DEEPER JAPAN

With sushi, uni-don, ikura-don, “Genghis Khan” grilled mutton and the recently insurgent soup curry, Hokkaido is a gourmet wonderland. But if you’re in Sapporo, you just can’t pass up the ramen.

Directly translated as 'medicine' (yaku) 'taste' (mi), yakumi originally served as antidotes to a variety of ailments.

This rapid-fire “visual diary” of flashy 15-second clips is a high-speed crash course in All Things Japan.

Since its arrival from China, ramen has been reshaped and reimagined into countless regional variations across Japan.

Ramen streets have become hotbeds for talented chefs and aspiring cooks looking to perfect their recipes.

Salty, sweet, sour and bitter are familiar terms to describe taste. Yet a fifth, umami, is less well-known but just as prevalent.

Kyoto is just as steeped in ramen as any other part of the country.