The history of ramen features cameos from The Yakuza crime syndicate, the U.S. Army, and a businessman who turned a simple idea into a worldwide convenience food. Ramen is so much more than a cheap and filling meal. In this episode of Food History, we break down ramen as a cultural and historic artifact whose evolution continues today.
You’ll hear from a ramen lover who spent two years working in a Japanese ramen shop, and you’ll learn why ramen was practically outlawed in the years following World War II.