Basic Information
Japanese noodle dishes include not only soba and udon but also menus that have uniquely evolved from foreign noodle dishes, such as ramen, originating from Chinese cuisine, and Napolitan, derived from Western cuisine.
Somen
Somen is a type of noodle made from wheat flour, with a diameter of less than 1.3mm. “Flowing Somen,” where you use chopsticks to catch the somen that flows with water on a bamboo slide, then dip it in broth to eat, is a characteristic summer tradition.
Hiyamugi
Hiyamugi is a type of noodle made from wheat flour, with a diameter between 1.3mm and 1.6mm. The taste is similar to Somen, but the noodles are thicker. While Somen is eaten all over Japan, Hiyamugi is primarily eaten in eastern Japan.
Naporitan
Naporitan is a Japanese originated pasta dish where boiled spaghetti is stir-fried with ingredients such as onions, green peppers, and bacon, then seasoned with tomato ketchup. It evolved into its current form in hotels and restaurants in Japan from before and after World War II.
Hiyashityuka
Hiyashityuka is a colorful noodle dish where cold Chinese noodles are topped with char siu, ham, sliced tamagoyaki, cucumbers, tomatoes, etc. The soup is soy sauce-based with vinegar added, giving it a refreshing taste. It’s a standard noodle dish to enjoy in summer.
Chicken Ramen
Chicken Ramen is the world’s first instant ramen in a bag, invented in 1958 by Momofuku Ando, the founder of Nissin Foods. It was a groundbreaking food product where you can just pour hot water into a bowl containing dried noodles with flavoring and it’s ready to eat. This instant ramen has now spread all over the world, evolving according to each country’s preferences. Chicken Ramen is still sold in Japan, making it a perfect souvenir for foreign visitors.
Cup Noodles
Cup Noodles is the world’s first cup ramen, invented in 1971 by Momofuku Ando, the founder of Nissin Foods. The combination of a cup and instant noodles made it a groundbreaking food product that you can eat anytime, anywhere as long as you have hot water. This cup ramen has also spread all over the world, evolving according to each country’s preferences. In Japan, udon, soba, and yakisoba are also available. Cup Noodles is still sold in Japan today, making it a perfect souvenir for foreign visitors, just like Chicken Ramen.
