Tampopo was an amazing movie that offered insight on Japanese culture, humor, and food establishments. I enjoyed that I was able to connect to the movie despite not being a part of Japanese culture, and the cinematography was also very intriguing and captivating. In all honesty, the story line did not make much sense, but that did not prohibit the movie from being amazing. An interesting point that I noted was the emphasis on noodles, and the main characters infatuation with ‘mastering’ how to make good ramen, or the best ramen in Japan. What does the climax, surrounding the trope of mastering ramen, tell us about Japanese culture and food? What should be the major takeaway from the movie?

 

Questions for Professor Ray Yang:

  1. What served as a catalyst for your interests in East Asian foodways?
  2. How has media influenced the way food is experienced in East Asian countries, specifically blogging about Chinese cuisine?