A neighborhood diner in the town of Noboribetsu. I had miso ramen and a heaping plate of zangi. The counter with red stools and the wall of framed calligraphy and signed boards give it a homely feel. Hours change, so check before you go.
6-1-98 Chitose-cho, Noboribetsu, Hokkaido
Sources: tabelog.com
This moment in the journey
Miso ramen for a frozen body
In the falling snow, I ducked under the noren curtain of a diner. Miso ramen soaked into my frozen body and mind. Shibareru, the local word, means cold enough to freeze.
Yellow wavy noodles, a slice of naruto fish cake, chashu pork and green onions. Steam rose from the kitchen beyond the counter. I couldn't miss zangi either, Hokkaido's specialty: chicken marinated in sauce and deep-fried, served piled high on a plate.
A counter with red stools, a wall of framed calligraphy and signed boards, a menu on the table by the window. A homely diner that warmed me to the core.
Watch this scene on YouTube2:51
More notes from this journey
Noboribetsu, Hokkaido
Nabeyaki udon
A tribute to the nabeyaki udon in Studio Ghibli's 1995 film "Whisper of the Heart" (directed by Yoshifumi Kondo), which the owner of the antique shop Chikyuya s…
From: Below freezing outside, a fireplace within
Noboribetsu, Hokkaido
Fried chika
Chika is a sea-dwelling smelt of the same genus as wakasagi, common along the Hokkaido coast.
From: Below freezing outside, a fireplace within
Noboribetsu, Hokkaido
Zangi
Fried chicken eaten all over Hokkaido.
From: Below freezing outside, a fireplace within
Noboribetsu, Hokkaido
Wakasagi and ice fishing
Wakasagi is a smelt about 10 centimeters long; in Hokkaido it is also called chika locally.
From: Below freezing outside, a fireplace within
Noboribetsu, Hokkaido
Hokkaido dialect
Three Hokkaido words from this episode's narration: namara means "very"; shibareru means freezing cold; and shitakke means "well then" or "so," and also serves…
From: Below freezing outside, a fireplace within
Noboribetsu, Hokkaido
Kani Goten
A red building on Route 36 with a bear and a salmon on its roof, housing a seafood restaurant and a seafood shop.
From: Below freezing outside, a fireplace within