Kitanachelin, or Dirty Michelin, ramen meal in upscale Shibuya suburb

Have you heard about this Japanese TV program, called “Kitanachelin”?! It’s a program that showcases neighborhood restaurants that have great food and are dirty looking. The title combines the word “kitainai” or dirty with an abbreviated version of Michelin, as in the guide to fine dining.

We stumbled into this ramen shop in Sangenjaya using Tabelog. Only when we had ordered did I recognize the proud trophy on the counter. I wonder when they won the coveted prize: the food was OK but not great, and the place merely untidy rather than over-the-top filthy.

The Clauses have invaded Japan

Last week I visited a beautiful historic town in the countryside. A mix of not being firebombed in World War II and some extraordinary historic preservation makes this town a magnet for Japanese and foreign tourists looking to experience Edo Japan. And then I stumbled upon this horrid Xmas store, and felt I had been instantly transported to any suburban mall in any town or city in Amerika. Major yucks!