So whats the best thing to do in a very cold winter's night here in Japan? Eat ramen of course! And not just any ramen, it should be Nagahama ramen. This is my first order of business, straight from the airport.
I make it a point to eat some (preferably some more) every time I'm in Sagamihara (Kanagawa prefecture). The smell is enough to make your mouth water and you can spell "heart attack" with the thick soup. The noodles are always fresh and its polite to slurp, the louder the better. Thats why no icy winter wind can stop me from waiting outside the small ramen shop for a vacant seat.
(photo by Francis, from left: Ed, Joriz, Mike, and me)