Ramen

One of Japan's representative noodle dishes. It originated from Chinese noodle cuisine and developed independently in Japan.

It uses chūkamen noodles, with broth typically made from animal-based ingredients such as pork and chicken bones and seasoned with soy sauce, salt, miso, and other seasonings, followed by the addition of aromatic oil. It is served with a variety of toppings.

History

Ramen fundamentally originated from Chinese noodle cuisine. Its beginnings therefore coincide with the introduction of Chinese cuisine to Japan.

The Dawn of Ramen

Chinese noodle dishes are said to have begun gaining public recognition in Japan in 1859, following the opening of the country, through Chinese restaurants established in foreign settlements in port cities such as Yokohama. (Chinese noodle soup known as tangmian) / Other major ports opened in 1859 included Nagasaki and Hakodate.

After the foreign settlements were abolished in 1899, Chinese cuisine spread beyond specific areas to Tokyo and elsewhere. (That same year, Nagasaki champon was created at a Nagasaki restaurant called Shikairō (시카이로).)

In 1910, Rairaiken (라이라이켄) opened in Asakusa, Tokyo. It was the first to serve shina soba, regarded as the prototype of modern ramen. Here, “shina” was a word referring to China (also read as “Jina” and synonymous with Qin and China), while “soba” was then a general term for noodle dishes. Over time, the name shina soba was replaced by chūka soba, meaning Chinese-style soba. The term chūka soba is still used locally and generally refers to rustic, soy sauce-based ramen sold at Chinese restaurants.

During the 1920s and 1930s, shops credited with originating distinct regional styles also emerged in places such as Sapporo, Kitakata, and Kyushu.

Many shops closed after World War II broke out in 1939. Some of them later reopened...

The Era of Establishment

After the war ended in 1945, Japan entered an era of shortages. The immediate postwar period saw a rapid increase in urban populations and food shortages, which naturally led to the proliferation of black markets known as yamiichi. Ramen, which provided nutrition and flavor using inexpensive ingredients, suited the needs of ordinary people at the time, and its supply expanded rapidly as returnees from China and unemployed people operated ramen stalls throughout the country.

In 1947, Sankyu (산큐) in the Kurume area of Kyushu developed a rich tonkotsu broth. This subsequently gave rise to the tradition of Kyushu tonkotsu ramen in surrounding areas.

Sapporo's first ramen alley, Ramen Yokocho, was established in 1951. In 1954, miso ramen was developed at Ajino Sanpei (아지노 산페이) in Sapporo, laying the foundation for Sapporo miso ramen.

Tsukemen was created in 1955 at Taishoken (다이쇼켄) in Nakano, Tokyo.

In 1958, Nissin Foods invented the world's first commercially produced instant ramen, “Chicken Ramen.”

During the 1960s, instant ramen spread throughout the country. Ramen franchises also expanded nationwide.

In 1974, Yoshimuraya (요시무라야) was opened in the Shin-Sugita area of Yokohama by Minoru Yoshimura (요시무라 미노루). It was the originator of Iekei ramen.

In 1975, cha-cha-style ramen became popular in Tokyo, centered around Hopeken (호프켄). (“Cha-cha” is the onomatopoeia for shaking pork back fat through a strainer; the style is tonkotsu shoyu ramen containing a generous amount of back fat.) Hopeken is also described as a pioneer of the ramen boom.

During the 1980s, ramen also attracted media attention through ramen-themed television programs, films, magazine features, and other projects.

In 1989, a tonkotsu ramen boom arose mainly in the Tokyo metropolitan area.

Shops such as Nandenkanden (난덴칸덴) and Kyushu Jangara (큐슈쟌가라) are said to have led the phenomenon, whose influence is credited with cementing tonkotsu's status as a major category of ramen.

The Era of Diversification

Beginning in the 1990s, broad categories such as shio, shoyu, miso, and tonkotsu began to become increasingly subdivided and diversified.