From the ever-evolving “Wakame Ramen” to products developed in collaboration with renowned restaurants… The “Ultimate Cup Noodles” Selected by Four Experts as “The Ultimate Bowl”
This year marks the 55th anniversary of the world’s first “Cup Noodles,” and the cup noodle industry continues to evolve with new innovations, such as products that can be prepared with cold water.
Discussing these latest trends are the “Four Sages”: Ichiro Yamato, an instant noodle hunter; Takayuki Oishi, a cup noodle researcher; Takeo Kanda, a homemade ramen researcher; and Junnosuke Nagahama, a food journalist.
While Part 1 covered notable products from Nissin Foods and Toyo Suisan, Part 2 expands the scope to include Acecook, Sanyo Foods, Myojo Foods, Yamadai, and others, culminating in a decision on the “ultimate bowl” across three categories: “Large Portion,” “Summer,” and “Overall.”
‘Wakame Ramen,’ a hit in the ’80s, has also evolved
Yamato: Toyo Suisan really had a bumper crop of new releases this summer.The “Maruchan Majimori Black Garlic Oil Chicken Paitan” (300 yen), released in July, was also excellent. While it’s based on a light chicken paitan broth, the black garlic oil delivers a strong punch of roasted garlic. It strikes a great balance between these two contrasting elements.
I also recommend the “Maruchan Gekimen Wonton Men: Sendai Spicy Miso” (267 yen), released last month. It uses Sendai miso—known for its strong umami and richness—and adds contrast with aromatic vegetables, resulting in a clean finish. The downside is that its distribution is somewhat limited to regions east of the Chukyo region, including Hokuriku.
Oishi: You also can’t miss the “Maruchan Ura Iida Shoten Tonkotsu Ramen” (267 yen), exclusive to 7-Eleven. The thin noodles, which cook in boiling water for just two minutes, have a satisfying bite. You can really taste the rich tonkotsu aroma, and the savory scent of lard is wonderful.
――What about Acecook?
Kanda: I highly recommend the “Wakame All-Star Wakame Ramen: Shoyu” (375 yen), released in June.It features a generous 120g serving of noodles and faithfully recreates the aroma and flavor of the classic “Wakame Ramen.” It incorporates three types of wakame—leaf wakame, stem wakame, and mekabu powder—to offer a well-rounded experience. This product represents a step up in both quantity and quality.
Yamato: Among the “Wakame” spin-off products, the “Wakame Ramen: Beef Bone Komtan Flavor” (275 yen), released last month, was also an interesting bowl. It’s based on the Korean dish komtan soup. You can really taste the rich depth of beef bone broth, which is said to be difficult to replicate.Another highlight is its low-calorie content, which evokes the spirit of “Wakame Ramen,” the product that spearheaded the health food boom in the ’80s.
Oishi: I recommend the “Chiba Katsuura Tantanmen” (318 yen), which recreates a regional ramen specialty.It’s one of the few soy sauce-based tantanmen varieties and uses non-fried noodles—a feature that’s become extremely rare among Acecook’s current lineup. The broth, made with a base of chicken and bonito, enhanced with the sweetness of onions and a generous amount of chili oil to create a bold contrast, is highly addictive.
Nagahama: I get the impression that Acecook is also good at spicy ramen, like the “Vertical-Style Drink-It-All-Up Tantanmen” (201 yen).
――Let’s move on to Sanyo Foods.
Nagahama: This is the “ Sapporo Ichiban: Famous Restaurant Flavors—Supervised by Kingken: Hiroshima-Style Dry Dan Dan Noodles” (317 yen). By using 100% Sichuan Sichuan pepper, they’ve recreated the aroma of “Kingken.”
Kanda: I’ve also brought two items from the “Famous Restaurant Flavors” series.I recommend “Sapporo Ichiban: Famous Restaurant Flavors—Tenka Ippin Kyoto Rich Chicken White Soup (Large Bowl)” (392 yen) and “Sapporo Ichiban: Famous Restaurant Flavors—Keika Kumamoto Mā-yu Pork Bone Soup (Large Bowl) Kumamon Packaging” (317 yen).“Tenka Ippin” recreates its distinctive, slightly pungent aroma by using chicken liver powder in addition to the umami from chicken and pork. “Keika”’s greatest appeal lies in the strong aroma of ma-yu and garlic. It’s a bowl with a strong impact, and the texture of the wakame stems adds a nice accent.
Nagahama’s “Seven Premium: Ramen with Plenty of Wakame and Clam Broth, Salt Flavor, 65g” (170 yen) is manufactured by Sanyo. The flavors of garlic and butter add depth to the clam broth. It contains not only wakame but also clam meat, making it excellent value for the price.
――What’s the standout product from Myojo Foods?
Yamato: The product I’d especially like to recommend this time is “Myojo Chuka Zanmai Cup: Sichuan Restaurant Dry Sichuan Malatang Noodles” (386 yen).Based on the umami of beef and pork, it masterfully recreates the complex sauce of the renowned “Sichuan Restaurant” in Akasaka, Tokyo. True to its nickname, “Myojo of Noodles,” the noodles are of exceptional quality. The sauce clings perfectly to the springy, non-fried noodles.
Nagahama: Speaking of products inspired by famous restaurants, the “Myojo NEO Abura Soba: Tsuchinotomi-Supervised Truffle-Scented Chicken Oil Soba” (386 yen) is also hard to pass up. You can enjoy a new and unique flavor that combines the aroma of truffles with chicken oil and lemon.
Oishi: From the original brand, I recommend the “Myojo: Charmela’s Finest—Large Portion Wonton Noodles—Rich Salt Flavor” (272 yen). Despite being a large portion with 80g of non-fried noodles, the price is reasonable. Best of all, it features non-fried wontons—a rarity even in the industry.The wrappers are exceptionally smooth and chewy, and the minced meat filling is generously sized. The soup is made with carefully selected ingredients, and while the toppings are simple—consisting only of the wontons—this product offers excellent value for money thanks to its generous portion size and high quality. I’m recommending the “Salt” flavor this time, but the “Soy Sauce” flavor is also exquisite.
“The Ultimate Cup” Has Finally Been Chosen
――Yamadai, please share your recommendation as well.
Kanda: I recommend “New Touch: Sugomen Shizuoka Yaizu Bonito Ramen” (300 yen). The broth is a soy sauce-based flavor centered on the umami of pork and bonito. The Yaizu-produced bonito flakes added as a finishing touch have a fresh aroma and cling perfectly to the non-fried, medium-thin noodles.
Nagahama: Also from the “Sugomen” series, I recommend the “Sano Ramen” (300 yen). The flat noodles, hand-rolled on green bamboo, are faithfully recreated. The chashu and menma are retort-packed, showing great attention to detail.
Oishi: The “Sugomen” series is full of masterpieces, isn’t it? I recommend the limited-time “Summer Spicy Sichuan-Style Maze Soba” (321 yen) and the “Summer Spicy Miso Green Onion Ramen” (321 yen).
The “Maze Soba” stands out for its exceptionally rich, deep flavor from the ground sesame. It’s quite spicy with a strong numbing sensation, resulting in a rich, savory-spicy dish. The “Green Onion Ramen” is also quite spicy, with a bold, intense miso flavor. It pairs perfectly with the chewy, extra-thick noodles.
――What about standout dishes from other manufacturers?
Oishi: “Karakara Uo Spicy Maze Soba” (362 yen) from “Sugakiya Foods,” supervised by “Men-dokoro Inosho.” It’s overwhelmingly spicier than the standard “Karakara Uo.” The broth has a robust tonkotsu flavor, and it comes with a separate packet of spicy fish powder to add later—it’s a vibrant product.
――Let’s move on to the conclusion. We’ll determine the “strongest” in three categories. First up is the “Large Portion” category.
Kanda: I recommend “ Wakame All-Star.” Since you can alternate between the wakame and the noodles—each with a different texture—you never get tired of it, even though it’s a large-portion product.
Nagahama: I’m casting my vote for the “Gotsu-mori Wonton Shoyu Ramen.” It’s a large serving packed with toppings like wontons, ground chicken, and corn. It’s mind-boggling that this goes for an actual price of just 110 to 120 yen.
Yamato & Oishi: We’re casting our vote for “Gotsumori.”
—Next up is the “Summer Category.” Which bowl do you want to try before the heat subsides?
Yamato: I recommend the “Dry Sichuan Malatang Noodles” from “Chuka Zanmai.” You can feel the heat of the red chili peppers, savor the chewy noodles, and enjoy the lingering numbing sensation of Sichuan pepper. This is truly a masterpiece.
Oishi: My vote goes to “Summer Mala Mixed Soba” from “Sugomen.” It’s a limited-time offering—you can only get it right now.
Kanda: I ’m casting my vote for “Nissin Raoh Roasted Sesame Dandan.” The noodles are fragrant, and the dish is perfectly executed.
Nagahama: By a narrow margin, I’d recommend “Chuka Zanmai.”
――“Overall Category.” Which tried-and-true product is delicious no matter when you eat it?
Kanda: I’m voting for “Men Shokunin”’s “Yuzu Shio.”
Nagahama: Seven Premium ’s “Clam Broth Salt Ramen.” I appreciate its quality—which is hard to believe for just 170 yen—and how easy it is to find.
Oishi: I recommend “Wonton Noodles: Rich Salt” from “Chalmera’s Finest.” Myojo is pretty much the only company that offers non-fried wontons, so it’s quite a rarity. It comes with a large serving of non-fried noodles, and the broth is spot-on.
Yamato: I agree—it’s a flawless bowl with numerous thoughtful details.
After a heated debate, the winner in the “Large Portion Category” is Toyo Suisan’s “Gotsumori Wonton Soy Sauce Ramen,”the “Summer Category” went to Myojo Foods’ “Myojo Chinese Sanmai Cup: Sichuan Restaurant Dry Sichuan Malatang Noodles,” and the “Overall Category” was awarded to Myojo Foods’ “Myojo Charmela’s Finest: Large-Portion Wonton Noodles—Rich Salt.” Aiming for further evolution, the development race among these companies continues.
From the October 2 & 9, 2026, combined issue of *FRIDAY*