Eating 1,300 bowls of ramen a year! Even nutritionists are astonished… The life of “Jiro Lover Man” who never gives up on his health and ramen!

He serves more than 1,300 bowls of Ramen Jiro a year. And there is a man who has consumed at least two bowls of ramen every day for more than 500 days, sometimes as many as 13 bowls. His name is “Jiro Lover Man,” and he is well known among ramen freaks for his daily food reports on X (formerly Twitter) that are full of love for Jiro.

However, his eating habits are out of the ordinary. On weekdays, three to four bowls of ramen a day is the norm, and after work, he sits at the Jiro counter in his suit. On weekends and holidays, he sometimes enjoys a “special course” of six cups. What is surprising is that he has been able to maintain his health while living this extraordinary diet. How does he do it?　When we asked him for an interview, he revealed his astonishing lifestyle.

One bowl of Jiro is not enough to tell the story of how he first encountered Jiro and became hooked on it.

The first time I tried Ramen Jiro was in 2012 at the Shinjuku Kotakibashi-dori branch, which my best friend took me to. But to be honest, I wasn’t that into it on my first try (laughs). But I was attracted to the atmosphere and the unique culture of the restaurant.

His first experience at Ramen Jiro. For Mr. Man who loves ramen Jiro, it was by no means a “shocking taste. Indeed, everyone is overwhelmed by the amount of ramen in front of them. The aroma of garlic, the uniquely rich broth, and the thick noodles with a rough texture (……). However, the more you eat, the more addictive it becomes!

Even Mr. Man, who loves Jiro’s straight lineage, fell in love with the “charm of Jiro” as he kept coming back for more. The decisive moment was his encounter with the Meguro branch.

The moment I ate at the Meguro branch, I thought, ‘What?　It was a shock to me. I was shocked. The richness of the soup, the elasticity of the noodles, the umami of the pork–it had a completely different character from the first time I tried it at the Shinjuku Kotakibashi-dori branch.

The Meguro branch has a strong flavor of soy sauce sauce sauce, and the pork abura (flavor of the pork) is directly conveyed to the customers. Knowing the individuality of each store, I was convinced that Jiro can’t be described in just one bowl.

As he speaks so matter-of-factly, there is no hint of the intemperance that comes from eating ramen every day. His skin is glowing and he has no excess fat. He is “proud to be a Giroian,” which includes studying what he eats and maintaining optimum conditions.

Let me explain. Ramen Jiro originated in the Mita Main Restaurant, which was established in 1968 and spread throughout the country as employees trained at the main restaurant divided the business into “noren (curtain) shops. These are the “direct lineage stores.

In recent years, the “Jiro-kei Ramen” genre has been spreading, but “Shikei-Shops” are clearly distinguished from “Jiro-kei Ramen” and refer only to stores that are descended from Mita’s head office. Currently, there are 23 Shokkei-ya stores in Tokyo. There are currently 23 directly-affiliated restaurants in Tokyo, as well as in Hokkaido, Miyagi, Niigata, Kyoto, and other areas, for a total of 44 nationwide.

The man who became fascinated with Jiro, Mr. Jiro Lover Man, began a full-fledged tour of all the Jiro restaurants in Japan as soon as he entered university.

The more he learned about the differences, the more he became interested in them. The more I learned about the differences, the more I wanted to compare them. So, when I went to college, I decided, “I’m going to visit all the directly-affiliated restaurants in Japan! I made up my mind to do so. My pilgrimage to Jiro’s began.

Jiro as a “daily” routine – a “ramen lifestyle” that has become routine.

In less than a year, I completed all of the restaurants in Japan. Before he knew it, eating Jiro had become a part of his daily routine. What started out as a few times a week gradually became a daily routine.

And now, his Jiro life has reached a phenomenal level. His basic routine is three cups of sake a day. After work, he first goes to the Uenoge branch for a cup of sake. He sits at the counter in his suit, and as soon as the bowl is placed in front of him, he proceeds with his chopsticks without a second glance. Next, he moves on to the Meguro branch. He carefully sips the soup to check the difference in taste, and checks the noodles for doneness.

The last stop is the Kabukicho branch, open until 2:30 a.m., the holy land of nighttime Jiro. Today’s Jiro was perfect,” he murmurs, a look of satisfaction on his face, a fitting end to a perfect day.

On Sunday, I had one cup of sake at Hitotsubashi Gakuen, then moved on to Fujisawa and had two cups of sake at the same time. Then I went to Fujisawa and ate two cups of sake at the same time, had two more in Kannai, and finally finished up in Meguro. This is a typical day off for me.

Jiro’s flavor is always changing and evolving. The thickness of the soup, the degree to which the noodles are boiled, and the finish of the pork all change slightly depending on the staff who are in charge of cooking. Therefore, if you leave a restaurant for a month, you will miss the “current Jiro. I visit all of the restaurants to see how Jiro has evolved and deepened.

For him, Ramen Jiro is not just a meal, but his “life’s work. He keeps track of the changes in flavor and enjoys the subtle differences between all the restaurants, and this is where his love of Jiro comes into play. But is there any problem with his health in this lifestyle of eating Jiro so much?

One bowl of ramen can contain more than 2,000 calories…” What does a nutritionist think?

The image of “Ramen Jiro = high in calories and fat” is strong, but what about the actual nutritional value?　Here, we asked nutritionist Mamiko Asano to analyze the calorie content and nutritional balance of Ramen Jiro.

She said, “A typical ramen contains about 550 calories, and even a rich tonkotsu ramen contains around 800 calories. However, in the case of Ramen Jiro, we can estimate that just 300 grams of noodles, pork (chashu, a Jiro term), bean sprouts, and 80 grams of back fat already contain more than 1,400 calories.

If soup and lard are added, a single bowl of ramen may exceed 2,000 calories. This is equivalent to the daily calorie intake of an adult male (estimated energy requirement of males in their 30s (aged 30-49): 2350-3150 kcal/day*).

The full picture of the calorie-laden ramen is now clear. Jiro has a very high ratio of carbohydrates and fat. However, speaking of Ramen Jiro, you can also order a “Yasai Double,” which adds a large amount of bean sprouts and cabbage. Will this improve the nutritional balance?

Certainly, bean sprouts and cabbage contain potassium and dietary fiber. However, since these are “light-colored vegetables,” they do not contain green and yellow vegetables, which are essential for preventing lifestyle-related diseases,” Asano points out.

They do not contain the antioxidant vitamins that are abundant in green and yellow vegetables (carrots, spinach, etc.), such as vitamins A (beta-carotene), C, and E. This means that the nutrients needed to repair oxidation in the body are easily in short supply. We also need to be aware of the B vitamins needed to metabolize carbohydrates and fats, potassium to excrete salt and prevent swelling, and zinc to regulate the sense of taste.

Increasing the amount of yasai is unlikely to eliminate the imbalance in nutritional balance. While yasai contains an overwhelming amount of calories and salt, it also tends to be deficient in vitamins and minerals. So how does Mr. Naoto Jiro Lover Man maintain his health?

When his weight enters the red zone, he resets it once” – the rule behind his phenomenal ramen lifestyle.

Mr. Mann loves to eat ramen Jiro at an astonishing pace. Despite his high-calorie, high-salt diet, he manages his health by strictly following his own rules. First of all, “When my weight enters the red zone, I reset it,” is his basic rule.

He weighs himself frequently, and if he feels that it is dangerous to eat Jiro at this weight, he will hold off eating until noon or in the evening. This simple rule is the key to preventing health risks from overeating.

The morning after eating Ramen Jiro, if his weight exceeds a certain threshold, he will go on a 10- to 16-hour fast. From the night he eats Ramen Jiro, he does not eat anything until the evening of the following day. Mr. Asano analyzed the method of Mr. Jiro Lover Man from a nutritionist’s point of view.

He says, “The habit of checking one’s weight frequently is a very good way to improve one’s self-control. Daily awareness leads to adjustment of the amount of food we eat, which can also help to prevent weight gain unconsciously.

The 10-16 hour meal interval method is similar to the “autophagy diet (8-hour diet)” methodology. The idea is to limit eating to eight hours in a day and fast for the rest of the day to promote energy consumption,” says Asano.

The autophagy diet is said to be effective when sustained for several days or longer, although a one-shot diet will conversely cause a spike in blood glucose levels. Mr. Naoto Jiro Loves Man’s approach is commendable in that he has succeeded in making it a habit. Although it is not a method suitable for everyone, he has followed this rule thoroughly and kept his weight within the normal range. His annual physical examinations show no abnormalities.

Another rule is to have a light meal before eating Jiro (……), because I feel like I would absorb all the nutrients if I eat Jiro out of the blue,” says Mr. Jiro Lover Man.

Before Jiro, he takes soy milk and chicken to prepare his body for the challenge. Mr. Asano also points out that there is a theoretical basis for this method.

The soy protein in soy milk helps to slow the rise in blood glucose levels, and if consumed before a meal, it is expected to suppress the absorption of carbohydrates. This is called the ‘second meal effect’ and is a dietary method that prevents the accumulation of fat.

In addition, his Jiro-eating lifestyle also incorporates a good exercise routine.

I usually like to walk and take more than 20,000 steps a day, but when I go out to eat, I sometimes exceed 30,000 steps. I especially make use of the stairs to burn calories efficiently in a short time.

My current office is in a high-rise building, so during my lunch break I do my own exercise routine: I go up the stairs, take the elevator down, and go up the stairs again.

Because I eat ramen every day, I exercise and have become more conscious of weight control. In fact, I may have become more conscious of my health,” says Mr. Jiro Loves Ramen.

His health management method is simple: “I set rules and practice them in order to enjoy my favorite foods. However, by being thorough, he is able to continue his amazing ramen lifestyle.

I want to keep eating ramen for a long time”-Sustainable “Jirolean” Life

A deeper look into the life of this Jiro lover reveals a sustainable “Jirolean” lifestyle that includes not only eating ramen continuously, but also taking care of one’s physical condition and exercising. There may be hints here that can be adopted not only by Jiro lovers, but also by ordinary ramen lovers.

However, ramen is a meal with a high ratio of carbohydrates, fat, and salt. For this reason, it is important to adjust the nutritional balance throughout the day’s meals. So, how should one balance nutrition in the case of Ramen Jiro?　Mr. Asano gave us some pointers.

Ramen Jiro’s toppings include many potassium-containing vegetables such as cabbage and bean sprouts, which can be expected to help eliminate salt.

However, ramen tends to lack green and yellow vegetables rich in antioxidant vitamins A, E, and C and minerals such as iron, which repair oxidation and glycation of the body caused by excessive intake of fat and sugar. Therefore, if you eat ramen at night, you should consciously consume spinach, carrots, broccoli, etc. at breakfast or lunch to prevent nutritional imbalance.

The use of garlic is also helpful. For example, at Jiro’s, you can order a “garlic double,” in which you add more garlic. Garlic contains a lot of allicin, which helps the absorption of vitamin B1 contained in pork. It also relieves fatigue, regulates immune function, and promotes blood circulation, so I think it’s a good idea to add more garlic.

Along with the nutritional balance, however, what should not be overlooked is the ramen’s “power to induce repeat business.

Another characteristic of ramen, such as Jiro’s, is that once you try it, it has an addictive appeal. The large amount of noodles causes blood sugar levels to rise and fall, and the special feeling of waiting in long lines to eat ramen makes it easy to feel the need to eat it again and again, and to want more next time. and “Next time, more!

As a dietitian, I have to ask myself whether I can enjoy Jiro not as a daily habit, but as a special meal for myself.　I want to think about it from the perspective of how we can discipline ourselves.

Because I love ramen, I have become more health-conscious. I want to keep eating it for a long time. I want straight ramen Jiro!” Mr. Man who loves “direct lineage” ramen is full of power in his words.

I can go to two restaurants from now. …… Of course, it’s Jiro,” he said. With these words, he hung up his business bag and disappeared into the crowd. Jiro’s life of balancing work and Jiro’s is a normal one for him. It is not a work-life balance, but a “work-Jirolean balance” that supports the 1,300 bowls of Jiro he serves each year.

It is not contradictory to be conscious of one’s health in order to continue to enjoy one’s favorite food for a long time. While enjoying Ramen Jiro, one must also take care of one’s health and cultivate self-control. Finding that balance may be the secret to a “sustainable Giroian life” and a “ramen life.

Jiro Lover Man is a well-known figure among ramen freaks. Everyday is a Jiro – in 2012, he ate 1,301 bowls of Jiro, and in mid-February 2013, he had eaten over 166 bowls of Jiro. He has visited all 44 Jiro restaurants more than 33 times and has had a bowl in front of him for 585 consecutive days. 13 bowls a day, 37 bowls a week, 124 bowls a month – he loves Jiro more than anyone else. As the name “Jiro Lover Man” suggests, he puts everything he has into one bowl of Jiro.

Click here for the X of “Jiro Lover Man”.

Mamiko Asano is a nutritionist. Representative Director of Evita Co. She has provided nutritional counseling to more than 18,000 people at general hospitals, women’s clinics, and corporate counseling based on the behavioral change theory of diabetes. She is active in many fields, including nutrition education activities, recipe development, food consulting, lectures, and events.

Click here for the website of Evita Corporation.