Ramen is classified as part of which Japanese cuisine influenced by Chinese cooking?

Ramen is classified as part of Japanese Chinese cuisine, a Japanese adaptation of Chinese culinary traditions.

Known as chūka ryōri, Japanese Chinese cuisine developed from the late 19th century as Chinese immigrants and Japanese cooks adapted regional Chinese dishes to local tastes. Ramen became one of its defining foods, alongside dishes such as gyoza and chūkaman.

Ramen’s Chinese connection is sometimes oversimplified. Its name resembles the Chinese term lamian, meaning “pulled noodles,” but Japanese ramen noodles are generally cut rather than hand-pulled. The dish is more closely associated with southern Chinese noodle soups, especially those brought to Yokohama by Cantonese immigrants.

Ramen later became distinctly regional within Japan. Sapporo developed rich miso ramen, Hakodate became known for salt ramen, and Yokohama for Iekei ramen. Thus, ramen is both a Japanese national food and a prominent example of Japanese Chinese cuisine.