I must have manifested a Japanese-inspired afternoon while reminiscing about my 2018 solo trip to Japan. 

Grace and Vittoria, my two daughters, had just finished a water polo competition at the historic Dawn Fraser Baths and the vote was unanimous — we would wander up George Street to Kinokuniya, a book lover’s haven, and our afternoon would be spent with hot chocolates in hand, meandering through the store’s collection of over 300,000 books.

The girls were famished, eager to subdue their hunger. As we rode up the escalator, to the left they caught a glimpse of a red lantern adorned with a glittering gold tassel and decorated with shodō 書道, the art of Japanese calligraphy. The lantern hung from the ceiling of the celebrated restaurant Ichiban-Boshi, renowned for its hand-made ramen.

A ramen devotee myself, I once lined up for two hours to savour the taste of the famous Menya Saimi. That unassuming restaurant sits neatly tucked in Toyohira Ward, a neighbourhood of Sapporo, on Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido, and is said to serve “The best ramen in Nippon!”

I was excited to introduce my girls to the soupy broth and noodles. “It originated in the provinces of China,” I told them as we walked in, “and travelled with the migrants to the shores of Japan in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.” 

A waitress ushered us to a table.

Taking my seat, I was whisked to the back streets of Misono 10 Jo, sitting side by side with the locals while they slurped and twirled their noodles as they looked at me over the tops of their bowls with a sense of welcoming intrigue. They seemed puzzled as to why a female Westerner, with big green eyes, travelling alone but wearing wedding rings, was dining with them. One woman even asked with a gentle smile in broken English. “How did you find this place? We never see people like you.”

“Muma, can we order, please?” A voice from across the table gently reminded me where I was. I smile and pick up the menu.

“Sure, Sweetheart. You and your sister order whatever ramen dream you like!”