Nagasaki Pref.'S Huis Ten Bosch Theme Park Welcomes New Miffy Area; Kyushu Region Residents Get Limited Time Discounted Tickets
SASEBO, Nagasaki — The Huis Ten Bosch theme park welcomed a new area featuring Miffy, the popular picture book character from the Netherlands, in a ceremony at the park in Sasebo, Nagasaki Prefecture, on Thursday, ahead of its official opening on Saturday.
The new area, called Miffy Wonder Square, is in the center of Huis Ten Bosch, the popular European-style theme park. Fun features in the area include an aerial carousel-style ride, a restaurant with the atmosphere of Miffy's world and a shop selling related merchandise.
The park hopes to expand its visitor base and increase their number by making the most of the widely loved rabbit's popularity. Starting Saturday, admission fees are reduced until the end of August for Kyushu region residents to attract more visitors from that region.
Residents in the seven prefectures in the Kyushu region can enjoy 20% to 30% discounted prices of one-day tickets. Kyushu region residents pay ¥4,900 per adult and ¥3,500 per elementary school student until the end of August. The park aims to increase visitors during the summer holidays for school.
'We'll launch at least one new project with a big impact every year,' said Kotaro Takamura, president of Huis Ten Bosch Co., which operates the theme park.
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5 hours ago
Sulnoon: Serving Up the Authentic Flavor of Pyongyang Cold Noodles in Chiba
Korean-style cold noodles is a familiar dish in Japan, where it is known as reimen . Brought by Korean immigrants in the 1950s, the chewy noodles in chilled broth are relished as a cooling treat during the warmer months and other times of the year. Moon Yeon-hee takes the cuisine back to its northern roots at her restaurant Sulnoon with a recipe for Pyongyang cold noodles that has been in her family for generations. The tradition of making the noodles started with her grandmother, who operated a restaurant specializing in raengmyon , the North Korean variation of the dish, in Haeju in South Hwanghae Province. Her mother also served up bowls as a cook at one of the best hotels in Pyongyang and taught the technique to Moon, who now carries on the culinary tradition. Moon followed a circuitous route to Japan after fleeing her homeland when she was 25. Wanting to share the traditional flavors of her home with Japan, she opened Sulnoon with her Japanese husband in the prefectural capital of Chiba in March 2024. The restaurant's name means 'New Year snow' in Korean, carrying with it an auspicious connotation of good things to come. A bowl of Pyongyang cold noodles at Sulnoon. (© Gomi Yoji) Pyongyang cold noodles are made primarily from buckwheat flour, giving them a distinct fragrance and dark tint not unlike Japanese soba. The dish dates from around North Korea's founding in 1948. It first appeared at stalls and restaurants in the capital and quickly proved a popular favorite, with connoisseurs even purporting that the flavor would haunt the dreams of anyone who had eaten a bowl. The dish has deep cultural and social importance as the culinary symbol of the North Korean capital. When South Korean President Moon Jae-in met his counterpart Kim Jong-un for a historic summit in 2018, the leaders famously dined on raengmyon prepared by a chef from the iconic Pyongyang restaurant Okryugwan, sparking interest in the noodles in the south. Moon notes that most renditions of cold noodles enjoyed today have changed from the original form of the dish. In North Korea, for instance, starch is commonly added to noodles to make them chewier, and chicken is the norm for making the broth rather than pheasant meat, which was used early on. Toppings typically include generous helpings of sliced cucumber and pear along with boiled eggs. In South Korean, too, the dish has taken on a distinct local flair as Pyongyang cold noodle restaurants, most of which were opened by northerners who came around the Korean War (1950–53), have adjusted their offerings to match local tastes. Japan's Morioka reimen is another regional rendition that features wheat noodles stiffened with starch and a soup made from beef, pork, and chicken topped with a hardy serving of kimchi to add a touch of heat and sourness. At Sulnoon, though, Moon recreates the authentic taste of Pyongyang's beloved dish. She makes her noodles in the traditional style with buckwheat flour and uses beef, pork, chicken, and all-natural seasonings to create her stock, making certain to carefully skim off any impurities for a clear broth rich in flavor. Customers who prefer more of a kick can ask for red chili paste, but the clear soup is the best way to experience the original flavor of raengmyon . Moon Yeon-hee at her restaurant Sulnoon, near Keisei Inage Station. (© Gomi Yoji) Whispers from the Outside Moon was born in the eastern port city of Wonsan in 1991, where lived until her parents moved to Pyongyang when she was in junior high. However, her family roots are in the south of the Korean Peninsula and Japan. In the 1930s, her grandparents left their home on Jeju Island and settled in Asakusa in Tokyo, where they served in the leadership of Chongryon (the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan). When North Korea called on Zainichi Koreans (ethnic Koreans living in Japan) to return during the repatriation movement (1959–1984), her grandparents along with her mother and father, who were still children at the time, were among the initial wave of the some 93,000 people who eventually relocated from Japan. Boats moored at a port in Wonsan, North Korea. (© Pixta) Moon's family was well off by North Korean standards. When famine ravaged the country in the mid-1990s, they received financial support from connections in Japan and were mostly untouched by the calamity, although the hordes of orphaned children called kotjebi who roamed the streets in search of food served as a stark reminder of the disaster. Although among the privileged class, Moon began to harbor doubts about her homeland. In high school she witnessed the public execution of a friend who had been caught selling pirated DVDs of South Korean dramas, a shocking event that struck her as inordinately cruel. Having connections with Japan made her and her family members the brunt of discrimination and claims of having been 'poisoned' by capitalist ideas. Moon's skepticism grew, and seeing no future for herself in North Korea, she made the decision to flee to the south. A Treacherous Journey Getting out of the country was an arduous and dangerous task. The first leg of her journey was a 12-hour car ride from Pyongyang north to the border town of Hyesan. There she paid a Chinese broker $3,000 to facilitate her escape. On a dark, rainy May night, she crossed the swollen river dividing North Korea from China alone and spent the next two days waking nonstop without food or water to evade Chinese authorities. Over the next three weeks she made her way by train and car to Laos, where she charged into the South Korean embassy and asked for asylum. A truck crosses from China to North Korea over the Tumen Border Bridge in 2009. (© Jiji) Having made her escape, Moon settled into a new life in South Korea. She initially relied on government support provided to those who had defected from the north, which included a monthly stipend, a one-room apartment, and basic necessities. She found work and studied to become a certified bookkeeper She felt immense gratitude for being welcomed into South Korean society and took citizenship after about a year—she remembers tears welling up in her eyes the first time she looked at her new passport. Her mother and younger brother had also defected, and in 2019 the three opened a Pyongyang cold noodle shop in Seoul. Recreating the Flavor of Home Running her restaurant, it was obvious that her beloved raengmyon was in decline. North Korea was still shut to foreigners due to the pandemic and many of the Pyongyang cold noodle restaurants in China and Southeast Asia had been forced out of business by UN sanctions. In Japan, too, the dish had changed to fit local tastes, making an authentic bowl almost impossible to find. It was around this time that Moon met and married her Japanese husband Katsumata Shigeru. Looking at the state of raengmyon and hearing stories from her parents' time in Asakusa, she was inspired to come to Japan and open a restaurant specializing in cold noodles based on her mother's recipe. When the couple opened Sulnoon, Moon's story drew the media's attention, bringing with it a steady stream of customers eager to try 'real' Pyongyang cold noodles. The cozy shop quickly gained a reputation as a must-try place, and it still enjoys a steady stream of weekend foot traffic. Dappokusha Support Network Moon is among some 200 North Korean defectors, known as dappokusha in Japanese, who have settled in Japan. Most, like Moon, are from long-established Zainichi Korean families. South Korea, by contrast, has around 33,000 North Korean defectors, to whom the government provides training programs and other assistance to aid in adjusting to life in the country, which has enabled many to forge successful careers in fields like journalism, politics, and business. Japan, on the other hand, lacks a well-established support system for dappokusha . The Korean Residents Union in Japan (Mindan) offers some assistance, but the amount is far below what most recipients need to become fully independent. Subsequently, many dappokusha are forced into insecure jobs in construction or the night entertainment industry just to make ends meet. Dappokusha are stigmatized in Japan, but Moon is open about being from North Korean and readily shares about her life and experiences in the country as well as her escape. She is aware that some people are prejudiced toward Koreans, but she is undaunted by such views, declaring that 'I want to show what life is like for North Koreans. It's a dark reality, but by being frank and upfront about it, I want to change people's perspective for the better.' Looking Back, Looking Forward Japan has proved to be different from what Moon initially expected. 'In South Korea, I often heard that Japanese can be quite cold and distant,' she says. 'But nothing could be further from the truth. Everyone has been so incredibly kind and supportive.' She looks forward to interacting with her customers each day, some of whom have traveled from as far away as Hokkaidō and Okinawa just to taste her Pyongyang cold noodles, and takes great pleasure in hearing their satisfied exclamations after a meal. The homemade kimchi she serves at the restaurant has been especially well received, and Moon's next ambition is to establish a factory to up production, confidently declaring, 'I've set myself a goal of five years.' Moon packs her homemade kimchi. (© Gomi Yoji) Moon has big dreams, including opening restaurants in other areas of Japan. As she plans for the future, she takes strength from her memory of crossing the swollen river at the North Korean border on that dark, rainy night. 'Nothing compares to the fear I felt at that moment,' she says, a smile spreading across her face. 'Not even close.' The interior of Sulnoon. (© Yamashita Tatsuo) Sulnoon 2-5-27 Chitose Building 1F, Inage Ward, Chiba, Chiba Prefecture Tel.: 043-216-2866 Open 11:30 am to 2:30 pm for lunch, 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm for dinner (except on Tuesdays) Closed Wednesdays and the second and fourth Tuesday of each month (Originally published in Japanese. Banner photo: Moon Yeon-hee and her husband Katsumata Shigeru; Sulnoon's specialty, Pyongyang cold noodles. © Gomi Yoji.)
Yomiuri Shimbun
15 hours ago
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Nagasaki Pref.'S Huis Ten Bosch Theme Park Welcomes New Miffy Area; Kyushu Region Residents Get Limited Time Discounted Tickets
SASEBO, Nagasaki — The Huis Ten Bosch theme park welcomed a new area featuring Miffy, the popular picture book character from the Netherlands, in a ceremony at the park in Sasebo, Nagasaki Prefecture, on Thursday, ahead of its official opening on Saturday. The new area, called Miffy Wonder Square, is in the center of Huis Ten Bosch, the popular European-style theme park. Fun features in the area include an aerial carousel-style ride, a restaurant with the atmosphere of Miffy's world and a shop selling related merchandise. The park hopes to expand its visitor base and increase their number by making the most of the widely loved rabbit's popularity. Starting Saturday, admission fees are reduced until the end of August for Kyushu region residents to attract more visitors from that region. Residents in the seven prefectures in the Kyushu region can enjoy 20% to 30% discounted prices of one-day tickets. Kyushu region residents pay ¥4,900 per adult and ¥3,500 per elementary school student until the end of August. The park aims to increase visitors during the summer holidays for school. 'We'll launch at least one new project with a big impact every year,' said Kotaro Takamura, president of Huis Ten Bosch Co., which operates the theme park.
Tokyo Weekender
a day ago
- Tokyo Weekender
The Best Cold Ramen Spots in Tokyo: Where To Eat Hiyashi Chuka Noodles
From portable fans to popsicles, cultures around the world devise infinite ways to beat the heat of summer. Japan's love for the four seasons took the humble ramen dish and evolved it into hiyashi chuka — a chilled summertime favorite that is sure to cool the sweat on your brow. The dish is a form of cold ramen that appears throughout the country during the summer months. Hiyashi chuka is easy to recognize, thanks to its colorful arrangement of thinly sliced ingredients over a bed of cold noodles. A rainbow of tomatoes, cucumber, ham, egg and ginger evokes toppings on a salad more than a bowl of ramen. It's a light but filling dish, perfect for a summer lunch. Historically, hiyashi chuka can be traced back to the 1930s , first appearing in the Tokyo area. The flavors are salty and tangy thanks to soy sauce and vinegar. Like ramen, it evolved from a Chinese noodle dish called liang mian , but has become a definitively Japanese dish even served in China under the name of 'Japanese-style cold noodles'. The city of Sendai also boasts an original style of hiyashi chuka, also dating to the 1930s, that features a richer miso base. Today, you can find myriad riffs on the style, with ramen shops toying with conventions and enjoying the creativity that comes with modern ramen. Regardless, there are certain criteria that must be met for a dish to be considered hiyashi chuka: The noodles must be served cold, and the dish must contain ramen noodles and tare (a sauce marinade). If you'd like to add chilled noodles to your keep-cool toolbox, read on. What follows is a curated list of top Tokyo spots to enjoy the seasonal dish. List of Contents: Sharin Menraku Kalpasi Chiisha Ramen Jazzy Beats Chukasoba Mikawa Ramen Matsui Nishi-Eifuku no Niboshibako Menkoidokoro Isoji Ramen Maikagura Ramen Takahashi Related Posts Sharin Your eyes are not mistaken: There are literal ice cubes atop this bowl of ramen. More than a novelty, it allows the bowl to stay consistently cold as you eat, and while the ice melts, it tempers the richness of the other flavors in the dish. In the summer months, diners flock to Sharin for its hiyashi myoga ramen. Myoga, a variety of Japanese ginger, peaks in summer and fall, making its inclusion a delicious seasonal touch. Rich in polyphenols and potassium, it has a delightful tanginess that common ginger lacks. When shredded atop a bowl of cold ramen, the herbal notes elevate the dish, resulting in an exceptional dining experience. The base of Sharin's hiyashi myoga ramen is a tonkotsu gyokai (pork and fish) soup, which provides both savory and umami elements. Sharin's summer ramen season has already begun, and it will run throughout the summer months. As the shop — a chain with numerous Tokyo locations — is primarily a tsukemen specialty shop, diners can enjoy extra thick noodles. Find location info and hours for Sharin on its website . Menraku Kalpasi Lovers of Indian flavors should head to Menraku Kalpasi for a particularly special summer ramen experience. The name may sound familiar to anyone who has visited Curry Spice Gelateria Kalpasi in Shimokitazawa. As part of the same family, Menraku Kalpasi serves ramen alongside homemade Indian pickles and small curry dishes. The restaurant's summertime chilled ramen uses a salt base and dried fish stock that has been infused with hojicha (roasted tea). It's a smooth, silky soup thanks to the slow cold infusion of dried fish. Imagine the way that a cold brew coffee can extract delicate flavors thanks to the slow steep; the same applies to making a cold soup stock. It's served with a side of eggplant achaar, a tangy and spicy Indian pickle. Diners are encouraged to slowly zest the lime and add a bit of achaar midway through the meal to transform the flavors of the dish. Menraku Kalpasi is five minutes from Musashi-Shinjo Station on the JR Nambu Line. It's a must-try for anyone after a unique summer ramen. But check the shop's Instagram before making the trip: The chilled menu only appears for a limited time. Find location info and hours for Menraku Kalpasi on Instagram . Chiisha One of the most famous chilled ramen spots on this list is Chiisha, which opened all the way back in 1991 and has been drawing crowds ever since. Its hiyashi negi soba is legendary in the classic chilled summertime ramen scene. It arrives heaped with negi (green onions) shredded so thinly that they almost dissolve on the tongue. The onions are paired with thick cuts of cucumber and smoky roasted chashu — just the toppings amount to a sizable meal. Beneath them, though, sits a massive portion of thin, wavy noodles. Smaller appetites would be wise to ask for a smaller portion to avoid a struggle to finish; you definitely get your money's worth here. Drizzled atop your bowl is a simple, slightly spicy sesame oil. The purity of the ingredients and their perfect combination create a synergy that surpasses the individual components. Many Tokyoites consider Chiisha's hiyashi negi soba as a seasonal must. Chiisha has both counter and table seating, making it a good option for dining with a group. Large mirrors line the walls, and the decor is classic Showa-era Japan. But bring a sun umbrella and be prepared to wait: Lines at Chiisha can get long thanks to its stellar reputation for summertime ramen. Find location info and hours for Chiisha on its website . Ramen Jazzy Beats You won't find a more convenient top-tier ramen restaurant than Ramen Jazzy Beats. Located underneath the train tracks at Nakameguro Station, Ramen Jazzy Beats is the newest member of the famous Break Beats family of ramen restaurants, of which Ramen Break Beats is a fixture on the Michelin Bib Gourmand list . This location serves gorgeously plated niboshi tori paitan (creamy chicken and dried fish) ramen, and in the summer, patrons looking to cool off can enjoy the shop's seasonal hiya nibo — or hiyashi niboshi (chilled dried fish ramen). The chefs at Ramen Jazzy Beats know how to construct a beautiful dining experience. The crispy fried burdock and dried iwanori (wild-harvested nori) slowly dissolve into the soup as you eat. The dusting of turmeric adds a whisper of earthy notes while two types of alliums — chopped purple onion and sliced scallions — provide a bright contrast. The soup itself is a dried fish stock bursting with umami; it gives a hearty backbone to the complexity of the toppings. And it goes without saying that the perfectly soft-boiled egg and succulent slices of pork make this meal one you don't want to miss. Ramen Jazzy Beats serves its chilled ramen in the later months of summer, so keep checking its social media account to find out when you can savor this special dish. Find location info and hours for Ramen Jazzy Beats on Instagram . Chukasoba Mikawa Just over the border into Kanagawa Prefecture is Chukasoba Mikawa, a must-visit for shellfish lovers seeking a refreshing summer dish. The ramen shop's cold hamaguri (clam) ramen is served chilled and brimming with a sweet, delicate clam flavor. As hamaguri ramen is rather unusual, it's worth the trek to Mikawa to try it out. One satisfying aspect of cold ramen is the texture of the noodles, which are shocked in an ice bath immediately after boiling. This halts the cooking process, firms up the gluten structure and results in an irresistibly chewy bite. Mikawa's square-cut noodles, flecked with wheat, provide a pleasant contrast to the smoothness of the chilled clam broth. Juicy slices of chashu and tender sous-vide chicken add depth and protein. Slowly mix in the dollop of wasabi to increase the soup's intensity, but only after you've enjoyed a few peaceful sips first. For those who prefer a gentler introduction to shellfish, there's also a chicken and clam combination ramen on the menu. It dials down the briny intensity while still delivering the layered umami flavors this shop is known for. Located just outside Tsurumi Station, Chukasoba Mikawa rarely has a line and offers ample table seating, making it an ideal spot to bring friends or family. A highly recommended destination for anyone looking to get off the beaten ramen path this summer. Find location info and hours for Chukasoba Mikawa (also written 'Ramen Mikawa') on Instagram . Ramen Matsui Since opening in 2023, Ramen Matsui in Shinjuku has quickly soared in popularity. Its summer ramen offers an exquisite blend of flavors and beautifully crafted noodles. Its chilled ramen features aji niboshi (dried horse mackerel) as a standout ingredient; unlike the more common sardine-based dried fish broths, aji brings a meaty richness. The dark soy sauce hue hints at the depth and intensity of the broth. Toppings of slow-roasted duck slices evoke fine dining more than a typical ramen joint. These are complemented by carefully sliced menma (bamboo shoots) and thinly sliced deli-style chashu. Perhaps the most memorable element is the addition of squid wontons, whose texture and flavor add complexity to an already flawless bowl. Matsui also offers premium sake to pair with the ramen, and those looking for a tipple should not miss out on this exceptional experience. It's an unbeatable opportunity to savor a crisp junmai daiginjo alongside one of the best bowls of ramen in Tokyo. Reservations through TableCheck are accepted on weekends and holidays, and bookings open at midnight three days prior. Weekdays are for walk-ins only — but be prepared for a line. As a Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant, Ramen Matsui is worth the wait. Find location info and hours for Ramen Matsui on Tablecheck . Nishi-Eifuku no Niboshibako Nishi-Eifuku no Niboshibako offers a summer ramen that looks traditional at first glance — but includes a few creative twists. Chunks of diced garlic provide an aromatic start, complemented by the satisfying crunch of the fried garlic on the opposite side of the bowl. Thinly sliced green onions and a drizzle of sesame oil dress the noodles, while a slightly sour vinegar tang brightens the overall flavor. This chilled summer ramen lets the purity of the ingredients shine without burying them in complexity. On the side, Nishi-Eifuku no Niboshibako serves its signature niboshi soup stock, a testament to the excellence of the shop's dried fish. Some diners enjoy drinking the soup on its own, while others dip their noodles into it. Either way, it provides a chance to taste the chef's classic hot soup while still enjoying a chilled summer ramen. With only eight counter seats, Nishi-Eifuku no Niboshibako fills up quickly around lunch hour. The noodles are traditional and chewy, perfectly suited to dried fish ramen. Check Nishi-Eifuku no Niboshibako's social media to see when this limited-edition ramen is available, as it's only served for a short time in the summer. Find location info and hours for Nishi-Eifuku no Niboshibako (also written 'Nishi Eifuku Dried Sardine Box') on Instagram . Menkoidokoro Isoji Isoji sits between Meiji Jingu and Yoyogi Station, making it a perfect pit stop to cool off after enjoying Tokyo's natural spaces. The chilled ramen at Isoji regularly ranks as one of the best in the city, so it's worth a visit to see what all the buzz is about. The owner has a background in Italian cooking, which can be seen through some of the creative choices at work in this chilled summer ramen. The combination of baby corn, blanched tomatoes, croutons and microgreens is a departure from standard ramen dishes, as is the shiso leaf, mustard and decoratively cut cucumber. The noodles are highly elastic and chewy, and the chashu falls apart in your mouth without being overly fatty. One unique aspect of this ramen is the manner in which the soup is prepared. The noodles sit beneath large chunks of a frozen miso granita, which is made primarily from pork stock and a miso base. As it slowly melts, it adds more and more flavor to the dish, making it one of the most enjoyable dining experiences on this list. Isoji is a must-visit spot for a bold yet creative chilled summer ramen with creative textures and tastes. Find location info and hours for Menkoidokoro Isoji on Tabelog . Ramen Maikagura This shop's chilled ramen offers up one of the most indulgent combinations: creamy soy milk with a subtle flavor and spicy chili oil. Anyone who loves tantanmen should try this deconstructed, creative summer ramen from Maikagura. At first glance, it evokes a sense of yin and yang due to the soy milk base and generous ladle of chili oil. The noodles — thin, straight and rather long — pair perfectly with the thin and light liquids. This bowl grows in complexity as you eat, thanks to the boundary-pushing toppings and beautiful presentation. Speaking of toppings, some of the low-temperature chashu slices are wrapped around a block of cream cheese, offering a heavenly surprise mid-meal. Similarly, the soft tofu brings a pleasant consistency to the table, creating moments of bliss while the chili oil heat builds. Finally, the poached egg's jammy yolk merges delightfully with the sauciness of the bowl, rounding out this iconic chilled summer ramen. A Tokyo staple, Maikagura draws long lines — but you'll be rewarded in the most delicious way possible for the wait. Find location info and hours for Ramen Maikagura on Twitter . Ramen Takahashi If you're a fan of stamp rallies, don't miss Ramen Takahashi's summer ramen challenge. Known for its signature ago (flying fish) ramen, Takahashi hosts a seasonal event offering exclusive perks to diners who try each of their hiyashi chuka specials. Participants collect five tickets by sampling four or more different limited-edition cold ramen dishes, which rotate every few weeks across various Takahashi locations. Complete the challenge, and you'll earn a coveted Premium Pass, unlocking special deals for an entire year. Its first chilled summer ramen is a classic grilled ago dashi shio ramen. It arrives in a light broth bursting with umami and the faint whispers of grilled fish. The noodles are slightly chewy and quite long, pairing well with the eggplant, okra and nameko mushroom toppings. Add a little of both the yuzu kosho (spicy citrus and chili paste) and the wasabi available on the counter to bring additional complexity to the dish. Upcoming summer specials follow a similar seafood-forward theme: crab, lobster, shellfish and even a creative Rausu konbu (kelp) ramen. The chilled summer ramen event has already begun and runs until the end of September, giving you plenty of time to slurp your way through these refreshing summer noodles. Find location info and hours for Ramen Takahashi on its website . Related Posts Ramen 101: A Beginner's Guide to Japan's Favorite Noodle Dish Unique Tokyo Ramen: Where to Eat the Most Unusual Noodles in the City Family-Friendly Ramen Shops in Tokyo for All Age s
