What is Ramen?

Ramen is a popular food in Japan. It is a kind of soup with long noodles. The soup is usually hot. People often put meat, eggs, and vegetables in their ramen. Today, ramen is famous around the world. But ramen is not very old. And it did not start in Japan!

Ramen Comes from China

Ramen came from China. Chinese people have been making and eating noodles for a very long time. In the late 1800s, many Chinese people came to Japan to work. They brought their food with them. They made soup with noodles and sold it to Japanese workers. The Japanese people liked this food very much.

At first, people called it “Chinese noodles.” The Chinese noodles were different from Japanese noodles. They looked different, and they felt different in your mouth.

Ramen Becomes Popular

After a big war, Japan had many problems. Many people did not have much money. They needed food that didn’t cost much. At this time, Japan got a lot of wheat from America. Wheat is used to make noodles and bread. Because there was a lot of wheat, people could make noodles for a low price. Ramen became very popular because it was cheap and it made people feel full.

Small ramen shops opened in many places in Japan. These shops were often very small. But the food was good and hot. Workers would go to these shops after work. Students would eat there when they were hungry and had little money.

Different Kinds of Ramen

Different parts of Japan started making different kinds of ramen. In Tokyo, people make the soup with soy sauce. It has a strong, salty taste.

In Sapporo, in northern Japan, people make miso soup. Miso is made from a kind of bean. This ramen is very good when the weather is cold.

In Fukuoka, in the south, people make the soup from pig bones. They cook the bones for many hours. The soup is white and thick. It has a strong smell, but it tastes very good.

People in Japan are very happy about the ramen from their city. They think their city makes the best ramen!

A New Kind of Ramen

In 1958, a Japanese man made something new. His name was Momofuku Ando. He made ramen that you could keep in a package. This ramen was very easy to make. You put it in a cup or bowl. You add hot water. You wait a few minutes. Then the ramen is ready to eat. You do not need to cook it. You do not need much time.

This was a big change. Now, anyone can make ramen at home very quickly and easily. Students loved it because it was fast and cheap. Busy people loved it too.

This kind of ramen became popular all over the world. Today, people eat many millions of these packages every year. It is one of Japan’s most successful things.

Ramen Around the World

Today, you can find ramen restaurants in many countries. Big cities around the world have ramen shops. Sometimes people wait in long lines to eat there.

Some restaurants make ramen the old way. They cook the soup for many hours. They make the noodles fresh every day. These restaurants can be expensive, but people think the ramen is very good.

Other places make ramen in new ways. They put in different things. Some ramen now has cheese, tomatoes, or other new foods.

Why Do People Love Ramen?

People love ramen for many reasons. First, it tastes good. The hot soup and soft noodles make you feel good when you eat them. Second, ramen makes you feel happy and warm. It is a tasty food. Third, there are many different kinds of ramen. You can try new kinds in different places. Also, ramen brings people together. Friends meet at ramen shops. Families eat ramen at home together.

Ramen Today

Ramen has changed a lot over time. It started as a simple food from China. Now it is famous around the world as Japanese food.

This simple bowl of soup and noodles tells us about how food moves from one country to another. It shows us how a food can change and become popular in new places.

Next time you eat ramen, think about this long story!