Reflecting Local Culture

As a piece of material folklore, Ramen often reflects the customs, ingredients and history of the local folk groups who consume and celebrate it. Anthropologists of food culture refer to ramen as a “platform food” because it is a culinary base on which other flavors and ingredients are injected as placed” (Kushner 2012, 223). Ramen, in its own way, is like a bagel or a sandwich “It depends on where you were born and what you like,” Kikuzō continued. He noted what many have said: “Western Japanese in Kyushu often prefer the pork based soup, Tokyo-ites a light soy sauce taste, while a heavier miso-flavored” (Kushner 2012, 233). The “base” of ramen shares three characteristics that are celebrated by all communities in Japan through a shared post war history: 

1. Tasty and nutritious food that departed from a bland and rigid culinary culture. Ramen and other new age dishes are a “reflection of a new, strong nation, and generated pride that somewhat blunted the psychological and political trauma of military defeat” (Kushner 2012, 233)

2.The injection of Chinese culture (and other neighboring Asian cultures) into Japanese cuisine. Prior to WWII the Japanese monarchy did not allow any cross pollination.
3. An enlarged cultural identity through the sharing of culinary practices and embrace of food as a piece of material folklore. 

These three characteristics shape the metaphor of Ramen and each state and community add to this tradition with local customs. The Michelin guide recently posted an article that celebrated the Ten styles of Ramen you will find in Japan. While these ten styles are very much alive, it is estimated that there are hundreds of different styles of Ramen each incorporating different elements of local customs. Some of the more prevalent styles of ramen can be found in Hokkaido, Tokyo, Fukushima and Okinawa.

 

Hokkaido is located in Northern Japan and is incredibly cold throughout the year. It’s hallmark ingredient in ramen is Corn - this ingredient is not only unique to their ramen but to Japan as a whole. The Portugese are credited with being the first to introduce corn to Hokkaido. but it was not until the USA introduced corn post WWII that it gained popularity in Hokkaido. Hokkaido was traditionally too cold to grow rice, “its people cultivated and ate corn either as a staple food or as kate —cereal grains mixed in with the staple grain to make up for the shortage” (Nagao 2009). Corn, like wheat, was attributed to survival and sustenance after WWII and shares the same “savior” complex as Ramen. 

Okinawa ramen is a recent phenomenon that was highly influenced by the US military presence and base on the island. Okinawa ramen leans heavily on a pork base “and the ramen sometimes also has seafood stock added to the tonkotsu soup” (Kosato 2016). Okinawa ramen often has pork spare rib as the main protein, a favorite dish of the American GIs who occupy the island to this day. Okinawan cuisine leverages two main proteins: fish and pork. Both are prevalent on this island and are reflected in this dish. The blend of seafood broth and pork broth is very uncommon for Ramen and speaks to the flexibility of this dish.

Tokyo ramen is also very reflective of the preferred culinary traditions of its people and leverages a fish broth that borrows from this city's heavy emphasis on seafood and its world famous fish markets. Fukushima ramen, similar to Okinawa, uses a pork broth and pork protein that is representative of its local food resources. Fukushima also has a native wild pig as well as a number of pork farms that contribute to the pork culinary scene. Fukushima ramen is a “Hakata-style ramen that originated in the night market “yatai” (portable vending cart) culture of Hakata ward in the northern Kyushu city of Fukuoka. There, dozens of stalls and restaurants serve up “tonkotsu”—a stinky, thick pork bone broth—to late night revellers. (Reiffenstein 2017, 446)” In both of these cities, Ramen incorporates tastes that are new and old to form the contrasting elements of both past and future.