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{{Short description|Japanese noodle dish}}
{{Distinguish|Instant noodles|Lamian}}
{{About|the Japanese noodle dish|the instant version|instant noodles|other uses}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Infobox food
| name = Ramen
| image = File:Shoyu ramen, at Kasukabe Station (2014.05.05) 1.jpg
| image_size = 250px
| caption = ''[[#Shōyu|Shōyu ramen]]''
| alternate_name = ''[[Nanjing|Nankin]] soba'', ''[[shina (word)|shina]] [[soba]]'', ''[[chūka]] soba''
| region = East Asia
| type = [[Noodle soup]]
| served = 
| main_ingredient = [[Alkaline noodles|Chinese-style alkaline wheat noodles]], meat- or fish-based [[broth]], vegetables or meat
| variations = Many variants, especially regional, with various ingredients and toppings
| place_of_origin = China (origin)<br />
[[Yokohama Chinatown]], Japan (adaptation)
}}

{{nihongo|'''Ramen''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|r|ɑː|m|ə|n}})|拉麺, ラーメン or らあめん|rāmen|{{IPA|ja|ɾaꜜːmeɴ||TomJ-Ramen.ogg}}}} is a [[Japanese cuisine|Japanese]] [[noodle]] dish.<ref name="cwiertka">{{Cite book|title=Modern Japanese Cuisine: Food, Power and National Identity|last=Cwiertka|first=Katarzyna J.|publisher=Reaktion Books|year=2015|isbn=978-1780234533|pages=145–146}}</ref> It is a part of [[Japanese Chinese cuisine]].<ref name=":11">{{cite web|url=https://www.raumen.co.jp/rapedia/study_history/ |title=日本のラーメンの歴史 – 新横浜ラーメン博物館 |publisher=Raumen.co.jp |date= |accessdate=2022-05-25}}</ref> It includes {{Nihongo|[[Alkaline noodles|Chinese-style alkaline wheat noodles]]|中華麺|chūkamen}} served in several flavors of hot [[broth]]. Common flavors are [[soy sauce]] and [[miso]], with typical toppings including {{nihongo|sliced pork||[[Char siu|chāshū]]}}, [[nori]] (dried seaweed), lacto-fermented bamboo shoots (''[[menma]]''), ''[[narutomaki]]'', and [[scallion]]s. Nearly every region in Japan has its own variation of ramen, such as the ''[[tonkotsu]]'' (pork bone broth) ramen of [[Kyushu]] and the ''miso'' ramen of [[Hokkaido]].

The origins of ramen can be traced back to [[Yokohama Chinatown]] in the late 19th century. While the word "ramen" is a Japanese borrowing of the Chinese word ''[[Lamian|lāmiàn]]'' ({{lang|zh-Hant|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]], reflecting the demographics of Chinese immigrants in [[Yokohama]].<ref name=":6" /> Ramen was largely confined to the [[Chinese people in Japan|Chinese community in Japan]] and was never popular nationwide until after [[World War II]] (specifically the [[Second Sino-Japanese War]]), following increased wheat consumption due to rice shortages and the return of millions of Japanese colonizers from [[China]]. In 1958, [[instant noodles]] were invented by [[Momofuku Ando]], further popularizing the dish.

Ramen was originally looked down upon by the Japanese due to [[Anti-Chinese sentiment in Japan|racial discrimination against the Chinese]] and its status as an inexpensive food associated with the [[working class]].<ref name=":6" /> Today, ramen is considered a [[national dish]] of Japan, with many regional varieties and a wide range of toppings. Examples include [[Sapporo]]'s rich miso ramen, [[Hakodate]]'s salt-flavored ramen, [[Kitakata, Fukushima|Kitakata]]'s thick, flat noodles in pork-and-[[niboshi]] broth, [[Tokyo]]-style ramen with soy-flavored chicken broth, [[Yokohama]]'s [[Iekei ramen]] with soy-flavored pork broth, [[Wakayama (city)|Wakayama]]'s soy sauce and pork bone broth, and [[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'' ({{lang|ja|ラーメン屋}}).

Ramen's popularity has spread outside of Japan, becoming a cultural icon representing the country worldwide. In [[Korea]], ramen is known both by its original name "ramen" ({{lang|ko|라멘}}) as well as ''ramyeon'' ({{Korean|hangul=라면|labels=no}}), a local variation on the dish. In [[China]], ramen is called ''rìshì lāmiàn'' ({{lang|zh-Hans|日式拉面}}/{{lang|zh-Hant|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]] as a catch-all for any [[noodle soup]] dish.<ref name=":11" />

==Etymology==
[[File:Ramen 1928.jpg|thumb|alt=From Seiichi Yoshida, How to Prepare Delicious and Economical Chinese Dishes (1928).|From Seiichi Yoshida, ''How to Prepare Delicious and Economical Chinese Dishes'' (1928)]]
The word ''ramen'' is a Japanese borrowing of the [[Standard Chinese|Mandarin Chinese]] ''[[lamian]]'' ({{lang|zh-Hant|拉麵}}, 'pulled noodles').<ref name="ramanfor">{{cite web |last=Urie |first=Chris |date=October 31, 2017 |title=Unearth the secrets of ramen at Japan's ramen museum |url=https://eatsiptrip.10best.com/2017/10/31/unearth-the-secrets-of-ramen-at-japans-ramen-museum/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180628204938/https://eatsiptrip.10best.com/2017/10/31/unearth-the-secrets-of-ramen-at-japans-ramen-museum/ |archive-date=28 June 2018 |access-date=7 March 2018 |website=Eat Sip Trip}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/kodanshaencyclop0000koda|title=Kodansha encyclopedia of Japan, Volume 6|publisher=Kodansha|year=1983|isbn=978-0-87011-626-1|edition=1st|location=Tokyo|page=283|url-access=registration}}</ref> A common misconception is that ramen is a Japanese adaptation of [[lamian]], but the two dishes have no direct relation, and how ramen came to adopt its name from lamian remains unclear.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Kushner |first=Barak |title=Slurp! : a social and culinary history of ramen – Japan's favorite noodle soup |date=2012 |publisher=Global Oriental |isbn=978-90-04-22098-0 |location=Leiden |oclc=810924622}}</ref> Ramen evolved from southern Chinese noodle dishes, primarily [[Cantonese cuisine|Cantonese]], as opposed to northern Chinese noodle dishes that may feature lamian.<ref name=":6" />

The word {{Nihongo||拉麺|ramen}} 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]]'', 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.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Yoshida |first=Seiichi |url=https://dl.ndl.go.jp/pid/1170640/1/206 |title=美味しく経済的な支那料理の拵へ方 |date=1928 |publisher=Hakubunkan |pages=368–370 |language=ja |trans-title=How to Prepare Delicious and Economical Chinese Dishes |doi=10.11501/1170640}}</ref>

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]] in 1945, millions of Japanese settler colonists were repatriated to Japan from China.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Settler colonialism in the twentieth century: projects, practices, legacies |date=2005 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-136-07738-8 |editor-last=Elkins |editor-first=Caroline |location=New York |editor-last2=Pedersen |editor-first2=Susan}}</ref> 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]].<ref>Ayao, Okumura. "Japan's Ramen Romance." ''Japan Quarterly'' 48.3 (2001): 66. ''ProQuest Asian Business & Reference''</ref> This timing aligns with the first mention of ''ramen'' as a dish appearing in Hatsuko Kuroda's ''Enjoyable Home Cooking'' (1947).<ref name=":10">{{Cite book |last=Kuroda |first=Hatsuko |url=https://dl.ndl.go.jp/pid/1065551 |title=楽しい家庭料理 |date=1947 |publisher=Keihoku Shobo |page=36 |language=ja |doi=10.11501/1065551}}</ref> 

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 {{Nihongo||南京そば|Nankin soba|{{lit|[[Nanjing]] noodles|lk=yes}}}} by the Japanese. ''Nankinmachi'' (Nanjing Town) was the common Japanese term for areas where Chinese people settled,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kobe Chinatown: Nankinmachi – Kobe Station |url=https://www.kobestation.com/kobe-chinatown-nankinmachi/ |access-date=2025-07-23 |website=www.kobestation.com}}</ref> and the Japanese used the term "Nankin" to describe newly imported Chinese things.<ref name=":8">{{Cite web |date=2021-12-16 |title=What is Ramen? How the History and Elements Lead to Modern-Day Ramen - Myojo USA |url=https://www.myojousa.com/blog/what-is-ramen/ |access-date=2025-07-23 |language=en-US}}</ref> For example, in 1903, in [[Yokohama Chinatown]], then known as ''Nankinmachi'', there was a {{Nihongo|Nanjing noodle restaurant|南京蕎麦所|Nankin soba dokoro}}.<ref>{{Cite book |author1=横浜新報社 |url=https://dl.ndl.go.jp/pid/764453 |title=横浜繁昌記 : 附・神奈川県紳士録 |date=June 1903 |publisher=Yokohama Shinposha |editor=Yokohama Shinposha |page=138 |language=ja |trans-title=Yokohama Prosperity Book : Appendix, Kanagawa Prefecture Gentlemen's Record |doi=10.11501/764453}}</ref> 

The dish was renamed {{Nihongo||支那そば|shina soba|{{lit|Chinese noodles|lk=yes}}}} in 1910 by Kan'ichi Ozaki, the founder of the first specialized ramen shop.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Media |first=USEN |title=Indespensable Knowledge For Every Ramen Lover! A Glossary with Shop Recommendations |url=https://savorjapan.com/contents/discover-oishii-japan/indespensable-knowledge-for-every-ramen-lover-a-glossary-with-shop-recommendations/ |access-date=2022-07-20 |website=SAVOR JAPAN |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Part 1: China Origin |url=https://www.ramen-culture.com/history-pt1 |access-date=2022-07-20 |website=Ramen Culture |language=en-US |archive-date=20 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220720132155/https://www.ramen-culture.com/history-pt1 |url-status=dead }}</ref> 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, {{lang|ja-latn|shina soba}} would be the most commonly used name for ramen.<ref name=":8" /><ref name=":9">{{Cite journal |last=Sugino |first=Corinne Mitsuye |date=2024 |title=A Critical Culinary Genealogy of Japanese Foodways |url=https://muse.jhu.edu/pub/1/article/953150 |journal=Journal of Asian American Studies |volume=27 |issue=3 |pages=343–371 |doi=10.1353/jaas.2024.a953150 |issn=1096-8598|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

After [[World War II]], the word s''hina'' ({{lang|ja|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 {{zhi|t={{linktext|中華}}|s={{linktext|中华}}|l=central beauty|p=Zhōnghuá|out=p}}, an official name used by the two governments claiming sovereignty over China, the [[Taiwan|Republic of China]] ({{zh|t=中華民國|p=Zhōnghuá Mínguó|s=|labels=no}}) and [[China|People's Republic of China]] ({{zh|t=中华人民共和国|p=Zhōnghuá Rénmín Gònghéguó|s=|labels=no}}). ''Shina ryōri'' was changed to ''[[Japanese Chinese cuisine|chūka ryōri]]'', and likewise, the term {{Nihongo||中華そば|chūka soba|{{lit|Chinese noodles|lk=yes}}}} replaced ''shina soba''.<ref name=":9" /><ref name="Cwiertka" />

The [[Nissin Chikin Ramen]], created by [[Momofuku Ando]], was released in 1958, and the name {{lang|ja-latn|ramen}} ({{lang|ja|ラーメン}}) began to spread across the country.<ref name="Cwiertka">{{Cite book|last=Cwiertka|first=Katarzyna Joanna|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oK-7LOlWNpEC&pg=PA144|title=Modern Japanese cuisine: food, power and national identity|publisher=Reaktion Books|year=2006|isbn=978-1-86189-298-0|page=144|quote=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.}}</ref> Today {{lang|ja-latn|ramen}} is the most popular name, but {{lang|ja-latn|chūka soba}} remains prevalent in areas such as [[Takayama, Gifu|Takayama]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Takayama Ramen |url=https://visitgifu.com/see-do/takayama-ramen/ |access-date=2025-07-23 |website=VISIT GIFU |language=en-US}}</ref> The two terms can be used interchangeably, though {{lang|ja-latn|chūka soba}} is also often used to refer to more "classic" styles of ramen.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-12-01 |title=Orthodox Ramen—The Best Chuka Soba on Osaka Metro {{!}} Osaka Metro NiNE |url=https://metronine.osaka/en/article_tour/food-osaka-noodles-03/ |access-date=2025-07-23 |website=metronine.osaka |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Kaonashi |first=Ramen |title=Chuka Soba Recipe (Original Japanese Ramen)(中華そばの作り方) – RAMEN KAONASHI |date=26 October 2020 |url=https://ramenkaonashi.com/how-to-make-chuka-soba/ |access-date=2025-07-23 |language=en-US}}</ref> 

==History==
===Origin===
[[File:Rairaiken.jpg|thumb|''Rairaiken'' ({{lang|ja|来々軒}}), the first ramen shop, founded in 1910 by Kan'ichi Ozaki in [[Asakusa]], Tokyo. The signs advertise "Chinese [[soba]]" ({{lang|ja|支那蕎麥}}) and "[[Cantonese cuisine]]" ({{lang|ja|廣東料理}}).]]

Ramen is a Japanese adaptation of Chinese wheat [[noodle soup]]s.<ref name="ao2018">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/how-did-ramen-become-popular|title=How Did Ramen Become Popular?|magazine=Atlas Obscura|year=2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Rupelle|first=Guy de la|title=Kayak and land journeys in Ainu Mosir: Among the Ainu of Hokkaido|year=2005|publisher=iUniverse|location=Lincoln, NE| isbn=978-0-595-34644-8| page=116| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Fx5XqEK9OV8C&pg=PA116}}</ref><ref>{{cite book| last=Asakawa| first=Gil| title=Being Japanese American|year=2004|publisher=Stone Bridge Press|location=Berkeley, California| isbn=978-1-880656-85-3| page=[https://archive.org/details/beingjapaneseame0000asak/page/49 49]| url=https://archive.org/details/beingjapaneseame0000asak| url-access=registration}}</ref><ref name="nhkworld">NHK World. ''Japanology Plus: Ramen''. 2014. Accessed 2015-03-08.</ref><ref>{{cite book |script-title=ja:ラーメンの誕生 |trans-title=The birth of Ramen |first=Tetsu |last=Okada |publisher=Chikuma Shobō |year=202 |isbn=978-4480059307 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GB7fPAAACAAJ |language=ja}}</ref> It is first recorded to have appeared in [[Yokohama Chinatown]] in the early 20th century.<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":3" /> However, the dishes ancestral to ramen already existed in Japan within the Chinese community since the 1880s. Although ramen takes its name from ''[[lamian]],'' it did not originate from the hand-pulled lamian noodles of northern China, since the noodles used in ramen are cut, not pulled.<ref name=":0" /> Rather, ramen is largely derived from southern Chinese noodle dishes, particularly those from [[Cantonese cuisine]].<ref name=":6" /> This is reflective of Yokohama Chinatown's demographics, as the majority of Chinese settlers there were [[Cantonese people|Cantonese]], followed by [[Shanghainese people|Shanghainese]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Han |first=Eric C. |title=Rise of a Japanese Chinatown: Yokohama, 1894-1972 |date=2014 |publisher=Harvard University Asia Center |others=Harvard University |isbn=978-1-68417-542-0 |series=Harvard East Asian monographs |location=Cambridge, Massachusetts}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Yokohama Chinatown Part 2 – Yokohama, Kanagawa |url=https://en.japantravel.com/kanagawa/yokohama-chinatown-part-2/64618 |access-date=2022-07-20 |website=JapanTravel |date=14 November 2020 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Yokohama Chinatown |url=https://thegate12.com/spot/517 |access-date=2022-07-20 |website=THE GATE}}</ref>

[[Sōmen]] 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 {{Nihongo||中華麺|chūkamen|{{lit|Chinese noodles}}}} and are made with ''kansui'' ({{lang|ja|鹹水}}, alkaline salt water).

The official diary of [[Shōkoku-ji]] Temple in Kyoto, {{Nihongo||蔭涼軒日録|Inryōken Nichiroku}}, mentions eating {{Nihongo||経帯麪|jīngdàimiàn}}, noodles with ''kansui'', in 1488.<ref>{{Cite book|editor =  Bussho Publishing Society |title = 大日本仏教全書 |trans-title = Complete works of Buddhism in Japan |publisher = Bussho Publishing Society |date = 1913 |page = 1174 |url = https://dl.ndl.go.jp/pid/952839 |doi = 10.11501/952839 |doi-access = free |language = ja |author1 = 仏書刊行会 }}</ref><ref name = "Okumura">{{Cite book |last = Okumura |first = Ayao |title = 麺の歴史 ラーメンはどこから来たか |trans-title =  The History of Noodles: Where Did Ramen Come From |series = Kadokawa Sophia Bunko |publisher =  KADOKAWA / Kadokawa Gakugei Shuppan |date = 2017-11-25 |isbn = 978-4044002923 |language = ja}}</ref> ''Jīngdàimiàn'' is the noodle of the [[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-Confucianism|neo-Confucian]] scholar [[Zhu Shunsui]], who served as an advisor to [[Tokugawa Mitsukuni]] after he became a refugee in Japan to escape [[Qing dynasty|Manchu rule]]. Mitsukuni became the first Japanese person to eat ramen. However, the noodles Mitsukuni ate were a combination of starch made from [[lotus root]] and wheat flour, which is different from ''chūkamen'' with ''kansui''.<ref name = "Okumura" />

According to historians, the more plausible theory is that ramen was introduced to Japan in the late 19th<ref name="ao2018" /><ref name="yrm">[[Shin-Yokohama Raumen Museum]]</ref> century by [[Chinese people in Japan|Chinese immigrants]] living in [[Yokohama Chinatown]].<ref name=":3">{{cite book |script-title=ja:文化麺類学・ラーメン篇 |trans-title=Cultural Noodle-logy;Ramen |first=Tadamasa |last=Okuyama |publisher=Akashi Shoten |year=2003 |isbn=978-4750317922 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-B6OPQAACAAJ |language=ja}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{cite book |script-title=ja:にっぽんラーメン物語 |trans-title=Japanese Ramen Story |first=Keiko |last=Kosuge |publisher=Kodansha |year=1998 |language=ja |isbn=978-4062563024 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=b1mbAAAACAAJ }}</ref> By 1884, Chinese noodle soups had grown popular in Yokohama, [[Kobe]], [[Nagasaki]], and [[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)''.<ref name="ao2018" /><ref name=":7">{{Cite web |title=Japanese Noodles (No. 4) |url=https://www.kikkoman.com/en/foodforum/the-japanese-table/32-4.html |access-date=2022-07-20 |website=Kikkoman Corporation |language=ja}}</ref><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" />'' The Japanese referred to all these noodle soup dishes as ''Nankin soba ('[[Nanjing]] noodles')''.<ref name=":6">{{Cite book |last=Solt |first=George |title=The Untold History of Ramen: How Political Crisis in Japan Spawned a Global Food Craze |date=2014 |publisher=University of California Press |isbn=978-0-520-27756-4 |series=California Studies in Food and Culture |location=Berkeley, CA}}</ref> 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.<ref name=":0" /> 

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.<ref name=":6" /> By 1900, restaurants serving Chinese cuisine from [[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]]'' ({{lang|ja|チャルメラ}}, from the Portuguese {{lang|pt|charamela}}) to advertise their presence, a practice some vendors still retain via a loudspeaker and a looped recording.<ref name=":0" />

====First store====
[[File:The Japanese-style Chinese noodle RAMEN of the restaurant RAIRAIKEN at Yutenji Tokyo.jpg|thumb|A bowl of ramen from the second ''Rairaiken'' in Yūtenji, opened in 1933 by Fu Xinglei ({{lang|zh-Hant|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 ''{{ill|Rairaiken|ja|来々軒}}'' ({{lang|ja|来々軒}}), which opened in 1910 in [[Asakusa]], Tokyo. The Japanese founder, Kan'ichi Ozaki (尾崎貫一), employed twelve [[Cantonese people|Cantonese]] cooks from [[Yokohama]]'s [[Chinatown]] and served the ramen arranged for Japanese customers.<ref>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</ref><ref name="hakutukan2">[http://www.raumen.co.jp/home/study_history.html 新横浜ラーメン博物館「日本のラーメンの歴史」]</ref> In contrast to most Japanese, who held prejudiced views toward [[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.<ref name=":0" /> Early versions of ramen were wheat noodles in broth topped with [[char siu]].<ref name="ao2018" /> Ozaki changed the name of the noodle dishes from ''Nankin soba'' to ''Shina soba''.<ref name=":7" /> The store also served standard Cantonese fare like [[wontons]] and [[shumai]], and is sometimes regarded as the origin of Japanese-Chinese fusion dishes like ''[[chūkadon]]'' and ''[[tenshindon]]''.<ref>{{cite book |author=横田文良 |title=中国の食文化研究＜天津編＞ |publisher=辻学園調理・製菓専門学校、ジャパンクッキングセンター |year=2009 |isbn=978-4-88046-409-1 |page=10 |chapter=『天津飯』のルーツを探る}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |title=日本史総合辞典 |publisher=[[Tokyo Shoseki]] |year=1991 |isbn=978-4487731756 |editor=林陸朗、高橋正彦、村上直、他 |page=947}}</ref>  

''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.<ref name=":8" />

In 1925, a Chinese traveller named Fan Qinxing from [[Zhejiang]] province opened a ramen shop called ''Genraiken'' in [[Kitakata, Fukushima|Kitakata]] as an homage to the popular ''Rairaiken''.<ref name=":0" />

In 1933, Fu Xinglei (傅興雷), one of the twelve original chefs, opened a second ''Rairaiken'' in Yūtenji, [[Meguro|Meguro Ward]], Tokyo.<ref name="ong">{{cite web| url = https://thesmartlocal.jp/rairaiken-reopening/| title = Rairaiken, Japan's First-Ever Ramen Restaurant, Reopens At Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum After A 44-Year Hiatus| last = Ong| first = Shi Han| date = August 18, 2020}}</ref>

In 1968, one of Kan'ichi Ozaki's apprentices opened a store named ''Shinraiken'' ("New Raiken") in [[Chiba Prefecture]].<ref name="ong" />

In 2020, Ozaki's grandson and great-great-grandson re-opened the original ''Rairaiken'' as a store inside [[Shin-Yokohama Rāmen Museum]].<ref>{{cite web| url = https://japantoday.com/category/features/food/japan%E2%80%99s-first-ever-ramen-restaurant-reopens-after-44-years| title = Japan's first-ever ramen restaurant reopens after 44 years| last = McGee| first = Oona| work = Japan Today| date = October 26, 2020}}</ref>

===Popularization and modernization===
[[File:Shina soba yatai.jpg|thumb|Women eating ''shina soba'' at a ''shina soba'' stall, Tokyo, 1956]]
After Japan's defeat in [[World War II]], the [[USFJ|American military]] [[Occupation_of_Japan|occupied]] the country from 1945 to 1952.<ref name="ao2018"/> In December 1945, Japan recorded its worst rice harvest in 42 years,<ref name="ao2018"/><ref>{{Cite journal|title=Need, Greed, and Protest in Japan's Black Market, 1938–1949|journal = Journal of Social History|volume = 35|issue = 4|pages = 825–858|last=Griffiths|first=Owen|date=29 August 2018|jstor = 3790613|doi = 10.1353/jsh.2002.0046|s2cid = 144266555|doi-access = free}}</ref> which caused food shortages as Japan had drastically reduced rice production during the war as production shifted to colonies in China and Formosa island.<ref name="ao2018"/> The US flooded the market with cheap wheat flour to deal with food shortages.<ref name="ao2018"/> 

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]],<ref name=":10" /> possibly because it superficially resembled the [[lamian]] dishes they had encountered in northern China. Many Japanese repatriates were familiar with Chinese cuisine and opened ''[[Yatai (food cart)|yatai]]'' (food stalls) selling ramen. [[Jiaozi]], a staple food of northern China, also began to be served as a complement to ramen at these stalls.<ref name=":0" /> These jiaozi were called ''gyoza'' by the Japanese, a name likely adopted in the puppet state of [[Manchukuo]] and derived from the [[Manchu language|Manchu]] word ''giyose''.<ref>Ishibashi, Takao, 2000. Daishin Teikoku (The Great Qing Empire).</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last1=Norman |first1=Jerry L. |title=A comprehensive Manchu-English dictionary |last2=Branner |first2=David Prager |last3=Dede |first3=Keith |date=2013 |publisher=Harvard University Asia Center |isbn=978-1-68417-069-2 |series=Harvard-Yenching Institute monograph series |location=Cambridge, MA}}</ref> 

From 1948 to 1951, bread consumption in Japan increased from 262,121 tons to 611,784 tons,<ref name="ao2018" /> but wheat also found its way into ramen, which most Japanese ate at [[black market]] food vendors to survive as the government food distribution system ran about 20 days behind schedule.<ref name="ao2018" /> Although the Americans maintained Japan's wartime ban on outdoor food vending,<ref name="ao2018" /> flour was secretly diverted from commercial mills into the black markets,<ref name="ao2018" /> where nearly 90 percent of stalls were under the control of gangsters related to the ''[[yakuza]]'' who extorted vendors for protection money.<ref name="ao2018" /> Thousands of ramen vendors were arrested during the occupation.<ref name="ao2018" />

[[File:Shinjuku (6969833313).jpg|thumb|A mobile ramen stall (''[[Yatai (food cart)|yatai]]'') in [[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.<ref name="ao2018" /> Ramen {{lang|ja-latn|yatai}} provided a rare opportunity for small-scale postwar entrepreneurship.<ref name="ao2018" /> The Americans also aggressively advertised the nutritional benefits of wheat and animal protein.<ref name="ao2018" /> The combination of these factors caused wheat noodles to gain prominence in Japan's rice-based culture.<ref name="ao2018" /> Gradually, ramen became associated with urban life.<ref name="ao2018" />

[[File:Tonkotsu ramen - tokyo area June 20 2021.webm|thumb|thumbtime=1|A hot bowl of ''tonkotsu'' ramen in Tokyo]]
In 1958, [[instant noodle]]s were invented by [[Momofuku Ando]], the Taiwanese-Japanese founder and chairman of [[Nissin Foods]]. Named the greatest Japanese [[invention]] of the 20th century in a Japanese poll,<ref>{{cite news| title = Japan votes noodle the tops| url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/1067506.stm| access-date = 2007-04-25 | work=BBC News | date=2000-12-12}} BBC News</ref> 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 [[Shin-Yokohama Raumen Museum|ramen museum]] opened in [[Yokohama]] in 1994.<ref>''[[Japanorama]]'', Series 3, Episode 4. ''[[BBC Three (former)|BBC Three]]'', 9 April 2007</ref>

Today ramen is one of Japan's most popular foods, with Tokyo alone containing around 5,000 ramen shops,<ref name="ao2018"/> and more than 24,000 ramen shops across Japan.<ref name="bbc2016">{{cite web|last=Demetriou|first=Danielle|url=http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20160223-is-this-japans-best-ramen|website=BBC Travel|title=The holy grail of ramen dishes|date=23 February 2016|access-date=26 August 2018}}</ref> ''Tsuta'', a ramen restaurant in Tokyo's [[Sugamo]] district, received a [[Michelin star]] in December 2015.<ref name="bbc2016"/>

==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.<ref name=":5">{{Cite book |last=Satinover |first=Mike |title=The Ramen_Lord Book of Ramen |year=2020 |pages=4–6}}</ref>

===Noodles===
[[File:Fresh ramen noodle 001.jpg|thumb|Fresh ramen noodles]]
The type of noodles used in ramen are called {{Nihongo||中華麺|chūkamen|{{lit|Chinese noodles}}}}, which are derived from traditional Chinese [[alkaline noodles]] known as {{lang|zh-latn|jiǎnshuǐ miàn}} ({{lang|zh|鹼水麵}}). Most {{Nihongo|||chūkamen|}} are made from four basic ingredients: wheat flour, salt, water, and ''{{ill|kansui|ja|かん水}}'', derived from the Chinese {{lang|zh-latn|jiǎnshuǐ}} ({{lang|zh|鹼水}}), a type of alkaline mineral water containing [[sodium carbonate]] and usually [[potassium carbonate]], as well as sometimes a small amount of [[phosphoric acid]]. Ramen is not to be confused with different kinds of noodle such as [[soba]], [[udon]], or [[somen]].

The origin of {{lang|zh-latn|jiǎnshuǐ}} is unclear. It is said to originate in [[Inner Mongolia]]. Making noodles with {{lang|zh-latn|jiǎnshuǐ}} lends them a yellowish hue as well as a firm texture.<ref>{{Cite web |last=improver_admin |date=2024-10-24 |title=Kansui, the Secret of Ramen Noodles and Its History {{!}} Nanachart Traders Consolidation Ltd. {{!}} Improver Product |url=https://www.nanachart-traders.co.th/improver/news-blog/kansui-the-secret-of-ramen-noodles-and-its-history/ |access-date=2025-10-30 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=The secret of ramen noodles｜Nishiyama Seimen Co., Ltd |url=https://www.ramen.jp/english/useful/secret/men/ |access-date=2025-10-30 |website=www.ramen.jp |language=en}}</ref> But since there is no natural {{lang|zh-latn|jiǎnshuǐ}} or ''kansui'' in Japan, it was difficult to make {{lang|zh-latn|jiǎnshuǐ miàn}} or ''chūkamen'' before the [[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.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.miamiherald.com/living/food-drink/article78701612.html|title=Fusion of cultures nets stellar ramen at Ichimi|website=miamiherald|language=en|access-date=2019-01-18}}</ref>

===Soup===
[[File:Ichiran ramen by SkyChen in Shibuya, Tokyo.jpg|thumb|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.<ref name="MAFF_10Tastes2019"/> This base stock is often combined with [[dashi]] stock components such as [[katsuobushi]] ([[skipjack tuna]] flakes), [[niboshi]] (dried baby sardines),<ref name="MAFF_10Tastes2019">{{cite web|url=https://www.maff.go.jp/e/data/publish/attach/pdf/index-113.pdf|title=10 Great Tastes of Japan|at=p.11: Noodles|date=2010-06-18|access-date=2021-07-13|website=Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries; Government of Japan|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190828080016/http://www.maff.go.jp/e/data/publish/attach/pdf/index-113.pdf|archive-date=2019-08-28|url-status=live|language=en}}
*Whole web page which links to the PDF above: {{cite web|url=https://www.maff.go.jp/e/data/publish/|title=Publications|access-date=2021-07-13|website=Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries; Government of Japan|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201101072024/https://www.maff.go.jp/e/data/publish/|archive-date=2020-11-01|url-status=live|at=Japanese Cuisine and Ingredients|language=en}}</ref> saba bushi ([[mackerel]] flakes), [[shiitake]], and [[kombu]] (kelp). Ramen stock is usually divided into two categories: chintan and paitan.
* '''''Chintan''''' ({{lang|ja|清湯}}), derived from the Chinese ''qīngtāng'' ({{zh|t=清湯|p=|s=|labels=no|l=clear soup}}), is a clear stock, made by simmering ingredients and frequently skimming foam and scum off the top of the pot.<ref name=":5" /> Chintan stocks are the most common kind, and can be made from chicken, pork, vegetables and/or niboshi.
*{{Anchor|Tonkotsu}}{{lang|ja-latn|'''Paitan'''}} ({{lang|ja|白湯}}), derived from the Chinese ''[[Soups in East Asian culture#Chinese|baitang]]'' ({{zh|t=白湯|p=|s=|labels=no|l=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 {{lang|ja-latn|tonkotsu}} ({{lang|ja|豚骨}}, 'pork bone'; not to be confused with ''[[tonkatsu]]''). Although {{lang|ja-latn|tonkotsu}} is merely a kind of broth, some people consider [[tonkotsu ramen|''tonkotsu'' ramen]] (specialty of Kyushu, its birthplace) a distinct flavor category.<ref name="Davis2016" /> When chicken bones are used to make a paitan stock, the resulting soup is called ''tori paitan'' ({{lang|ja|鶏白湯}}).

===Tare===
[[File:Santoka ramen.jpg|thumb|{{lang|ja-latn|Shio}} ramen]]
[[File:Gyoza no Ousho 20191210 125203.jpg|thumb|{{lang|ja-latn|Shōyu}} ramen]]
[[File:Dosanko Akaneri.jpg|thumb|{{lang|ja-latn|Miso}} ramen]]
[[File:Muroran Curry Ramen Ajino-Daioh Muroran Honten.jpg|thumb|{{lang|ja-latn|Karē}} ramen]]
[[Tare sauce|Tare]] 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.<ref name=":5" />
* {{Anchor|Shio}}{{lang|ja-latn|'''Shio'''}} ({{lang|ja|塩}}, 'salt') ramen is the oldest of the four types.<ref name="Davis2016">{{cite web|url=https://www.tastemade.com/articles/6-glorious-types-of-ramen-you-should-know|title=6 Glorious Types of Ramen You Should Know|date=2016-02-12|access-date=2020-07-31|website=Tastemade|last=Davis|first=Elizabeth}}</ref> This tare is made from cooking alcohols like [[mirin]] and [[sake]], [[umami]] ingredients like kombu, niboshi and [[Monosodium glutamate|MSG]], and salt. Occasionally pork bones are also used, but they are not boiled for as long as they are for {{lang|ja-latn|tonkotsu}} ramen, so the soup remains light and clear. In shio ramen, ''[[chāshū]]'' is sometimes swapped for lean chicken meatballs, and pickled plums and ''[[kamaboko]]'' (a slice of processed fish roll sometimes served as a frilly white circle with a pink or red spiral called ''[[narutomaki]]'') are popular toppings as well. Noodle texture and thickness varies among {{lang|ja-latn|shio}} ramen, but they are usually straight rather than curly. ''[[Hakodate]] ramen'' is a well-known version of {{lang|ja-latn|shio}} ramen in Japan.
*{{Anchor|Shoyu|Shōyu}}{{lang|ja-latn|'''Shōyu'''}} ({{lang|ja|醤油}}, '[[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]] and [[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]]'', scallions, {{lang|ja-latn|ninjin}} ('carrot'), {{lang|ja-latn|kamaboko}} ('fish cakes'), {{lang|ja-latn|nori}} ('seaweed'), boiled eggs, bean sprouts or [[black pepper]]; occasionally the soup will also contain chili oil or Chinese spices, and some shops serve sliced beef instead of the usual ''[[chāshū]]''.
*{{Anchor|Miso}}{{lang|ja-latn|'''Miso'''}} ({{lang|ja|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]] and is blended with oily chicken or fish broth – and sometimes with {{lang|ja-latn|tonkotsu}} or lard – to create a thick, nutty, slightly sweet and very hearty soup. {{lang|ja-latn|Miso}} ramen broth tends to have a robust, tangy flavor, so it stands up to a variety of flavorful toppings: spicy bean paste or ''[[Doubanjiang|tōbanjan]]'' ({{ill|豆瓣醤|zh| 豆瓣酱|vertical-align=sup}}), butter and corn, leeks, onions, bean sprouts, ground pork, cabbage, [[sesame seed]]s, white pepper, chilli and chopped garlic are common. The noodles are typically thick, curly, and slightly chewy.

===Toppings===
[[File:GOMOKU SOBA 五目そば.jpg|thumb|{{lang|ja-latn|Gomoku}} ramen, sometimes called {{lang|ja-latn|Gomoku soba}}]]
After basic preparation, ramen can be adorned with any number of toppings, including but not limited to:<ref>{{cite web |title=40 Best Ramen Toppings for Your Homemade Noodle Soup |url=https://recipes.net/articles/best-ramen-toppings/ |website=Recipe.net |date=3 June 2021 |access-date=2 May 2022}}</ref>
* ''[[Chāshū]]'' (sliced roasted or [[Red cooking|red cooked]] pork)
* ''[[Allium fistulosum|Negi]]'' (green onion)
* {{Lang|ja-latn|Takana-zuke}} (pickled and seasoned mustard leaves)
* Seasoned (usually [[Salted duck egg|salted]]) [[boiled egg]] ([[soy egg]], {{lang|ja-latn|ajitsuke tamago}} or ''ajitama'')
* ''Niku soboro'' (seasoned and fried [[ground meat]]) 
* [[Bean sprout|Bean]] or other sprouts
* ''[[Menma]]'' (Chinese lacto-fermented bamboo shoots called [[sunsi]]), formerly known as ''shinachiku'' in Japan
* ''[[Kakuni]]'' (braised pork cubes or squares)
* {{lang|ja-latn|Kikurage}} ([[Black fungi|wood ear mushroom]])
* [[Nori]] (dried [[seaweed]])
* ''[[Kamaboko]]'' (formed fish paste, often in a pink and white spiral called ''[[narutomaki]]'')
* [[Squid as food|Squid]]
* ''[[Umeboshi]]'' (pickled plum)
* [[Maize|Corn]]
* [[Butter]]
* [[Wakame]] (a type of seaweed)
* [[Olive oil]]
* [[Sesame oil]]
* ''Mayu'' (black garlic oil)
* [[Chili crisp]]
* Other types of [[vegetable]]s

===Preference===
Seasonings commonly added to ramen are white pepper, [[black pepper]], butter, [[chili pepper]], sesame seeds, and crushed garlic.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Hou|first=Gary G.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4QTNziv6yAcC&q=seasoning+ramen+common&pg=PT164|title=Asian Noodles: Science, Technology, and Processing|date=2011-02-16|publisher=John Wiley & Sons|isbn=978-1-118-07435-0|language=en}}</ref> Soup recipes and methods of preparation tend to be closely guarded secrets.

Most {{lang|ja-latn|tonkotsu}} ramen restaurants offer a system known as {{lang|ja-latn|kae-dama}} ({{lang|ja|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.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://mukai.dameningen.org/nagahama/faq-e.html |title=Hakata Ramen (Nagahama Ramen) FAQ |publisher=Mukai.dameningen.org |access-date=2012-11-18 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120401011822/http://mukai.dameningen.org/nagahama/faq-e.html |archive-date=1 April 2012}}</ref>

==Regional variations==
While standard versions of ramen are available throughout Japan since the [[Taishō period]], the last few decades have shown a proliferation of regional variations, commonly referred to as {{lang|ja-latn|gotouchi}} ''ramen'' ({{lang|ja|ご当地ラーメン}} "regional ramen"). Some of these which have gone on to national prominence are:

* '''[[Sapporo]]''', the capital of [[Hokkaido]], is especially famous for its ramen. Most people in Japan associate Sapporo with its rich {{lang|ja-latn|miso}} ramen, which was invented there and which is ideal for Hokkaido's harsh, snowy winters. Sapporo {{lang|ja-latn|miso}} ramen is typically topped with sweetcorn, butter, bean sprouts, finely chopped pork, and garlic, and sometimes local seafood such as [[scallop]], [[squid]], and crab. [[Hakodate]], another city of Hokkaido, is famous for its salt-flavored ramen,<ref>{{cite web|author=Nate |url=http://www.ramenate.com/2009/12/hakodate-ramen-daimon.html |title=函館らーめん大門 (Hakodate Ramen Daimon) |publisher=Ramenate! |date=2009-12-17 |access-date=2012-11-18}}</ref> while [[Asahikawa]] in the north of the island offers a soy sauce-flavored variation.<ref name="a_ramen">{{cite web|url=http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6893.html|title=Asahikawa Travel: Asahikawa Ramen|publisher=japan-guide.com|access-date=2013-09-26}}</ref> In [[Muroran]], many ramen restaurants offer [[Muroran curry ramen]].<ref>{{cite web|author=加盟店一覧 （50音順）   |url=http://www.muroran-curryramen.com |title=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・・・ |publisher=Muroran-curryramen.com |date=2013-01-24 |access-date=2015-09-28}}</ref>
* '''[[Kitakata ramen]]''' is known for its rather thick, flat, curly noodles served in a pork-and-''[[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 {{lang|ja-latn|soba}} usually refers to ramen, and not to actual [[soba]] which is referred to as {{lang|ja-latn|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]]'', as old ramen establishments in Tokyo often originate from [[soba]] eateries. Standard toppings are chopped scallion, [[menma]], sliced pork, kamaboko, egg, nori, and spinach. [[Ikebukuro]], [[Ogikubo]] and [[Ebisu, Shibuya|Ebisu]] are three areas in Tokyo known for their ramen.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Localized |first=Tokyo |date=2022-12-04 |title=5 Best Ramen in Tokyo |url=https://www.tokyolocalized.com/post/best-ramen-in-tokyo |access-date=2024-12-27 |website=Tokyo Localized |language=en}}</ref>
* '''[[Yokohama]]''' ramen specialty is called [[Iekei Ramen|Ie-kei]] ({{lang|ja|家系}}). It consists of thick, straight noodles served in a soy flavored pork broth similar to {{lang|ja-latn|tonkotsu}}, sometimes referred to as, {{lang|ja-latn|tonkotsu-shoyu}}. The standard toppings are braised pork ([[chāshū]]), boiled spinach, sheets of nori, often with shredded [[Welsh onion]] ({{lang|ja-latn|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 Prefecture|Wakayama]]''' ramen in the [[Kansai region]] has a broth made from soy sauce and pork bones.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://travel.cnn.com/10-things-know-about-wakayama-243956 | title = 10 things that make Wakayama Japan's best kept secret |first= Maggie |last= Hiufu Wong| work=CNN Travel | publisher = Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc| date=2013-06-07|access-date= 2014-11-22}}</ref>
* '''[[Hakata ramen]]''' originates from [[Hakata-ku, Fukuoka|Hakata]] district of [[Fukuoka]] city in [[Kyushu]]. It has a rich, milky, pork-bone {{lang|ja-latn|tonkotsu}} broth and rather thin, non-curly and resilient noodles. Often, distinctive toppings such as crushed garlic, ''[[beni shōga]]'' (pickled ginger), sesame seeds, and spicy [[Tsukemono|pickle]]d mustard greens ({{lang|ja-latn|karashi takana}}) are left on tables for customers to serve themselves. Ramen [[Yatai (retail)|stalls]] in Hakata and [[Tenjin, Fukuoka|Tenjin]] 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-ku, Saitama|Iwatsuki ward]] in [[Saitama (city)|Saitama City]].
* '''Nabeyaki''' ramen is a specialty of [[Susaki, Kōchi|Susaki City]], as well as other cities in western [[Kōchi 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]] fish cakes.<ref>{{cite web | last1=Gurutabi |title=Nabeyaki Ramen |url=https://kyoudo-ryouri.com/en/food/1929.html |website=Kyoudo Ryouri |publisher=kyodoryori-story |access-date=2 June 2024}}</ref> 
* '''[[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]] but has both a spicy broth and spicy minced meat resulting in an extremely spicy dish.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Tzu-hsuan |first1=Liu |title=FEATURE: Delving into the origins of Nagoya's 'Taiwan ramen' |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2024/02/27/2003814149 |website=taipeitimes.com |publisher=Taipei Times |access-date=26 February 2024}}</ref>
<gallery mode="packed">
File:tokyoramen.jpg|Tokyo-style ramen
File:kitakatara-men.jpg|Kitakata ramen
File:Hakatara-men.jpg|Hakata ramen with {{lang|ja-latn|tonkotsu}} soup
File:Wakayamaramen222.jpg|Wakayama ramen
File:Tsukemen.jpg|''[[Tsukemen]]'' dipping ramen
File:Aburasoba-tokyoarea-feb192020.jpg|{{lang|ja-latn|Aburasoba}} ('oiled noodles')
File:takayama_ramen.jpg|Takayama ramen
File:Hiyashira-men.jpg|{{lang|ja-latn|Hiyashi}} (chilled) ramen
File:Butter Corn Ramen.JPG|Butter corn ramen, specialty of Hokkaido 
File:151010 Sapporo ramen at Susukino Sapporo Hokkaido Japan01s.jpg|[[Sapporo]]-style ramen
File:Muroran-CurryRamen.jpg|Muroran curry ramen
File:Shio ramen from Ryukyu Ramen Tondou, Shin-Yokohama.jpg|Ryukyuan shio ramen
File:Service set (Ramen (kotteri), half-size fried rice, and Gyoza)at Tenkaippin, Koenji (32897689265).jpg|Ramen and ''[[chahan (dish)|chahan]]''
</gallery>

==Related dishes==<!-- This section is linked from [[Mayonnaise]] -->
There are many related, [[Chinese cuisine|Chinese-influenced]] 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]] or [[udon]], which are almost never served in the same establishments as ramen.
* [[Nagasaki, Nagasaki|Nagasaki]] ''[[champon]]''. Japanese version of [[Fujian cuisine|Fujianese]] ''menmian'' ({{zh|t=|p=|s=焖面|labels=no}}). The noodles are thicker than ramen but thinner than udon. {{lang|ja-latn|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.
* {{lang|ja-latn|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 ({{zh|t=|p=tāngmiàn|s=汤面|labels=no}}). 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.<ref>{{Cite web |last=一品香 |first=横濱 |title=一品香について {{!}} 横濱 一品香 |url=https://www.ippinko.jp/contents/category/about/ |access-date=2025-07-22 |website=www.ippinko.jp |language=ja}}</ref> Not to be confused with {{lang|ja-latn|tantan-men}} (see after).
* {{lang|ja-latn|Wantan-men}}. Japanese version of [[Cantonese cuisine|Cantonese]] [[wonton noodles]]. It has long, straight noodles and [[wonton]], served in a mild, usually salty soup.
* ''[[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.
[[File:Soupless Dandan noodles Hiroshima Type 広島式 汁なし 担担麺.jpg|thumb|Hiroshma-type {{lang|ja-latn|Tantan-men}}, or soupless dandan noodle]]
* {{lang|ja-latn|Tantan-men}} ({{lang|ja|担担麺}}). Japanese version of [[Sichuan cuisine|Sichuanese]] [[dan dan noodles]]. Ramen in a reddish, spicy chili and sesame soup, usually containing minced pork, garnished with chopped [[scallion]] and [[Chili pepper|chili]] and occasionally topped with spinach or bok choi ({{lang|ja-latn|chingensai}}).
* {{lang|ja-latn|Sūrātanmen}} or {{lang|ja-latn|sanrātanmen}} ({{lang|ja|酸辣湯麺}}, 'noodles in [[hot and sour soup]]'). Japanese version of [[Sichuan cuisine|Sichuanese]] [[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.
* {{lang|ja-latn|[[Aburasoba]]}} ('oil-noodles'). Ramen and toppings served without the soup, but with a small quantity of oily soy-based sauce instead.
* ''[[Hiyashi chūka|Hiyashi-chūka]]'' ({{lang|ja|冷やし中華}}, 'chilled Chinese'). Japanese version of [[Shanghai cuisine|Shanghainese]] ''liangbanmian'' ({{zh|t=|p=|s=凉拌面|labels=no}}). The dish was originally sold in Japan under the borrowed Chinese name ''ryanbanmyen''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=凉面，上海夏天的"顶流"般的存在 |url=https://www.lifeweek.com.cn/h5/article/detail.do?artId=171080 |access-date=2025-07-15 |website=www.lifeweek.com.cn}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Itoh |first=Makiko |date=2017-06-17 |title=Beating the heat with food: 'Hiyashi chūka' cold Chinese-style noodles |url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2017/06/17/food/beating-the-heat-with-food-hiyashi-chuka-cold-chinese-style-noodles/ |access-date=2025-07-15 |website=The Japan Times |language=en}}</ref> It is a  summer dish of chilled ramen on a plate with various toppings (typically thin strips of [[omelet]], ham, cucumber and tomato) and served with a vinegary soy dressing and ''[[karashi]]'' (Japanese mustard). It was first produced at the Ryutei, a Chinese restaurant in [[Sendai#Specialties and crafts|Sendai]]. It is also known as {{lang|ja-latn|reimen}}, especially in western Japan.

==Restaurants in Japan==
[[File:Ichiran in Shinjuku Kabukicho 2018.jpg|thumb|An [[Ichiran]] ramen restaurant in Shinjuku Kabukicho]]
Ramen is offered in various types of restaurants and locations including ramen shops, ''[[izakaya]]'' drinking establishments, lunch cafeterias, [[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.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.japan.travel/en/guide/ramen/|title=Ramen 101 |last=Organization|first=Japan National Tourism|website=Japan Travel|language=en|access-date=2019-06-25}}</ref> Some restaurants also provide ''[[halal]]'' ramen (using chicken) in Osaka and Kyoto.

However, the best quality ramen is usually only available in specialist {{lang|ja-latn|ramen-ya}} restaurants. As {{lang|ja-latn|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 {{lang|ja-latn|ramen-ya}} restaurant include other dishes from [[Japanese Chinese cuisine]] such as [[fried rice]] (called {{lang|ja-latn|chahan}} or {{lang|ja-latn|yakimeshi}}), [[jiaozi]] (called ''gyoza''), and alcohol. {{lang|ja-latn|Ramen-ya}} often feature Chinese-inspired decorations. The bowls used to serve ramen may be designed to include Chinese motifs such as [[Xiangyun (Auspicious clouds)#Yunleiwen/ Yunwen/ Leiwen|yunleiwen]], [[Chinese dragon|loong]], [[fenghuang]], and the character for [[Double Happiness (calligraphy)|double happiness]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ramen Bowl Design from Clay to the Noodle Counter |url=https://musubikiln.com/blogs/journal/ramen-bowl-design-from-clay-to-the-noodle-counter |access-date=2025-07-22 |website=MUSUBI KILN |language=en}}</ref> [[Chinese spoon]]s 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.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-06-18 |title=The Japanese Ramen Spoon: Facts You Probably Didn't Know |url=https://www.apexsk.com/blogs/japan-lifestyle/what-is-a-ramen-spoon-called |access-date=2025-07-22 |website=APEX S.K. |language=en}}</ref> 

From January 2020 to September 2021 during the [[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]] difficult.<ref name="returnramen">{{Cite news|last=McCurry|first=Justin|date=2020-11-13|title=Return of a ramen pioneer gives boost to Japan's Covid-hit restaurant sector|language=en-GB|work=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/nov/13/return-of-a-ramen-pioneer-gives-boost-to-japans-covid-hit-restaurant-sector|access-date=2020-11-13|issn=0261-3077}}</ref>

==Outside Japan==
Ramen became popular in China where it is known as {{lang|zh-latn|rìshì lāmiàn}} ({{lang|zh|日式拉麵}}, {{lit|Japanese-style [[lamian]]}}). Restaurant chains serve ramen alongside  [[Japanese cuisine|Japanese dishes]], such as [[tempura]] and [[yakitori]]. In Japan, these dishes are not traditionally served with ramen, but [[gyoza]], ''[[kara-age]]'', and others from [[Japanese Chinese cuisine]].{{Citation needed|date=December 2023}}

{{anchor|Ramyeon}}In Korea, there is a variation of ramen called ''[[List of instant noodle brands#South Korea|ramyeon]]'' ({{Korean|hangul=라면 |hanja=拉麵|labels=no}}), made much spicier than ramen. There are different varieties, such as [[kimchi]]-flavored {{lang|ko-latn|ramyeon}}. While usually served with egg or vegetables such as carrots and scallions, some restaurants serve variations of {{lang|ko-latn|ramyeon}} containing additional ingredients such as [[Mandu (food)|dumplings]], ''[[tteok]]'', or cheese as toppings.<ref>[https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/art/2008/08/146_28944.html Back to Korean-Style Ramyeon at Nenassi's Noodle Bar]</ref> Famous ramyeon brands include [[Shin Ramyun|Shin Ramyeon]] and [[Buldak Ramen|Buldak Ramyeon]].

Outside of Asia, particularly in areas with a large demand for [[Asian cuisine]], there are restaurants specializing in Japanese-style foods such as ramen noodles. For example, [[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]] serves {{lang|ja-latn|tonkotsu}} ramen.

Chef Antonio de Livier of [[Mexico City]] is credited with a Mexican variation called ''birriamen'' (a portmanteau of [[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]] area.<ref>{{cite news |last=Yu |first=Lynn Q. |date=31 July 2019 |title=Birria and ramen. It just makes sense |url=https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2019-07-31/birria-ramen-mexico-city |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |accessdate=22 January 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Levinson |first=Jonathan |date=1 January 2018 |title=Send Noodz: This Birria-Ramen Mashup Is Here for Your Hangover |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/send-noodz-this-birria-ramen-mashup-is-here-for-your-hangover/ |work=[[Vice.com]] |access-date=22 January 2024}}</ref>

==Instant ramen==
{{Main|Instant noodles}}
[[File:Cup noodles by hirotomo at Mount Fuji.jpg|thumb|Instant ramen in Japan]]
Instant ramen noodles were exported from Japan by [[Nissin Foods]] starting in 1971, bearing the name "Oodles of Noodles".<ref>[https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/6237013.stm "Inventor of instant noodles dies"] [[BBC News]]. 6 January 2007</ref> One year later, it was re-branded "Nissin [[Cup Noodles]]", packaged in a [[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.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.snopes.com/harvard-study-ramen-damage-body/|title=Harvard Study Reveals Just How Much Damage Instant Noodles Do to Your Body|date=2016-07-06|work=Snopes.com|access-date=2017-03-03|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title = Health Column: The risks behind those ramen noodles|url = http://suffolktimes.timesreview.com/2014/09/52021/health-column-the-risks-behind-those-ramen-noodles/|access-date = 2016-01-31|date = 2014-09-13}}</ref> However, instant ramen noodles, known to have a serving of 43 g, consist of very high sodium.<ref>{{Citation|title=Instant Noodles or Ramen|date=1999-04-05|url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1201/9781482278798-28|work=Asian Foods|pages=73–77|publisher=CRC Press|doi=10.1201/9781482278798-28|isbn=9780429179143|access-date=2021-11-02|url-access=subscription}}</ref> At least 1,760&nbsp;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&nbsp;mg of thiamine.<ref>{{cite web|title=Private and General Acute Care Medical Centre {{!}} Parkway East Hospital|url=https://www.parkwayeast.com.sg/|access-date=2021-11-02|website=www.parkwayeast.com.sg|language=en}}</ref>{{Better source needed|date=December 2022}}

===Canned version===
In [[Akihabara]], Tokyo, vending machines distribute warm ramen in a steel can known as {{Nihongo|''ramen kan''|らーめん缶}}. It is produced by a popular local ramen restaurant in flavors such as {{lang|ja-latn|tonkotsu}} and curry, and contains noodles, soup, ''[[menma]]'', and pork. It is intended as a quick snack, and includes a small folded plastic fork.<ref>{{cite web|title= Ramen-can: a topic in Akihabara|url= http://www.globalpopculture.info/archives/159|archive-url= https://archive.today/20080724024545/http://www.globalpopculture.info/archives/159|url-status= dead|archive-date= 2008-07-24}} Global Pop Culture</ref>

==In popular culture==
===Emoji===
In October 2010, an [[emoji]] was approved for [[Unicode]] 6.0 {{unichar|1F35C|Steaming Bowl}} for "Steaming Bowl", that depicts Japanese ramen noodles in a bowl of steaming broth with chopsticks.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nippon.com/en/japan-topics/b00137/picture-this-a-list-of-japanese-emoji.html|title=Picture This: A List of Japanese Emoji|date=29 April 2019|publisher=Nipppon.com}}</ref> In 2015, the icon was added to Emoji 1.0.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://emojipedia.org/steaming-bowl|title=Steaming Bowl Emoji|publisher=[[Emojipedia]]|access-date=10 March 2017}}</ref>

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

In 2008's ''[[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]] is a museum about ramen, in the [[Shin-Yokohama]] district of [[Kōhoku-ku, Yokohama]].<ref>{{cite web|title= Ramen Museum| url=http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3202.html|access-date = 2008-06-18}}</ref>

[[File:Shinyokohama ramen museum.jpg|thumb|center|Shin-Yokohama Rāmen Museum]]

==See also==
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
* [[List of Japanese soups and stews]]
* [[List of noodle dishes]]
* [[List of ramen dishes]]
* [[List of soups]]
* [[Laghman (food)|Laghman]]
* [[Lo mein]]
* [[Pot Noodle]]
* [[Saimin|Hawaiian saimin]]
* [[Shirataki noodles]]
* [[Tare sauce]]
* [[Laksa|Laksa (Southeast Asia)]]
* [[Beef noodles]]
* {{Nihongo|Yaki ramen|[[:ja:焼きラーメン|jp]]}} – It is a type of stir-fried ramen noodles, typically prepared on a ''[[Teppanyaki|teppan]]'' (iron griddle).
{{div col end}}

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

== Further reading ==
* {{Cite book |first=Ivan|last= Orkin |year=2013 |title=Ivan Ramen: Love, Obsession, and Recipes from Tokyo's Most Unlikely Noodle Joint |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qSjAWnXaHHIC |location=Berkeley, Calif. |publisher=Ten Speed Press |oclc=852399997 |isbn=9781607744467 }}
* {{cite web |url=http://www.splendidtable.org/story/the-art-of-the-slurp-or-how-to-eat-ramen |title=The art of the slurp (or, How to eat ramen) |work=[[The Splendid Table]] |date=4 April 2014 |access-date=7 April 2014 |archive-date=14 October 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161014142240/http://www.splendidtable.org/story/the-art-of-the-slurp-or-how-to-eat-ramen |url-status=dead }} Interview with the author.
* [https://cotoacademy.com/how-to-customize-your-favorite-ramen-ramen-toppings-and-vocabulary/ How to Customize your Ramen – Toppings and Japanese Vocabulary]

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[[Category:Ramen| ]]
[[Category:Chinese inventions]]
[[Category:Chinese noodle dishes]]
[[Category:Japanese Chinese cuisine]]
[[Category:Japanese cuisine terms]]
[[Category:Japanese inventions]]
[[Category:Japanese noodle dishes]]
[[Category:Japanese soups and stews]]
[[Category:National dishes]]
[[Category:Noodle soups]]