Tampopo (1985)

Nobuko Miyamoto: Tampopo

Photos 

Quotes 

• Tampopo : How do I look?

  Gorô : Like something out of a French film. I feel like calling you Jeanne.

• Gorô : Why are you working so hard?

  Tampopo : Good question. How can I explain? Everyone has their own ladder. Some do their best to climb to the top, while others don't even realize they have a ladder. You came along... and helped me find my ladder.

  Gorô : What was your husband like?

  Tampopo : He was a good man. He liked his liquor. Always in a hurry. In a soba shop he'd be ordering sake as he took off one shoe and soba as he took off the other.

• Tampopo : What about your wife?

  Gorô : She left with the kids.

  Tampopo : Why?

  Gorô : I don't know. I grew up in a miserable family, so I wanted to make my own home the warmest there was. I got married. We had kids. And we had a warm home. But I never felt comfortable there. I don't know how to act in a happy home. Before I knew it, my wife was gone... Maybe I'm just a cold-hearted guy.

• Gorô : What's he doing?

  Tampopo : Sipping the broth.

  Gorô : Isn't that odd? It's very odd! It should be too hot to sip, yet he's slurping it down! That's a fatal flaw! Lukewarm ramen isn't ramen!

• Tampopo : Please tell me the recipe for this broth.

  Ramen shop owner in Chinatown : The recipe for my broth? Never! You're a pro. I can tell by the look in your eyes. I can't give a competitor my secrets!

  Tampopo : Please! I'll pay!

  Ramen shop owner in Chinatown : How much?

  Tampopo : Say... 50,000 yen?

  Ramen shop owner in Chinatown : Forget it! If you want to pay, loan me one million yen to be paid back in a year, interest-free. Then I'll give you the recipe for free.

  Tampopo : A million yen...

  Old man next door to ramen shop : Listen to me! Don't lend him that million. He bets on speedboats. You'll never get it back. Give me 30,000 yen and I'll give you his recipe. My shop's next door. Come back late tonight with the money.

• Rude owner of competing ramen shop : What? As if you amateurs could appreciate our ramen!

  Tampopo : Pops, people who eat ramen are all amateurs. Why make ramen they can't appreciate?

• Rude owner of competing ramen shop : What the hell? Why didn't you finish it?

  Tampopo : Sorry. I'm just full.

  Rude owner of competing ramen shop : Don't give me that shit! Who orders ramen when they aren't hungry? Wait a minute. You run the Lai Lai shop! Why are you here? Slinking around, trying to steal our business! We've been here since the postwar black-market days! We won't be insulted by a couple of rank beginners! Bow down and apologize, or finish every last drop!

  Gorô : If you put it that way, I'll have to spell it out. I couldn't finish it because it's inedible.

  Rude owner of competing ramen shop : How dare you!

• Tampopo : And here's your special.

  Pisuken : Special! Like hell! Packed with stinky naruto. You're behind the times. That's why business is bad. Call it quits or I'll force you out!

  Tampopo : Just shut up! I'll use naruto if I want. What's it to you if business is bad?

• Master of ramen making : What about the name of the shop? The food's changing. Maybe it's time for a new name.

  Gun : Let's change it!

  Shôhei : Yes!

  Tampopo : Yes, let's.

  Master of ramen making : Any good ideas?

  Shôhei : Something unique.

  Gun : Easy to remember.

  Master of ramen making : Feminine...

  Shôhei : And appetizing!

  Gorô : I think it should be Tampopo.

  Master of ramen making : Tampopo! Yes!

  Gun : Clever!

  Tampopo : Tampopo.

  Gorô : Yup. Tampopo Ramen.

  Tampopo : Tampopo Ramen.

• Tampopo : So... how was my ramen?

  Gorô : Well... it has some solid, honest flavor... but it lacks pizzazz.

  Gun : Basically it sucks.