# Ramen

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Japanese noodle dish

Not to be confused with [Instant noodles](/source/Instant_noodles) or [Lamian](/source/Lamian).

This article is about the Japanese noodle dish. For the instant version, see [instant noodles](/source/Instant_noodles). For other uses, see [Ramen (disambiguation)](/source/Ramen_(disambiguation)).

Ramen Shōyu ramen Alternative names Nankin soba, shina soba, chūka soba Type Noodle soup Place of origin China (origin) Yokohama Chinatown, Japan (adaptation) Region or state East Asia Main ingredients Chinese-style alkaline wheat noodles, meat- or fish-based broth, vegetables or meat Variations Many variants, especially regional, with various ingredients and toppings Cookbook: Ramen Media: Ramen

**Ramen** ([/ˈrɑːmən/](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA/English)) (拉麺, ラーメン or らあめん, *rāmen*; [\[ɾaꜜːmeɴ\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA/Japanese) [ⓘ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:TomJ-Ramen.ogg)) is a [Japanese](/source/Japanese_cuisine) [noodle](/source/Noodle) dish.[1] It is a part of [Japanese Chinese cuisine](/source/Japanese_Chinese_cuisine).[2] It includes [Chinese-style alkaline wheat noodles](/source/Alkaline_noodles) (中華麺, *chūkamen*) served in several flavors of hot [broth](/source/Broth). Common flavors are [soy sauce](/source/Soy_sauce) and [miso](/source/Miso), with typical toppings including sliced pork (*[chāshū](/source/Char_siu)*), [nori](/source/Nori) (dried seaweed), lacto-fermented bamboo shoots (*[menma](/source/Menma)*), *[narutomaki](/source/Narutomaki)*, and [scallions](/source/Scallion). Nearly every region in Japan has its own variation of ramen, such as the *[tonkotsu](/source/Tonkotsu)* (pork bone broth) ramen of [Kyushu](/source/Kyushu) and the *miso* ramen of [Hokkaido](/source/Hokkaido).

The origins of ramen can be traced back to [Yokohama Chinatown](/source/Yokohama_Chinatown) in the late 19th century. While the word "ramen" is a Japanese borrowing of the Chinese word *[lāmiàn](/source/Lamian)* (拉麵), meaning "pulled noodles", the ramen does not actually derive from any lamian dishes. Lamian is a part of northern Chinese cuisine, whereas the ramen evolved from southern Chinese noodle dishes from regions such as [Guangdong](/source/Guangdong), reflecting the demographics of Chinese immigrants in [Yokohama](/source/Yokohama).[3] Ramen was largely confined to the [Chinese community in Japan](/source/Chinese_people_in_Japan) and was never popular nationwide until after [World War II](/source/World_War_II) (specifically the [Second Sino-Japanese War](/source/Second_Sino-Japanese_War)), following increased wheat consumption due to rice shortages and the return of millions of Japanese colonizers from [China](/source/China). In 1958, [instant noodles](/source/Instant_noodles) were invented by [Momofuku Ando](/source/Momofuku_Ando), further popularizing the dish.

Ramen was originally looked down upon by the Japanese due to [racial discrimination against the Chinese](/source/Anti-Chinese_sentiment_in_Japan) and its status as an inexpensive food associated with the [working class](/source/Working_class).[3] Today, ramen is considered a [national dish](/source/National_dish) of Japan, with many regional varieties and a wide range of toppings. Examples include [Sapporo](/source/Sapporo)'s rich miso ramen, [Hakodate](/source/Hakodate)'s salt-flavored ramen, [Kitakata](/source/Kitakata%2C_Fukushima)'s thick, flat noodles in pork-and-[niboshi](/source/Niboshi) broth, [Tokyo](/source/Tokyo)-style ramen with soy-flavored chicken broth, [Yokohama](/source/Yokohama)'s [Iekei ramen](/source/Iekei_ramen) with soy-flavored pork broth, [Wakayama](/source/Wakayama_(city))'s soy sauce and pork bone broth, and [Hakata](/source/Hakata)'s milky *tonkotsu* (pork bone) broth. Ramen is offered in various establishments and locations, with the best quality usually found in specialist ramen shops called *rāmen'ya* (ラーメン屋).

Ramen's popularity has spread outside of Japan, becoming a cultural icon representing the country worldwide. In [Korea](/source/Korea), ramen is known both by its original name "ramen" (라멘) as well as *ramyeon* (라면), a local variation on the dish. In [China](/source/China), ramen is called *rìshì lāmiàn* (日式拉面/日式拉麵 "Japanese-style lamian"). Ramen has also made its way into Western restaurant chains. Instant ramen was exported from Japan in 1971 and has since gained international recognition. The global popularity of ramen has sometimes led to the term being misused in the [Anglosphere](/source/Anglosphere) as a catch-all for any [noodle soup](/source/Noodle_soup) dish.[2]

## Etymology

From Seiichi Yoshida, *How to Prepare Delicious and Economical Chinese Dishes* (1928)

The word *ramen* is a Japanese borrowing of the [Mandarin Chinese](/source/Standard_Chinese) *[lamian](/source/Lamian)* (拉麵, 'pulled noodles').[4][5] A common misconception is that ramen is a Japanese adaptation of [lamian](/source/Lamian), but the two dishes have no direct relation, and how ramen came to adopt its name from lamian remains unclear.[6] Ramen evolved from southern Chinese noodle dishes, primarily [Cantonese](/source/Cantonese_cuisine), as opposed to northern Chinese noodle dishes that may feature lamian.[3]

The word *ramen* (拉麺) first appeared in Japan in Seiichi Yoshida's *How to Prepare Delicious and Economical Chinese Dishes* (1928). In the book, Yoshida describes how to make *ramen* using flour and *[kansui](/source/Kansui)*, kneading it by hand, and stretching it with an illustration. He also states that *ramen* is better suited for soup or cold noodles than for baked noodles. In this case, however, *ramen* refers to actual lamian (hand-pulled noodles), not the noodle soup dish.[7]

There are various theories on how the dish came to be named "ramen", but the most plausible is that the term was misapplied by Japanese colonizers. After the end of [World War II](/source/World_War_II) in 1945, millions of Japanese settler colonists were repatriated to Japan from China.[8] They may have labeled the southern Chinese noodle dishes in Japan "ramen", based on their superficial resemblance to lamian dishes they had encountered in northern China, particularly in the Japanese-backed puppet state of [Manchukuo](/source/Manchukuo).[9] This timing aligns with the first mention of *ramen* as a dish appearing in Hatsuko Kuroda's *Enjoyable Home Cooking* (1947).[10]

Chinese immigrants in Japan initially served a wide variety of Chinese noodle soup dishes, and referred to them by their specific names. However, they were collectively referred to as *Nankin soba* (南京そば; [lit.](/source/Literal_translation) '[Nanjing](/source/Nanjing) noodles') by the Japanese. *Nankinmachi* (Nanjing Town) was the common Japanese term for areas where Chinese people settled,[11] and the Japanese used the term "Nankin" to describe newly imported Chinese things.[12] For example, in 1903, in [Yokohama Chinatown](/source/Yokohama_Chinatown), then known as *Nankinmachi*, there was a Nanjing noodle restaurant (南京蕎麦所, *Nankin soba dokoro*).[13]

The dish was renamed *shina soba* (支那そば; [lit.](/source/Literal_translation) 'Chinese noodles') in 1910 by Kan'ichi Ozaki, the founder of the first specialized ramen shop.[14][15] The Japanese regarded Chinese civilization as inferior and this name change reflected broader imperialist attitudes within Japanese society towards China. The word *washoku* was used for Japanese cuisine, *yoshoku* symbolized Western cuisine, and Chinese cuisine was called *shina* *ryori*. In the decades following, *shina soba* would be the most commonly used name for ramen.[12][16]

After [World War II](/source/World_War_II), the word s*hina* (支那, meaning 'China') acquired a pejorative connotation through its association with anti-Chinese racism and Japanese imperialism. The word s*hina* was replaced with *chūka* across various terms in the Japanese language. *Chūka* is derived from the Japanese reading of *Zhōnghuá* ([中华](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E4%B8%AD%E5%8D%8E); [中華](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E4%B8%AD%E8%8F%AF); 'central beauty'), an official name used by the two governments claiming sovereignty over China, the [Republic of China](/source/Taiwan) (中華民國; *Zhōnghuá Mínguó*) and [People's Republic of China](/source/China) (中华人民共和国; *Zhōnghuá Rénmín Gònghéguó*). *Shina ryōri* was changed to *[chūka ryōri](/source/Japanese_Chinese_cuisine)*, and likewise, the term *chūka soba* (中華そば; [lit.](/source/Literal_translation) 'Chinese noodles') replaced *shina soba*.[16][17]

The [Nissin Chikin Ramen](/source/Nissin_Chikin_Ramen), created by [Momofuku Ando](/source/Momofuku_Ando), was released in 1958, and the name *ramen* (ラーメン) began to spread across the country.[17] Today *ramen* is the most popular name, but *chūka soba* remains prevalent in areas such as [Takayama](/source/Takayama%2C_Gifu).[18] The two terms can be used interchangeably, though *chūka soba* is also often used to refer to more "classic" styles of ramen.[19][20]

## History

### Origin

*Rairaiken* (来々軒), the first ramen shop, founded in 1910 by Kan'ichi Ozaki in [Asakusa](/source/Asakusa), Tokyo. The signs advertise "Chinese [soba](/source/Soba)" (支那蕎麥) and "[Cantonese cuisine](/source/Cantonese_cuisine)" (廣東料理).

Ramen is a Japanese adaptation of Chinese wheat [noodle soups](/source/Noodle_soup).[21][22][23][24][25] It is first recorded to have appeared in [Yokohama Chinatown](/source/Yokohama_Chinatown) in the early 20th century.[26][27] However, the dishes ancestral to ramen already existed in Japan within the Chinese community since the 1880s. Although ramen takes its name from *[lamian](/source/Lamian),* it did not originate from the hand-pulled lamian noodles of northern China, since the noodles used in ramen are cut, not pulled.[6] Rather, ramen is largely derived from southern Chinese noodle dishes, particularly those from [Cantonese cuisine](/source/Cantonese_cuisine).[3] This is reflective of Yokohama Chinatown's demographics, as the majority of Chinese settlers there were [Cantonese](/source/Cantonese_people), followed by [Shanghainese](/source/Shanghainese_people).[28][29][30]

[Sōmen](/source/S%C5%8Dmen) is another type of noodle of Chinese origin made from wheat flour, but in Japan it is distinguished from the noodles used in ramen. The noodles used for ramen today are called *chūkamen* (中華麺; lit. 'Chinese noodles') and are made with *kansui* (鹹水, alkaline salt water).

The official diary of [Shōkoku-ji](/source/Sh%C5%8Dkoku-ji) Temple in Kyoto, *Inryōken Nichiroku* (蔭涼軒日録), mentions eating *jīngdàimiàn* (経帯麪), noodles with *kansui*, in 1488.[31][32] *Jīngdàimiàn* is the noodle of the [Yuan dynasty](/source/Yuan_dynasty). This is the earliest record of *kansui* noodles being eaten in Japan.

One theory says that ramen was introduced to Japan during the 1660s by the [neo-Confucian](/source/Neo-Confucianism) scholar [Zhu Shunsui](/source/Zhu_Shunsui), who served as an advisor to [Tokugawa Mitsukuni](/source/Tokugawa_Mitsukuni) after he became a refugee in Japan to escape [Manchu rule](/source/Qing_dynasty). Mitsukuni became the first Japanese person to eat ramen. However, the noodles Mitsukuni ate were a combination of starch made from [lotus root](/source/Lotus_root) and wheat flour, which is different from *chūkamen* with *kansui*.[32]

According to historians, the more plausible theory is that ramen was introduced to Japan in the late 19th[21][33] century by [Chinese immigrants](/source/Chinese_people_in_Japan) living in [Yokohama Chinatown](/source/Yokohama_Chinatown).[27][26] By 1884, Chinese noodle soups had grown popular in Yokohama, [Kobe](/source/Kobe), [Nagasaki](/source/Nagasaki), and [Hakodate](/source/Hakodate), however, this popularity was mostly concentrated among Chinese immigrants. The Chinese served a variety of noodle soup dishes and referred to them by their specific names, such as *char siu tang mian* (roast pork noodle soup) and *rousi tang mian* (sliced pork noodle soup)*.[21][34][15][14]* The Japanese referred to all these noodle soup dishes as *Nankin soba ('[Nanjing](/source/Nanjing) noodles')*.[3] These noodle soups were particularly in high demand among Chinese students, who missed the cuisine of their homelands and found Japanese food bland in comparison.[6]

The Japanese government passed a law in 1899 allowing resident aliens to own businesses outside their designated settlements. This development, in addition to increased labor demands, led to a spread of Chinese immigrants throughout Japan.[3] By 1900, restaurants serving Chinese cuisine from [Guangzhou](/source/Guangzhou) and Shanghai offered a simple dish of noodles, a few toppings, and a broth flavored with salt and pork bones. Many Chinese living in Japan also pulled portable food stalls, selling ramen. By the mid-1900s, these stalls used a type of a musical horn called a *[charumera](/source/Charumera)* (チャルメラ, from the Portuguese *charamela*) to advertise their presence, a practice some vendors still retain via a loudspeaker and a looped recording.[6]

#### First store

A bowl of ramen from the second *Rairaiken* in Yūtenji, opened in 1933 by Fu Xinglei (傅興雷), one of the twelve Chinese cooks from the first *Rairaiken* store in Asakusa

According to ramen expert Hiroshi Osaki, the first specialized ramen shop was *[Rairaiken](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Rairaiken&action=edit&redlink=1) [[ja](https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%9D%A5%E3%80%85%E8%BB%92)]* (来々軒), which opened in 1910 in [Asakusa](/source/Asakusa), Tokyo. The Japanese founder, Kan'ichi Ozaki (尾崎貫一), employed twelve [Cantonese](/source/Cantonese_people) cooks from [Yokohama](/source/Yokohama)'s [Chinatown](/source/Chinatown) and served the ramen arranged for Japanese customers.[35][36] In contrast to most Japanese, who held prejudiced views toward [Chinese cuisine](/source/Chinese_cuisine), Ozaki grew up in Yokohama, where he experienced Chinese food firsthand and witnessed the popularity of noodle dishes in the city's Chinatown.[6] Early versions of ramen were wheat noodles in broth topped with [char siu](/source/Char_siu).[21] Ozaki changed the name of the noodle dishes from *Nankin soba* to *Shina soba*.[34] The store also served standard Cantonese fare like [wontons](/source/Wontons) and [shumai](/source/Shumai), and is sometimes regarded as the origin of Japanese-Chinese fusion dishes like *[chūkadon](/source/Ch%C5%ABkadon)* and *[tenshindon](/source/Tenshindon)*.[37][38]

*Rairaiken'*s original store closed in 1976, but related stores with the same name currently exist in other places, and have connections to the first store.[12]

In 1925, a Chinese traveller named Fan Qinxing from [Zhejiang](/source/Zhejiang) province opened a ramen shop called *Genraiken* in [Kitakata](/source/Kitakata%2C_Fukushima) as an homage to the popular *Rairaiken*.[6]

In 1933, Fu Xinglei (傅興雷), one of the twelve original chefs, opened a second *Rairaiken* in Yūtenji, [Meguro Ward](/source/Meguro), Tokyo.[39]

In 1968, one of Kan'ichi Ozaki's apprentices opened a store named *Shinraiken* ("New Raiken") in [Chiba Prefecture](/source/Chiba_Prefecture).[39]

In 2020, Ozaki's grandson and great-great-grandson re-opened the original *Rairaiken* as a store inside [Shin-Yokohama Rāmen Museum](/source/Shin-Yokohama_R%C4%81men_Museum).[40]

### Popularization and modernization

Women eating *shina soba* at a *shina soba* stall, Tokyo, 1956

After Japan's defeat in [World War II](/source/World_War_II), the [American military](/source/USFJ) [occupied](/source/Occupation_of_Japan) the country from 1945 to 1952.[21] In December 1945, Japan recorded its worst rice harvest in 42 years,[21][41] which caused food shortages as Japan had drastically reduced rice production during the war as production shifted to colonies in China and Formosa island.[21] The US flooded the market with cheap wheat flour to deal with food shortages.[21]

During the same period, millions of Japanese colonizers returned from China and other parts of East Asia. It was only in 1947, in the post-war period, that the term *ramen* was first recorded in Japan to refer to the southern Chinese noodle dish that originated in [Yokohama Chinatown](/source/Yokohama_Chinatown),[10] possibly because it superficially resembled the [lamian](/source/Lamian) dishes they had encountered in northern China. Many Japanese repatriates were familiar with Chinese cuisine and opened *[yatai](/source/Yatai_(food_cart))* (food stalls) selling ramen. [Jiaozi](/source/Jiaozi), a staple food of northern China, also began to be served as a complement to ramen at these stalls.[6] These jiaozi were called *gyoza* by the Japanese, a name likely adopted in the puppet state of [Manchukuo](/source/Manchukuo) and derived from the [Manchu](/source/Manchu_language) word *giyose*.[42][43]

From 1948 to 1951, bread consumption in Japan increased from 262,121 tons to 611,784 tons,[21] but wheat also found its way into ramen, which most Japanese ate at [black market](/source/Black_market) food vendors to survive as the government food distribution system ran about 20 days behind schedule.[21] Although the Americans maintained Japan's wartime ban on outdoor food vending,[21] flour was secretly diverted from commercial mills into the black markets,[21] where nearly 90 percent of stalls were under the control of gangsters related to the *[yakuza](/source/Yakuza)* who extorted vendors for protection money.[21] Thousands of ramen vendors were arrested during the occupation.[21]

A mobile ramen stall (*[yatai](/source/Yatai_(food_cart))*) in [Shinjuku](/source/Shinjuku), Tokyo

By 1950 wheat flour exchange controls were removed and restrictions on food vending loosened, which further boosted the number of ramen vendors: private companies even rented out *yatai* starter kits consisting of noodles, toppings, bowls, and chopsticks.[21] Ramen *yatai* provided a rare opportunity for small-scale postwar entrepreneurship.[21] The Americans also aggressively advertised the nutritional benefits of wheat and animal protein.[21] The combination of these factors caused wheat noodles to gain prominence in Japan's rice-based culture.[21] Gradually, ramen became associated with urban life.[21]

A hot bowl of *tonkotsu* ramen in Tokyo

In 1958, [instant noodles](/source/Instant_noodle) were invented by [Momofuku Ando](/source/Momofuku_Ando), the Taiwanese-Japanese founder and chairman of [Nissin Foods](/source/Nissin_Foods). Named the greatest Japanese [invention](/source/Invention) of the 20th century in a Japanese poll,[44] instant ramen allowed anyone to make an approximation of this dish simply by adding boiling water.

Beginning in the 1980s, ramen became a Japanese cultural icon and was studied around the world. At the same time, local varieties of ramen were hitting the national market and could even be ordered by their regional names. A [ramen museum](/source/Shin-Yokohama_Raumen_Museum) opened in [Yokohama](/source/Yokohama) in 1994.[45]

Today ramen is one of Japan's most popular foods, with Tokyo alone containing around 5,000 ramen shops,[21] and more than 24,000 ramen shops across Japan.[46] *Tsuta*, a ramen restaurant in Tokyo's [Sugamo](/source/Sugamo) district, received a [Michelin star](/source/Michelin_star) in December 2015.[46]

## Types

A wide variety of ramen exists in Japan, with geographical and vendor-specific differences even in varieties that share the same name. Usually varieties of ramen are differentiated by the type of broth and tare used. There are five components to a bowl of ramen: tare, aroma oil, broth, noodles, and toppings.[47]

### Noodles

Fresh ramen noodles

The type of noodles used in ramen are called *chūkamen* (中華麺; lit. 'Chinese noodles'), which are derived from traditional Chinese [alkaline noodles](/source/Alkaline_noodles) known as *jiǎnshuǐ miàn* (鹼水麵). Most *chūkamen* are made from four basic ingredients: wheat flour, salt, water, and *[kansui](/source/Kansui) [[ja](https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%81%8B%E3%82%93%E6%B0%B4)]*, derived from the Chinese *jiǎnshuǐ* (鹼水), a type of alkaline mineral water containing [sodium carbonate](/source/Sodium_carbonate) and usually [potassium carbonate](/source/Potassium_carbonate), as well as sometimes a small amount of [phosphoric acid](/source/Phosphoric_acid). Ramen is not to be confused with different kinds of noodle such as [soba](/source/Soba), [udon](/source/Udon), or [somen](/source/Somen).

The origin of *jiǎnshuǐ* is unclear. It is said to originate in [Inner Mongolia](/source/Inner_Mongolia). Making noodles with *jiǎnshuǐ* lends them a yellowish hue as well as a firm texture.[48][49] But since there is no natural *jiǎnshuǐ* or *kansui* in Japan, it was difficult to make *jiǎnshuǐ miàn* or *chūkamen* before the [Meiji Restoration](/source/Meiji_Restoration) (1868).

Ramen comes in various shapes and lengths. It may be thick, thin, or even ribbon-like, as well as straight or wrinkled.

Traditionally, ramen noodles were made by hand, but with growing popularity, many ramen restaurants prefer to use noodle-making machines to meet the increased demand and improve quality. Automatic ramen-making machines imitating manual production methods have been available since the mid-20th century produced by such Japanese manufacturers as Yamato MFG., and others.[50]

### Soup

Ramen in tonkotsu soup

Similar to Chinese soup bases, ramen soup is generally made from chicken or pork, though vegetable and fish stock is also used.[51] This base stock is often combined with [dashi](/source/Dashi) stock components such as [katsuobushi](/source/Katsuobushi) ([skipjack tuna](/source/Skipjack_tuna) flakes), [niboshi](/source/Niboshi) (dried baby sardines),[51] saba bushi ([mackerel](/source/Mackerel) flakes), [shiitake](/source/Shiitake), and [kombu](/source/Kombu) (kelp). Ramen stock is usually divided into two categories: chintan and paitan.

- ***Chintan*** (清湯), derived from the Chinese *qīngtāng* (清湯; 'clear soup'), is a clear stock, made by simmering ingredients and frequently skimming foam and scum off the top of the pot.[47] Chintan stocks are the most common kind, and can be made from chicken, pork, vegetables and/or niboshi.

- ***Paitan*** (白湯), derived from the Chinese *[baitang](/source/Soups_in_East_Asian_culture#Chinese)* (白湯; 'white soup'), is a broth with an opaque white colored appearance and a creamy consistency that rivals milk, melted butter or gravy (depending on the shop). Paitan stock is made by boiling pork or chicken bones at a high heat for hours at a time, allowing the bones to emulsify into the soup. The most well-known and common paitan stock is *tonkotsu* (豚骨, 'pork bone'; not to be confused with *[tonkatsu](/source/Tonkatsu)*). Although *tonkotsu* is merely a kind of broth, some people consider [*tonkotsu* ramen](/source/Tonkotsu_ramen) (specialty of Kyushu, its birthplace) a distinct flavor category.[52] When chicken bones are used to make a paitan stock, the resulting soup is called *tori paitan* (鶏白湯).

### Tare

*Shio* ramen

*Shōyu* ramen

*Miso* ramen

*Karē* ramen

[Tare](/source/Tare_sauce) is a sauce that is used to flavor the broth. The main purpose of tare is to provide salt to the broth, but tare also usually adds other flavors, such as umami. There are three main kinds of tare.[47]

- ***Shio*** (塩, 'salt') ramen is the oldest of the four types.[52] This tare is made from cooking alcohols like [mirin](/source/Mirin) and [sake](/source/Sake), [umami](/source/Umami) ingredients like kombu, niboshi and [MSG](/source/Monosodium_glutamate), and salt. Occasionally pork bones are also used, but they are not boiled for as long as they are for *tonkotsu* ramen, so the soup remains light and clear. In shio ramen, *[chāshū](/source/Ch%C4%81sh%C5%AB)* is sometimes swapped for lean chicken meatballs, and pickled plums and *[kamaboko](/source/Kamaboko)* (a slice of processed fish roll sometimes served as a frilly white circle with a pink or red spiral called *[narutomaki](/source/Narutomaki)*) are popular toppings as well. Noodle texture and thickness varies among *shio* ramen, but they are usually straight rather than curly. *[Hakodate](/source/Hakodate) ramen* is a well-known version of *shio* ramen in Japan.

- ***Shōyu*** (醤油, '[soy sauce](/source/Soy_sauce)') tare is similar to shio tare, but with the addition of soy sauce, which boosts the salty and umami flavor even further. Adding a soy sauce seasoning to the serving bowl before the soup and noodles is a common preparation method for noodle soups from [Shanghai](/source/Shanghai) and [Jiangsu](/source/Jiangsu), as can be seen in the Chinese dish *yangchunmian*. Ramen usually has curly noodles rather than straight ones, although this is not always the case. It is often adorned with marinated bamboo shoots or *[menma](/source/Menma)*, scallions, *ninjin* ('carrot'), *kamaboko* ('fish cakes'), *nori* ('seaweed'), boiled eggs, bean sprouts or [black pepper](/source/Black_pepper); occasionally the soup will also contain chili oil or Chinese spices, and some shops serve sliced beef instead of the usual *[chāshū](/source/Ch%C4%81sh%C5%AB)*.

- ***Miso*** (味噌) ramen reached national prominence around 1965. This uniquely Japanese ramen, which was developed in Sapporo, Hokkaido, features a broth that combines copious [miso](/source/Miso) and is blended with oily chicken or fish broth – and sometimes with *tonkotsu* or lard – to create a thick, nutty, slightly sweet and very hearty soup. *Miso* ramen broth tends to have a robust, tangy flavor, so it stands up to a variety of flavorful toppings: spicy bean paste or *[tōbanjan](/source/Doubanjiang)* ([豆瓣醤](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=%E8%B1%86%E7%93%A3%E9%86%A4&action=edit&redlink=1) [[zh](https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E8%B1%86%E7%93%A3%E9%85%B1)]), butter and corn, leeks, onions, bean sprouts, ground pork, cabbage, [sesame seeds](/source/Sesame_seed), white pepper, chilli and chopped garlic are common. The noodles are typically thick, curly, and slightly chewy.

### Toppings

*Gomoku* ramen, sometimes called *Gomoku soba*

After basic preparation, ramen can be adorned with any number of toppings, including but not limited to:[53]

- *[Chāshū](/source/Ch%C4%81sh%C5%AB)* (sliced roasted or [red cooked](/source/Red_cooking) pork)

- *[Negi](/source/Allium_fistulosum)* (green onion)

- *Takana-zuke* (pickled and seasoned mustard leaves)

- Seasoned (usually [salted](/source/Salted_duck_egg)) [boiled egg](/source/Boiled_egg) ([soy egg](/source/Soy_egg), *ajitsuke tamago* or *ajitama*)

- *Niku soboro* (seasoned and fried [ground meat](/source/Ground_meat))

- [Bean](/source/Bean_sprout) or other sprouts

- *[Menma](/source/Menma)* (Chinese lacto-fermented bamboo shoots called [sunsi](/source/Sunsi)), formerly known as *shinachiku* in Japan

- *[Kakuni](/source/Kakuni)* (braised pork cubes or squares)

- *Kikurage* ([wood ear mushroom](/source/Black_fungi))

- [Nori](/source/Nori) (dried [seaweed](/source/Seaweed))

- *[Kamaboko](/source/Kamaboko)* (formed fish paste, often in a pink and white spiral called *[narutomaki](/source/Narutomaki)*)

- [Squid](/source/Squid_as_food)

- *[Umeboshi](/source/Umeboshi)* (pickled plum)

- [Corn](/source/Maize)

- [Butter](/source/Butter)

- [Wakame](/source/Wakame) (a type of seaweed)

- [Olive oil](/source/Olive_oil)

- [Sesame oil](/source/Sesame_oil)

- *Mayu* (black garlic oil)

- [Chili crisp](/source/Chili_crisp)

- Other types of [vegetables](/source/Vegetable)

### Preference

Seasonings commonly added to ramen are white pepper, [black pepper](/source/Black_pepper), butter, [chili pepper](/source/Chili_pepper), sesame seeds, and crushed garlic.[54] Soup recipes and methods of preparation tend to be closely guarded secrets.

Most *tonkotsu* ramen restaurants offer a system known as *kae-dama* (替え玉), where customers who have finished their noodles can request a "refill" (for a few hundred yen more) to be put into their remaining soup.[55]

## Regional variations

While standard versions of ramen are available throughout Japan since the [Taishō period](/source/Taish%C5%8D_period), the last few decades have shown a proliferation of regional variations, commonly referred to as *gotouchi* *ramen* (ご当地ラーメン "regional ramen"). Some of these which have gone on to national prominence are:

- **[Sapporo](/source/Sapporo)**, the capital of [Hokkaido](/source/Hokkaido), is especially famous for its ramen. Most people in Japan associate Sapporo with its rich *miso* ramen, which was invented there and which is ideal for Hokkaido's harsh, snowy winters. Sapporo *miso* ramen is typically topped with sweetcorn, butter, bean sprouts, finely chopped pork, and garlic, and sometimes local seafood such as [scallop](/source/Scallop), [squid](/source/Squid), and crab. [Hakodate](/source/Hakodate), another city of Hokkaido, is famous for its salt-flavored ramen,[56] while [Asahikawa](/source/Asahikawa) in the north of the island offers a soy sauce-flavored variation.[57] In [Muroran](/source/Muroran), many ramen restaurants offer [Muroran curry ramen](/source/Muroran_curry_ramen).[58]

- **[Kitakata ramen](/source/Kitakata_ramen)** is known for its rather thick, flat, curly noodles served in a pork-and-*[niboshi](/source/Niboshi)* broth. The area within the former city limits has the highest per-capita number of ramen establishments. Ramen has such prominence in the region that locally, the word *soba* usually refers to ramen, and not to actual [soba](/source/Soba) which is referred to as *nihon soba* ('Japanese soba').

- **Tokyo**-style ramen consists of slightly thin, curly noodles served in a soy-flavored chicken broth. The Tokyo-style broth typically has a touch of *[dashi](/source/Dashi)*, as old ramen establishments in Tokyo often originate from [soba](/source/Soba) eateries. Standard toppings are chopped scallion, [menma](/source/Menma), sliced pork, kamaboko, egg, nori, and spinach. [Ikebukuro](/source/Ikebukuro), [Ogikubo](/source/Ogikubo) and [Ebisu](/source/Ebisu%2C_Shibuya) are three areas in Tokyo known for their ramen.[59]

- **[Yokohama](/source/Yokohama)** ramen specialty is called [Ie-kei](/source/Iekei_Ramen) (家系). It consists of thick, straight noodles served in a soy flavored pork broth similar to *tonkotsu*, sometimes referred to as, *tonkotsu-shoyu*. The standard toppings are braised pork ([chāshū](/source/Ch%C4%81sh%C5%AB)), boiled spinach, sheets of nori, often with shredded [Welsh onion](/source/Welsh_onion) (*negi*) and a soft- or hard-boiled egg. It is traditional for customers to customize the softness of the noodles, the richness of the broth and the amount of oil they want.

- **[Wakayama](/source/Wakayama_Prefecture)** ramen in the [Kansai region](/source/Kansai_region) has a broth made from soy sauce and pork bones.[60]

- **[Hakata ramen](/source/Hakata_ramen)** originates from [Hakata](/source/Hakata-ku%2C_Fukuoka) district of [Fukuoka](/source/Fukuoka) city in [Kyushu](/source/Kyushu). It has a rich, milky, pork-bone *tonkotsu* broth and rather thin, non-curly and resilient noodles. Often, distinctive toppings such as crushed garlic, *[beni shōga](/source/Beni_sh%C5%8Dga)* (pickled ginger), sesame seeds, and spicy [pickled](/source/Tsukemono) mustard greens (*karashi takana*) are left on tables for customers to serve themselves. Ramen [stalls](/source/Yatai_(retail)) in Hakata and [Tenjin](/source/Tenjin%2C_Fukuoka) are well known within Japan. Recent trends have made Hakata ramen one of the most popular types in Japan, and several chain restaurants specializing in Hakata ramen can be found all over the country.

- Tofu ramen is a specialty of [Iwatsuki ward](/source/Iwatsuki-ku%2C_Saitama) in [Saitama City](/source/Saitama_(city)).

- **Nabeyaki** ramen is a specialty of [Susaki City](/source/Susaki%2C_K%C5%8Dchi), as well as other cities in western [Kōchi Prefecture](/source/K%C5%8Dchi_Prefecture). Nabeyaki ramen is made with a chicken-based broth, thin noodles and a soy tare, all served boiling hot in an enamelled pot. Toppings vary, but mainstays include a raw egg that poaches in the bowl, sliced spring onions and [chikuwa](/source/Chikuwa) fish cakes.[61]

- **[Nagoya](/source/Nagoya)** ramen specialties include "Taiwan ramen", which despite its name originated in Nagoya and features a very spicy broth. It became famous in the 1980s during a fad for super hot food. It bears some resemblance to [danzai noodles](/source/Danzai_noodles) but has both a spicy broth and spicy minced meat resulting in an extremely spicy dish.[62]

		- Tokyo-style ramen

		- Kitakata ramen

		- Hakata ramen with *tonkotsu* soup

		- Wakayama ramen

		- *[Tsukemen](/source/Tsukemen)* dipping ramen

		- *Aburasoba* ('oiled noodles')

		- Takayama ramen

		- *Hiyashi* (chilled) ramen

		- Butter corn ramen, specialty of Hokkaido

		- [Sapporo](/source/Sapporo)-style ramen

		- Muroran curry ramen

		- Ryukyuan shio ramen

		- Ramen and *[chahan](/source/Chahan_(dish))*

## Related dishes

There are many related, [Chinese-influenced](/source/Chinese_cuisine) noodle dishes in Japan. The following are often served alongside ramen in ramen establishments. They do not include noodle dishes considered traditionally Japanese, such as [soba](/source/Soba) or [udon](/source/Udon), which are almost never served in the same establishments as ramen.

- [Nagasaki](/source/Nagasaki%2C_Nagasaki) *[champon](/source/Champon)*. Japanese version of [Fujianese](/source/Fujian_cuisine) *menmian* (焖面). The noodles are thicker than ramen but thinner than udon. *Champon* is topped with a variety of ingredients, mostly seafood, stir-fried and dressed in a starchy sauce. The stir-fried ingredients are poured directly over the cooked noodles, with the sauce acting as a soup.

- *Tan-men* derived is a mild, usually salty soup, served with a mix of sautéed vegetables and seafood/pork. The name is derived from the generic Chinese term for any wheat noodle soup (汤面; *tāngmiàn*). The origins of tanmen are attributed to Japanese chefs who repatriated from the puppet state of Manchukuo after World War II and sought to recreate the flavors of the Chinese home-style cooking they had encountered.[63] Not to be confused with *tantan-men* (see after).

- *Wantan-men*. Japanese version of [Cantonese](/source/Cantonese_cuisine) [wonton noodles](/source/Wonton_noodles). It has long, straight noodles and [wonton](/source/Wonton), served in a mild, usually salty soup.

- *[Tsukemen](/source/Tsukemen)* ('dipping noodles'). The noodles and soup are served in separate bowls. The diner dips the noodles in the soup before eating. Can be served hot or chilled.

Hiroshma-type *Tantan-men*, or soupless dandan noodle

- *Tantan-men* (担担麺). Japanese version of [Sichuanese](/source/Sichuan_cuisine) [dan dan noodles](/source/Dan_dan_noodles). Ramen in a reddish, spicy chili and sesame soup, usually containing minced pork, garnished with chopped [scallion](/source/Scallion) and [chili](/source/Chili_pepper) and occasionally topped with spinach or bok choi (*chingensai*).

- *Sūrātanmen* or *sanrātanmen* (酸辣湯麺, 'noodles in [hot and sour soup](/source/Hot_and_sour_soup)'). Japanese version of [Sichuanese](/source/Sichuan_cuisine) [hot and sour soup](/source/Hot_and_sour_soup), but served with long noodles. The topping ingredients are sautéed and a thickener is added before the mix is poured on the soup and the noodles.

- *[Aburasoba](/source/Aburasoba)* ('oil-noodles'). Ramen and toppings served without the soup, but with a small quantity of oily soy-based sauce instead.

- *[Hiyashi-chūka](/source/Hiyashi_ch%C5%ABka)* (冷やし中華, 'chilled Chinese'). Japanese version of [Shanghainese](/source/Shanghai_cuisine) *liangbanmian* (凉拌面). The dish was originally sold in Japan under the borrowed Chinese name *ryanbanmyen*.[64][65] It is a summer dish of chilled ramen on a plate with various toppings (typically thin strips of [omelet](/source/Omelet), ham, cucumber and tomato) and served with a vinegary soy dressing and *[karashi](/source/Karashi)* (Japanese mustard). It was first produced at the Ryutei, a Chinese restaurant in [Sendai](/source/Sendai#Specialties_and_crafts). It is also known as *reimen*, especially in western Japan.

## Restaurants in Japan

An [Ichiran](/source/Ichiran) ramen restaurant in Shinjuku Kabukicho

Ramen is offered in various types of restaurants and locations including ramen shops, *[izakaya](/source/Izakaya)* drinking establishments, lunch cafeterias, [karaoke](/source/Karaoke) halls, and amusement parks. Many ramen restaurants only have a counter and a chef. In these shops, the meals are paid for in advance at a ticket machine to streamline the process.[66] Some restaurants also provide *[halal](/source/Halal)* ramen (using chicken) in Osaka and Kyoto.

However, the best quality ramen is usually only available in specialist *ramen-ya* restaurants. As *ramen-ya* restaurants offer mainly ramen dishes, they tend to lack variety in the menu. Besides ramen, some of the dishes generally available in a *ramen-ya* restaurant include other dishes from [Japanese Chinese cuisine](/source/Japanese_Chinese_cuisine) such as [fried rice](/source/Fried_rice) (called *chahan* or *yakimeshi*), [jiaozi](/source/Jiaozi) (called *gyoza*), and alcohol. *Ramen-ya* often feature Chinese-inspired decorations. The bowls used to serve ramen may be designed to include Chinese motifs such as [yunleiwen](/source/Xiangyun_(Auspicious_clouds)#Yunleiwen/_Yunwen/_Leiwen), [loong](/source/Chinese_dragon), [fenghuang](/source/Fenghuang), and the character for [double happiness](/source/Double_Happiness_(calligraphy)).[67] [Chinese spoons](/source/Chinese_spoon) are more commonly used to drink the soup in ramen, as opposed to the Japanese ladle (otamajakushi), which is typically used for soba and udon.[68]

From January 2020 to September 2021 during the [COVID-19 pandemic](/source/COVID-19_pandemic), many ramen restaurants were temporarily closed, with 34 chains filing for bankruptcy by September 2020. Ramen restaurants are typically narrow and seat customers closely, making [social distancing](/source/Social_distancing) difficult.[69]

## Outside Japan

Ramen became popular in China where it is known as *rìshì lāmiàn* (日式拉麵, lit. 'Japanese-style [lamian](/source/Lamian)'). Restaurant chains serve ramen alongside [Japanese dishes](/source/Japanese_cuisine), such as [tempura](/source/Tempura) and [yakitori](/source/Yakitori). In Japan, these dishes are not traditionally served with ramen, but [gyoza](/source/Gyoza), *[kara-age](/source/Kara-age)*, and others from [Japanese Chinese cuisine](/source/Japanese_Chinese_cuisine).[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

In Korea, there is a variation of ramen called *[ramyeon](/source/List_of_instant_noodle_brands#South_Korea)* (라면; 拉麵), made much spicier than ramen. There are different varieties, such as [kimchi](/source/Kimchi)-flavored *ramyeon*. While usually served with egg or vegetables such as carrots and scallions, some restaurants serve variations of *ramyeon* containing additional ingredients such as [dumplings](/source/Mandu_(food)), *[tteok](/source/Tteok)*, or cheese as toppings.[70] Famous ramyeon brands include [Shin Ramyeon](/source/Shin_Ramyun) and [Buldak Ramyeon](/source/Buldak_Ramen).

Outside of Asia, particularly in areas with a large demand for [Asian cuisine](/source/Asian_cuisine), there are restaurants specializing in Japanese-style foods such as ramen noodles. For example, [Wagamama](/source/Wagamama), a UK-based restaurant chain serving pan-Asian food, serves a ramen noodle soup and in the United States and Canada, [Jinya Ramen Bar](/source/Jinya_Ramen_Bar) serves *tonkotsu* ramen.

Chef Antonio de Livier of [Mexico City](/source/Mexico_City) is credited with a Mexican variation called *birriamen* (a portmanteau of [birria](/source/Birria) and ramen) where the broth incorporates the consomé broth that the beef, lamb or goat is cooked in. The variation later gained popularity in the [Los Angeles](/source/Los_Angeles) area.[71][72]

## Instant ramen

Main article: [Instant noodles](/source/Instant_noodles)

Instant ramen in Japan

Instant ramen noodles were exported from Japan by [Nissin Foods](/source/Nissin_Foods) starting in 1971, bearing the name "Oodles of Noodles".[73] One year later, it was re-branded "Nissin [Cup Noodles](/source/Cup_Noodles)", packaged in a [foam food container](/source/Foam_food_container) (It is referred to as **Cup Ramen** in Japan), and subsequently saw a growth in international sales. Over time, the term *ramen* became used in North America to refer to other instant noodles.

While some research has claimed that consuming instant ramen two or more times a week increases the likelihood of developing heart disease and other conditions, including diabetes and stroke, especially in women, those claims have not been reproduced and no study has isolated instant ramen consumption as an aggravating factor.[74][75] However, instant ramen noodles, known to have a serving of 43 g, consist of very high sodium.[76] At least 1,760 mg of sodium are found in one packet alone. It consists of 385 kilocalories, 55.7 g of carbohydrates, 14.5 g of total fat, 6.5 g of saturated fat, 7.9 g of protein, and 0.6 mg of thiamine.[77][*[better source needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Verifiability#Questionable_sources)*]

### Canned version

In [Akihabara](/source/Akihabara), Tokyo, vending machines distribute warm ramen in a steel can known as *ramen kan* (らーめん缶). It is produced by a popular local ramen restaurant in flavors such as *tonkotsu* and curry, and contains noodles, soup, *[menma](/source/Menma)*, and pork. It is intended as a quick snack, and includes a small folded plastic fork.[78]

## In popular culture

### Emoji

In October 2010, an [emoji](/source/Emoji) was approved for [Unicode](/source/Unicode) 6.0 U+1F35C 🍜 STEAMING BOWL for "Steaming Bowl", that depicts Japanese ramen noodles in a bowl of steaming broth with chopsticks.[79] In 2015, the icon was added to Emoji 1.0.[80]

### Film

The main storyline of *[Tampopo](/source/Tampopo)*, a 1985 Japanese comedy billed as the first "ramen western" (a play on the "[spaghetti Western](/source/Spaghetti_Western)" subgenre), concerns a trucker helping a widowed ramen shop owner reach the top of her craft.

In 2008's *[The Ramen Girl](/source/The_Ramen_Girl)*, an American woman is stranded in Tokyo after breaking up with her boyfriend. Looking for direction in life, she trains to be a ramen chef under a dictatorial Japanese master.

### Museum

The [Shin-Yokohama Rāmen Museum](/source/Shin-Yokohama_R%C4%81men_Museum) is a museum about ramen, in the [Shin-Yokohama](/source/Shin-Yokohama) district of [Kōhoku-ku, Yokohama](/source/K%C5%8Dhoku-ku%2C_Yokohama).[81]

Shin-Yokohama Rāmen Museum

## See also

- [List of Japanese soups and stews](/source/List_of_Japanese_soups_and_stews)

- [List of noodle dishes](/source/List_of_noodle_dishes)

- [List of ramen dishes](/source/List_of_ramen_dishes)

- [List of soups](/source/List_of_soups)

- [Laghman](/source/Laghman_(food))

- [Lo mein](/source/Lo_mein)

- [Pot Noodle](/source/Pot_Noodle)

- [Hawaiian saimin](/source/Saimin)

- [Shirataki noodles](/source/Shirataki_noodles)

- [Tare sauce](/source/Tare_sauce)

- [Laksa (Southeast Asia)](/source/Laksa)

- [Beef noodles](/source/Beef_noodles)

- Yaki ramen ([jp](https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E7%84%BC%E3%81%8D%E3%83%A9%E3%83%BC%E3%83%A1%E3%83%B3)) – It is a type of stir-fried ramen noodles, typically prepared on a *[teppan](/source/Teppanyaki)* (iron griddle).

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-cwiertka_1-0)** Cwiertka, Katarzyna J. (2015). *Modern Japanese Cuisine: Food, Power and National Identity*. Reaktion Books. pp. 145–146. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1780234533](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1780234533).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:11_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:11_2-1) ["日本のラーメンの歴史 – 新横浜ラーメン博物館"](https://www.raumen.co.jp/rapedia/study_history/). Raumen.co.jp. Retrieved 25 May 2022.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:6_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:6_3-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:6_3-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-:6_3-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-:6_3-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-:6_3-5) Solt, George (2014). *The Untold History of Ramen: How Political Crisis in Japan Spawned a Global Food Craze*. California Studies in Food and Culture. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-520-27756-4](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-520-27756-4).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-ramanfor_4-0)** Urie, Chris (31 October 2017). ["Unearth the secrets of ramen at Japan's ramen museum"](https://web.archive.org/web/20180628204938/https://eatsiptrip.10best.com/2017/10/31/unearth-the-secrets-of-ramen-at-japans-ramen-museum/). *Eat Sip Trip*. Archived from [the original](https://eatsiptrip.10best.com/2017/10/31/unearth-the-secrets-of-ramen-at-japans-ramen-museum/) on 28 June 2018. Retrieved 7 March 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** [*Kodansha encyclopedia of Japan, Volume 6*](https://archive.org/details/kodanshaencyclop0000koda) (1st ed.). Tokyo: Kodansha. 1983. p. 283. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-87011-626-1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-87011-626-1).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_6-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_6-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:0_6-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-:0_6-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-:0_6-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-:0_6-5) [***g***](#cite_ref-:0_6-6) Kushner, Barak (2012). *Slurp! : a social and culinary history of ramen – Japan's favorite noodle soup*. Leiden: Global Oriental. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-90-04-22098-0](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-90-04-22098-0). [OCLC](/source/OCLC_(identifier)) [810924622](https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/810924622).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Yoshida, Seiichi (1928). [*美味しく経済的な支那料理の拵へ方*](https://dl.ndl.go.jp/pid/1170640/1/206) [*How to Prepare Delicious and Economical Chinese Dishes*] (in Japanese). Hakubunkan. pp. 368–370. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.11501/1170640](https://doi.org/10.11501%2F1170640).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Elkins, Caroline; Pedersen, Susan, eds. (2005). *Settler colonialism in the twentieth century: projects, practices, legacies*. New York: Routledge. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-136-07738-8](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-136-07738-8).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** Ayao, Okumura. "Japan's Ramen Romance." *Japan Quarterly* 48.3 (2001): 66. *ProQuest Asian Business & Reference*

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:10_10-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:10_10-1) Kuroda, Hatsuko (1947). [*楽しい家庭料理*](https://dl.ndl.go.jp/pid/1065551) (in Japanese). Keihoku Shobo. p. 36. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.11501/1065551](https://doi.org/10.11501%2F1065551).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** ["Kobe Chinatown: Nankinmachi – Kobe Station"](https://www.kobestation.com/kobe-chinatown-nankinmachi/). *www.kobestation.com*. Retrieved 23 July 2025.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:8_12-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:8_12-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:8_12-2) ["What is Ramen? How the History and Elements Lead to Modern-Day Ramen - Myojo USA"](https://www.myojousa.com/blog/what-is-ramen/). 16 December 2021. Retrieved 23 July 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** 横浜新報社 (June 1903). Yokohama Shinposha (ed.). [*横浜繁昌記 : 附・神奈川県紳士録*](https://dl.ndl.go.jp/pid/764453) [*Yokohama Prosperity Book : Appendix, Kanagawa Prefecture Gentlemen's Record*] (in Japanese). Yokohama Shinposha. p. 138. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.11501/764453](https://doi.org/10.11501%2F764453).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:2_14-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:2_14-1) Media, USEN. ["Indespensable Knowledge For Every Ramen Lover! A Glossary with Shop Recommendations"](https://savorjapan.com/contents/discover-oishii-japan/indespensable-knowledge-for-every-ramen-lover-a-glossary-with-shop-recommendations/). *SAVOR JAPAN*. Retrieved 20 July 2022.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:1_15-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:1_15-1) ["Part 1: China Origin"](https://web.archive.org/web/20220720132155/https://www.ramen-culture.com/history-pt1). *Ramen Culture*. Archived from [the original](https://www.ramen-culture.com/history-pt1) on 20 July 2022. Retrieved 20 July 2022.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:9_16-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:9_16-1) Sugino, Corinne Mitsuye (2024). ["A Critical Culinary Genealogy of Japanese Foodways"](https://muse.jhu.edu/pub/1/article/953150). *Journal of Asian American Studies*. **27** (3): 343–371. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1353/jaas.2024.a953150](https://doi.org/10.1353%2Fjaas.2024.a953150). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [1096-8598](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/1096-8598).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Cwiertka_17-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Cwiertka_17-1) Cwiertka, Katarzyna Joanna (2006). [*Modern Japanese cuisine: food, power and national identity*](https://books.google.com/books?id=oK-7LOlWNpEC&pg=PA144). Reaktion Books. p. 144. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-86189-298-0](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-86189-298-0). However, *Shina soba* acquired the status of 'national' dish in Japan under a different name: *rāmen*. The change of name from *Shina soba* to *rāmen* took place during the 1950s and '60s. The word *Shina*, used historically in reference to China, acquired a pejorative connotation through its association with Japanese imperialist association in Asia and was replaced with the word *Chūka*, which derived from the Chinese name for the People's Republic. For a while, the term *Chūka soba* was used, but ultimately the name *rāmen* caught on, inspired by the chicken-flavored instant version of the dish that went on sale in 1958 and spread nationwide in no time.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-18)** ["Takayama Ramen"](https://visitgifu.com/see-do/takayama-ramen/). *VISIT GIFU*. Retrieved 23 July 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-19)** ["Orthodox Ramen—The Best Chuka Soba on Osaka Metro | Osaka Metro NiNE"](https://metronine.osaka/en/article_tour/food-osaka-noodles-03/). *metronine.osaka*. 1 December 2023. Retrieved 23 July 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-20)** Kaonashi, Ramen (26 October 2020). ["Chuka Soba Recipe (Original Japanese Ramen)(中華そばの作り方) – RAMEN KAONASHI"](https://ramenkaonashi.com/how-to-make-chuka-soba/). Retrieved 23 July 2025.

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1. **[^](#cite_ref-35)** Japanese ramen secret history "Nikkei Sangyo Shimbun premium series, (in Japanese). 『日本ラーメン秘史』日経プレミアムシリーズ、2011

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1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-ong_39-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-ong_39-1) Ong, Shi Han (18 August 2020). ["Rairaiken, Japan's First-Ever Ramen Restaurant, Reopens At Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum After A 44-Year Hiatus"](https://thesmartlocal.jp/rairaiken-reopening/).

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1. **[^](#cite_ref-41)** Griffiths, Owen (29 August 2018). ["Need, Greed, and Protest in Japan's Black Market, 1938–1949"](https://doi.org/10.1353%2Fjsh.2002.0046). *Journal of Social History*. **35** (4): 825–858. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1353/jsh.2002.0046](https://doi.org/10.1353%2Fjsh.2002.0046). [JSTOR](/source/JSTOR_(identifier)) [3790613](https://www.jstor.org/stable/3790613). [S2CID](/source/S2CID_(identifier)) [144266555](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:144266555).

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1. **[^](#cite_ref-43)** Norman, Jerry L.; Branner, David Prager; Dede, Keith (2013). *A comprehensive Manchu-English dictionary*. Harvard-Yenching Institute monograph series. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Asia Center. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-68417-069-2](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-68417-069-2).

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1. **[^](#cite_ref-45)** *[Japanorama](/source/Japanorama)*, Series 3, Episode 4. *[BBC Three](/source/BBC_Three_(former))*, 9 April 2007

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-bbc2016_46-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-bbc2016_46-1) Demetriou, Danielle (23 February 2016). ["The holy grail of ramen dishes"](https://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20160223-is-this-japans-best-ramen). *BBC Travel*. Retrieved 26 August 2018.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:5_47-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:5_47-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:5_47-2) Satinover, Mike (2020). *The Ramen_Lord Book of Ramen*. pp. 4–6.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-48)** improver_admin (24 October 2024). ["Kansui, the Secret of Ramen Noodles and Its History | Nanachart Traders Consolidation Ltd. | Improver Product"](https://www.nanachart-traders.co.th/improver/news-blog/kansui-the-secret-of-ramen-noodles-and-its-history/). Retrieved 30 October 2025.

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1. **[^](#cite_ref-50)** ["Fusion of cultures nets stellar ramen at Ichimi"](https://www.miamiherald.com/living/food-drink/article78701612.html). *miamiherald*. Retrieved 18 January 2019.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-MAFF_10Tastes2019_51-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-MAFF_10Tastes2019_51-1) ["10 Great Tastes of Japan"](https://www.maff.go.jp/e/data/publish/attach/pdf/index-113.pdf) (PDF). *Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries; Government of Japan*. 18 June 2010. p.11: Noodles. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20190828080016/http://www.maff.go.jp/e/data/publish/attach/pdf/index-113.pdf) (PDF) from the original on 28 August 2019. Retrieved 13 July 2021. - Whole web page which links to the PDF above: ["Publications"](https://www.maff.go.jp/e/data/publish/). *Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries; Government of Japan*. Japanese Cuisine and Ingredients. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20201101072024/https://www.maff.go.jp/e/data/publish/) from the original on 1 November 2020. Retrieved 13 July 2021.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Davis2016_52-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Davis2016_52-1) Davis, Elizabeth (12 February 2016). ["6 Glorious Types of Ramen You Should Know"](https://www.tastemade.com/articles/6-glorious-types-of-ramen-you-should-know). *Tastemade*. Retrieved 31 July 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-53)** ["40 Best Ramen Toppings for Your Homemade Noodle Soup"](https://recipes.net/articles/best-ramen-toppings/). *Recipe.net*. 3 June 2021. Retrieved 2 May 2022.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-54)** Hou, Gary G. (16 February 2011). [*Asian Noodles: Science, Technology, and Processing*](https://books.google.com/books?id=4QTNziv6yAcC&q=seasoning+ramen+common&pg=PT164). John Wiley & Sons. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-118-07435-0](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-118-07435-0).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-55)** ["Hakata Ramen (Nagahama Ramen) FAQ"](https://web.archive.org/web/20120401011822/http://mukai.dameningen.org/nagahama/faq-e.html). Mukai.dameningen.org. Archived from [the original](http://mukai.dameningen.org/nagahama/faq-e.html) on 1 April 2012. Retrieved 18 November 2012.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-56)** Nate (17 December 2009). ["函館らーめん大門 (Hakodate Ramen Daimon)"](http://www.ramenate.com/2009/12/hakodate-ramen-daimon.html). Ramenate!. Retrieved 18 November 2012.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-a_ramen_57-0)** ["Asahikawa Travel: Asahikawa Ramen"](http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6893.html). japan-guide.com. Retrieved 26 September 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-58)** 加盟店一覧 （50音順） (24 January 2013). ["室蘭カレーラーメンの会 » 北海道ラーメン第４の味を目指して・・・"](http://www.muroran-curryramen.com). Muroran-curryramen.com. Retrieved 28 September 2015.{{[cite web](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_web)}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_numeric_names:_authors_list))

1. **[^](#cite_ref-59)** Localized, Tokyo (4 December 2022). ["5 Best Ramen in Tokyo"](https://www.tokyolocalized.com/post/best-ramen-in-tokyo). *Tokyo Localized*. Retrieved 27 December 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-60)** Hiufu Wong, Maggie (7 June 2013). ["10 things that make Wakayama Japan's best kept secret"](http://travel.cnn.com/10-things-know-about-wakayama-243956). *CNN Travel*. Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. Retrieved 22 November 2014.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-61)** Gurutabi. ["Nabeyaki Ramen"](https://kyoudo-ryouri.com/en/food/1929.html). *Kyoudo Ryouri*. kyodoryori-story. Retrieved 2 June 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-62)** Tzu-hsuan, Liu. ["FEATURE: Delving into the origins of Nagoya's 'Taiwan ramen'"](https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2024/02/27/2003814149). *taipeitimes.com*. Taipei Times. Retrieved 26 February 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-63)** 一品香, 横濱. ["一品香について | 横濱 一品香"](https://www.ippinko.jp/contents/category/about/). *www.ippinko.jp* (in Japanese). Retrieved 22 July 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-64)** ["凉面，上海夏天的"顶流"般的存在"](https://www.lifeweek.com.cn/h5/article/detail.do?artId=171080). *www.lifeweek.com.cn*. Retrieved 15 July 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-65)** Itoh, Makiko (17 June 2017). ["Beating the heat with food: 'Hiyashi chūka' cold Chinese-style noodles"](https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2017/06/17/food/beating-the-heat-with-food-hiyashi-chuka-cold-chinese-style-noodles/). *The Japan Times*. Retrieved 15 July 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-66)** Organization, Japan National Tourism. ["Ramen 101"](https://www.japan.travel/en/guide/ramen/). *Japan Travel*. Retrieved 25 June 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-67)** ["Ramen Bowl Design from Clay to the Noodle Counter"](https://musubikiln.com/blogs/journal/ramen-bowl-design-from-clay-to-the-noodle-counter). *MUSUBI KILN*. Retrieved 22 July 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-68)** ["The Japanese Ramen Spoon: Facts You Probably Didn't Know"](https://www.apexsk.com/blogs/japan-lifestyle/what-is-a-ramen-spoon-called). *APEX S.K*. 18 June 2022. Retrieved 22 July 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-returnramen_69-0)** McCurry, Justin (13 November 2020). ["Return of a ramen pioneer gives boost to Japan's Covid-hit restaurant sector"](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/nov/13/return-of-a-ramen-pioneer-gives-boost-to-japans-covid-hit-restaurant-sector). *The Guardian*. [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0261-3077](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0261-3077). Retrieved 13 November 2020.

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## Further reading

- Orkin, Ivan (2013). [*Ivan Ramen: Love, Obsession, and Recipes from Tokyo's Most Unlikely Noodle Joint*](https://books.google.com/books?id=qSjAWnXaHHIC). Berkeley, Calif.: Ten Speed Press. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9781607744467](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9781607744467). [OCLC](/source/OCLC_(identifier)) [852399997](https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/852399997).

- ["The art of the slurp (or, How to eat ramen)"](https://web.archive.org/web/20161014142240/http://www.splendidtable.org/story/the-art-of-the-slurp-or-how-to-eat-ramen). *[The Splendid Table](/source/The_Splendid_Table)*. 4 April 2014. Archived from [the original](http://www.splendidtable.org/story/the-art-of-the-slurp-or-how-to-eat-ramen) on 14 October 2016. Retrieved 7 April 2014. Interview with the author.

- [How to Customize your Ramen – Toppings and Japanese Vocabulary](https://cotoacademy.com/how-to-customize-your-favorite-ramen-ramen-toppings-and-vocabulary/)

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v t e Noodles Variants Chinese Biangbiang noodles Cellophane noodles Cumian Jook-sing noodles Juanfen Knife-cut noodles Lamian Lai fun Migan Mixian Misua Mung bean sheets Oil noodles Rice noodles Rice vermicelli Saang mein Shahe fen Shrimp roe noodles Silver needle noodles Yi mein Youmian European Halušky Schupfnudel Spätzle Pasta Japanese Hiyamugi Instant noodles Shirataki noodles Soba Sōmen Udon Jewish & Israeli Farfel Lokshen Ptitim Varnishkes Korean Cheonsachae Dangmyeon Dotori-guksu Garak-guksu Jjolmyeon Mak-guksu Somyeon Sujebi Thai Khanom chin Dishes Bruneian, Malaysian & Singaporean Beaufort mee Bihun goreng Curry mee Char kway teow Hae mee Katong Laksa Kolo mee Laksa Lor mee Mee goreng Mee bandung Muar Mee pok Mee siam Mee Jawa Mee tauhu Sang nyuk mee Satay bee hoon Tuaran mee Burmese Kat kyi kaik Khauk swè thoke Kya zan hinga Kyay oh Meeshay Mohinga Mont di Nan gyi thohk Ohn no khao swè Sigyet khauk swè Cambodian Kuyteav Num banhchok Central Asian / Turkic Beshbarmak Kesme Laghman Chinese Ants climbing a tree Banmian Beef chow fun Beef noodle soup Chow mein Crossing-the-bridge noodles Dandan noodles Hokkien mee Hot dry noodles Kaomianjin Liangpi Lo mein Mee pok Millinge Shanghai fried noodles Wonton noodles Zhajiangmian Ganmianpi Indonesian Bakmi Bihun goreng I fu mie Ketoprak Kwetiau ayam Kwetiau goreng Kwetiau sapi Laksa Lakso Mie aceh Mie ayam Mie bakso Mie Bangladesh Mie caluk Mie cakalang Mie celor Mie gomak Mie goreng Mie jawa Mie kangkung Mie kari Mie kering Mie koclok Mie kocok Mie rebus Soto ayam Soto mie Tekwan Japanese Aburasoba Taiwan mazesoba Champon Harusame saifun Ramen Sara udon Tantanmen Tokoroten Tsukemen Yaki udon Yakisoba Jewish & Israeli Jewish chicken noodle soup Kasha varnishkes Kugel Kugel Yerushalmi Lokshen mit kaese Noodle kugel Korean Bibim-guksu Garak-guksu Gogi-guksu Jajangmyeon Janchi-guksu Japchae Jat-guksu Jjamppong Jjapaguri (ram-don) Kal-guksu Kong-guksu Mak-guksu Milmyeon Naengmyeon Ramyeon Philippines Batchoy Maki mi Mami Odong Pancit buko Pancit bihon Pancit choca Pancit estacion Pancit kinalas Pancit lomi Pancit Malabon Pancit Molo Shing-a-ling Pancit sotanghon Sopa de fideo Taiwanese A-gei Eel noodles Oyster vermicelli Nabeyaki egg noodles Neritic squid rice noodles Pumpkin rice vermicelli Ta-a mi Taiwanese beef noodle soup Tshik-á-mī Thai Bami Kuai tiao Khao soi Mi krop Nam ngiao Kuaitiao nam tok Pad kee mao Pad see ew Pad thai Rat na Vietnamese Bánh canh Bánh cuốn Bánh hỏi Bún bò Huế Bún mắm Bún ốc Bún riêu Bún thịt nướng Cao lầu Mì Mì Quảng Phở Bún chả Others Feu Fried noodles Thukpa Instant noodle brands Imperial Big Meal Indomie Koka Lucky Me! Maggi Mama Maruchan Master Kong Mie Sedaap Mr. Noodles Nissin Chikin Ramen Cup Noodles Demae Ramen Top Ramen Pot Prima Taste Prince Noodles Samyang Ramen Sapporo Ichiban Science Noodles Shin Ramyun Tata Consumer Ching's Secret Smith & Jones Super The Nation's TTL Hua Tiao Chicken Noodles Wai Wai Wei Lih Men List articles Noodles Instant Noodle dishes Fried noodles Ramen Noodle restaurants Ramen See also Cart noodle Noodle soup Nunuk Nuraini Category

v t e Noodle soups Beef noodle soup Chicken soup Duck blood and vermicelli soup Duck soup noodles Kusksu Lakso Macaroni soup Pasta e fagioli Saimin Sopa de fideo Yaka mein Zatiruha East Asia Acorn noodle soup Banmian Champon Crossing-the-bridge noodles Garak-guksu Gogi-guksu Hōtō Janchi-guksu Jat-guksu Jjamppong Jungguk-naengmyeon Kal-guksu Kong-guksu Lamian Lanzhou beef noodle soup Laoyou rice noodles Milmyeon Naengmyeon Okinawa soba Oyster vermicelli Ramen Tsukemen Taiwanese beef noodle soup Tian mo Ulmyeon Wonton noodles Southeast Asia Bánh canh Batchoy Beef kway teow Boat noodles Bún bò Huế Bún mắm Bún riêu Curry mee Hokkien mee Khao piak sen Khao poon Khao soi Khow suey Kuyteav Kyay oh Kya zan hinga Laksa Katong laksa Lomi Mami soup Mee ka tee Mie aceh Mie bakso Mie cakalang Mie celor Mie koclok Mie kocok Mie kuah Mohinga Mont di Nam ngiao Num banhchok Odong Ohn no khao swè Pho Sopas Soto ayam Soto mie Sukhothai rice noodles South and Central Asia Aush Aush reshteh Guthuk Lagham Thenthuk Thukpa Thukpa bhatuk Food portal Category: Noodle soups

[Portals](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Contents/Portals):
- [Japan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Japan)
- [Food](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Food)

**Ramen** at Wikipedia's [sister projects](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Wikimedia_sister_projects):

- [**Definitions**](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/ramen) from Wiktionary
- [**Data**](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q234646) from Wikidata

Authority control databases: National Japan

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Ramen](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramen) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramen?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.