Fun Fact: The !!! is to replicate the design you see on Nissin's Cup Noodles.
If you're ever in a pinch for time or money, you would have definitely appreciated the ingenuity of cup noodles. It's a cheap, convenient and easy meal packed with the umami taste that is well-loved by many. In fact, according to instantnoodles.org, as many as 280 million servings are eaten every day! That is honestly a lot of instant noodles! If you love cup noodles as much as the rest of the world does, then you should definitely head down to the Cup Noodles Museum while you're in Osaka! Not only will you get to learn more about the history of cup noodles, you'll also be able to make your own cup noodles - an experience that is unavailable elsewhere!
HOW TO GET THERE
The best way to reach the Cup Noodles Museum is by train.
From Osaka, you can take the Hankyu Takarazuka Line from Hankyu-Umeda Station and alight at Ikeda Station. The ride is approximately 20 minutes. From Ikeda Station, exit via the Masumi-cho Homen Exit and follow the signage to reach the museum. The Museum is approximately a 5 minutes walk from Ikeda Station.
MUSEUM EXHIBITIONS
Start your visit by exploring the various exhibitions. Learn about the history of instant noodles and Momofuku Ando (who invented the world's first instant noodles) through various fun exihibitions.
Begin with the recreation of the work shed where the world's first instant noodles was created.
Then head on to a wall full of interactive displays to learn the story of Momofuku Ando and the story of instant noodles!
There are also other various interactive displays such an interactive theatre and tables for you to take quizzes related to instant noodles for you to enjoy.
As you can see, this museum prides itself on being highly interactive, so no worries about feeling bored here!
Opening Hours: 9:30am - 4:30pm (Last admission: 3:30pm), Closed On Tuesdays
Admission Fee: Free
MAKING YOUR OWN CUP NOODLES
If those interactive exhibitions aren't your thing, skip past to the main attraction of the Cup Noodles Museum, My CUPNOODLES Factory! It is here that you can get to create your very own cup noodles for a mere 300 Yen! Also, they do provide instructions in English, Japanese, Chinese and Korean.
WHAT TO EXPECT (STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE)
Step 1: Purchase a cup from the vending machine!
This is where you will make payment for the entire experience. Simply insert 300 Yen (preferably, coins) to purchase a cup from the vending machine. As all the buttons are the same, just press any one and you'll get your own cup!
Step 2: Sanitise your hands!
Before you move on, make sure you get your hands clean! There is a hand santisier dispenser available for you to sanitise your hands, located right next to the vending machines.
Step 3: Decorate your own cup!
They provide a variety of colourful markers for you to use so feel free to unleash your creative side out to make the cup truly yours! There are also tables for you to sit and decorate so do take your time to decorate and design your own cup.
Step 4 & 5: Insert the noodles & Choose your soup flavour and toppings
Join the queue and see your own cup noodles come together. First, you will spin the wheel to insert the noodles into your own cup! This is just one of the small things that they do to elevate your experience.
Once you're done, move along and choose your soup flavour and toppings. You can choose 1 soup flavour and 4 toppings. It's best to just point to what you want instead of trying to communicate, unless you are familiar with Japanese.
If you're an indecisive person, fret not. At the table where you were previously decorating, there is a placard with the list of soup bases and toppings that is available, giving you plenty of time to decide what you want for your own cup noodles!
Step 6 & 7: Packaging
Watch as the staff member helps to seal and shrink wrap the cup. It's actually really interesting to see how it all works!
As for you, you just have to wait patiently as your own cup noodles arrive, freshly made and sealed!
Step 8: Extra Protection!
To protect your cup noodles, they have a plastic "package" that you can pump air into and inflate to add a layer of protection for your cup noodles. In order to carry it around, they have strings available to help make it into a carrier!
Personally, I think you can skip this step, especially if you're planning to pack this into your suitcase. Just make sure you have a tote bag or something that can store this until you're back into your accommodation. If not, feel free to use this "air package"!
Last but not least, make sure you stop by the instant noodles tunnel on your way out and take a picture against this gorgeous backdrop! It's the perfect background to show off your own cup noodles for that instagrammable moment.
コメント