We meet English-born Roland Gregory, a.k.a. Roly, who runs his own apple orchard in the Nagano countryside, and Gethmina Dinithika from Sri Lanka, who works at a ramen shop in Ueda, also in Nagano ...

Ramen has also surged in popularity in the U.S., South Korea and other countries. Retail sales in the United States have risen 72% since 2000, according to NielsenIQ, a sales tracker.

Often cooked right before your eyes behind dingy counters, the noodle dish starts here at around 1,000 yen (USD 6.50), and comes in various flavors and local versions. There's salty, soy-based ...