Rice is the staple food for Japanese people, but pasta is also commonly eaten. When you think of pasta, you probably think of Italian cuisine, but in Japan, pasta has evolved in its own unique way, resulting in a variety of pasta dishes. Italians might often wonder, “What kind of pasta is this?” when they see Japanese pasta. I hope you can set aside that feeling and think, “Oh, there’s this kind of dish too!”
From the perspective of those actually eating it, these dishes are quite delicious. There are pasta dishes that use soy sauce and grated daikon radish, which suit the Japanese palate.
Here are a few examples of Japanese pasta dishes.
Japanese-Style Mushroom Pasta
This pasta is flavored with soy sauce, Japanese dashi, and butter. The white topping is grated daikon radish, and it’s garnished with nori (seaweed). Mushrooms are used as the main ingredient in this dish.
Mentaiko Pasta
Mentaiko pasta, also known as “tarako spaghetti,” is very popular in Japan. It features mentaiko (spicy cod roe) and shredded nori (seaweed) on top of the pasta. Mentaiko might be unfamiliar, but it’s made from the eggs of the pollock fish, seasoned with salt and chili pepper.
While it’s not particularly spicy, it has a strong salty flavor. When you top pasta with mentaiko, the saltiness mixes well with the pasta, creating a delicious combination.
Napolitan
This pasta would surely surprise Italians. The reddish color comes from “ketchup.” The pasta is stir-fried with ketchup, along with sausages and green peppers. When eating, it’s often topped with grated Parmesan cheese. Napolitan is a beloved dish in Japan, so much so that there are restaurants dedicated solely to serving it.
Besides the Three Introduced, Japan Has Many Unique Pasta DishesAside from the three dishes we’ve introduced, there are many other unique Japanese pasta dishes. Some people might think, “This isn’t pasta!” but we encourage you to try them with an open mind and wonder, “What does this taste like?”
Pasta can be found all over Japan, sold in convenience stores and supermarkets. In restaurants, you can enjoy it at pasta specialty shops, family restaurants, and Italian restaurants.
Here are a few nationally renowned pasta chains in Japan:
- Jolly Pasta: With around 300 locations nationwide as of March 2022, Jolly Pasta likely has the most stores in Japan.Jolly Pasta Website (Japanese only)
- Yomenya Goemon: This restaurant serves pasta with chopsticks, catering to the Japanese preference for chopsticks. However, forks are also available upon request.Yomenya Goemon Website (Japanese only)
- Capricciosa: This restaurant is very popular and serves a wide range of Italian dishes. Though it’s an Italian family restaurant, many people think of pasta when they think of Capricciosa, so we’ve included it as a specialty shop.Capricciosa Website (Japanese only)
Incidentally, the author was amazed by the deliciousness of carbonara when visiting Italy, realizing that Japanese pasta and Italian pasta are almost entirely different dishes.
The pasta dishes you eat in Japan might be better described as “Japanese cuisine.” For those who plan to eat only Japanese food while in Japan, we suggest that the pasta offered here might also fall under the category of Japanese cuisine.