Wanko-men Doggie Ramen

January 5th, 2006 :: noodleson

Tokyo’s News, Kushikomi 2002

There isn’t much in the way of products and services people can’t buy for their pets these days…a company recently introduced a special variety of ramen noodles for dogs.

Its product, named “Wanko-men,” is a clever play on words, borrowing its name from the famous “wanko-soba” buckwheat noodles in Iwate Prefecture. “Wan-wan” is Japanese onomatopoeia for “bow-wow.”

“Well, dogs have a desire to eat the same foods as their masters,” explains Hirofumi Ito, president of Ramen Santoka. “But the noodles we eat are too salty for dogs. We figured if we reduced the salt, it would be safer and healthier for dogs to eat.