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Food and Snacks Invention Related to Pacific Asia War: Part 1 - MOMOFUKU ANDO AND THE REVOLUTIONARY INSUTANTO-RĀMEN [INSTANT RAMEN]

2/18/2019

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by Nickii Wantakan Arcado
Food and Snacks Invention Related to Pacific Asia War: Part 1 - MOMOFUKU ANDO AND THE REVOLUTIONARY INSUTANTO-RĀMEN [INSTANT RAMEN]
"Peace will come to the world when the people have enough to eat."
– Momofuku Ando
Postwar Japan was exemplified by remnants of torn buildings, broken windows, caused by Allied aerial bombs. One of the destroyed office building was owned by Taiwanese-Japanese Momofuku Ando, and with the devastation of his workspace and eventually the bankruptcy of his company, Ando became unemployed. While walking across postwar Japan, Ando noticed a line of people gathering around a pop-up (or rather, makeshift) ramen stand. Ando was confused as to why people would wait hours for noodles, as the Japanese also had access to wheat bread supplied by the U.S. After much deliberation, Ando realized that the Japanese populace was pulled towards noodles because of its familiarity with the country’s culture. Its warmth and rich broth flavor were the reasons the cuisine remains a Japanese favorite.
Food and Snacks Invention Related to Pacific Asia War: Part 1 - MOMOFUKU ANDO AND THE REVOLUTIONARY INSUTANTO-RĀMEN [INSTANT RAMEN]
Food and Snacks Invention Related to Pacific Asia War: Part 1 - MOMOFUKU ANDO AND THE REVOLUTIONARY INSUTANTO-RĀMEN [INSTANT RAMEN]
“It took 48 years of my life for me to come up with the idea of instant noodles. Each and every event in the past is connected to the present by invisible threads.”
– Momofuku Ando
​But developing instant ramen was not an easy process. The first challenge he faced was the production of the ramen noodles itself. Noodle companies in Japan at the time were too small and too few, overall being incapable of satisfying supply needs. As such, rather than pair up with a company, Ando decided to build his own company and produce the ramen himself in a small shack behind his house.
Food and Snacks Invention Related to Pacific Asia War: Part 1 - MOMOFUKU ANDO AND THE REVOLUTIONARY INSUTANTO-RĀMEN [INSTANT RAMEN]
Food and Snacks Invention Related to Pacific Asia War: Part 1 - MOMOFUKU ANDO AND THE REVOLUTIONARY INSUTANTO-RĀMEN [INSTANT RAMEN]
The second challenge was figuring out how to preserve the ramen and cook the ramen. Ando discovered that flash-frying ramen noodles in tempura oil would harden the noodles, Ando then created tiny holes in the noodles, causing the noodles to expand and cook when hot water was added. Finally, in 1958, he perfected his original flavor (and the original instant ramen), chicken ramen. He explained his choice in using chicken soup as a base:
“Hindus may not eat beef and Muslims may not eat pork, but there is not a single culture, religion or country that forbids the eating of chicken.”
– Momofuku Ando
His company, Nissin, was created the same year. And the rest is history. 
On January 5, 2007, Ando passed away in a hospital in his hometown. He was 96 years old and was survived by his wife Masako, two sons and a daughter. He was honored with multiple medals by the Japanese government, most notably, The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star, Second Class, in 2002,  the second most prestigious award in Japan.
Food and Snacks Invention Related to Pacific Asia War: Part 1 - MOMOFUKU ANDO AND THE REVOLUTIONARY INSUTANTO-RĀMEN [INSTANT RAMEN]
Today, Nissin instant ramen offers over 16 different flavors, including beef, shrimp, soy sauce, and chili. ​
Food and Snacks Invention Related to Pacific Asia War: Part 1 - MOMOFUKU ANDO AND THE REVOLUTIONARY INSUTANTO-RĀMEN [INSTANT RAMEN]
Food and Snacks Invention Related to Pacific Asia War: Part 1 - MOMOFUKU ANDO AND THE REVOLUTIONARY INSUTANTO-RĀMEN [INSTANT RAMEN]
Food and Snacks Invention Related to Pacific Asia War: Part 1 - MOMOFUKU ANDO AND THE REVOLUTIONARY INSUTANTO-RĀMEN [INSTANT RAMEN]
An interactive museum to commemorate Ando’s landmark achievement was created in Ikeda of the Osaka Prefecture, Ando’s hometown. Exhibitions and attractions include the chicken ramen factory, which allows the guest to make ramen fresh by hand. Guests go through the kneading, spreading, steaming, seasoning, and drying process of Nissin ramen and learn about the flash frying method that allows ramen to preserve itself for several years. Another exhibition includes the My CUPNOODLES Factory where guests can create their own CUPNOODLES package for 350 yen (approximately $3.17).
Food and Snacks Invention Related to Pacific Asia War: Part 1 - MOMOFUKU ANDO AND THE REVOLUTIONARY INSUTANTO-RĀMEN [INSTANT RAMEN]
Food and Snacks Invention Related to Pacific Asia War: Part 1 - MOMOFUKU ANDO AND THE REVOLUTIONARY INSUTANTO-RĀMEN [INSTANT RAMEN]
A CupNoodles Museum was also built, located in the city of Yokohama featuring 4 stories of history and exhibition of the Nissin company and its founder.  Both museum offer free admission. More information on the museums can be accessed here.
A CupNoodles Museum was also built, located in the city of Yokohama featuring 4 stories of history and exhibition of the Nissin company and its founder.  Both museum offer free admission. More information on the museums can be accessed here.
On March 5, 2015 Google celebrated the inventor’s 105th birthday and an animation as well as a brief description of his life and business accomplishments were featured on the front page (here).
On March 5, 2015 Google celebrated the inventor’s 105th birthday and an animation as well as a brief description of his life and business accomplishments were featured on the front page
While instant ramen has garnered a reputation for being a staple college student dinner (or lunch for that matter), the product’s ability to help millions of displaced people during the time of economic or environmental disasters--including the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear disaster— is highly remarkable.
Food and Snacks Invention Related to Pacific Asia War: Part 1-    MOMOFUKU ANDO AND THE REVOLUTIONARY INSUTANTO-RĀMEN [INSTANT RAMEN]
Food and Snacks Invention Related to Pacific Asia War: Part 1-    MOMOFUKU ANDO AND THE REVOLUTIONARY INSUTANTO-RĀMEN [INSTANT RAMEN]
In Frederick Errington, Deborah Gewertz and Tatsuro Fujikura’s book, The Noodle Narratives, as of 2012, 100 billion serving of instant ramen has been fed to people all over the world.  The book not only argues that the product help low-income works in both rich and poor countries, but the product is capable of being tweaked to adapt to various cultural tastes. Flavors such as spicy hot beef have been popular with areas of Southeast Asia, while shrimp and chicken sells higher in Latin American countries
Food and Snacks Invention Related to Pacific Asia War: Part 1-    MOMOFUKU ANDO AND THE REVOLUTIONARY INSUTANTO-RĀMEN [INSTANT RAMEN]
Food and Snacks Invention Related to Pacific Asia War: Part 1-    MOMOFUKU ANDO AND THE REVOLUTIONARY INSUTANTO-RĀMEN [INSTANT RAMEN]
Reading through Ando’s story there is no debate that his initial goal to feed the hungry in Post-War Japan, working hours in his backyard shed alone, and producing a mechanism that has been replicated by other companies (Even competitors like Maruchan and Sapporo Ichiban, Indomie from Indonesia, MAMA from Thailand,  Shin Ramyun and Samyang from Korea) has cemented Nissin instant ramen as one of the world’s most important inventions.
Inspiration leads to invention. Tenacity is the breeding ground for inspiration. There can be no invention in the absence of tenacity.
– Momofuku Ando
References:
  1. “Momofuku Ando's 105th Birthday.” Google Search, Google, 5 Mar. 2015, www.google.com/doodles/momofuku-andos-105th-birthday
  2. “Chicken Ramen Factory.” CUPNOODLES MUSEUM OSAKA IKEDA, www.cupnoodles-museum.jp/en/osaka_ikeda/attractions/cr-factory/.
  3. Leibowitz, Karen, and Karen Leibowitz. “The Humble Origins of Instant Ramen: From Ending World Hunger to Space Noodles.” Gizmodo, Gizmodo.com, 18 June 2013, www.gizmodo.com/the-humble-origins-of-instant-ramen-from-ending-world-5814099  
  4. Errington, Frederick Karl, Fuzikura Tatsuro, and Deborah B. Gewertz. The Noodle Narratives: The Global Rise of an Industrial Food into the Twenty-First Century. University of California Press, 2013.
  5. Hevesi, Dennis. “Momofuku Ando, 96, Dies; Invented Instant Ramen.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 9 Jan. 2007, www.nytimes.com/2007/01/09/business/worldbusiness/09ando.html

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        • Duties of Unit 731
        • Human Experimentation
        • [GRAPHIC] Germ Warfare Attacks
        • Cover Ups After the War
        • [OLD] Cover Ups After the War
      • Philippines' Resistance - Guide >
        • Philippines World War II Timeline
        • The Japanese Invasion & Conquest of the Philippines
        • Bataan Death March
        • Formation of Underground Philippines Resistance
        • Supplies of the Guerrilla Fighters
        • The Hukbalahap
        • Hunter's ROTC
        • Marking's Guerrillas
        • United States Army Forces in the Philippines of Northern Luzon (USAFIP-NL)
        • The Aetas
        • Chinese and Filipino-Chinese Nationalist Guerrilla Units
        • The Female Faces of the Philippine Guerrillas
      • Rising Sun Flag - Guide >
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        • Rising Sun Flag in Pop Culture
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        • The Fierce Heneralas and Kumanders of the Hukbalahap Guerrillas
        • Amazons of the Pacific Theater
        • Filipina American Veterans: Recovering the Extraordinary Feats of the Ordinary Pinays
        • The Legacy of the Asian Women Soldier
      • Fall of Singapore - Guide >
        • Singapore World War II Timeline
        • History of World War II in the Pacific
        • History of Singapore
        • Japan's Conquest in Asia
        • Japan's Invasion of the Malay Peninsula
        • Sook Ching Massacre
        • Double Tenth Incident
        • Social Changes and Challenges in Singapore
        • Voices from Syonan
        • Return to British Rule
      • Three Years and Eight Months - Guide >
        • Hong Kong before WW2
        • Buildup to World War 2
        • The Battle of Hong Kong
        • Life during 3 Years and 8 Months
        • East River Column Guerrilla Fighters
        • Prisoners of War Camps
        • End of Japanese Occupation
        • War Crimes Trials
      • Siamese Sovereignty - Guide >
        • The Land of Smiles
        • The Thai-Japanese Relationship
        • Phibun’s Domestic and International Policies
        • The Free Thai Resistance Movement
        • Post WW2 Aftermath of Thailand
      • The Khabarovsk War Crimes Trial - Guide >
        • Defendants of Khabarovsk War Crime
        • The Japanese Empire and USSR in WW2
        • The Employment of the Bacteriological Weapon in the War
        • Planning of Japan invasion to USSR
      • Unit 731 Cover-up : The Operation Paperclip of the East - Guide >
        • Establishing Manchukuo
        • The Development of Unit 731
        • Plan Kantokuen and Bacteriological Warfare
        • The Downfall of the Japanese WW2 Era
        • Three Stages of Interrogations
        • Lasting Impacts
      • Marutas of Unit 731 - Guide >
        • How did Ishii Shiro start unit 731?
        • A Beta Testing Site
        • Establishing Pingfan
        • Experiences at the Human Experimentation Complex
        • Vivisection at the Unit 731
        • Anta Testing Grounds
        • Overall Advance from the Laboratory Creations
        • The End of the War
      • Prince Konoe Memoir - Guide >
        • Who is Prince Konoe?
        • Preparation to Tripartite Pact
        • Emperor Hirohito and Prince Konoe
        • The End of Prince Konoe
      • Competing Empires in Burma - Guide >
        • What was the China-Burma-India Theater?
        • When did the China-Burma-India Theater Happen?
        • Who Fought in the China-Burma-India Theater?
        • The Second Sino Japanese War
        • Japan in the South
        • Operation U-Go
      • Battle of Shanghai - Guide >
        • The Battle of Shanghai. Background
        • Shanghai Before War
        • The First Battle of Shanghai 1932
        • Battle of Shanghai 1937
        • Aftermath of Battle for Shanghai
      • Ishi Shiro - Guide >
        • History of Biological Weapons and The Young Ishii Shiro
        • Establishment in Manchuria
        • Pingfang District - Harbin
        • Failures and Corruption
        • Post War
      • Taiwan The Israel of the East - Guide >
        • Background of Formosa
        • Industrialization of Japan
        • China During WWII
        • Taiwan under Kuomintang
        • New Taiwanese National Identity
      • Seeking Justice for Biological Warfare Victims of Unit 731 - Guide >
        • Introduction of Wang Xuan
        • Colonel Memorandum
        • The Beginning of Biological Warfare
        • The Bacteriological Warfare on China
        • Victims in Zhejiang’s Testimonies
        • After the War
      • Rice and Revolution - Guide >
        • The French Colonial Period
        • Anti-Colonial Resistance
        • The Rise of the Communist Movement
        • Imperial Japan’s Entry into Indochina
        • The Portents of Famine
        • The Famine (1944-45)
        • Legacy of the 1944-45 Vietnam Famine
      • Clash of Empires - Guide >
        • Japan’s Imperialist Origins
        • Japan’s Competition against the West: Nanshin-ron and Hokushin-ron
        • Japanese Imperialism Through the Lens of French Indochina
        • The U.S.-Japan Relations and the Pearl Harbor Attack
      • Hunger for Power and Self-SufficiencyI - Guide >
        • The Influence of War Rations on Post-War Culinary Transformations
        • How World War II Complicated Food Scarcity and Invention
        • American Military Innovations
        • Government-Sponsored Food Inventions in Europe during World War II
        • Feeding the Army: The Adaptation of Japanese Military Cuisine and Its Impact on the Philippines
        • Mixed Dishes: Culinary Innovations Driven by Necessity and Food Scarcity
    • Lesson Plans >
      • Reparations
      • Ethics in Science
      • Writing the Narrative of a Pinay Fighter
      • Privilege Journal
      • Environmental Injustices
      • Female Guerrillas
      • Hunter's ROTC
      • Scientific Advancements
      • Seeking Justice: A Humanities Lesson Plan
      • The Hukbalahap
      • Trading Immunity
      • Bataan Death March
      • Biochemical Warfare Development
Contribute