June 8th 2024.
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Life is full of simple pleasures, and for many, food is at the top of the list. And when we say food, we mean delicious ramen with its richly flavored broth and wheat noodles. In particular, there is a cult ramen joint in Tokyo's neon-lit entertainment district that has captured the hearts and taste buds of its loyal customers.
But on May 28, something unexpected happened at the Shinjuku Kabukicho branch of Ramen Jiro. A fire broke out, as reported by the Fuji News Network. Despite the flames and thick smoke, 15 customers were still seated at the counter, enjoying their spicy noodles. Some even continued to slurp their noodles while the fire raged on. It seems that nothing could stop these dedicated ramen lovers from savoring their meal, not even literal fire.
One customer, who had traveled all the way from Nagano Prefecture just for a bowl of Ramen Jiro, expressed his disappointment at not being able to finish his meal. He described himself as a "Jirorian," a term used for those who patiently wait in line for this famous ramen. The portions at Ramen Jiro are known to be big, with a small bowl containing 300g of noodles alone. It's no wonder that one in five men in the Tokyo metropolitan area are considered Jirorians, according to researchers from Shinshu University.
As the fire grew in size, staff members initially did not alert the customers and instead evacuated them when the situation became more dangerous. Luckily, no one was injured in the incident, according to city police. Fire officials are still investigating the cause of the fire.
Despite the chaos and unexpected turn of events, loyal customers continued to line up outside the shop, eagerly waiting for their turn to enjoy a bowl of Ramen Jiro. The resilience and dedication of these customers were captured in a video shared by a local host club worker, Miki Amemiya, on social media. In the video, firefighters can be seen rushing to extinguish the flames as thick smoke fills the streets. Amemiya's caption reads, "Our Jiro aaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!"
It's clear that Ramen Jiro holds a special place in the hearts of many Japanese salarymen and students, known for its tough noodles, chunks of pork, and generous amounts of chopped garlic. And even though a fire may have disrupted their meal, it's safe to say that the Jirorians will continue to flock to this beloved ramen joint for their fix of delicious, hearty noodles.
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