Inventors, Expanding Possibilities, and Ramen
Image Description:
Front cover of the book about instant ramen inventor, Momofuku Ando. Image is of him holding a bowl of instant ramen above his head as hot water pours in for an instant bowl of ramen noodle soup.
Written by Andrea Wang and Illustrated by Kana Urbanowicz
Do you ever find yourself with a great idea while simultaneously being not exactly sure how to bring it to life or not knowing who or what else is needed to create what you can so clearly imagine? What do you do with ideas like that?
Momofuku Ando
Today’s post offers the story of one person with an idea just such an idea— it may have taken twelve years for it to go from an idea to creation but his persistence in finding a way ultimately led to the creation of a food many know today— the first instant ramen.
Most likely you have seen or eaten instant ramen noodles in your lifetime.
What makes this food known around the globe?
Instant ramen is convenient, requires few tools or ingredients beyond boiling water, is inexpensive, and the warm bowl of comfort a cup of ramen provides are just a few things that make it a satisfying meal. What we may not have realized is what inspired the creation of instant ramen.
In the book, Magic Ramen: The Story of Momofuku Ando, authored by Andrea Wang and illustrated by Kana Urbanowicz, we learn the story of the invention of instant ramen by a concerned citizen in Japan who saw a need for his fellow humans and wondered how he could help. It was a twelve year project that showcases what noticing, kindness, recognizing what you have to offer, trial and error, and a commitment to ease the suffering of all can do.
Magic Ramen: The Story of Momofuku Ando is a book and story that reminds us not to give up and to look out for one another. His dream began after seeing long lines of people standing in line for fresh, hot bowls of ramen after bad harvests, rationing and World War II made food hard to come by. Knowing people were surviving by eating grass and bark, combing through garbages, or standing in long lines and paying high prices for a scant bowl of fresh ramen to survive, stayed with him and nudged him to make food his life’s work.
A Guiding Belief and Countless Trials
As Andrea Wang tells the story of the creation of instant ramen— a vision of peace was at the core. Momofuku Ando’s realization, “The world is peaceful only when everyone has enough to eat” guided him as he trialed many recipes and methods to make ramen that could be available whenever people wanted by just adding hot water. The written words and illustrations combine beautifully in this book to describe over a decade of development work in a way that not only tells us about the creation of the food itself but also gives us the chance to inquire of ourselves— what can we do that makes life flow easier for all?
Your Momofuku Ando Variation
Our family loved hearing the why behind the creation of instant ramen and the good it has done since its development. It also serves as a reminder of what is possible when we combine our skills and abilities to meet several needs of society as a whole.
If you’re reading this, you might be wondering what you, a group of people, or those around you might do that could ease suffering for others. Whether you are just noticing a possibility or have been tinkering with an idea yourself for some time, this is one of many experiences that remind us— keep going! We don’t always see the results overnight.
If you are a creator, someone who notices patterns, or you have ideas of how to get things done— the life stories of inventors can be so helpful to serve as motivation during stuck points in the journey from dream to reality. This story tells us of someone who had the chance to witness success in their lifetime, other stories remind us even if we never see the results ourselves— the work we put in today eases suffering for others in the future.
We’ll hear the story of someone whose ultimate goal was paving the path to ease the suffering and expand opportunities for others tomorrow.
Until then— I can’t help but wonder— what idea have you been tinkering with or sitting on that could be the next instant ramen?
References
To learn more about the book, Magic Ramen: The Story of Momofuku Ando and those who share this story with us, check out the following:
https://andreaywang.com/books/picture-books/
Hungry for more? There is a whole museum in Japan dedicated to this story. You can learn more at:
