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Noodle Nirvana: Exploring the Rich Variety of Japanese Noodles
Discover key facts about the most popular noodles in Japan. These slurpy delights have graced homes, offices, eateries, and festivals all over the country since the 9th century. Let’s explore what makes them special and how you can get the best out of the wide variety of options available.
Introduction to Japanese Noodles
Noodles are staple meals in Japanese cuisine. We may refer to the variety of noodles eaten in the country as Japanese noodles, even when some of them originate from foreign countries like China.
Noodles are integral to everyday life in the country. People eat them alone or with family or friends. These dishes are also popular on special occasions. If you ask Japanese people why they love noodles so much, many will tell you it's because of their versatility and easy preparation. They enjoy them as hot dishes in soups or served chilled in tasty dipping sauce.
In this post, we’ll take a deep dive into popular types of Japanese noodles, including ramen, soba, udon, and somen.
Soba: The Buckwheat Delicacy
We'll start with one of the most famous noodles in the world, soba. Primarily made from buckwheat flour, soba can also contain a small amount of wheat flour. The 100% buckwheat flour version of the noodles is ideal for those who prefer their noodles gluten-free. However, most versions maintain a buckwheat flour-to-wheat flour composition of 70% and 30%, respectively. Soba tends to have a dark brown color and a grainy texture. It’s also as thin as spaghetti pasta. The noodle brings a nutty and earthy flavor that compliments savory ingredients in a dish.
Originating in China, Soba arrived in Japan near the end of the Jomon period, which was around 300 BC. People produced flour using the inside and skin of the buckwheat grain, and this was the basis of soba noodles. The modern version of the noodle first appeared in the Edo Period (1603–1868). It started off as food for the common folk of Edo (old Tokyo), but saw a rise in prestige in the 18th century, when it became a staple food for the samurai and noble people. Today, soba is one of the most popular Japanese noodles in the world. It’s sold in thousands of restaurants, railway stations, and yatai (food stalls). Soba is especially popular in Eastern Japan (Kantō region).
There are two traditional serving styles for soba. In the summer, it’s often served chilled with a dipping sauce known as tsuyu. During the winter, soba is served hot in hot dashi broth. If you eat soba in Japan, there’s a big chance that your experience varies based on your region. The three most famous regional variations of soba are wanko soba from Iwate Prefecture, togakushi soba from Nagano Prefecture, and izumo soba from Shimane Prefecture. Please note that yakisoba noodles are not a variation of soba noodles.
Udon: Thick and Comforting
Udon is definitely one of the top three Japanese noodles, at least in terms of popularity. It is a thick noodle made from wheat flour, salt, and water. People go as far as making it at home with all-purpose flour, salt, water, and potato starch. Udon has a chewy and bouncy texture with a mild taste that allows it to easily absorb flavors of soup, proteins, and vegetables.
The most common way to serve udon is in a bowl of hot broth containing dashi, soy sauce, mirin, and other condiments. However, like soba, udon can also be served as a chilled dish. The type of udon dish will typically determine how it should be served. The following are the popular types of udon dishes served in hot broths during the winter:
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Kake udon: This is the simplest way to serve udon hot. It’s basically hot udon in dashi broth with some vegetable toppings. It’s also the go-to udon dish for vegans.
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Kare udon: This is a modern version of udon that’s served in a spicy, curry-based broth. It usually contains some meat and vegetables.
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Kitsune udon: This dish uses aburaage (a tofu-based product) as a topping. According to Japanese folklore, aburaage is a delicacy among fox spirits or kitsune; hence the name.
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Tempura udon: This hot dish is topped with a wide variety of tempura.
Here are common Japanese udon noodles served cold in summer:
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Zaru udon: It consists of udon, chilled dashi-based broth, and nori toppings. You can eat it with wasabi or ginger.
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Hadaka udon: This is cold udon served “naked.” It does not contain any sauce or toppings.
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Bukkake udon: It is udon served with a cold, thick dashi-based broth.
Ramen: Japan's Global Sensation
Ramen is the most popular Japanese noodle. It gets compared a lot to the other members of the big three: soba and udon. Although the jury is still out on which of them is the best, there’s no doubt that ramen has more enthusiasts within and outside of Japan. Ramen consists of Chinese-style wheat noodles served in flavored broth and topped with various ingredients. The dish is a staple meal in Japan, the US, and South Korea. Ramen noodles have a white color and creamy texture. They're made from wheat flour and kansui (alkaline salt water), salt, and water.
Ramen is the Japanese version of Chinese wheat noodle soup. It first appeared in Yokohama Chinatown, Japan, in the early years of the 20th century. The first ever ramen shop was opened in 1910. Located in Asakusa, Tokyo, the store was called Rairaiken. After World War II, Japan experienced a rice shortage, which caused people to turn to wheat-based foods like ramen noodles. Despite a temporary ban on food vending, ramen vendors sprung up all over the country. When the ban was lifted, ramen only became a more popular street food. Instant ramen came into the picture in 1958, after its invention by Momofuku Ando. By the 1980s, ramen had evolved into a Japanese cultural icon recognized all over the world.
A typical ramen dish consists of meat, vegetables, and tare (sauce). The tare used to make the dish greatly impacts the flavor of its broth. The most common ramen broth types are shoyu (soy sauce), miso, tonkotsu (pork bone soup), and shio (salt). Toppings are just as essential to the flavors. Popular ramen toppings are boiled eggs, green onions, sesame seeds, bean sprouts, and nori seaweed.
Somen: Delicate and Slender Threads
Somen is another Japanese wheat-based noodle. It may not have the same popularity as some of the others on our list, but it’s arguably the best one to eat in hot weather. Somen is an extremely thin Japanese noodle made from wheat flour. It resembles Chinese rice noodles. It’s so thin because of the repeated hand-stretching and twisting that it undergoes during the traditional production process. This ancient hand-stretching technique produces the pale, springy, and chewy noodles that we know as somen. Because of its mild taste, somen relies on accompanying condiments and toppings for its flavors.
Traditionally, somen is served with a cold dipping sauce or tsuyu. Hence, it’s very popular during the hot summer months. Somen’s dipping sauce is a mixture of soy sauce, dashi, and mirin. On rare occasions, it may be served hot as a soup known as nyumen.
You haven’t tried truly traditional somen until you enjoy Nagashi somen. This is more than a noodle variation. It’s a unique restaurant experience in which you have to catch and eat cold somen noodles as they flow down an inclined bamboo tube filled with clear water.
Hiyamugi: Somen's Thicker Kin
Only somen, the thinnest Japanese noodle, is thinner than hiyamugi. Both sets of thin noodles are made from identical ingredients, including wheat flour, salt, and water. Like somen, hiyamugi is often served alongside cold dipping sauce during the hot summer months. Hiyamugi, served in a hot soup, is also called nyumen, just like somen.
Both noodles bear close similarities in terms of their appearances and culinary uses; however, there are subtle differences between them. For one, somen noodle has a diameter of less than 1.3 mm, while hiyamugi’s diameter ranges between 1.3 mm and 1.7 mm. The production methods for both noodles are also different, with hiyamugi’s resembling that of udon.
Shirataki: The Zero-Calorie Wonder
Thanks to its high fiber content and low caloric content, shirataki is one of the healthiest noodles in Japan. This zero-calorie wonder is a gelatinous and translucent noodle made from konjac yam. It’s as thin as vermicelli noodles and as translucent as glass noodles. A typical shirataki production process involves mixing glucomannan flour with some water and lime before boiling the mixture. After that, it will be ready to be shaped into noodles. Shirataki has almost no taste. Hence, it absorbs the flavors of the other ingredients in a dish. This makes the noodle one of the most versatile you can ever find in Japan.
Eating shirataki noodles has so many health benefits that people call them “miracle noodles.” It’s free of common allergens like eggs, gluten, and wheat, making it the ideal option for those in need of food substitutes. Low in calories and carbs, shirataki helps with weight management. The glucomannan it contains can increase feelings of fullness during a meal, which is just another one of its many weight-loss benefits. Other popular benefits of shirataki include lower cholesterol, better gut health, and improved bowel movement. All of those perks and more have contributed to their growing popularity outside of Japan for weight management.
Regional Specialty Noodles
Let’s take a look at a few regional specialty noodles from Japan. These dishes are famous for how well they blend local ingredients and cooking styles.
Okinawa Soba: Despite its name, it does not include buckwheat noodles as one would expect. It consists of chewy noodles cooked in pork broth. Other common ingredients are fish cake, pork belly slices, pickled ginger, and green onion.
Hokkaido Ramen: Hokkaido is home to three main regional variations of ramen. They are Sapporo ramen, Asahikawa ramen, and Hakodate ramen. The most popular one is Sapporo ramen, a dish of pork bone broth, miso, and stir-fried vegetables.
Hōtō: This dish originates from the Yamanashi prefecture. It consists of miso soup, udon, and vegetables.
Pairing Noodles with Japanese Dishes
Beverages, side dishes, and condiments can enhance the flavors of Japanese noodles. Sometimes they even help to complete a meal. When it comes to drinks, aromatic white wine, sake, beers, and ramune offer the best beverage pairings for Japanese noodles, especially the spicy ones. One of our favorite side dishes to pair with noodles is a bowl of condiments that consists of spring onions, wasabi, and ginger.
Tempura pairings are not as versatile as our other suggestions. They work mostly with soba and udon. Ramen pairs well with fried rice, chicken dumplings, and tofu. However, miso ramen is the ideal pairing for Gose beer.
The Influence of Japanese Noodles on Global Cuisine
Japanese noodles have influenced global cuisine by bringing a new perspective to staple foods in countries like the United States. You’ll find ramen restaurants and noodle shops in every country in the world. The globalization of Japanese noodles has also led to the invention of fusion noodle dishes such as ramen with Chinese fried rice and soba with French wine. These dishes incorporate Japanese noodles into culinary traditions from overseas.
Conclusion:
The diversity and richness of Japanese noodles will allow them to remain a relevant part of global cuisine. People from all over the world can experiment with different toppings and soups to get recipes that match their preferences. That is the true value of these staple foods. Feel free to explore the wide array of flavors and styles that Japanese noodle dishes have to offer.
One way to do that is to visit Bokksu Boutique for our collection of noodle-inspired gift items. For a more traditional experience, you can get The Bokksu Ramen Box or the Ajikurabe Tohoku Ramen Gift Box. The Soumen Noodle Gift Set offers more innovative flavors, making it a unique gift. Enjoy these treats yourself or share them with loved ones!
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