[JAPAN] Yokohama Cup Noodles Museum

A visit to Cup Noodles Museum is not to be missed if you visit Yokohama. For any instant noodle fan, the museum is a fun place to learn about the history of ramen. Best of all, you can try making your own cup noodle or your own chicken ramen by hand at the museum. There are two cup noodle museums in Japan, one in Osaka and another in Yokohama. I decided to visit the one in Yokohama, which is only half an hour train away from Tokyo.



To get to the Cup Noodle Museum, you can take the Minatomirai line to Minatomirai station / Bashamichi station, then it’s about 8-minute walk from the station. I chose to walk all the way from Yokohama station though as the weather was pleasant. It’s about 25 minute walk.



Admission fee is 500 yen and opening time is 10am-6pm, last entry 5pm. However, My Noodles Factory experience needs reservation at the ticket counter. You can only enter at the allocated time slot.



The Cup Noodle Museum in Yokohama has four floors of attractions and displays relating to the history and significance of instant ramen.



On the 2nd floor, you can see over 3,000 examples of instant noodle packaging in the Instant Noodles History Cube.



Momofuku Ando is the creator of world’s first instant ramen. He created the chicken ramen in 1958. In 1971, he invented Cup Noodles, the world’s first ramen served in cup. In 2005, he created the Space Ramen that can be eaten in space! It’s remarkable how he never stopped being creative.




One of the creative thinking boxes let you take photo of the optical illusion that one person is bigger than another in the same room. Unfortunately, this means you must have a partner with you when taking the photo. Solo visitor like me couldn’t join the fun.



The cut-out figure of world famous inventors including Momofuku Ando who have portrayed the spirit of ‘Never give up’.



An interactive exhibition that will spark new ideas and inspiration.



This creative thinking box shows a white colour cup noodles sculpture. Its purpose is to let visitor look at things from every angles. It’s best to come here nearing the closing time, it’ll be virtually empty as most people is at 3rd floor.



This is a replica of Momofuku’s work shed where the first instant chicken ramen was created.



A museum staff was kind enough to take photo for me.


Interior of the humble shed with simple tools.



It just shows creativity can be bred anywhere.



My favourite part is the My Noodles Factory on the 3rd floor first which allows me to create my very own cup of instant noodles.


The process of creating your one-of-a-kind cup noodles is like this:
1. Go to the vending machine and pay 300 yen to purchase an empty cup



2. Draw your own design on the cup with the special marker pens provided.



My hand drawn cup showing my family of four.



3. Fill your cup with instant noodles.



4. Choose the ingredients and seasoning you want for your instant noodles. I chose curry soup, and shrimp, corn, fish cake and cheese as toppings.



You can choose any 4 out of the 12 ingredients. And there are four soup flavour that you can choose from.



5. Seal the lid on the cup.


6. Shrink-wrap the cup.



7. Use the air pump to blow air into the ‘air package’.



Note that if you’re flying out of Japan, you cannot inflate the package for obvious reason. I just tried to inflate it to see how it looks like. Afterwards, I deflated the bag with the tools provided. The instant cup noodle is to be consumed within 1 month. It was delicious. The noodles are actually flat, different from the usual round instant noodles.



On the same floor, you can find the Chicken Ramen Factory where you can try making chicken ramen by hand. However, you’ll need reservation prior to your visit (by phone or online) for the Chicken Ramen Factory. Reservations for one person are not permitted. (Sigh…) There are a total of 8 90-minute sessions running daily, starting from 10.15am to 4.15pm.



The Noodles Bazaar and Cup Noodle Park are on the 4th floor.



You get to try 8 varieties of noodles other than instant noodles from all over the world at Noodles Bazaar. Surprise, surprise, Malaysia’s Laksa is on the list. Other noodles include Italian pasta, Kazahstan’s Lagman, China’s Lanzhou beef ramen, Korea’s cold ramen, Vietnam’s Pho, Thailand’s Tom Yam Goong noodles, and Indonesia’s Mie Goreng.



Malaysia Laksa stall.



China’s Lanzhou beef ramen stall and Korea’s cold ramen stall are located side by side.


This is the instant cup ramen stall.



A cup of instant noodle is 150 yen with 8 toppings to choose from.



The serving is small. That means I’ll have stomach to try other noodles.




The next noodles I tried is the Tom Yam Goong noodles.



I even tried the instant noodles flavoured sundae! The instant noodles flavoured sundae might sounds weird but it’s actually quite tasty! The sundae is sprinkled with some fried cracker, chopped onion and decorated with a fried shrimp on top.



Cup Noodle Park is only open for children above 3 years old through elementary school age and at least 90cm tall. I’m so envious of them.



The 5th floor is event hall and Ando Foundation. There’s not much to see on this floor. View from the museum towards the harbour.



Back to the ground floor where you can find the Museum Shop.



Goodbye, Cup Noodles Museum! I had such a fun time.


Yokohama Cup Ramen Museum
8-minute walk from Minatomirai line Minatomirai station / Bashamichi station
Opening hours: 10am-6pm, last entry 5pm
Admission fee: 500 yenCreate your own cup noodle: 300 yen per serving
Make your own chicken ramen by hand: Junior high school and up (500 yen), elementary school children (300 yen)
Cup Noodles Park: 300 yen for 30 minuteshttps://www.cupnoodles-museum.jp/en/yokohama/