Ramen began as a noodle soup influenced by Chinese cooking and became one of Japan’s most recognisable comfort foods. Regional bowls differ in broth, noodles and toppings.
How ramen changed
Local cooks adapted wheat noodles to Japanese tastes, creating styles such as miso ramen in Hokkaido, tonkotsu in Kyushu and shoyu ramen in Tokyo. Instant ramen later made the dish popular worldwide.
The bowl today
A balanced bowl combines broth, springy noodles, aromatics and toppings such as mushrooms, tofu, seaweed or egg. The best version depends on the broth and noodle pairing, not on one fixed recipe.