Ramen(rāmen)

Rāmen is a Japanese noodle soup that is characterized by its rich taste and many variations. Originally from China, rāmen has become one of Japan's most famous dishes, with a deep cultural significance and a passionate following both in Japan and internationally.

The base of rāmen is a combination of noodles, broth and various toppings. The noodles are wheat-based and vary in thickness and firmness. The broth, the heart of every rāmen dish, can be made from various ingredients such as chicken, pork, fish, or seafood and is often simmered for hours to achieve depth and complexity of flavor. The most well-known broths include shoyu (soy sauce), miso (fermented soybean paste), shio (salt) and tonkotsu (pork bones).

Toppings complement and enrich the dish, with fried pork (chashu), bamboo shoots, spring onions, seaweed (nori), corn, boiled eggs and various vegetables being among the most popular. The selection and combination of toppings vary greatly depending on the region and individual preferences. Rāmen is ubiquitous in Japan and is sold in specialized rāmen stores, known as rāmen-ya, which are characterized by their unique recipes and broths. Each region of Japan is known for its own variation of the dish, resulting in a rich variety of flavors and styles.