Sokusekisai Oyama, aka Japan’s Instant Ramen King, has made a lucrative career out of eating instant noodles at least once a day for over three decades.

Instant noodles, better known as cup noodles in Japan, are a big deal in the land of the rising sun. There are literally hundreds of different types, from the cheap variants you can find at your local grocery store to gourmet versions with actual toppings like dehydrated meat and vegetables. They are by far the most popular instant meal in Japan and virtually everyone loves them, but no one loves them as much as Sokusekisai Oyama, the man known as the ‘Instant Ramen King’. A former illustrator with a degree in engineering, Oyama gave up his career to dedicate himself to what he loved most – eating noodles and becoming a professional cup noodle critic. The 65-year-old man claims he has eaten at least one serving of instant noodles and a total of over 10,000 cups of noodles over the lainst 30 years.

Photo: wpd.shueisha.co.jp

Oyama says he “woke up to instant noodle love,” while studying engineering at Tokyo’s Gunma University. It was also when he started collecting instant ramen packaging, with his impressive collection now numbering over 6,000 different cups and wrappers. His big break in the world of instant noodle connaisseurs came in 1995, when he won TV Tokyo’s Instant Noodle Championship, a television show that tested contestants’ knowledge about instant ramen. Sokusekisai Oyama’s victory catapulted him to celebrity status, guaranteeing him appearances on other TV shows and at different events.

In 2018, Sokusekisai was crowned the TV Champion Goku Kiwami Cup Ramen Arrangement King, in a show focused on improving instant noodles by suggesting small adjustments. Participants would choose their favorite instant noodles and then add some ingredients to make them better. The judges, usually ramen shop owners, then rated the results by tasting the enhanced ramen, and they found Sokusekisai Oyama’s to be the best.

With hundreds of new instant noodle offerings launched every year in Japan, Sokusekisai Oyama has his hands full working as a professional cup noodle critic. He regularly makes appearances on TV, and is very active on social media, answering people’s noodle-related questions, posting reviews and ranking the most popular types of instant noodles. Thanks to his vast experience and documented love of cup noodles, the opinions of the Instant Ramen King are always sought after.

Instant noodles have a bad reputation when it comes to health, and Sokusekisai Oyama never made any comments regarding his own health after eating more instant noodles than probably anyone else in the world, but seems healthy enough. It’s also worth noting that Japanese instant noodles are very different than the salty, powder-flavored options found in the US. You can find gourmet versions topped with actual meat and vegetables, plus he may compensate for his daily noodle intake with other healthier foods.