Japanese thin wheat noodles are called “somen” in Japanese. They are typically served cold and dipped in a sauce. In Japan, somen is considered a symbol of summer. While it’s available year-round, its cold, refreshing nature makes it particularly popular in the summer.
Somen is mostly enjoyed at home rather than in restaurants. However, in cities like Tokyo and Osaka, there are specialty restaurants where travelers can also enjoy it. Nevertheless, these restaurants are not very common, so it’s common for people to buy somen as souvenirs and enjoy it back home.
Somen is sold in the form of dried noodles.
Dry noodles typically have a shelf life of about 1 to 3 years, making them perfect for souvenirs.
To prepare them, you simply boil them in hot water for about a minute, then rinse them in cold water (the colder, the better) to firm them up. They’re ready in no time!
In photos, the noodles may look thin, so you might think one bundle isn’t enough. However, these somen noodles expand when cooked, so if one bundle isn’t sufficient, I recommend adding another bundle. Personally, I usually eat one or two bundles at a time.
Soy sauce-based noodle dipping sauce, or “mentsuyu,” is typically diluted with water before use. Depending on the brand, the ratio is usually around 1 part mentsuyu to 2 to 4 parts water.
For added flavor, garnishes like green onions or ginger are a great addition!
Both somen noodles and mentsuyu sauce are widely available at supermarkets and convenience stores nationwide. It’s rare to find a store that doesn’t sell them.
When purchasing somen, it’s essential to also buy mentsuyu sauce. Mentsuyu is the dipping sauce specifically for somen noodles.
Please be sure to try somen, a quintessential part of Japanese summer!