Did you know?: How instant noodles were invented in Japan

(Illustration by Yukiyo Oda / Stripes Okinawa)

Instant noodles were invented by Taiwanese-Japanese inventor Momofuku Ando and put into market under the name “Chikin Ramen” in 1958. He then developed “Cup Noodles,” a dried noodle block in a polystyrene cup for the world’s first cup-type noodle product in 1972. Those inventions were revolutionary in the culinary world. Time Magazine featured him in its ‘60 years of Asian Heroes’ in 2006.