00:00:02 John Daub: Greetings! Hello everybody. Welcome to another director's cut on this blue ramen. I did this in a previous Only in Japan main channel episode. The link is in the description. I highly recommend you go there and check it out. See what this blue ramen eating experience is like.

00:00:23 John Daub: In this episode, I'm going to talk about my thoughts, my impressions, how I filmed this, some background on this episode that makes it stand out. There's so much information on this blue ramen—more than meets the eye. We had so many amazing comments. A lot were, is this Windex? Is there blue Kool-Aid in it? Is this edible? It's got to be blue dye.

00:00:51 John Daub: All of that is wrong. It is not Windex. That's the most written comment in the Only in Japan comment section. We believe it's made from naturally occurring blue algae. Because the chicken broth is a lot thinner in color than other meat-based broths, the color comes out more like this. It's a clear chicken broth. So yeah, it really adds to it.

00:01:23 John Daub: We're going to go through this episode. I also asked Hana, my assistant who was on location during the shoot, her impressions. It gives a different way to see this because she's Japanese—what was her takeaway from what the chef said? We're going into this all in great detail. This is the bowl of ramen. I'm just going to start with this because we're starting the live stream and you might be watching this as a playback.

00:01:53 John Daub: Obviously, this is no ordinary bowl of ramen. The reason I think this ramen is very interesting, very good and worth trying is because it's different. A lot of people who live abroad and probably don't eat a lot of ramen every day look at this and go, this looks disgusting. Like, why would I eat this? It's bizarre. You don't know Japan at all, do you? Because if you did, the things that are really unique and weird...

00:02:23 John Daub: There are traditionalists, of course. And then there are the people who will try anything once. They see this color and they're like, what? This is very bizarre, very unique. I'm going to try this. People who would never have walked into a new ramen shop walk in here to try it out. And surprisingly, it's good. If you can catch people to bring them into your shop and the ramen is good, people will repeat and you can make a business out of it. If nobody comes into your shop, you're not going to have a business. Ramen is so competitive in Tokyo, so competitive in Japan as an industry.

00:02:59 John Daub: Ramen chefs don't last very long. I see a lot of ramen shops go out of business so quickly. You'll have a place you like in your neighborhood, then three to six months later, they just go out of business because they can't keep regular clients coming. This chef—and I'll get into more information on him and his shop—has been able to do that. He's been so popular, he started his shop in Oshiage near Tokyo Skytree, a place that got a lot of tourists when it first opened.

00:03:39 John Daub: Now the Skytree tourism isn't going down, but it's not as new as when it first opened. He took his shop to Shibuya, which has a lot more foot traffic. He took the money he made from Oshiage and opened this new shop. I think it's a perfect place because Shibuya is outrageous—as Peter von Gomm calls it, the pearl of Tokyo. It's a place where things of beauty stand out, and it really is a beautiful bowl of ramen.

00:04:15 John Daub: This was put up about 10 days ago on the Only in Japan main channel and has 180,000 views. You see the guy standing there. I didn't know that because there was a wide view. When you film on Hachiko Crossing, you're gonna have people watching you. It's not for the shy, but it's also the place if you can get this bokeh. I shoot on this GH5 with a 12-35mm lens, but I have another lens—this Panasonic Leica 42.5mm f1.7 lens. You can get the aperture open real big for that wide view, extra bokeh. It brings out such beautiful shots. It's a portrait lens, but it does a great job of video, making the subject stand out. That's what you see here with the GoPro shot showing the entire Shibuya.

00:05:53 John Daub: That was a good bowl—they're all good bowls. Up here you can see suggested videos for people who want to see those episodes. This is some inside information nobody picked up. Look at my hair—I parted it this way. During cuts, usually I can do this all in one take without cutting, but while putting in insert videos, I did a take two. In between, I went the wrong way with my hair, messing up the part. You can see it goes on the other side. I don't put much work into my hair, but I could tell. When editing, I cut it out—no one noticed.

00:07:01 John Daub: There's a GoPro shot of it being really wide—you get an idea of Shibuya. I'm setting up the scene because the shop is in Shibuya—lots of competition. Shibuya is Tokyo's bustling media center, bright lights, loud, many corners to this town. Hana picked the music for this. It was the first video in the series where I didn't do everything—Hana edited it, took the cuts, put it together. I was really impressed. It's nice jazz with beats. You can cut the video to beats, and it makes the viewer feel a connection because beats are like our heartbeat—we connect on another level. So whenever you can do music always moving, cuts with the beats, you feel that on another level.

00:08:02 John Daub: Blue Hair—about 500 meters from Shibuya Station—is where we'll find Tokyo's famous blue ramen. Inside the building is ramen. That breaking of the glass is actually me entering the shop. I knew it would be hard for a lot of people to catch—maybe five percent did—but that opening bell is me entering the front door. You can hear the audio in the background—Hana put it in when she cut it. I said let's keep it because it gives personality.

00:08:35 John Daub: Owner who loves what he does makes a delicious bowl of chicken ramen. Let's talk to Takao-san about his unique ramen. We came in at four o'clock—he was still preparing the soup. We came early so we didn't disturb other customers. When you do food restaurant shoots, shops are often busy—you come before or after. This was after lunch rush, before dinner. I don't know if he does lunch—he doesn't need to. You make the broth, and when it's gone, it's gone. He was in the process of making it with his assistant when we got there.

00:09:33 John Daub: His dream was not to be a ramen chef. He just saw a part-time job at a ramen shop and took it because he needed money. This is what I love about videos—focusing on people and their lives, like an old lady who makes udon or this chef who makes ramen. It's a unique point of view. In a second, I'll play what Hana said—it's relevant. He's not making it—he's who he is. If you go eat the ramen, you're going for the chef as much as the ramen. He's like, yeah, I needed a part-time job 20 years ago—that's how he started. Life takes you down a path, you find an opening and go. Now he's an artist—everybody has an artist inside; you just find that passion.

00:10:58 John Daub: Russell Larry asks, is there another shop you haven't visited yet that you have your eye on? Absolutely—several. I'm not telling where yet. There are areas in Japan famous for ramen we haven't done much of—like Asahikawa ramen, Hokkaido, Kyushu's Fukuoka for pork bone, Kyoto's Ichijoji ramen town where chains grew up. Osaka, Tokyo urban centers. Toyama City has black ramen—not that special, just very salty, but it's their thing. Every city has their take—ramen is a reason to travel. You'll always find usual shoyu, shio, miso, kara miso—spicy miso is one of my favorites. But specialties draw people, like black ramen in Toyama as part of the experience.

00:12:46 John Daub: Japanese eat food famous or specialty of the region—that's cool, makes travel fun. I asked him, what's the attraction of his ramen, his style? Delicious, of course. It's the X factor—how to be different, more fun. "Plus alpha" (something extra) is a Japanese business expression—basic service plus alpha. I called it X factor for Americans—something special that takes it higher.

00:13:51 John Daub: You can see the menu—he's evolved it. Red ramen with ginger extract, purple like muscat—all natural, not artificial coloring. He can't use artificial—I'll tell you why later. Made fresh daily. Hana continued with jazz music, but I shifted to something like working in the kitchen. Only in Japan episodes take long because I'm not lazy—I narrate a story, find perfect music that fits, make my voice fit the scene or feeling. That's what makes it special—like the chef artistic with ramen, I have to be artistic.

00:15:22 John Daub: The chef heats it to the right temperature. Broth is clearer, lighter than pork bone. Some garlic added. Secret sauce. Here it comes—that's a pretty deep blue. Can't be artificial—my 21 years in Japan taught me money won't buy reputation. Reputation is everything—you lose it, you lose business. He spent time finding natural ingredients like algae, maybe Malaysian butterfly pea flower that brings the color. In North America, we'd use dyes, but in Asia, natural. Commenters didn't get it—this is Asia, we got weird natural colors. Competition fierce—he uses natural.

00:17:45 John Daub: He hesitated on my question because he didn't want to spill the secret. Today's sauce in Japanese. Noodles boiled—when packed, it gets active back here. I'm the only customer. Noodles cooked a couple minutes, broth added—blue tade chicken broth mostly clear, mixes well, retains deep blue. Noodles strained, added. While filming, I was shaking my head—this is surreal, blue ramen is wicked.

00:19:10 John Daub: Every ramen shop does this—they straighten noodles to make it pretty. Chicken oil important for taste—extra if messed up. Finished product. I asked for basic blue ramen. I wanted pictures from so many angles—wow, Insta-worthy. So beautiful, can I even eat it? Usually toppings first, but here the blue broth is pronounced, great contrast—first thing you see.

00:20:39 John Daub: Eating experience—the color impresses, reminds me of Ogasawara water scuba diving, Pacific bonin blue. Let's try it—itadakimasu. Population 3,000—not many customers. Chicken-based, chashu is chicken not pork. Being different makes fun, memorable. Noodles soluble. He doesn't care what I think—he's done his work, like an artist: voila, now I smoke. Shio-based, really good. Lose traditional noodle color to blue—I like that. Anything different adds to experience. Light in stomach vs heavy tonkotsu. I don't eat much ramen anymore—not healthy, loaded with fat, cholesterol. It's a snack, not a meal—but fills you. Not oily, lighter, healthier.

00:23:38 John Daub: Hanjuku tamago—my favorite topping, striking uncut white against blue. Everyone knows half-boiled hanjuku tamago eggs are my favorite. Not oily—perfect balance. Chicken oil important—broth too light without, brings ramen-ness. Ramen typically oily—oil enhances flavor. Ramen's a galaxy in a bowl—so many flavors. Needs complexity. Color gives different feeling—not like eating traditional ramen, but good experience. Many dimensions to ramen—no one best in world, up to taste. Don't say Ippudo or Ichiran best—you haven't eaten enough. Good chains, but complexities, tastes vary. Best shops undiscovered—tens of thousands, always new.

00:26:53 John Daub: Someone wanting calm tropical escape would love this. Wanted Takao-san's secret and philosophy. It's shio ramen. Mic on him made audio hard—background water, fan. Regret that—had to raise voice. Is it secret? Yes, but all natural. He hesitated—came off suspicious. Why blue, not green/purple? Sea and sky—beautiful. Doesn't think about what people eat—he creates what he finds beautiful. How can I create beauty? That's his approach—art, connecting through food. Not like US Chipotle—you connect with artist transferring feeling.

00:30:02 John Daub: What's plus alpha in Tokyo? X factor the color? No—the fun. When you eat, it's fun. Everyone thinks differently, but want them to enjoy, give chance. Fun recipe we get behind. Fans brought Hatsune Miku figure—blue eyes/hair to decorate. Featured her in 2013 client video. If in Shibuya, pit stop for fun blue ramen—escape to new color. Food should give feeling more than delicious. In Japan, feel what chef intended.

00:36:27 John Daub: What puts me apart—been here longer, ask why. Food YouTubers don't feel through food enough—what feeling? Here, different place, Hawaii. Ramen chef puts thought—find X factor. Don't emulate—evolve style. Similarities between me and chef. Super chats: Cobra Bebop, Queen of Tacos—hello. Walking livestream tomorrow/next day, midnight snack Friday, maybe fan meetup.

00:39:38 John Daub: Discord—2,500 members, 24/7 Japan talk, trip planning. UFO Bob, Nosh, Jason, Jim—questions? Jim: most memorable ramen? Fukuoka's Unari—moved me, perfect except size. Not riverside stalls—touristy now. Jason: advice for psychological aversion to blue ramen? If don't want, don't—try or not. Deeper: disconnect home eating, connect with chef's feeling. Like art—some appreciate, some don't.

00:44:21 John Daub: Comments ew/ick on blue—visceral, like Windex (most liked, US thing). To me, Pacific water. Japanese dislike root beer like Salonpas medicine, Dr Pepper too. UFO Bob: presentation—color theory, white bowl/egg like sky/cloud. Yes—uncut egg stunning. Chef deep thinking, loves color—genius X factor. Shop busy, ramen good. Japanese tastes differ—root beer, Coke too sweet (green tea tops vending). Taste buds intense? Interesting view—customized to local.

00:49:45 John Daub: Ethnic foods in Japan customized—learn tastes. Never ate sushi/ramen pre-Japan. Cinnamon/mint not big—mint trendy last summer (cools), now gone like acai, Greek yogurt. Hummus next. Trends come/go. Super chats fund Kanae dinner. Asahi best blue stock? Cool—blue beer idea. Three-wheeled adult bikes? Old ladies use. Best place? Ogasawara, Hiroshima vibe/food, Hokkaido summer, Okinawa winter. Blue ramen shop: Kipposhi (Ramen Kipposhi) Shibuya—5min Hachiko, past Tower Records, 2nd floor near Family Mart.

00:55:18 John Daub: Fresh juice Yoyogi? Not tried—avoid trends like bubble tea. Stubborn—creativity from doing different. Parapara dance fun in 90s. Kodo Olympics? Maybe—love Gocoo, Tau (Kaori leader). Babymetal unique—heavy metal girls. Miss US? People diversity, styles—not uniform. Late Sept weather: cool/warm, shorts/sweater, typhoon chance clears skies, Fuji views. Collaborations: Simon/Martina in gift episode—add value, unique POV.

01:02:14 John Daub: Mike Chen sushi first-time—food king breaks down. Friends like Jennifer/Peter add fun. More Japanese POVs—unique insights over short-term views. Main channel: value to viewer. Tabbycheats food specialists—maybe, but worry convenience store overload (chemicals, not daily meal). Met Chris at Simon/Martina. Community, but different ages/styles. Thanks—liked? Comment/like for more director's cuts. Walking tomorrow, sushi main channel soon. Exciting fall—bye.