Turkey Optional, Comfort Guaranteed 🍁🍜🍖

Thanksgiving is a season of gratitude and let’s be honest, a little (or a lot of) indulgence! It’s the holiday that brings people together around full tables and warm kitchens, where food becomes the centrepiece of connection. At its heart, it’s about comfort, community, and the joy of slowing down together to give thanks. 

Thanksgiving in Japan 

While Thanksgiving is widely celebrated in North America, Japan has its own way of giving thanks. On November 23rd, families observe Kinrō Kansha no Hi, or Labour Thanksgiving Day, a celebration of hard work, community, and giving thanks. Kids often make thank-you cards for local heroes such as firefighters and nurses, companies show their appreciation to their hard-working employees, and families take the chance to spend the day together to recharge, and reconnect.

For Crafty Ramen, this connection feels natural. With roots in Japanese culture and a home in Canada, Crafty sees both traditions as different expressions of the same idea: pausing to appreciate one another, time spent with loved ones, and remembering that gratitude transcends borders.

No Turkey? How about Brisket? 

While Crafty Ramen doesn’t quite have a Thanksgiving-in-a-bowl ramen (yet!), that spirit comes to life in their take on a Brisket Ramen, created in collaboration with their friends at Ward 1 Smokehouse. This bowl is a smoky, cheesy celebration all its own: tender smoked brisket layered over house-made thick noodles, in a rich, spicy miso chicken broth. Shredded cheese, sweet corn, crisp green onion, and a sprinkle of spicy crispies complete the picture for comfort stacked on comfort.

Sure, it’s not quite turkey and gravy, but it doesn’t need to be! This bowl is built for savouring together with loved ones, one slurp at a time. It’s a celebration of collaboration, flavour, and the kind of comfort that makes you sit back, smile, and maybe loosen your belt a notch after. 😉

Comfort, Connection, and Gratitude 

For Crafty Ramen, food is not only about flavour, it’s about connection. Those moments when people come together over a meal, no matter the tradition. Whether you’re carving turkey in Canada, giving thanks in Japan, or simply seeking comfort in a steaming bowl of ramen, may your table—whatever it looks like—be filled with gratitude, warmth, and the kind of joy that lingers long after the last bite. 

Craving a taste of that smoky, cheesy comfort now? Try Crafty Ramen’s Pitmaster's Brisket Bowl, available at their Noodle Shop locations for a limited time. It’s a celebration in a bowl today, and who knows, you just might spot it in the freezer aisle in the future, ready to bring a little extra comfort to your table any time you need it. 💛