The chuka ramen at Suehiro Shokudo in Iwakuni, Japan, comes with a slice of pork, bean sprouts, green onions and plenty of noodles for 820 yen. (Janiqua Robinson/Stars and Stripes)
As a child, I often watched an anime about an alien with a tail who, as a child, was sent to destroy the planet.
His ship malfunctioned and crash-landed; his memory was wiped clean, so he grew up loving Earth and vowed to protect its people.
One of his favorite foods to scarf down after long days of training was ramen, often prepared by his wife.
Watching the elaborate drawings of endless noodles in a hot broth birthed my desire to one day try the dish my hero was so fond of. Through anime’s rise in popularity, many ramen shops have popped up throughout America and I’ve tried quite a few, but I always wondered how they’d compare to the shops in the Japanese archipelago.
My first weekend in Japan, I went to the closest ramen shop I could find, which happens to be in the Iwakuni Station complex. Suehiro Shokudo is small, simple, mom-and-pop style restaurant in every sense of the word.
I ordered a medium-sized serving of chuka ramen. It comes with a slice of pork, bean sprouts, green onions and plenty of noodles for 820 yen, or $5.75.
The warm, rich broth tasted like love – like when a family member hears you’re not feeling well and makes a meal with the intention of healing you. Like when your wife wants to make sure you recover after a long day of training, so you’ll be ready for the next alien villain coming to destroy the planet.
The cozy Big Bear shop near Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, serves a tasty bowl of ramen. (Janiqua Robinson/Stars and Stripes)
Naturally, I had to see if that’s just how ramen is made here, which led me to another small noodle shop called Big Bear. It’s a six-minute walk from the Minami-Iwakuni Station, the first stop on the San-yo Line. Though seating, parking and air conditioning are limited, the kind staff and, most importantly, the noodles, are plentiful.
I went there during lunch and ordered a bowl for 850 yen and some gyoza for 600 yen from the simple menu. The broth was hot, rich and full of green onions; the gyoza had a crispy bottom and flavorful center.
The staff at Suehiro Shokudo and Big Bear don’t speak much English and both shops only accept cash. An English menu at Big Bear and a picture menu at Suehiro Shokudo make selection and ordering easier.
If you’re curious about what love in a bowl of ramen tastes like, give Big Bear and Suehiro Shokudo a try.
Suehiro Shokudo
Location: 1-2-3 Marifumachi, Iwakuni, Yamaguchi 740-0018
Hours: Open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day except Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Prices: The most expensive item is 980 yen.
Dress: Casual
Directions: About a one-minute walk from the entrance of the Iwakuni train station.
Information: 0827-22-7878
Big Bear
Location: 1-21-33 Minami-Iwakuni, Iwakuni, Yamaguchi 740-0034
Hours: Open 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekdays; 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends. Closed Tuesdays.
Prices: The most expensive item is 1,150 yen.
Dress: Casual
Directions: At a leisurely pace, about a six-minute walk from the Minami-Iwakuni stop on the San-yo Line.
Information: 0827-31-2245
