The Ramen Noodles of Con-FUSION 1/2

… the reason why it is called instant noodles (possibly?)

The ramen noodles have long been one of our favourite national dishes. For the last decade or so, its popularity has spread around the world.

Any Japanese person who had left Japan before this noodle-mania phenomenon missed the ramen noodles so much, that he or she couldn’t help but buy the similarlooking instant noodles in a plastic cup from the local supermarkets. You pour the boiling hot water into the cup and your expectation of tasting the ramen noodles soars sky-high! After the longest 3-minute wait, you have your first bite of noodles or sip of soup… and your dream shatters. INSTANTLY. As the initial shock gradually fades, you start wondering whether this is why it’s called INSTANT noodles.

These noodles are nothing like the ones we are familiar with. The disappointment is so deep it could almost dig your grave.

This is the kind of experience we never forget. This will be passed down to our next generation and after that.

However, this is the funny old (new, actually) world we live in. Everything goes global. The tradition and culture, too. You export your culture and, after a lot of messing about in foreign lands, you import it back. That’s what’s happened to our beloved ramen noodles.

Should we laugh or cry? I will tell you next time…