Ramen

For lunch today I had a bowl of delicious ramen noodles in Tokyo's Meguro Ward.  In the photos below I summarize how to acquire a bowl of ramen in Japan, taken from my experience today.  It's not as easy as you may think.  First, find a ramen bar, which either means you stumble across one facing the street or you search a building directory as in the photo below.  Next, find your ramen bar - if not facing the street it could be in the basement or way up on the 7th floor (mine was in the basement).  Next, put some yen into the machine and push the button for your ramen of choice and another button for any special toppings if you so desire.  Next, duck into the bar, find a stool, then give the ticket to a guy behind the counter and wait a few minutes for your ramen to appear!