The history of ramen begins not in Japan, but in China. It's believed that ramen-like noodles were brought to Japan by Chinese immigrants or traders in the late 19th to early 20th centuries. Initially, it was called "chuka soba" (Chinese noodles) or "shina soba" (Qing dynasty noodles), and it was primarily a dish for workers and students – quick, cheap, and nutritious. Ramen's true boom came after World War II. Japan lay in ruins, and people desperately needed cheap, high-calorie food. American occupation forces brought large quantities of inexpensive wheat flour to Japan. It was then that street vendors and small eatery owners began experimenting with these noodles, creating broths based on local ingredients. In post-war Japan, ramen was often sold illegally on the black market. The government tried to control food sales, but hunger forced people to find alternative ways. This made ramen even more accessible and popular among the population. Thousands of small "yatai" (food stalls) appeared across the country, offering hot, warming soup. A turning point came in 1958, when the Taiwanese-Japanese inventor Momofuku Ando created the world's first instant noodles – "Chicken Ramen." Legend has it that the idea came to him when he saw queues for ramen at the black market. He realized there was a huge need for accessible and fast food. Ando experimented for months until he invented the "flash-frying" method for noodles, which allowed them to dry and be preserved, then quickly cooked by simply adding boiling water. This invention became a revolution, making ramen accessible to millions of people worldwide.