When visiting Japan, many people aspire to try the country’s diverse noodle dishes. While dining at local establishments is a great experience, trying instant noodles that you can prepare yourself is also highly recommended. In this guide, we will introduce some recommended cup noodles, perfect for both enjoying on the spot and bringing back as souvenirs. We’ll cover their flavors and distinctive features.
Nissin Foods Cup Noodles Regular
Nissin Foods’ Cup Noodles were the world’s first instant cup noodles ever created. The soup has a soy sauce flavor, and it is known for its unique smooth-textured noodles. Additionally, the seasoning includes minced pork known affectionately among fans as ‘mystery meat.’ While the regular version features a soy sauce flavor, various other flavors such as curry, miso, seafood, and chili tomato are also available.
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Name: Cup Noodles
Manufacturer: Nissin Foods Co., Ltd.
Suggested Retail Price: 236 yen (excluding tax)
Nissin Foods Donbei Kitsune Udon
In Japan, udon is a classic dish often enjoyed during cold weather or when feeling under the weather. In Kitsune Udon, “kitsune” refers to deep-fried tofu, and Nissin Foods’ Donbei Kitsune Udon features large, 100% soy-based deep-fried tofu made using the same method as tofu shops. Some variations include tempura or meat toppings. The broth is made with different dashi (stock) in Tokyo, Osaka, and Hokkaido, making it interesting to compare the flavors.
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Name: Nissin Donbei Kitsune Udon
Manufacturer: Nissin Foods Co., Ltd.
Suggested Retail Price: 236 yen (excluding tax)
Myojo Foods Ippei-chan Yomise no Yakisoba
Yakisoba, a familiar dish at festivals and street stalls, is the inspiration behind Myojo Foods’ Ippei-chan Yomise no Yakisoba. This yakisoba is crafted to evoke the flavors of street stall-style yakisoba, featuring noodles infused with savory sauce and a rich taste created by the combination of mustard mayonnaise.
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Name: Myojo Ippei-chan Yomise no Yakisoba
Manufacturer: Myojo Foods Co., Ltd.
Suggested Retail Price: 236 yen (excluding tax)
Ippudo Akamaru Shinaji Hakata Tonkotsu
Ippudo Akamaru Shinaji Hakata Tonkotsu is a cup ramen that recreates the popular ramen from Ippudo, which is well-loved by foreign tourists. The thin noodles are coated in a rich tonkotsu (pork bone) soup and spicy miso, allowing you to enjoy the restaurant’s flavor in the comfort of your home. This product is exclusively available at Seven-Eleven and Ito-Yokado.
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Name: Ippudo Akamaru Shinaji Hakata Tonkotsu 127g
Manufacturer: Seven-Eleven Japan Co., Ltd.
Suggested Retail Price: 321 yen (including tax)
Mouko Tanmen Nakamoto Spicy Miso
Experience the flavor of the most popular menu item, “Mouko Tanmen Nakamoto,” from Mouko Tanmen Nakamoto, with this cup noodles version. Mouko Tanmen is a ramen dish that combines spicy miso ramen with spicy mapo tofu. The addictive spiciness is created by the aroma of garlic-infused spicy oil. This product is exclusively available at Seven-Eleven and Ito-Yokado.
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Name: Mongolian Tanmen Nakamoto Spicy Miso 122g
Manufacturer: Seven-Eleven Japan Co., Ltd.
Suggested Retail Price: 237 yen (including tax)
Sanyo Foods Famous Flavors Junren Sapporo Rich Miso
This cup noodles version captures the rich miso ramen from the renowned ramen shop “Junren” in Sapporo. Miso ramen is a signature dish at Junren, known for its deeply flavorful miso broth since its opening. The cup noodles aim to recreate the richness of the miso flavor, providing a satisfying experience for those craving miso ramen. If you’re a fan of miso ramen, be sure to give it a try.
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Name: Sanyo Foods Famous Flavors Junren Sapporo Rich Miso
Manufacturer: Sanyo Foods Co., Ltd.
Suggested Retail Price: 268 yen (excluding tax)
New Touch Sugomen Kyoto Lard Shoyu Flavor
This ramen features a classic Kyoto-style broth with abundant lard and a soy sauce base, accentuated by a hint of spiciness. Kyoto’s specialty, Kujo-negi green onions, is used as a garnish. In this ramen series, New Touch offers various regional ramen flavors from places like Nagasaki, Hakata, Toyama, Nagoya, Sendai, and more. You can savor ramen from different parts of Japan without having to travel. On the other hand, there are also local instant noodles available only in specific regions, so if you’re curious, check local convenience stores or supermarkets during your visit.
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Name: New Touch Sugomen Kyoto Lard Shoyu Flavor
Manufacturer: Yamadai Co., Ltd.
Suggested Retail Price: 255 yen (excluding tax)
Nissin Foods Nissin Chicken Ramen Donburi
Chicken Ramen was the world’s first instant ramen to be introduced, later evolving into the iconic cup noodle format. It features a chicken bone broth made from domestically sourced chicken, and the flavor of this soup is truly unique and unmatched by other ramen varieties. Once you try it, you’re likely to get hooked. As a delightful topping, there are fluffy scrambled eggs included.
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Name: Nissin Chicken Ramen Donburi
Manufacturer: Nissin Foods Co., Ltd.
Suggested Retail Price: 236 yen (excluding tax)
Summary
Cup noodles, which allow you to enjoy delicious noodle dishes with just a few minutes of hot water, are perfect for late-night snacks at hotels and make great souvenirs. With a variety of noodle dishes such as ramen, udon, soba, yakisoba, and diverse soup flavors including soy sauce, tonkotsu (pork bone), miso, and chicken, there’s a wide range of options to choose from. If you’re unsure which one to try, use this article as a reference and explore the diverse world of cup noodles.
