Ramen Tradition and Ritual

As Ramen continues evolve and adapt to Japanese culture, so does the process of consuming it. Ramen's  consumption is a ritual, one that is very closely observed and recognized by its practitioners. In this ritual we see another contradiction between two different aspects of etiquette: adherence to a rigid culinary tradition vs embracing the noisy, raucous slurping of the noodle. It’s important to note that during the pre war period of Japan, noodle dishes were frowned upon as uncouth. The Japanese monarchy prohibited the entrance of other Asian cuisines, primarily chinese, because the slurping of noodles was thought to be uncultured and barbaric.

 

The Ramen ritual fully embraces this loud and noisy practice in parallel with some of the more archaic notions of classic Japanese cuisine - most notably - the use of chopsticks is an important element to the practice. As the Smithsonian notes, “The etiquette around ramen includes one particular prohibition worth noting. Chopsticks need to be set down by the bowl or across its rim, never stuck into the noodles so that they point out at an upward angle, which is the way Japanese leave food offerings at graves and would be regarded as a gesture or symbol of death” (Pitock 2017). In this element of the ramen ritual we see an observance to classic Japanese culture and folklore, a parallel between the culinary world and the tradition of the Japanese people. 

Arguably the most important aspect of eating Ramen is the loud SLURP that needs to accompany every bite. A novice ramen eater is quickly identified by more tenured Ramen enthusiasts by not adhering to this most important aspect of the ramen ritual: loud eating. Ramen chefs are expected to serve an incredibly fresh, but hot, bowl of Ramen to their customers. This expectation is part of the ritual for the chef and must also be observed. Ramen is best enjoyed hot, and the loud slurp ensures the meal can be consumed without burning the mouth. The ritual begins with a “whoosh of the chopsticks, cradled by a large spoon, rising triumphantly toward the eager mouth” and majestically “the steam rolls off noodles dripping with liquid, completes the action” (Kushner 2012, 19). 

Ramen is unique in that its ritual must be observed differently by customers and creators. “Good” ramen must follow an intentional presentation to ensure it can be received properly by the customer. There is an element of fluidity that must be respected during the process of creation to consumption. The bowl of ramen is expected to enter into its “life” without a break in the process and ultimately “presented to the customer just after the noodles have boiled and the soup has been ladled out” (Kushner 2012, 233). “Good” ramen can not be cool or tepid under any circumstance and must be served fresh. If ramen is not served fresh the next element of the ritual, slurping, cannot be observed. Like a domino effect, the ramen ritual must be cohesive, “In short, good ramen is labor-intensive and time-consuming to make” (Kushner 2012, 233).