So very, very takai.

Cup Noodle instant ramen has a lot of things going for it. It keeps for a long time, it’s quick and easy to make, and it’s tasty. But you can’t sing the praises of Cup Noodle without also devoting some of the lyrics to how cheap it is, right?

It turns out, though, that there’s a place in Japan where Cup Noodle is startlingly expensive, though not without reason.

Before we get to the main dish of this article, let’s pause for a quick linguistic appetizer. In Japan, the word takai, written as 高い, means “high.” In addition to talking about physical heights, takai can also be used to talk about high prices, and our reporter Go Hatori recently dined on what he’s pretty sure is the most takai (expensive) Cup Noodle in Japan, and he did so in what he knows for certain is the most takai (high) place in Japan.

Ogiya is a mountain hut at the summit of Mt. Fuji, Japan’s tallest mountain. While hiking Fuji during this year’s climbing season, Go found his stomach growling, so he stopped by Ogiya to get something to eat. Looking over his options, he spotted the familiar Cup Noodle packaging…

…but at a very unfamiliar price: 1,000 yen (US$6.70).

And no, this wasn’t some special limited-edition Cup Noodle with gourmet ingredients or collectible packaging. It was the exact same standard Cup Noodle that you can find in any Japanese convenience store or supermarket for around 200 yen, and quite a bit less if it’s on sale or you’re buying in bulk.

Of course, it’s a very long walk from Ogiya to the nearest competing store, so Go handed over a crisp 1,000-yen bill. That premium pricing does get you a bit of service, at least. The Ogiya staff adds the boiling water to the cup and brings it to you on a tray with chopsticks. Granted, convenience stores often provide chopsticks and offer free hot water from a dispenser too, but having the instant noodles served to you on a tray is a nice touch.

Since they bring you the Cup Noodle as soon as they pour in the water, you’ve still got to wait for the noodles to cook…

…but on the plus side, you’ve got an incredible view to admire while you wait.

Go actually wondered if, because of the altitude of some 3,700 meters (12,139 feet) he was at, the noodles would need more time to cook.

But as soon as the standard three minutes were up, he peeled back the lid, and saw that the always-reliable Cup Noodles were ready to be eaten!

Picking up a mouthful of noodles with his chopsticks, Go blew off some of the steam…

…and took a bite.

So how did they taste?

Heavenly.

Technically speaking, they didn’t taste any different from Cup Noodles purchased at the regular price and eaten at an ordinary altitude. But between the serenity from being up above the clouds, the feeling of accomplishment from having hiked all the way up here, and the hunger he’d worked up along the way, the absolute joy Go felt from the overall eating experience of eating Japan’s most takai Cup Noodles at the summit of its most takai mountain is going to be hard to top.

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