ラーメン ( Ramen )

Ramen () (拉麺, ラーメン or らーめん, rāmen, IPA: [ɾaꜜːmeɴ]) is a Japanese noodle dish. It consists of Chinese-style wheat noodles (or 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. 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 origin of ramen is traced back to Yokohama Chinatown in the early 20th century. The word "ramen" is a Japanese borrowing of the Mandarin Chinese word lāmiàn, 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. Today, ramen is a cultural icon in Japan, with many regional varieties and a wide range of toppings.

The last few decades have seen a proliferation of regional ramen variations in Japan, known as gotouchi ramen. Notable examples include Sapporo's rich miso ramen, Hakodate's salt-flavored ramen, Kitakata's thick, flat noodles in pork-and-niboshi broth, Tokyo-style ramen with soy-flavored chicken broth, Yokohama's Ie-kei ramen with soy flavored pork broth, Wakayama's soy sauce and pork bone broth, and Hakata's milky, pork-bone tonkotsu broth. Ramen is offered in various establishments and locations, with the best quality usually found in specialist ramen-ya restaurants. Ramen's popularity extends beyond Japan, as it is known as rìshì lāmiàn in China, ramyeon in Korea, and has even made its way into Western restaurant chains. Instant ramen was exported from Japan in 1971 and has since gained international recognition.