Adventure In A Cup: Momofuku Ando And The Cup Noodles Museum

Imagine a world without instant noodles. As early as I can remember, noodles came in a white styrofoam cup. You peel back the paper top, being careful not to tear it, and fill the cup up with steaming hot water. Just above the noodle line. Always just a bit above the line. Then you fold the lid back on its lip, put your fork on top, and wait.

Even before the first bite, you already know how it will taste. That familiar warm salty goodness of a broth that’s always a bit too hot and the soft swirly noodles that you alternate between biting and blowing on.

I can’t imagine a world without instant noodles – a bleak, noodles-less void of reality where college students need to learn to cook for themselves to survive late night study sessions, and hangovers are cured with carrots sticks and hummus.

Luckily, we live in a universe where Momofuku Ando decided that the world deserved, no, needed instant noodles. And not just any noodles, but noodles that could be prepared in a cup with nothing more than a little hot water and a few minutes of patience.

Thus began the legacy of instant noodle, an innovation and story that is now celebrated and explored at the CupNoodles Museum in Yokohama, Japan. I made a visit on a rainy day and left with a deeper appreciation for a product that has changed the world and admiration for the man behind the whole thing.

Momofuku Ando: The Story Behind The Man Who Invented Instant Noodles

Born in Taiwan in 1910, Momofuku Ando witnessed the devastations of war and food shortages firsthand. It was during Japan’s post-war era, amidst a severe food crisis, that Ando’s noodle adventure began. Observing long lines for a simple bowl of ramen, Ando was inspired by the idea of making noodles more accessible.

His mission? To develop a food that was quick to make, economical, and long-lasting. His problem? He knew nothing about noodles.

So for a year, he toiled away in his little backyard shed, a makeshift research lab with common kitchen utensils, a large iron pot, and a relentless determination. One perhaps driven by his past business failures and having to start over at the age of 40. It’s never too late right?

After countless failed experiments, Ando had his aha! moment while watching his wife make tempura. He realized that he could ‘flash fry’ fresh noodles in oil to remove the moisture. When rehydrated with water, the noodles would return to its old shape and structure.

In 1958, he invented the first instant noodle product – Chikin Ramen. It was an instant success.

Thank The Americans For Noodles In A Cup

Ando always wanted to bring instant noodles to the global market. During a business meeting on a trip to the United States in 1971, he observed business managers breaking the noodle block into smaller pieces, putting it in a cup with hot water, and then eating it with a fork.

Instead of being offended, he saw the need to adapt to cultural differences while making his ramen more accessible and convenient. Back home, it inspired him to invent CupNoodles – pre-packaging his instant noodles into a waterproof styrofoam cup.

That’s just one of the many stories that the Museum brings to life. Interactive exhibits let you peer into a replica of Ando’s lab/shack, along with his other inventions. His personal quotes adorn the walls, including his famous, “It is never too late to do anything in life.”

I’ll walk you through the Museum to give you a sense of what to expect and how to make the most out of your visit to the CupNoodles Museum. Click below to jump ahead to the different sections of the museum

Museum | My CupNoodles Factory | Chicken Ramen Factory | Noodles Bazaar | CupNoodles Park | Planning Your Visit

A History Of Instant Noodles

The museum starts on the 2nd floor when you step into the Instant Noodles History Cube – a visual timeline of instant noodle’s evolution. The exhibit displays over 3000 instant noodle packages from across the world and across time.

I tried to take photos of every package and had to give up after 177.

Tip: Download the CupNoodles Museum app for a free self-guided audio tour of what you’re seeing.

From there you continue to the Momofuku Theatre, where you can watch a short and fascinating movie about Momofuku Ando. Don’t miss this.

Exiting the theatre will take you to a faithful recreation of Ando’s work shed laboratory, where he invented instant noodles.

The rest of the museum is an exhibition of Ando’s life story, culminating in his final invention of Space Ramen in 2005.

I admit that despite my love for instant noodles, I didn’t know anything about its origins or its inventor. The museum was engaging, education and very inspirational.

Make Your Own CupNoodles

On the third floor of the Museum is the My CupNoodles Factory, where you can make and take home your own custom CupNoodles.

Here’s how it works: For ¥500, you purchase a blank noodle cup from a vending machine and head to the one of the ever-busy design stations, where markers and colored pencils await. You are free to design your cup just as you like, a reflection of the museum’s theme of innovation and personal expression, something that Momofuku Ando championed.

The whole space is vibrant with the contrast of colors against the white walls and the buzz of excited visitors. Age is not a thing, and everyone is having a good time with this.

Once you are finished, the next step is to line up to choose your custom ingredients. A small army of aproned factory workers guide you through the process:

Starting with the noodles, you rotate a wheel to turn the cup right side up again as it slowly envelops the noodle. Ando came up with the idea because the conical shape of the noodles caused the noodles to be inconsistently positioned in the cup on the factory line.

Next, you get to custom your cup with from a variety of soup flavors and toppings:

Soups: Classic, Curry, Seafood, and Chili Tomato

Toppings: Hiyoko-Chan Fish Cake, Garlic Chip, Green Bean, Cheese, Crab-Flavored Fish Cake, Corn, Kimchi, Shrimp, Minced Pork, Egg, Long Green Onions, and Seasoned Beef.

After your cup is sealed, the final step is to hand-pump air into an air-tight bag, that doubles as an airbag and display piece for your ready to take home souvenir.

Reserving A Time Slot For My CupNoodles Factory

You can visit the My CupNoodles Factory to make your own CupNoodles between 10 am and 6 pm with the last entry at 5:30 pm. There time slots every 30 minutes starting at 10 am with the last time slot at 5 pm.

Since you cannot reserve an advanced time slot by phone or online, it’s important to arrive early and get a numbered ticket before you start your museum visit.

Make Your Own Chicken Ramen

Overshadowed by the Make Your Own CupNoodles attraction is the underrated Chicken Ramen Factory. Here, you can experience the unique opportunity to make the original instant noodle recipe from scratch. From kneading and rolling the dough to steaming and seasoning the noodles, the workshop is an education into the process of noodle making.

Like the My CupNoodles Factory, you will be able to custom design your own package and take your hard work home with you.

To participate, you need to have at least 2 participants and an even number of participants in your group since each station is for 2 people.

There are 8 available time slots each day spaced 45 minutes apart starting at 10:15 am and ending at 4:45 pm.

TIP: Make your reservation in advance here or by calling the reservation hotline at 045-345-0825.

Eat Around The World At The Noodles Bazaar

Stepping into the Noodles Bazaar is like being transported to night market in Asia. Sort of. This part of the museum replicates the bustling atmosphere of street food markets found across Asia, complete with stalls and ambient lighting.

Each stall offers a noodle dish from across the different parts of Asia. Try Malaysian Laksa, Indonesian Mie Goreng, or Lagman from Kazakhstan. There are 8 different noodles dishes ( ¥500 each) and accompanying beverages ( ¥250) to choose from. You can even try a small portion of the original Chicken Ramen and choose your own toppings (¥250).

Portions aren’t too large, so you can try multiple dishes and learn about the origins and ingredients of each dish. The Noodles Bazaar is a celebration of cultural and culinary diversity, underlining the museum’s theme of global interconnectedness through food.

The Cup Noodles Park For Children

While the whole museum is family friendly, there’s an interactive playground just for children. The Cup Noodles Park is an interactive play area designed to teach children about the noodle production process in a playful, imaginative way.

Here, kids pretend to be a noodle, moving through and learning about the journey from wheat to noodle in a factory. The area is for children from 3 through elementary school, so I was a bit too old to enter.

Entry is ¥500 and visits are broken down into 30 minute time slots starting from 10:30 am to 5:30 pm. Last entry is at 5:00 pm.

Planning Your Visit: Tips and Tricks

Visiting the Cup Noodles Museum is a delightful experience, but a little planning can make it even better. Here are some tips to enhance your visit:

Ticket Prices: Entry costs ¥500 for adults, which grants access to most exhibits. Children enter free, making it a great family outing. Tickets can be purchased at the entrance, but arriving early is recommended to get a numbered ticket for the MyCupNoodles Factory.

Reservations: Some parts of the museum, like the Chicken Ramen Factory, require prior reservation. This workshop is extremely popular as it allows visitors to make ramen noodles from scratch. Reserve as early as possible, especially during peak tourist seasons.

Best Times To Visit: To avoid crowds, weekday mornings are ideal. If you prefer a quieter museum experience, late afternoons just before closing can also be a good time. Note that if you may not be able to get a numbered ticket for the MyCupNoodles Factory if all the tickets have been given out earlier. Expect to spend about 2.5-4 hours in total at the museum, including time for the other activities.

“It’s Never Too Late”

Momofuku was born in 1910 and died in 2007 at the age of 96. He invented instant noodles at 48 and at the age of 94, he left one last innovation for the world in the form of ‘Space Ram,’ the first instant noodles designed to be eaten in space.

On July 26, 2005, Space Ram was carried into space by Japanese astronaut, Mr. Soichi Noguchi. He became the first person to eat instant noodles in space.

In his words, “It’s never too late to do anything in your life.” When I first read them on the walls at the Museum, I felt an immediate kinship with Mr. Ando. I wholeheartedly believe in and live by these words, never ceasing to learn and always willing to chase new adventures.

Today, over 100 billion servings of instant noodles are consumed each year.

If you’re looking for more travel inspirations, scroll through some of the 450+ experiences on my bucket list. Maybe you’ll find your next adventure on there.

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Updated on May 29, 2024