... effectively. Ramen - like Somen, Soba and Udon - are a special kind of Japanese noodle. These noodles, but especially the noodle soup made from them, are called ramen. The dish originally comes from China, known there as Lamian (Chinese 'hand-drawn noodle'), but was adopted and adapted by Japanese cuisine in the 19th century. In Japan, ramen is sold in special restaurants - the "ramen shops", which specialize exclusively in the sale of these soups. Outside of Japan, ramen is primarily known as instant noodle soups.