In this Book
University of California Press
- The Untold History of Ramen: How Political Crisis in Japan Spawned a Global Food Craze
- Book
- 2014
- Published by: University of California Press
summary
A rich, salty, and steaming bowl of ramen noodle soup climbed its way onto the international culinary scene and, from Tokyo to New York, is now a symbol of the cultural prowess of Japanese cuisine. In this highly original account of geopolitics and industrialization in Japan, George Solt traces the meteoric rise of ramen from humble fuel for the working poor to an international icon of Japanese culture.
Ramen’s popularity can be attributed to political and economic change on a global scale. Using declassified U.S. government documents and an array of Japanese sources, Solt reveals how the creation of a black market for American wheat imports during the U.S. Occupation of Japan (1945-1952), the reindustrialization of Japan’s labor force during the Cold War, and the elevation of working-class foods in redefining national identity during the past two decades of economic stagnation (1990s-2000s), all contributed to the formation of ramen as a national dish.
This book is essential reading for scholars, students in Japanese history and food studies, and anyone interested in gaining greater perspective into how international policy can influence everyday foods around the world.
Ramen’s popularity can be attributed to political and economic change on a global scale. Using declassified U.S. government documents and an array of Japanese sources, Solt reveals how the creation of a black market for American wheat imports during the U.S. Occupation of Japan (1945-1952), the reindustrialization of Japan’s labor force during the Cold War, and the elevation of working-class foods in redefining national identity during the past two decades of economic stagnation (1990s-2000s), all contributed to the formation of ramen as a national dish.
This book is essential reading for scholars, students in Japanese history and food studies, and anyone interested in gaining greater perspective into how international policy can influence everyday foods around the world.
Table of Contents
Download Full Book
- List of Illustrations
- pp. xiii-xiv
- Acknowledgments
- pp. xv-xviii
- Introduction. National Food
- pp. 1-14
- 3. Move On Up: Fuel for Rapid Growth
- pp. 72-121
- 4. Like It Is, Like It Was: Rebranding Ramen
- pp. 122-162
- Works Cited
- pp. 207-214
Additional Information
ISBN
9780520958371
Related ISBN(s)
9780520277564
MARC Record
OCLC
872632581
Pages
248
Launched on MUSE
2014-05-03
Language
English
Open Access
No