It comes as a surprise to most people that that ramen is originally from China and not Japan. Ramen consumption in Japan can be traced back to the establishment of Rai-Rai Ken in Tokyo by a customs agent who had worked in Yokohama’s Chinatown. When the restaurant opened in 1910, Chinese cooks were employed and “shina soba” was popularised. “Shina” stood for China, “soba” for the noodles that Japan knew very well. Shina soba was both filling and cheap, and so it became popular with workers who didn’t have much time or money to spare. Besides being inexpensive, shina soba was linked to China, which was conquered by Japan just as the dish became well known. Instant ramen, aimed at the middle class, was introduced in 1958. Fine dining restaurants specialising in ramen cropped up as vendors disappeared. Slowly, being viewed as an alternative to European cuisine, ramen became Japan’s national dish.
