Ramen and how Chinese cuisine influenced Japan

The term “ramen” as we know it today became widespread after the Second World War. Some scholars suggest it derives from the Chinese pronunciation of la mian (拉面), while others see it as a Japanised blend of lāmiàn and the Japanese word men (麺), meaning noodles.

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Though originally an imported dish, ramen has been thoroughly adapted and refined by the Japanese, spawning countless variations: from Tokyo’s light and savoury shoyu ramen to Hokkaido’s rich miso ramen, and Fukuoka’s creamy tonkotsu ramen. Each variety reflects Japan’s deep culinary culture and showcases the nation’s remarkable ability to assimilate and personalise foreign influences. Through ramen, the Japanese impart their own unique character into what began as a ‘foreign’ dish.

To regard ramen purely as a noodle dish overlooks a deeper Chinese influence on Japanese cuisine: the notion of cuisine as a holistic system rather than a collection of isolated dishes.

In crafting a bowl of ramen, the broth is the foundation, slow-simmered to perfection. The noodles are made with alkaline additives (kansui) to achieve their signature elasticity. Toppings include char siu (チャーシュー, a variation on the Chinese “char siu”), pickled eggs, and menma (fermented bamboo shoots). This layering reveals the philosophy of “five flavours” and “mutual generation,” central to classical Chinese culinary thought, the idea that a dish must balance salty, sweet, sour, spicy and bitter, alongside considerations of yin and yang, hot, cold and neutral. Though undeniably Japanese in appearance, ramen remains firmly rooted in Chinese culinary philosophy.

Even the ramen business model, from small roadside stalls to large restaurant chains, echoes Chinese lao ban miàn (老板面) or tangbao dian (water dish shops). Unlike traditional Japanese dishes such as kaiseki, which are tied to ritual and tranquillity, ramen is served amid the hustle and bustle of urban life, a phenomenon mainland China experienced a century before Japan.

Ramen exemplifies the Japanese talent for absorbing and selectively reinventing. Japanese culture is far from closed; it constantly welcomes foreign influences, then reshapes them to fit its own values. From writing (kanji) to tea ceremonies, from Buddhism to imperial architecture, ancient China provided a blueprint for Japan throughout periods such as Asuka, Nara, and even into the Heian era.

But ramen is a special case. It carries none of the nobility or scholarly aura; instead, it is familiar, popular, adaptable, closely connected to urban dwellers and postmodern city life. This is why the Chinese influence in ramen lies not in “preserving the original,” but in a thorough transformation.

Take tonkotsu broth, for example. It has no counterpart in Chinese cuisine; it is a distinctly Japanese invention. While based on Chinese bone-simmering techniques, it uses different timing and temperature to produce a milky, fatty broth with a subtle umami taste. Likewise, Japanese chāshū differs from Cantonese char siu. Adapted for local palates, it is cooked tender, sliced thinly, less sweetened, and stewed rather than seared. Yet, despite these innovations, a Chinese essence remains in every detail of ramen, from the meticulously prepared bone broth that forms the base, to the exceptional noodle-making skills the Japanese inherited, and even in the art of crafting the perfect side dish. With one of the world’s deepest and most layered culinary traditions, China breathed fresh life into Japan’s classic cuisine. That influence endures today, visible in a vibrant and lively Japanese food culture that contrasts with the traditional quietness and depth. Once, the Japanese avoided pork or wheat flour; now, they eagerly slurp bowls of ramen after work, a delicious reward for their taste buds.

Interestingly, this influence is now flowing back in the opposite direction. Many contemporary Chinese chefs have begun embracing ramen as a global symbol of Japan, reinterpreting it through the lens of modern Chinese cuisine. Chains such as Ajisen Ramen and Ichiran have gained popularity across mainland China, while some fine dining establishments in Shanghai and Beijing have incorporated ramen with local twists.

Ramen rides the wave of “global Japanese cuisine” alongside sushi, tempura and matcha, recognised by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage. More importantly, ramen reveals that Japan not only excels in creating culture but also in transforming the cultures of other peoples and places into something uniquely Japanese, in a subtle, unmistakably refined way.

Inside every bowl of ramen slurped on the streets of Japan lies more than just umami, richness or sweetness from the bone broth. It is a living testament to the subtle, intricate cultural exchange between China and Japan. Ramen is not simply a dish; it is a cultural narrative, a historical record of dialogue between two of East Asia’s most influential civilisations. Each noodle and every spoonful of broth carries the marks of migration, exchange and osmosis. Through this, we discover a culinary truth: no dish is entirely “original”. Rather, dishes that endure are those that tell stories that transcend borders and time, connecting people through the most familiar flavours in their collective memory.

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