1. Look at this!
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2. I bought a new bathing suit!
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3. Isn't it so cute?
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4. There!
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5. Come on, over here!
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6. Hurry up!
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7. You went on for so long.
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8. Well?
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9. Does this bathing suit look good on me?
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10. It does, right?
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11. Yup, it's nice, very nice.
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12. Misa-chan, you're very cute.
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13. Oh, that person! She looks like Koizumi-san!
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14. Hey, why are you looking at her?
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15. She's got nothing
on Koizumi-san, though.
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16. Jeez!
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17. Anyway, I didn't expect Koizumi to come,
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18. but I can't believe Jun's not here, either.
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19. She said she's too embarrassed
to wear a bathing suit.
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20. Aw, man, I really wanted to see
those two in their bathing suits.
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21. Be happy that you got to see me!
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22. I wonder what they're up to right now.
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23. Jun's probably in the library.
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24. She said she's been going there every
day since summer break started.
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25. Jun does love books.
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26. Reading over a hundred novels during
summer break? Really?
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27. I could never, ever do that!
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28. Yeah, huh?
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29. Ah, I wonder what Koizumi-san is up to.
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30. Koizumi?
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31. Well, ramen, of course, right?
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32. Yeah.
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33. Penguin Home Ramen
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34. Ponpoko
Soy Sauce Ramen
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35. Avec Ramen
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36. Umaka-chan
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37. Koizumi-san sure does love ramen.
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38. Risiri Kelp Ramen
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39. Loves Ramen
Noodles
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40. Ms. Koizumi
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41. Ms. Koizumi
Loves Ramen
Noodles
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42. Local Instant Noodles
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43. Library
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44. Summer Break Assignments
Literature
Mathematics B
English
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45. This is bugging me.
I can't fully enjoy reading.
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46. Oh, Koizumi-san.
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47. The school library is good for
studying during summer break, huh?
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48. The town library tends
to be pretty busy.
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49. So is your summer report coming along?
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50. Actually, not really.
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51. You, too?
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52. I mean, yeah, talk about our future career?
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53. Our teacher just tells us to do
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54. something we like or that we're good at,
but it's easier said than done.
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55. I don't think I could become a writer,
and even if I were to
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56. Worry
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57. go into publishing like my mother,
I won't necessarily end
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58. up in the department I'd like.
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59. Grades-wise, the natural sciences
would be a good fit for me,
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60. but none of the jobs associated
with that really click with me.
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61. Not listening
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62. That's rough.
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63. Honestly, though, what I really
want is to just say to heck with it,
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64. and run a bookstore or be a librarian so I
can read books all day.
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65. Yeah, right.
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66. I kind of understand that.
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67. Anyway, what is your dream for the future?
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68. It's a secret.
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69. I-I see.
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70. I mean, it's something ramen-related, right?
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71. Anyway, I'm off now.
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72. Are you going somewhere after this?
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73. Yes.
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74. To look at the ramen that I love.
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75. In All 47 Prefectures of Japan
Ramen Koushien
Bar Sakura
Osaka Yakantei Group Arima Hikarigaoka Branch
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76. This place?
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77. The sign says it's a bar.
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78. Wait, is that instant noodles?
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79. Hokkaido Northeast • Kanto Tokai • North
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80. An entire wall of it!
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81. Huh? But I don't think
I've seen many of these.
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82. You noticed, huh?
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83. The ramens they have here are
local instant noodles from
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84. every nook and cranny of Japan.
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85. Hokkaido Tohoku/Kanto Tokai/Hokuriku
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86. You're right!
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87. They're sorted by region!
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88. You can get some of these
at the supermarket chains, lately, too.
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89. Kansai/Chuugoku Shikoku/Kyushu Kyushu/Okinawa
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90. Sakura was featured in "Ikewaku."
Sakura has become a Mecca!
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91. I didn't know there were that
many types of instant noodles.
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92. I often eat instant noodles
when my parents aren't home for dinner.
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93. Maybe I'll take some home.
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94. I will eat them here.
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95. Huh? Here?
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96. You're going to eat instant
noodles in the store?
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97. When I make them myself,
I usually make a mistake.
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98. Examples of failure
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99. What's more, even for instant noodles,
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100. The soup...
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101. it's become muddy
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102. just one wrong step can ruin the flavor.
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103. Prepare the noodles and the soup separately.
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104. Prepare the noodles and the soup separately
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105. The noodles...
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106. The noodles can get hard or stuck together.
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107. are very hard...
and stuck together
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108. Cook the noodles evenly in plenty of water.
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109. Cook the noodles evenly in plenty of water
without letting them touch the air
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110. The noodles...
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111. Or the opposite. If I overcook
the noodles, they get soggy.
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112. they're soggy
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113. The cooking time can be ten to twenty seconds less than directed
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114. The cooking time can be less than directed.
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115. Oh, how many times I've suffered.
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116. I guess she can't cook very well.
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117. Well, it's definitely a safe
bet to have a pro make it.
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118. Maybe I'll eat here, too.
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119. So you pick something out here and have
someone from the store cook it, right?
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120. Yes.
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121. Do you have any recommendations?
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122. Everyone has their own preferences, so...
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123. If I had to pick, however, I'd say
that the products from Hokkaido are
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124. Hokkaido
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125. Sapporo Ramen Shirakanba Retreats
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126. Sapporo Junren
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127. all a cut above the rest.
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128. Soy Sauce Ramen
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129. They have many collaborations
with famous restaurants, too.
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130. Butaking
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131. And beginning with the Maruyama Zoo Ramen,
the ramens associated with
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132. each region's zoos have cute packaging,
but also take their taste seriously, too.
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133. Another animal-associated type would be
Aichi's Nishimikawa Giraffe Ramen series.
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134. Giraffe Home Ramen
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135. Penguin Home Ramen
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136. Seal Home ramen
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137. Yet another would be the Aquarium
series, such as Penguin, Dolphin, and Seal.
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138. Dolphin Home Ramen
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139. They also have a healthier variant with
non-fried noodles, called the beauty series.
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140. Beauty Women's Ramen
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141. Then there is the Higashimikawa
region's Ponpoko Ramen.
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142. Ponpoko Soy Sauce Ramen
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143. Both have a gentle,
homemade flavor.
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144. The nonstandard types include various
ingredients in the noodles, such as
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145. Olive Ramen
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146. Lotus Root Ramen
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147. Cayenne Pepper Miso Ramen
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148. Risiri Kelp Ramen
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149. olive, lotus root, chili, or kelp, allowing you to experience unique flavors.
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150. Champon Ramen
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151. Umaka-chan
Mustard Ramen
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152. Additionally, there are these Chanpon ramen
from Hyogo, which are close to salt tanmen.
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153. Umaka-chan
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154. Beware, though, they are quite different
from Kyushu's Nagasaki chanpon.
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155. Umaka-chan
Kumamoto-style
Tonkotsu
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156. Umaka-chan
Kurume-style
Tonkotsu
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157. Umaka-chan
Kurobuta Tonkotsu
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158. For some reason, they're very
popular in Ishikawa.
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159. Speaking of Kyushu, notable are the
tonkotsu-flavored Umakacchan series,
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160. and the Avec Ramen from Kumamoto,
which comes with a light salt soup paste.
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161. Avec Ramen
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162. Maru-chan
Double Ramen
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163. They call it "Avec" because
it has two servings, apparently.
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164. In Hokkaido, the Double Ramen
is something similar.
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165. So much...
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166. Wait a minute, why does
she already know every flavor?
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167. Does this mean she's tried every single one?
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168. If she's doing this much research,
does it mean that she's pursuing
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169. a career in the ramen industry?
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170. So anyway, I went for the
Hokkaido Rishiri Kelp Ramen.
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171. I picked Ichiki Kushino Specialty Tuna Ramen
from Kagoshima Prefecture,
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172. with powdered wasabi.
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173. These look like they came
from a real ramen restaurant.
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174. Well...
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175. Time to eat.
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176. There's a stronger kelp flavor
than I expected.
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177. The umami of the shredded kelp
is spreading more and more.
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178. Huh?
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179. Huh?
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180. Risiri Island, Hokkaido
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181. Risiri Kelp Ramen
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182. Noodles with Risiri kelp
and a light soup that complements
its flavor.
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183. I don't remember instant noodles
ever being this good.
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184. The powdered wasabi got in my nose.
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185. But that's the fun part.
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186. Koizumi-san, you're going to have
a career in the ramen industry, right?
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187. That's why you're always going around,
training your sense of taste
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188. and deepening your
understanding of ramen, right?
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189. I sort of look up to you for that.
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190. Huh?
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191. Huh?
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192. Huh?
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193. Huh?
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194. I never really thought about that.
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195. I-I see.
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196. In fact, I can't even
think about anything...
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197. when I'm eating ramen.
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198. I kind of know what you mean.
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199. You're right.
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200. This is this, that is that.
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201. Right.
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202. So what is your dream for the future?
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203. It's a secret.
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204. What do I have to do
to become ramen?
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205. What are you talking about?
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206. Sniff
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207. Sniff, sniff...
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208. Sniff
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209. Sniff
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210. Sniff, sniff...
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211. Sniff
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212. The instant noodles you gave me
kind of smell like Koizumi-san.
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213. What?
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214. Ms. Koizumi
Loves Ramen
Noodles
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215. Iekei
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216. The egg topping will be 70 yen.
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217. Thank you for waiting!
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218. Thank you for waiting!
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219. Next customer, please!
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220. Welcome!
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221. Welcome!
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222. The spicy miso cabbage is 120 yen!
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223. Thank you for waiting!
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224. Thank you for waiting!
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225. Hey, what do you want to have for lunch?
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226. I want ramen.
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227. Rice.
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228. A rice dish.
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229. Noodles or something.
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230. How about you guys put your rice
in our ramen soup after we're done?
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231. I guess that's a thing.
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232. I'm fine with ramen, then.
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233. What?
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234. Putting rice into ramen broth?
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235. Isn't that kinda gross?
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236. Are you being serious right now?
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237. The soup's heavenly richness makes
finishing it with rice a no-brainer!
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238. I've never done such a thing.
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239. Besides, I prefer light flavors.
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240. Now, now...
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241. I used to be a denier just
like you until recently.
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242. Leftover broth and rice?
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243. If you want rice so badly,
just get a small fried rice.
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244. If you want more volume,
just order more noodles.
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245. You know?
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246. But...
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247. The other day, I went to a ramen shop with
my girlfriend and the cook recommended it,
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248. so I tried it for the first time.
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249. Result? Total satisfaction.
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250. My girlfriend was totally happy, too, saying,
"Delicious! It's like an Italian risotto!"
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251. By now, I'm fully converted.
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252. Nobody asked you to brag
about having a girlfriend.
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253. Come on, I sided with you!
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254. Vegetable potage types
do work well rice.
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255. And seafood types.
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256. Katsuura tantan works really well, too.
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257. Yes, and add an egg on top!
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258. Then why not just order
porridge from the get-go?
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259. You don't get it.
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260. It's good because you're finishing
it with rice after the ramen!
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261. Rice with ramen is carbs on carbs.
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262. When you eat rice and ramen together,
the ramen functions as the side dish and the soup!
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263. But for being a soup, doesn't it
have too much stuff in it?
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264. Come on!
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265. I'm fine with ramen, but can
we please pick a place?
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266. I'm hungry.
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267. Yeah, sorry.
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268. Let's see...
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269. Which shop has the ramen
that goes best with rice?
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270. The customer
is the master
of our flavor
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271. Iekei Birthplace Yoshimuraya
Head Chef: Yoshimura Minoru
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272. Household?
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273. Does that mean it'll taste
like it's homemade?
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274. No, this is "iekei."
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275. Like, it has spinach and nori on it, and it's rich.
It's like tonkotsu, but it's also like chicken.
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276. Anyway, it's just delicious!
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277. That failed to explain it.
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278. Man, the lineup is super long again.
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279. Shut up! Anyway, iekei is the
perfect companion for rice!
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280. Iekei is something that began here,
at this Yoshimuraya.
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281. Almost all the restaurants that have their roots here
have the kanji "ie" or "ya" in their names,
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282. so they got grouped together
under the "iekei" label.
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283. Though the definition is not really solid.
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284. That's it!
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285. Oh yeah, it's true.
There are quite a lot of them.
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286. Let's get in line already.
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287. Iekei Birthplace Ramen Yoshimuraya
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288. All right, let's go!
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289. Thanks for waiting.
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290. I can't take it, it looks so good!
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291. I have to send this to my girlfriend.
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292. Huh? You're on social media?
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293. Let's eat.
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294. No, it's just for my records.
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295. Hey, isn't this too much?
I don't know if I can finish it.
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296. Who cares! Let's just eat.
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297. Time to eat!
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298. A stable flavor.
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299. It has a hint of game, but it's
creamy and goes down easily.
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300. It's so good that you'll die if you
can't eat it regularly!
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301. Yeah, this is actually really delicious.
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302. See?
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303. Would you like some garlic?
Or do you prefer ginger?
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304. Saburou?
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305. After this, I have to go to work,
where I to talk to people.
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306. I'll stick with ginger.
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307. I'll take garlic. I'm going home after this.
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308. I'm jealous. I have to go to work, too.
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309. Oh, hey, when do you guys eat your spinach?
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310. I eat it at the beginning.
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311. If you ask me, I'd say at the end.
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312. I've never even thought about that.
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313. I eat it with my rice.
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314. Then what about the nori?
When do you eat that?
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315. I mean, I never got why there's nori on ramen.
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316. It's not clear when you should eat it,
and if you leave it, it just gets soggy.
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317. That's what's good about it!
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318. See, you wrap the spinach in
the soup-soaked nori like this.
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319. This is the stuff!
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320. So good!
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321. The nori on ramen can only really
shine fully when there's rice.
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322. So true.
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323. This is good.
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324. Just eating it with
the noodles is good, too.
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325. If you let the nori soak up the soup,
and eat it with the noodles, you can
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326. enjoy both the noodles and
the soup at the same time.
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327. Yeah. Both ways are good, but now
I feel like there's not enough nori.
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328. If that's the case,
you can just order extra nori.
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329. I see.
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330. Alternatively... Bam!
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331. That's the ticket.
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332. This looks so good.
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333. It does look good, but then you
end up drinking all of the soup.
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334. The sodium...
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335. Hey guys, what's your stance
on vinegar in ramen?
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336. Yay or nay?
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337. I like to add it at the end
to change up the flavor.
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338. Welcome.
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339. Oh, a high school girl!
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340. Don't stare like that.
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341. Hm? I feel like I've seen her before.
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342. How thick would you like your soup?
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343. Thicker soup, less fat,
and the noodles a bit firm.
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344. Sodium...
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345. Here you go, ramen and rice!
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346. Thank you for waiting.
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347. Time to eat.
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348. She kind of created a new dish!
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349. I see, putting soup into
your rice bowl works, too.
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350. She's a master!
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351. I see, she ordered her noodles firm
because she eats her rice first.
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352. Thank you for the meal!
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353. I think you're right.
Iekei ramen goes well with rice.
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354. See?
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355. Iekei is the best!
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356. Chopped ginger and grated ginger are usually
both available, which is helpful.
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357. At this place I was at the other day,
I put chopped onion on and it was way
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358. more refreshing than I had imagined.
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359. That's why I think free toppings are a
crucial element to truly enjoying iekei ramen,
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360. so much that...
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361. He's become a complete Damn it fanboy.
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362. Which ramen shop are you going to today?
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363. Lately, there's been an iekei boom.
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364. Huh? What's that?
Does it taste like it's homemade?
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365. Then just come over to my place!
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366. I will not.
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367. Ms. Koizumi
Loves Ramen
Noodles
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368. Mountain
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369. Pork Guy
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370. Fatty Pork Roast
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371. Cabbage as a topping has a rep for
diluting the soup, but I like it because
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372. it makes the flavor a bit more rounded.
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373. Seriously? You noticing that
means you've made real progress!
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374. I sometimes put nattou on as a topping.
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375. I've heard that vanilla ice cream on
soy sauce, potato salad on tonkotsu, and
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376. honey on miso are viable, too.
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377. That's too sophisticated
for me to even imagine.
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378. Thank you for the food!
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