Anyone who has eaten at a ramen or gyoza restaurant in Japan has probably encountered its many meal sets. Ramen with fried rice is a classic, and some places even throw pan-fried gyoza into the mix. It is enough to make you wonder how anyone can finish it all—especially when nearly everything on the tray is loaded with carbs.
A Hong Kong X user recently joked that Japan’s triple-carb meals are a culinary offense not even Satan could forgive. Japanese users quickly launched a counterattack, flooding the replies with photos of ramen, fried rice, gyoza, and other beloved combinations. One user even referenced Galaxy Express 999, describing the Japanese as a tragic people who sold their souls to the devil. Just like that, a little cross-cultural food banter escalated into a full-blown carb war.
It all began with a post from the X account "Expressive Bear." The user argued that Japanese people often criticize China as a nation of copycats, even though Japan itself adopted Chinese cultural traditions such as kanji and tea drinking, while ramen also originated in China. By that logic, the user claimed, Japan could be considered a "copycat superpower" too. Naturally, the post sparked a heated debate with Japanese users.
Criticism soon poured in, with Japanese users pointing out that hardly anyone in Japan disputes ramen’s Chinese origins. In any case, they suggested putting the argument aside and digging into this tenshinhan, ramen, and pan-fried gyoza set.
Then one reply stole the spotlight. Hong Kong X user Tamaki Wong responded in Chinese with a mock declaration of war: "On behalf of the people of Hong Kong, I hereby declare war on Japan, because a menu containing three different carbohydrates is an evil not even Satan could forgive." The joke was aimed directly at the very Japanese combination of tenshinhan, ramen, and pan-fried gyoza.
What began as a playful jab at an over-the-top meal unexpectedly inspired Japanese users to show off their favorite carb-heavy creations.
One user pointed out that the set could also be paired with an alcoholic drink brewed from wheat, bringing the grand total to four carb sources. Their triumphant response: "Do not underestimate us!"
As the thread gathered momentum, Japanese users took turns unveiling an increasingly dizzying assortment of meal combinations. The consensus was simple: these combinations taste far too good, and the happiness they bring must be protected at all costs.
Someone even introduced Toyohashi Curry Udon, a local specialty from Toyohashi in Aichi Prefecture. The dish starts with rice and grated yam at the bottom of the bowl, followed by udon noodles and a generous helping of curry broth. Since the curry itself also contains plenty of flour, the user jokingly described it as a quadruple-carb combination.
Faced with wave after wave of carb-based attacks, the Hong Kong user could only ask: "Is this some new form of seppuku for the Reiwa era?"
The discussion soon became a greatest-hits collection of internet memes. Referencing Maetel, the heroine of Galaxy Express 999, one user joked: "That’s right, Tetsuro... The Japanese are a tragic people who sold their souls to the devil..."
Another user argued that Japan’s true talent lies in taking carbs from around the world—Japanese, Western, and Chinese alike—subjecting them to a "diabolical fusion," and somehow turning the results into something delicious.
One user addressed the Hong Kong challenger directly: "Just come to Japan. Whether you are Satan or Jesus Christ, you will eventually be transformed into someone who orders beer with a set of ramen, rice, and pan-fried gyoza. Come join us in carb paradise! Do not be shy—add an order of fried rice too!"
What began as a lighthearted jab at Japanese dining culture ultimately became a lively thread where users from Japan and Hong Kong compared eating habits and shared their favorite regional dishes.
Should ramen come with rice? Does fried rice belong beside pan-fried gyoza? Just how many layers of carbs can one meal support? There may never be a definitive answer. Judging by the endless stream of food photos, however, plenty of Japanese diners seem to agree on one thing: if the meal makes you happy, a few extra carbs are hardly a deal-breaker.
via： X@bp000169