Ramen (
/ˈrɑːmən/) (拉麺, ラーメン or らーめん,
rāmen,
[ɾaꜜːmeɴ] ⓘ) is a
Japanese noodle dish. It consists of
Chinese-style wheat noodles (中華麺,
chūkamen) served in a
broth; common flavors are
soy sauce and
miso, with typical toppings including sliced
pork (
chāshū),
nori (dried seaweed),
menma (bamboo shoots), and
scallions. Ramen has its roots in Chinese noodle dishes.
[1] 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 early 20th century. The word "ramen" is a Japanese borrowing of the Chinese word
lamian (拉麵), meaning "pulled noodles". The dish evolved from southern Chinese noodle dishes, reflecting the demographics of Chinese settlers in
Yokohama. Ramen gained popularity in Japan, especially during food shortages following World War II. In 1958,
instant noodles were invented by
Momofuku Ando, further popularizing the dish.
