Toyama Black Ramen

Toyama ramen is a unique Japanese ramen variety that was created by a restaurant called Taiki in 1947. This jet-black soup is made with lots of salty black soy sauce, ramen noodles, chicken and fish stock, and roasted pork that is simmered in the soup. The degree of saltiness depends on the restaurant, but Toyama ramen usually comes with lots of pepper and shredded negi (long onions) on top. In the 1950s, construction workers in Toyama had started to bring their own rice for ramen, and since they sweat a lot, the ramen was intentionally made saltier to make up for the lost sodium. As a result, this black ramen is nowadays often served with rice or raw eggs.