Japan Rankings
Our ranking is based on:
- Sales Performance:
Based on recent market data
- Taste & Popularity:
Consumer reviews and preferences
- Availability:
How easy it is to find in stores and online
Let’s dive in! 🍜✨
✔ Brand: Nissin Foods
✔ Flavor: Classic soy sauce ramen
✔ Japanese Name: 日清カップヌードル
✔ Why it's the best:
- Iconic flavor that has remained unchanged for decades
- Well-balanced soy sauce broth with a hint of umami
- Includes shrimp, egg, and minced pork for a complete experience
💡 Where to buy: You can find this product all over Japan — in supermarkets, convenience stores, and online shops such as Amazon JP and Rakuten.
In Japan, the soy sauce flavor tends to have a stronger dashi (Japanese broth) taste and is quite light. In the U.S. and Europe, the flavor is usually richer, and sometimes it's even called 'beef-flavored soy sauce.'
Soy Sauce Cup Noodles is the most popular flavor in Japan, but to be honest, it's a little too basic and not very exciting. If you're in Japan, I’d suggest trying some of the more unique, Japan-only flavors instead.
- YoshiKaze
✔ Brand: Nissin Foods
✔ Flavor: Udon with seasoned fried tofu
✔ Japanese Name: 日清どん兵衛 きつねうどん
✔ Why it's great:
- Authentic Kansai-style dashi broth
- Thick and chewy udon noodles
- Sweet and savory fried tofu adds extra flavor
💡 Where to buy: in supermarkets, convenience stores, and online shops such as Amazon JP and Rakuten.
Sure, instant udon is pretty different from real udon, but it’s still really good in its own way.
Out of all the instant udon out there, Donbei Kitsune Udon is one of the best — the noodles have a great texture, the broth is flavorful, and the fried tofu soaked in the soup is just amazing. If you're curious about Japanese udon, you’ve got to try it!
- YoshiKaze
✔ Brand: Nissin Foods
✔ Flavor: Japanese stir-fried noodles
✔ Japanese Name: 日清焼そばU.F.O.
✔ Why it's popular:
- Rich and tangy yakisoba sauce
- Firm and satisfying noodle texture
- Topped with cabbage and meat pieces
💡 Where to buy: in supermarkets, convenience stores, and online shops such as Amazon JP and Rakuten.
Nissin Yakisoba U.F.O. has been a beloved part of Japanese life since its launch in 1976. These days, there are all kinds of instant yakisoba flavors out there, but that rich, bold sauce of U.F.O. is the original taste of yakisoba. So before you try anything else, you’ve got to start with Nissin U.F.O.!
- YoshiKaze
✔ Maruchan Gotsumori Sauce Yakisoba is a hearty instant noodle dish known for its rich, savory sauce and extra-large serving size.
✔ Myojo Ippeichan Yomise no Yakisoba is a popular instant yakisoba featuring a sweet and savory sauce with a kick of spicy mustard mayo.
This ranking includes several cup yakisoba, and one reason for that is the larger portion size. Typically, cup ramen contains about 60 to 100 grams of noodles, but yakisoba usually has over 100 grams. For example, Gotsumori Sauce Yakisoba has 130 grams, so compared to ramen, it gives you a much greater sense of satisfaction.
- YoshiKaze
✔ A creamy and umami-rich seafood broth
✔ Spicy and hearty curry-flavored ramen
I think Nissin Cup Noodle's Seafood flavor is relatively common in other countries too, but you probably don’t see the Curry flavor as much. In Japan, curry is a typical home-cooked meal, so the Curry Cup Noodle is really popular here. People might have different opinions about the taste, but I definitely recommend trying it at least once!
- YoshiKaze
✔ Classic udon with a flavorful dashi broth
✔ Buckwheat soba with a crispy tempura topping
✔ Sweet and savory sauce yakisoba
Maruchan's udon and soba made it into 8th and 9th place in the rankings. Both are long-time favorites and you can find them in pretty much any supermarket.
Peyoung Sauce Yakisoba was actually the very first cup yakisoba sold in Japan! It was released even before Nissin’s UFO, which is number one in the rankings now. So it has the longest history among all cup yakisoba here.
- YoshiKaze
Japan has an incredible variety of instant cup noodles, and these Top 10 are some of the best!
Which one would you like to try? Do you have a favorite cup noodle? Let us know in the comments below!
💡 Where to Buy Japanese Cup Noodles Online
- Amazon Japan: [Check here](https://www.amazon.co.jp/)
- Rakuten Global Market: [Find here](https://global.rakuten.com/en/)
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