How to Make Ponyo Ramen (Studio Ghibli Inspired Recipe)

Last time, we made a bento as seen in My Neighbor Totoro, and this time, we're recreating Ponyo’s ramen from Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea!

First, let me give you a brief introduction to the story for those who haven’t watched the film yet. “Gake no Ue no Ponyo” or “Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea” is a film created by Hayao Miyazaki from Studio Ghibli. 

The movie focuses on a five-year-old boy, Sosuke, who lives in a house on top of a cliff. One day, he finds and helps a little golden-fish-like creature and names her “Ponyo”. Sosuke cares deeply for Ponyo throughout the story, and finally she transforms into a real human being. It’s a fantasy as well as heartwarming story that can be enjoyed by both children and adults.

If you’ve seen the movie, you’ll remember the memorable scene where a huge typhoon approaches the town where the main character, Sosuke and his family live. After managing to escape from the heavy rain, storm and Tsunami, Ponyo and Sosuke are cozied up at home, enjoying warm bowls of ramen prepared by Sosuke’s mom, Lisa. The “ramen” featured in this scene is today’s dish in this article.

As you may know, ramen iis one of Japan's quintessential dishes, with variations ranging from instant ramen that’s quick and easy to prepare, and readymade packaged noodles found in grocery stores to authentic ramen shop offerings. Instant ramen is especially perfect for those sudden emergency situations like when a typhoon is approaching and the electricity is cut off. Having instant ramen on hand can be a life saver in those moments when you can’t make it to the grocery store in time.  

The film actually depicts how to make Ponyo ramen, and I followed the steps shown in the movie. Ponyo ramen is made with instant ramen and some key ingredients that define it “Ponyo ramen”: green onions (scallions), boiled egg and the crucial ingredient, ham. These are items that Japanese people commonly have in the fridge.

In the film, ham is a key ingredient, and it’s emphasized that Ponyo has a fondness for it, even though she was originally a fish. The first time she sees ham is when Sosuke has a ham sandwich, and Ponyo eagerly jumps up to snatch it with her mouth (as she was a half mermaid at that time), eating it like a sea otter with a clam. The second time is when she finds ham in the Ponyo ramen, and as soon as she finds it in the bowl, she eats it without waiting for it to cool.

There are some interesting speculations about why Ponyo loves ham so much, which adds an intriguing layer to the story. After watching the Ponyo movie or trying my recipe, exploring these speculations about the ham can be quite interesting. 

Try making this nostalgic bowl yourself and see if you can taste the magic too!

Note: If you love Studio Ghibli, you might also like these cute and practical items: slurp noodles from this Totoro soup bowl or No-Face Spirited Away soup bowl, or pack your lunch in the cutest Totoro bento lunch box!