You walked through the streets and markets of Japan, observing one by one the hungry faces in a country still reeling from war and economic hardship. After World War II, Japan continued to suffer from severe food shortages, and many citizens went days without a proper meal. Rice and vegetables were scarce, and in the markets, the gestures of people trying to share what little food they had moved busily between stalls. The pungent smell of small cooking fires mixed with the faint aroma of dried fish filled the air. Witnessing this reality firsthand, you developed a deep desire not merely for business success, but to provide people with affordable, easy-to-prepare food, addressing the very heart of the nation’s hunger. Deep within, you felt a powerful sense of responsibility—if you could not solve this problem, Japanese society would continue to suffer from starvation.

Yet the problem proved far more complex than you had imagined. Creating noodles that could have moisture removed, remain shelf-stable for long periods, and yet turn soft and delicious once cooked was a technically daunting challenge. After years of repeated experiments, the noodles would spoil easily or become sticky when prepared, making satisfactory results almost impossible. Each failure left you sighing in a corner of your lab, the metallic taste of disappointment lingering as you endlessly questioned what you might be overlooking. The problem lingered in your mind like an unsolvable puzzle. Through cycles of failure and repeated attempts, you felt both a deepening obsession and an undercurrent of anxiety.

One day, exhausted, you returned home and saw your wife, Masako, carefully frying tempura in the kitchen. The fragrant aroma rising from the oil, and the sight of the batter puffing up into crisp perfection, offered a spark of inspiration. The kitchen was warm, filled with the comforting sounds of oil sizzling and Masako's soft humming. Masako smiled brightly and said: “While you’re on your way back from work today, why don’t we have some tempura and chat a little?”

At that moment, a brilliant idea flashed in your mind. By frying, moisture is driven out and the food becomes crisp, yet when hot water is added, it returns to a soft, tender state. Applying this simple yet ingenious principle to noodles, you realized, could create instant ramen that anyone could prepare anywhere, anytime.

You pictured the scene vividly: fried noodles that could be stored long-term, and consumers simply adding hot water to enjoy soft, delicious noodles; people easily nourishing themselves and smiling. If successful, this idea would not only help solve Japan’s food crisis but could even change the course of global food history. Your heart raced at the thought, palms growing slightly sweaty with excitement.