ラメん

I sat in a car.

I sat on a bus.

I sat on a chair.

I sat on another chair.

I sat on a plane.

I sat on a subway.

I sat on the ground.

I sat on a subway.

I sat on a stool.

Ichiran Ramen, 11:43 pm, Shibuya, Japan.

750 yen. One bowl of ramen.

As I sat there in my ramen eating cubicle, I couldn’t help but think about my recent research on the impacts of western fast food chains like McDonalds in Japan. The bamboo matte that divided my eating area from the cooking area rose, and a Jesus-like bowl of Ramen slid right below my chin. My deeper thoughts questioning the safety of this environment and its ability to create a social atmosphere were immediately distracted.

Separate the freshly cooked noodles with my chopsticks.

Pour myself some water.

Stir the soup to get the perfect combination of broth/pork/noodle/green onion.

Shovel ramen delicately into stomach.

Honestly, the ramen was too good to multitask with thinking. I finished the bowl and resisted kaedama (extra noodles), got up and walked out without any person to person interaction. Ramen was paid for by vending machine, served through a 12' by 24' hole, I poured my own water, no tip in Japan.

After I recovered from the shock of how amazing the ramen was I got back to thinking about the setting I was eating in. It then seemed like an obvious decision to then go to a McDonalds. I walked for less than half of a block and found one. As I walked in, I promised myself to not get so lost in the food.

I was immediately greeted by 2 smiling faces. It was 12:30 am. It was McDonalds. I couldn't find a cheesy faced worker during lunch hours anywhere in McDonalds, anywhere in the US, let alone 12:30 in the morning. Even though I dread the after effects of their food the environment of this incandescent lit fast food joint made me want to hang out here, maybe even come back.

ソフトクリームを一つおねがいします。

I ordered a ice cream cone. As I was waiting I walked around and noticed groups of people just hanging out. That research I did was actually completely accurate. I mean, I didn't see wives and husbands sharing meals together playing with their kids, but teenagers were having good times over a little thing of fries. The social atmosphere wow-ed me so much I forgot about my ice cream. I never thought I'd see the day I forgot about ice cream.

I sat in a ramen place.

I sat in a McDonalds.

While both forms of fast food made my stomach happy, it is sad to say that McDonalds created a more favorable environment for hanging out. Thankfully, I was traveling alone. I didn't need to hang out.

I am not going to ever go to a McDonalds again (that's what I keep telling myself), but its nice to know that all the research I did on the internet was true to real life.

I sat on a subway.

I sat on the toilet.