Nissin Instant Noodle Museum

I grew up knowing instant noodles as Japanese noodles. I guess it was because it was the Japanese that invented this wonderful, convenient meal that has seen loads of college students through their youth whilst living away from home.
While I was researching for our trip. I came across an article on the "Momofuku Ando Instant Ramen Museum" in Osaka.

It sounded interesting and Ikeda where it is located didn't seem too far from Namba where we were staying in Osaka. I thought...... Why not ???? Steph had his reservations.........
So with the vague direction I got from the internet on how to get there. We jumped on the train from Umeda and made our way to Ikeda one afternoon. Just outside the station, there are signs that led us to the museum.

Me and Momofuku Ando

10 minutes walk down a suburban street, we saw the statue of Momofuku Ando, the inventor of instant noodles. There are no entry fee for this one in Osaka. I believe the one in Tokyo do charge an entry fee.
We were greeted at the entrance by lovely happy ladies in bright yellow bandannas and aprons to welcome us. The lady who had English next to her name tag gave us a quick run down on how the museum work. We made our way through the interactive displays. There is one displaying the kitchen that Momofuku was working in while testing out his noodles. There were lots of other game machine in the room which were filled with young Japanese children checking out all the interactive machines. There is a giant wall call " The Instant Noodle Tunnel" - This traces the history of the instant ramen product line with a time line and the product display on the wall...... mind boggling stuff !!

This place is just like Willy Wonker's Chocolate Factory. We were waiting to see the oompa loompas working away in the back !!!! The noise is buzzy....... there are loads of school age kids running around, loads of animated cartoon kind of chatter on the speakers.......... We have got to the area where you can make your own Instant Cup Noodle.
You start off with putting 300 yen into a vending machine to get your styrofoam cup. Then you join the queue to wash and sanitise your hand. A staff member then puts a clear lid on the top, so your fingers don't touch the lip of the cup.
Up ahead is a room full of little tables and chairs with colour texta boxes..... just like a pre-school playroom....... we are shown to a table to start getting creative and design our cups.

Steph is definitely more creative than me and is much better at drawing........ so I left that duty up to him. After our creation is complete, we head up to the queue to fill these cups with our favourite flavour of noodles.
Again, it is all very interactive. You hand your cup over to the happy staff (the oompa loompas), they give it a quick air spray to rid of any dust or impurities in the cup. Then they ask you to spin the wheel which transfer the round noodle into your cup.

From there, the cup moves along a conveyor belt to the next oompa loompa, who asks what flavour soup you would like. Seafood, Original or Curry.

Then you are ask to pick 5 condiments to add to your cup....... there are cute fish cakes made in the shape of love hearts (being February for Valentines Day), there are also chicken cake that is in the shape of a cartoon chicken shape).

I can't believe some people are stressing out big time on what to choose !!! its only cup noodles people...... relax !!
After all the flavours and condiments are in the cup. A seal is place on the lip of the cup. Then it gets plastic shrink wrap and there is your very own personalised cup noodle.

Not a bad souvenir to take home to the kids. Beats another snow dome or keyring !!!