われてる感じがする。
"I'm lost in Japan's past and I don't know the language!! HELP ME!"
“昭和日本で迷子になって、日本語も分からない！誰か助けて下さい！”
To save Bryan from his dilemma, we stopped in at Kateko for beer and ice cream. Okay, I had the beer while Bryan had an ice cream! We were taking a break from eating ramen. Actually, we were too full to try to eat another bowl of ramen.
ブライアンを助ける為、カテコで一休み。僕はビールを飲んで、ブライアンはアイスを食べた。私たちはもう満腹で４件目のラーメン屋は無理。
A nice little bar. However we were accosted by some elderly gentleman who was speaking rapid Japanese and although Bryan was politely ignoring him, fortunately one of the workers led him away.
良い店だ。居た時知らないおじさんが日本語が分からないブライアンにいろいろ話してましたが、ブラインが出来るだけ無視したが、それでもずーとの話しをかけてる。店の女性がおじさんの相手をして私たちは助かった。
The American Time Traveling Tourist sitting at a bar eating ice cream.
アメリカ人のタイムトラベラー観光客がカテコでアイスを食べる。
Yes, we're still in Showa Japan. The sign at the top says "Welcome to Ramen City".
I think my brother would want this for his own home.
うちの兄はこれ見たら欲しがるな。
This looks like my kind of movie!
自分が好きそうな映画だ！
Ad for Meiji Chocolate / 明治チョコレートの告知
We're saved! A sign pointing to the future!
助かった！未来に戻れる！
One last look at Showa Japan before going back to the future!
未来に戻る前にもう一度昭和日本を眺める。
Going back to the first floor where the gift shop is located, there is also a small display area showing the history of ramen in Japan. The person who first ate it, Mito Koumon from the popular television show (yep, he was a real character), the different utensils and ramen bowls, a diagram of a ramen yatai (too bad they didn't have a replica of a real one) and a character most Japanese will be familiar with, the Charumera Ojisan!
一階に戻ったら、お土産屋の同じエリアにラーメンの歴史も展示されてる。日本人だったら誰も知ってると思いますが、最初日本でラーメン食べたのはあの長く続いてる時代劇のドラマの主人公水戸黄門。あとラーメンに欠かせないもの ‐ 丼、おかもち（出前箱）、ラーメン屋台の説明（残念ながらラーメン屋台のレプリカはありませんでした）。あと日本人が知ってるチャルメラのおじさんも展示されてる！
The first bowl of ramen eaten in Japan was in 1665 by Mito Koumon!
Necessary utensils for ramen making.
Ramen delivery box (known as
okamochi or
demaebako)
Ramen bowls
You could still eat at ramen yatais when I first moved here back in 1995 but they are harder to find these days.
日本に来た年まだラーメン屋台はいっぱいありましたが、現在はほとんど目にかからない。
Ramen is more than just shoyu, miso, and tonkotsu as you can see from this display on the wall.
全国のラーメンを見るとラーメンは醤油、味噌、とんこつだけではないとすぐ分かる。
The Charumera Ojisan, he's still be used in ads today!
チャルメラのおじさん、いまでもCMに使われてる！
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