I actually wasn't a big fan of hamburger steaks before because I always thought the texture was pretty ordinary, but my visit to SOYOKAZE completely changed my impression! The hamburger steak was nicely seared on the outside, and when I cut into it, it was full of juices. The meat was tender and flavorful, and the sauce made it hard to stop eating. I originally came just to give it a try, but it was unexpectedly delicious and even changed the mind of someone like me who doesn't like hamburger steaks. If you're traveling to Numazu, I highly recommend trying this hamburger steak specialty restaurant!
Soyokaze (Numazu City, Shizuoka) | Review by Queenie
Other Reviews by Queenie
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CUPNOODLES MUSEUM YOKOHAMA
Through the museum’s many exhibits you can learn about the creative thinking of Momofuku Ando, the founder of Nissin Food products, and inventor of Chicken Ramen, the world’s first instant noodles.
While in Yokohama, I made a special trip here to experience making my own cup noodles! I usually buy ready-made instant noodles, so getting to design the cup and choose the soup flavor and toppings myself felt pretty fresh and fun!
The weather was cool that day. After buying a ticket on-site, I was able to reserve a time for the DIY experience right away. Once I had the admission ticket and numbered ticket, I could explore other places and come back when it was time, so there was no need to wait in line the whole time.
The DIY cup noodle experience was simple and fun from start to finish:
- First, purchase a special cup noodle cup.
- Draw on the cup yourself and create a one-of-a-kind design.
- Choose 1 soup flavor and 4 toppings you like.
- Add the noodles and finish the packaging, and your custom cup noodles are done!You get to decide everything yourself, from decorating the cup to choosing the toppings. Seeing the finished product all packaged up at the end gave me quite a sense of accomplishment!
The museum isn't very large, so it doesn't take long to see everything. The 4th floor also has a dining area, play area, and observation deck that you can check out while you're there.
Admission was JPY 500, plus JPY 500 for the DIY cup noodles, for a total of JPY 1,000. This time, I didn't just visit the museum—I also made my own custom cup noodles to take home as a souvenir. It was a very fun stop on my trip to Yokohama!
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Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum
A ramen-themed museum featuring regional ramen restaurants from around the world. Sample flavors from renowned restaurants in different regions without boarding a plane. Each restaurant also offers mini ramen, making it easy to compare different varieties.
While in Yokohama, I discovered this very unique attraction! The Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum is the world's first ramen-themed food amusement park, bringing famous ramen shops from all over Japan together in one place. For people who love ramen, it's really appealing.
I originally thought it was just a regular ramen food court, but I didn't expect it to have streetscapes with such a strong retro Showa-era feel. Walking inside is like traveling back in time, with a nostalgic atmosphere everywhere that makes it hard not to pull out your camera and take pictures.
It wasn't very crowded on a weekday, so there was no need to squeeze through crowds, and admission wasn't too expensive. Besides exploring the retro streets, you can also choose from well-known ramen shops from different regions and sample the different regional flavors all in one visit.
It may not be an attraction worth making a special trip just for the ramen, but if Yokohama is already on your itinerary, it's still well worth stopping by. It was an unexpected little highlight of this trip!
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Yokohama Chinatown
Yokohama Chinatown, one of Japan’s three major Chinatowns, is a district lined with countless Chinese restaurants. From affordable dishes you can enjoy as takeout or all-you-can-eat meals to authentic Chinese cuisine, there are options to suit your budget.
On this trip to Yokohama, of course I had to visit Yokohama Chinatown, which is very famous in Japan! Before I even officially entered the district, I was drawn to the colorful, ornate Chinese-style gates. The red and yellow structures really stand out, and the streets are filled with a strong Chinese atmosphere. Walking through it really feels like you've suddenly arrived in a Chinese neighborhood, which is pretty unique!
Yokohama Chinatown is one of Japan's three major Chinatowns. It has a history of more than 160 years and over 600 shops throughout the district. Once I actually started exploring, I realized it was even livelier than I'd imagined. Both sides of the streets are packed with restaurants, snack shops, and souvenir stores, and the dazzling array of signs is almost overwhelming. Every few steps, I couldn't help stopping to look around.
Besides all kinds of Chinese food, there are also quite a few fortune-telling shops, giving the whole district its own distinctive character. What I found interesting was unexpectedly seeing Taiwan Beer and Apple Sidra while walking around! Suddenly coming across familiar Taiwanese products on the streets of Japan gave me an indescribable sense of familiarity, and I couldn't help taking a few extra looks.
The streets here are cleaner and tidier than I expected. Even though there are lots of shops and plenty of people, it's a great place to stroll around and take your time looking. Every corner has different Chinese-style architecture and distinctive storefronts, so you can easily spend quite a while just taking photos and enjoying the street scenery.
Originally, I thought that since I was visiting Chinatown, I had to try all the specialty snacks. But it was just too hot that day, and after walking for only a short while under the sun, I completely lost my appetite. In the end, all I wanted was to find somewhere to have something cold and cool down, so I made a last-minute decision to get a bowl of matcha shaved ice.
Although I didn't get to complete my original food plan this time, which was a little disappointing, that's just how travel is. Sometimes a small last-minute change can also become an interesting memory from the trip.
My impression of Yokohama Chinatown is that it's lively, fun to explore, and full of character. You don't need to plan any particular itinerary; it's enjoyable just to wander around and look. If I get another chance to visit, I'll definitely choose a cooler day and make up for all the snacks I missed this time!
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