
Test your knowledge of Japanese slang from the ’70s onwards with these limited-edition cup noodles!
Nissin Cup Noodles: the pantry staple of every Japanese kitchen. They’re cheap, tasty, and quick, and with a myriad of delightful flavors, some mysterious and some very straight forward, it’s no wonder that they’ve sold over 100 billion units since their humble beginnings in 1971.
In celebration of this remarkable number, Nissin is releasing special Cup Noodle packaging for Nissin’s original Cup Noodle flavor, featuring some Japan’s most famous popular words and slang from the last 50 years. Each cup includes the year of its colloquial phrase, so you know exactly what year it was popular. For example, this package of Cup Noodles features 2020’s phrase “Yoichomaru”, which means “feeling good” or “having fun”.
From the 1970s comes words like “Gabiin“, which was used to describe “shock” or “surprise”, often used in manga, and another package features the 1983 word “Techno Cut”, a popular haircut of the 80s. In 1996, one popular phrase was “Cho Very Good”, which adds the Japanese word “Cho”, which means “very”, to “very good”, giving a funny redundancy to the phrase.
The packaging is full of fun words and phrases like these that give you a glimpse of the culture of the past!
There are 60 different phrases in all, so why not try and collect them all and see if you can figure out what each one means? Quiz your Japanese friends to see if they know. You’re all sure to have a good laugh in the process.
But the blast to the past doesn’t end there! Nissin is promoting their limited-edition packaging by giving away a 1,000 yen (US$9.46) telephone card featuring “one in a millennium idol” Kanna Hashimoto to 1,000 people. Simply follow Cup Noodle’s official account on Twitter and retweet their July 27 tweet to enter.
▼ “The moment you poured in hot water, my heart began to boil.”
https://twitter.com/cupnoodle_jp/status/1287570779047989248Don’t know what a telephone card is or how to use it? Try looking it up! Learning about the culture of the past 50 years is what this campaign is all about.
Source, images: Nissin Group
● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
[ Read in Japanese ]



Nissin’s Cup Noodle gets glamorous birthday makeover!
Converse teaming up with Cup Noodle for three pairs of shoes inspired by iconic packaging
Official microwaveable Cup Noodle-Use Measuring Cup is now a reality, could be yours if you act fast
Fan support makes fictitious Cup Noodle shopping bags a reality, sell out in days
Nissin releases new Gaming Cup Noodle in Japan, with caffeine to keep you gaming all night long
Beautiful exclusive Totoro tenugui towel is a gift from Disney to Ghibli physical media buyers
New Shinkansen luggage drop-off system begins in Japan, making train travel even easier
Brand new Shinkansen bullet train unveiled in Japan… but it won’t carry passengers
Foreign hiker on Mt. Fuji loses consciousness and dies, becoming climbing season’s second fatality
Studio Ghibli releases anime T-shirts that pay homage to one of Hayao Miyazaki’s most personal films
Yakuza members arrested for building a road on mountain they don’t own
Sanrio eco-friendly plushies are here for the earth-conscious lovers of all things kawaii
Giant Snorlax, other snoozing Pokémon appear in Yokohama for Pokémon Sleeping Faces Research [Pics]
If you love Pokémon and cats, you’ll love Japan’s cat Pokémon cat toys and feeding dishes[Photos]
Cup Noodle releases cold-water instant ramen in Japan, but can it really be made with just cold water?
Japan now has human refrigerators inspired by Japanese vending machines
Hatsune Miku collaborates with Hokusai’s art in new Vocaloid ukiyo-e illustration series [Pics]
Japanese convenience store releases Japanese convenience store-flavor fried chicken
Family Mart’s new Tokyo flagship convenience store doesn’t feel convenient, but is that a problem?
Starbucks Japan releases new Discovery Series collection celebrating local regions and traditions
Teen girl in Japan refuses to be victim, personally escorts train pervert to police for arrest
Cup Noodle unveils first-ever cold-water instant ramen in Japan
Is Japan’s tourism boom slowing down? Foreign visitor numbers fall for first time in five years
Evangelion beautifully reimagined as iconic classical Japanese folding screen art series [Photos]
Japan announces sudden 400-percent increase in visa fees for foreigners entering the country
Studio Ghibli has a new anime out, and there’s only one place in the world where you can see it
Salomon releases Japan-exclusive Mt. Fuji hiking gear that doubles as an amazing souvenir
Japan triples departure tax, foreign tourists and locals now must pay more to leave country
Japan launches first overnight Shinkansen bullet train between Tokyo and Osaka this summer
Family Mart opens new “Famima” flagship store in Tokyo that’s like a tourist attraction
Sanrio Character Poll announces winners, Hello Kitty absent from top 10 in many countries
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Japanese ninja certification exam attracts 131 candidates from Japan and abroad
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
The true identity of Cup Noodle’s “mystery meat”
Cup Noodle’s Super Combined flavors become super-awesome combined robots made from the cups【Pics】
Cup Noodle sells new squid fork with its instant ramen
Cup Noodle now has cute cats and judgmental foxes waiting underneath its lids【Photos】
Whole boxes of Mystery Meat going on sale in Japan, Cup Noodle fans rejoice
Pikachu-lid Cup Noodle design could be the cutest instant ramen package ever
Clever Cup Noodle-only measuring cup becomes instant ramen lovers’ new most-wanted kitchenware
New Seafood Cup Noodle flavor actually includes a lot of pork content
Seapoodle Cup Noodle flavor is on the way, sounds absolutely delicious (except for the name)
We get to be (probably) the first ever to try Nissin Cup Noodle’s latest creation: Gyoza ramen!
Cup Noodle’s latest giveaway prizes are insane, even by Cup Noodle standards【Pics】
New mystery meat in the Mystery Meat Festival Cup Noodle【Taste Test】
Cup Noodle pizza flavor instant ramen arrives in Japan, but can it win over our greasy hearts?
We try out Nissin’s new Cup Noodle Broth Hardening Powder to see if it really works
Green tea Cup Noodle brings matcha to the wonderful world of instant ramen