How the Ultimate Ramen Bowl was created
The history of the Ultimate Ramen Bowl began in 2004. However, its creation involved much more than just the design of a vessel – it's a story of passion, months of trials, and artisans who decided to create an entirely new standard for a ramen bowl.
It all started in October 2003, when the Japanese television station NHK called the Arita Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The creators of the "Ooi, Nippon" program proposed creating a project characteristic of the Arita region and showing the entire creation process on television.
Kawahara and Terauchi – artisans associated with Arita porcelain – met with NHK representatives and together began to consider what project would best capture the spirit of the region. Young creators associated with the Tokokai group – successors of families that have been involved in Arita porcelain for generations – were also invited to cooperate.
During subsequent meetings, an ambitious idea was born:
"Let's create a new standard for a ramen bowl – something that has never existed before."
At that time, ramen was usually served in ordinary donburi bowls. Few people considered whether a vessel could be created that was better suited specifically for this dish.
For the artisans from Arita, inheriting over 400 years of ceramic tradition, this became a new challenge.
A few months later, fourteen artisans met in a ramen restaurant in western Arita, bringing their own bowl designs. Each was filled with ramen to test its practical application.
It quickly became apparent, however, that most designs could not hold the proper amount of noodles and broth. From all the proposals, the three best models were selected and then refined into two final prototypes.
In January 2004, the craftsmen went to the Nissin Instant Ramen Museum in Osaka (Cup Noodles Museum Osaka Ikeda) to consult on their designs.
Museum staff prepared Chicken Ramen, one of Japan's most famous instant ramen dishes, in bowls. However, another problem quickly arose – even after adding the correct amount of water, the noodles were not fully submerged in the broth.
It turned out that instant ramen has different proportions than ramen served in restaurants.
But this was not the end of the feedback.
The museum staff also pointed out everyday user comfort:
"The bowl is too hot and difficult to hold."
"It's too big and uncomfortable."
These comments severely shook the creators' confidence.
The next day, the group traveled to Tokyo, to the headquarters of Nissin Foods. There, marketing specialists also pointed out problems from the perspective of everyday home use.
The next stop was the Ramen Museum in Yokohama, where the artisans heard an even harsher opinion:
"In this bowl, the true flavor of the broth is lost."
After these words, the creators completely lost confidence in whether their idea made sense.
Upon returning to Arita, further discussions ensued. The artisans realized they had focused too much on what an "ideal Arita bowl" should look like, instead of considering the ordinary people eating ramen at home.
So, they decided to start all over again.
This time, Chicken Ramen—a classic instant ramen known to almost every Japanese person—became their starting point.
Their new goal was simple:
"To create a small, convenient, and practical bowl that would make Chicken Ramen taste even better."
A single universal bowl shape was developed, which each artisan then decorated in their own style, using their characteristic glazes and painting techniques.
The day of the project's television presentation was filled with excitement.
A special stage was prepared at the Izumiyama porcelain stone quarry in Arita. The finished bowls were placed on a podium, and their creators stood beside them.
In front of them sat employees from the Instant Ramen Museum and experts from the Yokohama Ramen Museum—the same individuals who had previously judged the project so harshly.
The moment of final evaluation had arrived.
The jurors tasted the ramen served in the new bowls.
And then… they all simultaneously pressed the button indicating "passed."
Cheers of joy filled the quarry.
Thus was born the Ultimate Ramen Bowl – created with passion, tradition, and the courage of people who decided to create something entirely new.
