The Culinary Journey of Morioka’s Three Great Noodles
In Japan, along with traditional noodles like soba and udon, there are menus that have uniquely evolved from foreign noodle dishes like Napolitan from Western cuisine. Some regions, like Okinawa, have unique noodle cultures due to their geographical and historical backgrounds. For instance, Morioka City in Iwate Prefecture, ranked second in The New York Times’ “52 Places to Visit in 2023,” is known for its unique local dishes: “Wanko Soba” from Japan, “Cold Noodles” originating from the Korean Peninsula, and “Jajamen” from Chinese cuisine. The coexistence of noodle dishes representing Japanese, Chinese, and Korean cuisine in one town as local specialties is a rare case.
Wanko Soba (Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture)
Wanko Soba is a unique style of soba that has been passed down for over 400 years. Small servings of soba are continuously refilled into bowls by attendants each time they are emptied. The meal ends when the eater covers the bowl with a lid, indicating they are full.
Delicious Restaurants for Wanko Soba
東家本店 Map,Business Days,Hours
Address: 1-8-3 Nakanohashi-dori, Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture
Reputation: Established in Meiji 40, receive a handprint for eating over 100 bowls
初駒 本店 Map,Business Days,Hours
Address: 10-21 Hachiman-cho, Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture
Reputation: Popular Morioka Wanko Soba shop, noodles with a satisfying bite
嘉司屋 Map,Business Days,Hours
Address: 2-19 Higashi-machi, Hanamaki City, Iwate Prefecture
Reputation: A long-established shop frequented by Kenji Miyazawa, birthplace of the All Japan Wanko Soba Championship
Morioka Jajamen (Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture)
Morioka Jajamen is a noodle dish devised by a shop owner with experience living in northeastern China. The noodles used in Jajamen are not Chinese noodles but udon noodles, topped with sautéed miso and minced meat, cucumber, and green onions. While it bears similarities to Chinese Zha Jiang Mian and Korean Jajangmyeon, the flavors are distinctly different.
Delicious Restaurants for Morioka Jajamen
白龍 本店 Map,Business Days,Hours
Address: 5-15 Uchimaru, Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture
Reputation: Birthplace of Morioka Jajamen, founded in the Showa 20s, features a miso sauce with over 10 ingredients; a unique dining style concludes with an egg soup called “chiitantan.”
不来方じゃじゃめん Map,Business Days,Hours
Address: 3-1-23 Odori, Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture B1F
Reputation: Located in the bustling district, popular for its homemade char siu
盛岡じゃじゃ麺小吃店 Map,Business Days,Hours
Address: 1-44 Morioka Ekimae-dori, Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture
Reputation: Near Morioka Station, offers a unique Kansai-style broth Jajamen
Morioka Cold Noodles (Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture)
Morioka Cold Noodles are a unique adaptation of Korean cold noodles in Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture. A distinctive feature of Morioka Cold Noodles is the use of seasonal fruits such as apples, watermelons, and pears as accompaniments.
Delicious Restaurants for Morioka Cold Noodles
焼肉・冷麺ヤマト 盛岡店 Map,Business Days,Hours
Address: 3-3-3 Inaricho, Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture
Reputation: Fresh noodles, generous portions, light yet rich soup, homemade kakdugi (radish kimchi) is popular
ぴょんぴょん舎 Map,Business Days,Hours
Address: 9-3 Morioka Ekimae-dori, Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture
Reputation: In front of Morioka Station, homemade noodles with a strong texture using wheat and starch, served with fruits like watermelon and pear
焼肉冷麺 大同苑 Map,Business Days,Hours
Address: 2-6-19 Saien, Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture
Reputation: Cold noodles made from potato starch and wheat flour, rich soup made from beef bones, adjustable spiciness
Culinary Journeys of Unique Noodles Across Regions
Somen and Hiyamugi are made from the same wheat as udon but are processed to be as thin as soba. Okinawa Soba from Okinawa is a unique noodle dish that blends characteristics of soba, udon, and ramen.
Somen (Western Japan)
Somen are noodles made from wheat flour, characterized by their thinness, with a diameter of less than 1.3mm. “Nagashi Somen,” where somen noodles flow in a bamboo chute and are caught with chopsticks to be dipped in sauce, is a summer tradition.
Hiyamugi (Eastern Japan)
Hiyamugi are also made from wheat flour, with a diameter between 1.3mm and 1.6mm. They taste similar to somen but differ in thickness. Somen is consumed nationwide, while Hiyamugi is primarily eaten in Eastern Japan.
Shiroishi Uumen (Shiroishi City, Miyagi Prefecture)
Shiroishi Uumen resembles somen but is distinct because no oil is used in its production. Originating 400 years ago, it was created by a son for his father suffering from stomach issues as an easily digestible noodle dish.
Delicious Restaurants for Shiroishi Uumen
手延白石温麺 味見処 光庵 Map,Business Days,Hours
Address: 46 Honmachi, Shiroishi City, Miyagi Prefecture
Reputation: Features 9cm long warm noodles, broth flavors include soy sauce, walnut, miso; “Tsuri-gane” sign uses the Katakura family’s banner
なかじま駅前店 Map,Business Days,Hours
Address: 8-23 Sawame, Shiroishi City, Miyagi Prefecture
Reputation: The original Shiroishi Uumen spot, a long-established store near Shiroishi Station, also popular for its tempura
Houtou (Yamanashi Prefecture)
Houtou is a regional dish from Yamanashi Prefecture, made by cooking thick, short noodles made from wheat flour in a miso-based broth with ingredients like pumpkin. The thickness of the noodles and ingredients can vary by region.
Delicious Restaurants for Houtou
甲州ほうとう小作河口湖店 Map,Business Days,Hours
Address: 1638-1 Funatsu, Fujikawaguchiko-machi, Minamitsuru-gun, Yamanashi Prefecture
Reputation: A regional cuisine restaurant chain with 9 locations in Yamanashi, pumpkin houtou is popular
甲州ほうとう 完熟屋 Map,Business Days,Hours
Address: 671 Shioyama Aka-o, Koshu City, Yamanashi Prefecture
Reputation: Located in a 120-year-old traditional house, offers vegetable houtou, chicken houtou, and pork houtou
ほうとう蔵 歩成 河口湖店 Map,Business Days,Hours
Address: 6931 Funatsu, Fujikawaguchiko-machi, Minamitsuru-gun, Yamanashi Prefecture
Reputation: A stylish Japanese-modern establishment, offers dining with views of Mount Fuji
Napolitan (Japanese-Style Italian)
Napolitan is a Japanese-origin pasta dish where boiled spaghetti is sautéed with ingredients like onions, bell peppers, and bacon, then seasoned with tomato ketchup. It evolved uniquely in Japan in hotels and restaurants from before to after World War II.
Delicious Restaurants for Napolitan
さぼうる 2 Map,Business Days,Hours
Address: 1-11 Kanda Jimbocho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Reputation: Generous portions, Showa retro atmosphere, used as a movie location
喫茶 ユキ Map,Business Days,Hours
Address: 3-2-30 Aoi, Higashi-ku, Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture
Reputation: Birthplace of iron plate Napolitan, served on an egg-laid iron plate
ホテル ニューグランド Map,Business Days,Hours
Address: 10 Yamashita-cho, Naka-ku, Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture
Reputation: The hotel where Napolitan originated, Coffee House The Cafe, offers an elegant tasting Napolitan
Hiyashi Chuka (Japanese-style Chinese Cold Noodles)
Hiyashi Chuka does not exist in China itself. It is a colorful noodle dish served with chilled Chinese noodles topped with char siu, ham, chopped omelette, cucumber, and tomatoes. The soup is soy sauce-based with vinegar added, giving it a refreshing taste. It has become a staple noodle dish eaten in the summer.
Recommended Restaurants for Hiyashi Chuka
中国料理 龍亭 Map,Business Days,Hours
Address: 1-2-10 Nishikicho, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture
Reputation: Originator of Hiyashi Chuka / Founded in Showa 12 (1937)
揚子江菜館 Map,Business Days,Hours
Address: 1-11-3 Kanda Jimbocho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Reputation: There are theories that this restaurant is the birthplace of Hiyashi Chuka / Famous for its very thin noodles
Nagasaki Champon (Nagasaki City, Nagasaki Prefecture)
Nagasaki Champon is said to have been created by the owner of the Chinese restaurant “Shikairou” in Nagasaki City during the Meiji era, based on Fujian cuisine. It is made with a soup of chicken bones or pork bones and is topped with pork, green onions, vegetables, and kamaboko.
Recommended Restaurants for Nagasaki Champon
四海樓 Map,Business Days,Hours
Address: 4-5 Matsugae-cho, Nagasaki City, Nagasaki Prefecture
Reputation: Birthplace of Nagasaki Champon / Created during the Meiji era
Okinawa Soba (Okinawa Prefecture)
Okinawa, an island located between Japan and China, has cultivated its unique noodle dish culture. Okinawa Soba, which looks and tastes different from udon, soba, and ramen, was born from such a background. The soup is made with pork and bonito, and topped with Okinawa-style seasoned pork.
Recommended Restaurants for Okinawa Soba
浜屋 Map,Business Days,Hours
Address: 2-99 Miyagi, Chatan-cho, Nakagami-gun, Okinawa Prefecture
Reputation: Seasoned with tide, pork bone-based soup / Light taste / Slow-cooked soft bone Soki
なかむらそば Map,Business Days,Hours
Address: 1669-1 Seragaki, Onna Village, Kunigami-gun, Okinawa Prefecture
Reputation: Light yet rich soup / Arasa Soba with kamaboko mixed with Arasa is popular
宮里そば Map,Business Days,Hours
Address: 1-27-2 Miyazato, Nago City, Okinawa Prefecture
Reputation: Soki and tied kelp / Light soup
