Posted By Christine Y. Chen Share

I love a good bowl of noodles as much as the next gal. But a couple hundred of them? Check out this video of Japan's National Wanko Soba Eating Competition, which was held earlier this week. The winner downed 223 bowls in 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in other food news in Japan, Crown Princess Masako is under fire for eating too well. The princess, a Harvard-educated former diplomat who dropped out of the public eye after marrying Crown Prince Naruhito in 1993, has been rumored to be battling depression in recent years, partially as a result of public pressure for not producing a male heir. Evidently, people think the lavish meals she's enjoyed recently are a sign that the imperial family is not as austere as it should be. Yet Japan reveres people like former hot-dog champion Kobayashi. Mixed messages, anyone?

 
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