When it comes to summer dishes in Japan, somen is a staple you can’t miss.
Summer in Japan is hot, and relentlessly saps our energy. Somen is the perfect answer to the need fors omething to eat on a hot summer day without the hassle of cooking, and is a common sight on dining tables across Japan in the summer.
Somen is characterized by having thinner noodles than udon or soba, and because its easy to eat, it is popular among a wide range of people, from children to the elderly. After quickly boiling the noodles, put them in cold ice water to cool, and then serve with mentsuyu, a noodle dipping sauce, and eat. It is a simple dish that can be garnished with easy toppings like lightly cooked chopped egg, or ham, cucumber, ginger, and green onion.
One mysterious event htat makes somen even more attractive is “Nagashi Somen”, in which you catch and eat somen noodles as they flow in water. Nagashi somen uses a piece of bamboo split in half lengthwise that acts as a chute in which water and somen flow together, and you catch and eat the somen with chopsticks as it slides by. It is a beloved Japanese summertime activity. Nagashi somen is so beloved by Japanese that they sometimes use a nagashi somen machine, where the noodles automatically flow similar to a flowing pool, letting them easily enjoy nagashi somen at home.
Everyone enjoys eating and having a good time, whether they were able to catch the somen or not.
It is perhaps precisely because of such precious summer memories that Japanese love somen.
Summer in Japan is hot and humid, but there are many things that can only be enjoyed in summer.
Cold somen noodles, which can be quickly and easily eaten even when you have reduced appetite from the heat, are sold at convenience stores and supermarkets in addition to restaurants. I hope you will give them a try during your summer trip to Japan.