(A Family-Friendly Food Adventure at Ramen EXPO 2025, Osaka)
Hey everyone!
I’m Hideic — a noodle-obsessed dad who believes thin noodles > snowfall, and whose 9-month-old baby has finally reached the age where we can take him on slightly reckless foodie missions.
Today’s saga is not just about ramen.
It’s about:
- fatherhood,
- marriage,
- the unstoppable hunger of two ramen addicts,
- and the chaotic glory of attending a massive food festival with a baby.
Strap in.
This is the type of story that makes you book a flight to Japan immediately.
- 🥷💨 Act 1: When Parents Become Ramen Hunters
- ⏰ Act 2: The Mission Begins
- 🍜 Bowl #1 — KUDOU RAMEN: “The Gentle Monster That Punches You in the Soul”
- 🍜 Bowl #2 — KOJI RAMEN: “Miyazaki Beef Royalty… Wrong Timing, Wrong Opponent”
- 🍜 Bowl #3 — GURITORA: “Setouchi Ocean Breeze Meets Mediterranean Bouillabaisse”
- 🍜 Bowl #4 — MENYA TAI: “Clam × Tonkotsu = Unexpected Soulmate Couple”
- 👶🎌 Act 3: Baby + Culture + Autumn = Maximum Life EXP
- ⭐ Why Ramen EXPO Needs To Be on Your Bucket List
- 🌈 Final Verdict: I Would Go Again Tomorrow
🥷💨 Act 1: When Parents Become Ramen Hunters
My wife and I used to be ramen warriors.
Before the baby arrived, we traveled everywhere —
Jiro-style bowls, creamy tonkotsu, miso bombs, shio masterpieces, weird regional legends…
If it had broth, we were there.
But once you’re pushing a stroller the size of a mini-van through narrow ramen shop queues?
Yeah. You retire.
We behaved for months.
We ate instant ramen and pretended it was enough.
It wasn’t.
Then one day, destiny arrived:
🔥 RAMEN EXPO 2025 — at EXPO ’70 Park, Osaka
Outdoor.
Huge venue.
Stroller-friendly.
Dozens of top ramen shops in one place.
It felt like the universe grabbed my shoulders and whispered:
“Bro… take the baby. Go eat ramen. Live your life.”
So we packed:
- bottle
- diapers
- wipes
- unreasonable expectations
- and the ninja spirit of desperate parents
And off we went.
⏰ Act 2: The Mission Begins
A normal family would arrive early, stroll through the autumn leaves, warm up, relax…
We are not normal.
We are ramen-possessed.
We arrived at 10:59, basically sliding into the venue as the gates opened, like a pair of ninja spies infiltrating a noodle fortress.
By sheer luck (or divine ramen intervention), we secured:
- a shaded table
- near the stage
- with perfect stroller parking
Then we nodded to each other — the universal sign of parents about to commit to something stupid but glorious.
“Let’s eat.”
🍜 Bowl #1 — KUDOU RAMEN: “The Gentle Monster That Punches You in the Soul”
Our first target:
Kudou Ramen’s mega Jiro-style bowl.
The line looked intimidating, but they produced 14 bowls per batch like ramen-making robots.
We waited just 10 minutes.
The moment I lifted the bowl, my brain short-circuited:
- thick, chewy noodles
- melting pork
- broth with the punch of a heavyweight boxer
- a mountain of goodness that could feed a village
Added garlic and soy booster myself.
Took one slurp.
“We have a winner. Shut it down. Day over.”
My wife’s reaction:
“This is… a well-behaved Jiro.”
A perfect description.
A polite beast.
A delicious contradiction.
A top-tier bowl that reset my entire nervous system.
🍜 Bowl #2 — KOJI RAMEN: “Miyazaki Beef Royalty… Wrong Timing, Wrong Opponent”
This bowl had everything going for it:
- Miyazaki beef
- Winner of the Prime Minister’s Award
- Gorgeous aroma
- Elegant broth
Sorry I forgot it to take picture. I’m so excited.
But it followed the tsunami of Bowl #1.
Our taste buds were still recovering from garlic-induced trauma.
The beef broth was refined, thoughtful, delicate…
But our brains were like:
“Bro, we were just attacked by a giant noodle monster.”
Good bowl. Wrong moment.
Like trying to enjoy a ballet right after watching a full Michael Bay explosion sequence.
Ramen timing is an art.
🍜 Bowl #3 — GURITORA: “Setouchi Ocean Breeze Meets Mediterranean Bouillabaisse”
A complete shift in direction — and WOW.
First sip and I instantly thought:
“This is the one all the sophisticated girls will order.”
Clear broth.
Aromas of seafood.
Salt balance so perfect it might solve political conflicts.
Michelin-listed quality.
It felt like the Setouchi Sea and the Mediterranean kissed in my mouth.
Elegant. Comforting.
A spa day in ramen form.
🍜 Bowl #4 — MENYA TAI: “Clam × Tonkotsu = Unexpected Soulmate Couple”
My wife waited 30 minutes for this one.
She returned radiating the aura of a warrior who has survived battle.
Then she took a bite.
Her face transformed.
“Okay. Worth the line. 100%.”
The broth tasted like:
- pork bone punch
- married to
- clam umami
No conflict.
Just harmony.
A perfect relationship.
This was our MVP.
👶🎌 Act 3: Baby + Culture + Autumn = Maximum Life EXP
After devouring four bowls (tag-team style), we wandered through the park:
- dropped by a Jordan cultural festival
- touched real desert sand
- played stone instruments
- walked under gold and red autumn leaves
- fed the baby milk under the trees
- ended with a salute to the Tower of the Sun
It felt like a video game day where every event gives you EXP buffs:
Ramen + Family + Culture + Nature = S-Rank Life Day
As parents, daily life often shrinks into:
home → park → supermarket → repeat.
But days like this remind you:
Adventure isn’t over.
You just have a small sidekick now.
⭐ Why Ramen EXPO Needs To Be on Your Bucket List
Even if you’re not a parent.
Even if you’ve never been to Osaka.
Even if you’ve never slurped noodles in your life.
Here’s why:
- stroller-friendly
- wide walkways
- tons of seating
- world-class ramen
- festival vibes
- perfect for couples, families, or solo food warriors
- a taste tour of Japan without leaving the park
If you’re planning a trip to Japan in late fall —
THIS is the festival you didn’t know you needed.
🌈 Final Verdict: I Would Go Again Tomorrow
This wasn’t just a food trip.
It was:
- marriage bonding,
- dad-life leveling up,
- noodle-based enlightenment,
- and a reminder that joy comes from simple, delicious chaos.
Thank you for reading.
Stick around — more ninja-dad adventures and mouth-watering reviews coming soon.
Nin-nin 🍜🥷✨
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