Japanese "Instant Curry" Is Only Second to Ramen Noodles for Their National Dish

When I think of the dish curry my thoughts usually travel to India, as I imagine many people’s would- but it is actually also a huge dish throughout Japan. So popular, in fact, that it is regarded the second of their two national dishes- the other being Ramen of course! I find it so surprising that the Japanese love for curry is so strong that it puts it ahead of sushi! For the people of Japan, summertime and spicy food go hand and hand. And we can’t have hot and spicy without some curry powder! 

Curry was most likely introduced to the Japanese by the Anglo-Indian officers of the British Empire. But like many nations do to imported dishes, they changed it and added ingredients to it to make their curry something special and uniquely Japanese. 

Rice curry has been on the scene in Japan since the turn of the 20th century, but was originally a dish only the rich could afford. Like all Western food, it was a cuisine that was considered to be exotic and a luxury. Proper curry sauce would be carefully prepared and served by a professional chef using curry powder imported from England. 

But since the mid-1900s, curry has become a dish that everyone in Japan can enjoy. Curry dishes can be found on menus ranging from the most inexpensive restaurants to the high end restaurants- and many places like to get creative with what they do with their curry. At some places you can find a dish known as kare udon, udon noodles in curry-flavored soup, or kare pan, dough stuffed with curry paste, breaded, and deep fried- yum! 

But the most widespread love for curry in Japan came from the more recent invention- instant curry. We know how the Japanese love their Instant Noodles, so it doesn’t come as a surprise that after the creation of ready-to-eat curry dishes, the dish’s popularity exploded across the country. 

Curry’s place within Japanese culture is a result of its delicious taste but also because of the role it has played as a staple of the Japanese armed forces and school lunches for hungry children. So it's not only a delicious summertime treat but also very useful! 

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A Japanese Specialty Turns into a Cultural Icon through the Ramen Stadium

 If you've ever been exposed to any type of Asian culture, or been a poor college student, you are probably familiar with the beloved Japanese ramen noodles. These noodles have been loved throughout all of Japan since they were first introduced by the Chinese over a century ago.

 This dish has proved so popular that four different categories and countless toppings have been created to please the eager customers' unwavering appetite for the noodles. Microwavable "Instant Noodles" were even created in 1958 by Momofuku Ando, which swept not only the nation, but the world, and became a Japanese cultural icon by the 1980s. Restaurants cover the nation where people can go and watch a Japanese chef whip up his regional noodle speciality. There is even a museum dedicated to ramen noodles, and I recently learned, a stadium as well. 

If you are a sports fan, than the word stadium might conjure up certain images in your head. While the Ramen Stadium in Japan isn't exactly the typical stadium a sports fanatic may picture- it is pretty epic in its own right. 

Eight popular ramen restaurants gather in one location in Fukuoka, Japan to provide the ultimate ramen experience. Your initial reaction might be that eight places serving the same dish seems repetitive, but each restaurant offers a different style of broth and noodles, so you could easily visit each and never eat the same food! 

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A souvenir shop has also been added, so when you're done trying the noodles you can go and purchase it from the selection of specialty ramens the store offers! The little shop also offers a Ramen gift pack that you'll only be able to find at this location.

If you ever visit Japan, your cultural experience is not complete without a visit to Ramen Stadium, so be sure to add that to the list of places to go! 


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Happy ramen eating! 

Different Noodles, Difference Places

Have you ever eaten packaged ramen? Of course you have. Think Top Ramen or Cup of Noodles. Instant, packaged noodles were pioneered by Momofuku Ando, the founder of Nissin Foods in Japan in 1970. Instant noodles were such a success that Lipton and Campbell tried experimenting with their own noodles. Instant noodles make about 15 billion dollars a year worldwide. That is a lot of noodles and a lot of love for one dish.

Every country has a unique take on the famous noodle. Noodle soup is different in China than in Japan. Noodle soup is also very different in Thailand than in Singapore. There are so many tasty noodle dishes that it makes you dizzy and your tummy rumble.