第34回 の解答

The Spread of Ramen

Ramen is now one of the most famous Japanese foods in the world, but it originally came from China. In the late 1800s, Chinese cooks in Japanese port cities such as Yokohama served noodles in soup. At first, the dish was mainly eaten by Chinese people living in Japan. In 1910, however, a restaurant in Tokyo began serving it to Japanese customers, and it quickly became popular among workers because it was cheap and filling.

Over time, Japanese cooks changed the recipe to suit local tastes, and different regions developed their own styles, such as miso ramen in Hokkaido and pork-bone soup in Kyushu. Then, in 1958, Momofuku Ando invented instant noodles, which could be prepared simply by adding hot water. This invention made ramen a common food in homes across Japan. Later, cup noodles, which appeared in 1971, helped spread the dish to many other countries.

Today, ramen shops can be found in cities from New York to Paris, and some of them are so popular that customers wait in line for hours. Many foreign tourists also visit Japan hoping to try authentic local versions. However, ramen shops in Japan are facing difficulties, as the prices of ingredients and energy have risen sharply. Because customers expect ramen to be cheap, many owners find it hard to raise their prices, and a growing number of shops have closed.