Noodle soup for breakfast

[konbini]

In Japan rice is the staple food often eaten up to 3 times a day. However, noodles (soba,ramen,udon,somen) are also popular especially in soups.

In Tokyo I stayed at a hostel in Asakusa and would sometimes eat noodle soup for breakfast. In most other places I did not find noodle shops open before 11 am. I also saw noodle shops open in the morning at Tsukiji, Imamiya (Osaka) and some 24 hour chains that had noodles on the menu.

A Japanese friend seemed nearly shocked that I or anyone would eat noodles for breakfast, and I don't know why.
Is it uncommon to do so?

I am interested to know if anyone could provide further information.

[RealJames]

Originally Posted by konbini

In Japan rice is the staple food often eaten up to 3 times a day. However, noodles (soba,ramen,udon,somen) are also popular especially in soups.

In Tokyo I stayed at a hostel in Asakusa and would sometimes eat noodle soup for breakfast. In most other places I did not find noodle shops open before 11 am. I also saw noodle shops open in the morning at Tsukiji, Imamiya (Osaka) and some 24 hour chains that had noodles on the menu.

A Japanese friend seemed nearly shocked that I or anyone would eat noodles for breakfast, and I don't know why.
Is it uncommon to do so?

I am interested to know if anyone could provide further information.

日本人： "It's too oily to eat for breakfast..."

[ryuurui]

ramen for breakfast? yeah, i'll say, it's a bit too heavy. I had shabu shabu for breakfast sometime last week, i think. I felt like a God on rollerskates afterwards. Nabe is great in the morning too, especially on witer.

[tenmins]

Learnt something new. I never thought about noodles for breakfast before. But I am now confused as I have been served fish for breakfast at some ryokans. How can noodles be considered to be too heavy but fish not be?

[steven]

I've had many kinds of noodles for breakfast. In fact, yesterday morning I had a local kind of udon for breakfast. I don't think it's too uncommon where I live. Of course the udon was prepared cool, which is appropriate for the heat/humidity of this time of year. However, in the winter hot noodles in the morning is a good way to start the day.

However, I think ramen is indeed pushing it. I have had it before, though. I think my wife's family had done it some times when she was growing up as well. I think 冷やし中華 would be fine, but like a full blown hot ramen in the morning is in my opinion a bit too heavy.

I have a friend who does a lot of traveling around Japan-- last year he went to Hakata, where he said finding ramen shops in the morning was not unusual at all. Supposedly it's a pretty popular thing to eat in the morning down there! Of course neither him nor I are from there, so I can't speak for certain.

[RickOShay]

I have not asked anybody about this, but to me udon or soba would not seem so strange, but ramen has a bit of an unhealthy stigma to it here (even the real stuff not just cup noodle etc) so I could see a lot of Japanese feeling a bit strange about eating it for breakfast. Every Japanese style breakfast I have had screamed healthiness.

[konbini]

Originally Posted by tenmins

Learnt something new. I never thought about noodles for breakfast before. But I am now confused as I have been served fish for breakfast at some ryokans. How can noodles be considered to be too heavy but fish not be?

Fish with rice is quite common in the morning in Japan that is what my friend said she has for her breakfast.

[konbini]

Interesting how in some regions it is a common breakfast in comparison to others. Something tells me there is also differences within the larger cities. While I don't think most soups are too oily, I don't think most ramen would be delicate enough for breakfast.

[evanny]

i sometimes eat ramen (if you can call it that) during my breakfast.
well...its a 25 cent instant ramen pack which i pour over with water and add some ham/sausage or smth.

[RickOShay]

Originally Posted by evanny

a 25 cent instant ramen pack

the breakfast of champions