Top 10 Japanese Noodles

1. Ramen (ラーメン)

Ramen is the most popular Japanese noodle dish both in Japan and around the world. A typical ramen consists of hot soup with hot noodles, topped with ingredients like eggs, chashu (braised pork), and menma (fermented bamboo shoots).

For the soup, it is made by extracting flavors from various ingredients. The most traditional flavors for Japanese people are soy sauce, salt, and miso. However, countless other flavors are being created every day thanks to the creativity and hard work of ramen chefs.

• Light flavor
  • Soy sauce (醤油 = Shouyu)
  • Salt (塩 = Shio)
  • Tomato (トマト = Tomato)
• Slightly rich flavor
  • Seafood (魚介 = Gyokai)
  • Chicken bone (鶏白湯 = Toripaitan)
• Rich flavor
  • Miso (味噌 = Miso)
  • Pork bone (豚骨 = Tonkotsu)

For the noodles, they are mainly made from wheat flour mixed alkali salt solution, the noodles are called “Chuka-men(中華麺)”. There are differences in noodle thickness, such as thick, medium-thick, and thin noodles, as well as variations in shape, like straight or wavy noodles. These differences create unique textures and affect how well the noodles pair with the soup. If you like chewy texture, recommend to choose thicker noodles.

💡Small tips

• Locals who love drinking eat ramen after drinking. Rich and salty flavors make it the perfect dish to wrap up a night of drinking. However, ramen is generally high in calories, so be careful not to overindulge!
• At most ramen shops, you’ll buy a ticket for the ramen you want from a vending machine and use that ticket to place your order. Many of these machines only accept cash, so make sure to have some cash. The average price for a bowl of ramen is around 1,000 yen.

2. Udon (うどん)

Udon is also popular Japanese noodle both in Japan and around the world.
A typical udon is served either with hot noodles in hot soup or with cold noodles that you dip into cold soup yourself. You can choose hot or cold when placing your order. Popular toppings are tempura, aburaage (fried tofu), meat, and vegetables, which are often added for an extra charge.

For the soup, a sweet and salty noodle broth called “Mentsuyu (麺つゆ)” is commonly used, made by extracting flavors from bonito and kombu.

For the noodles, they are made from wheat flour. The thickness of the noodles can vary, and the texture differs depending on the udon shop. Generally, Japanese people prefer udon with a chewy texture. The following 3 famous regional udon varieties are especially popular for their chewiness.

• 讃岐うどん = Sanuki-udon
• 稲庭うどん = Inaniwa-udon
• 水沢うどん = Mizusawa-udon

💡Small tips

• You may be served condiments called “Yakumi (薬味)”, such as green onions, wasabi, or grated daikon radish. These can be added to the soup according to your preference when you want to change the flavor. Be careful not to add too much wasabi, as Japanese wasabi can be quite spicy.
• Another way to enjoy udon is a dish called “Misonikomi udon (味噌煮込みうどん)”. The warm udon, simmered in a slightly sweet miso-based broth, is especially delicious during the cold winter months.

3. Soba (そば)

Soba is the healthiest Japanese noodle, made from buckwheat flour.

Soba is served in almost the same way as udon.

The hot water used to boil soba noodles is considered good for your health, and after eating soba, you may be served hot water called “Sobayu (そば湯)”. Sobayu is mixed with the leftover soba dipping soup and enjoyed as a drink.

💡Small tips

• Japanese people have a culture of eating soba on December 31, New Year’s Eve. One of the origins of this custom is to pray for a long and thin life like soba, in reference to the fact that soba is long and thin.
• Due to differences in climate and geography, soba is more commonly eaten in the colder regions of eastern Japan, while udon is more popular in the warmer regions of western Japan.
• In Japan’s mountainous regions, there are many soba shops that use clean, cold water to make delicious noodles. If you travel to these areas, highly recommend trying freshly made soba from a local shop.

4. Tsukemen, Mazesoba, Aburasoba (つけ麺, まぜそば, 油そば)

Tsukemen, Mazesoba and Aburasoba can be considered a type of ramen. But tsukemen is eaten by dipping the noodles into the soup, mazesoba and aburasoba are served with a small amount of soup/oil and mixed in, and you stir it before eating.

These dishes use the same Chuka-men (中華麺) as ramen, but they are enjoyed differently. Compared to ramen, they focus more on the texture and flavor of the noodles, and they are often served as thick noodles.

A famous mazesoba dish is “Taiwan Mazesoba (台湾まぜそば)”. Despite its name, it actually originated in Ehime Prefecture, Japan. This dish features extra-thick noodles topped with a flavorful minced meat seasoned with chili peppers and garlic. You mix everything together before eating, creating a bold, spicy, and savory flavor that’s highly addictive!

5. Yakisoba (焼きそば)

Yakisoba is can be found in restaurants, but it’s mainly a home-cooked dish or a popular dish sold at festival food stalls.

The noodles used in yakisoba are the same Chuka-men (中華麺) as ramen, but they are sold pre-steamed or pre-boiled, giving them a softer texture than ramen noodles. The noodles are stir-fried with a special yakisoba sauce, along with vegetables and meat.

There are also regional variations of yakisoba, where the flavors and ingredients differ from the standard version. Some of the most famous varieties are listed below.

• 富士宮焼きそば = Fujinomiya-yakisoba
• 横手やきそば = Yokote-yakisoba
• 太田焼きそば = Ota-yakisoba

6. Somen, Hiyamugi (そうめん, ひやむぎ)

Udon, somen, and hiyamugi are all made from the same ingredients—the only difference is the thickness of the noodles.

1. Udon (thickest)
2. Hiyamugi (medium-thin)
3. Somen (thinnest)

Thicker noodles are more filling, while thinner noodles are light and easy to eat. Because somen and hiyamugi are very thin, they are especially popular during Japan’s hot summer months, when people have less appetite. Locals like to add condiments like green onions, ginger, and shiso leaves to enhance the refreshing taste.

7. Hiyashichuka (冷やし中華)

Hiyashichuka can be found in restaurants, but it’s mainly a home-cooked dish. It is considered a seasonal summer specialty in Japan and is deeply rooted in local food culture.

What makes it unique is the cold soup, which is a light, vinegar-based soup. Locals add ice cubes to make it extra refreshing. The noodles used are Chuka-men (中華麺), the same as ramen, but they contain more eggs than regular ramen noodles.

Typical toppings include cucumber, ham, and egg, giving it a colorful and appetizing appearance.

8. Chanpon (ちゃんぽん)

Chanpon is a noodle dish that originated in Nagasaki Prefecture.

It is made by simmering noodles together with plenty of vegetables, pork, and seafood in a rich tonkotsu-based soup.

The noodles used are the same Chuka-men (中華麺) as ramen, but they are thicker. Unlike ramen noodles, chanpon noodles don’t become too soft even when simmered in the soup, maintaining a firm and chewy texture.

One of its key characteristics is the generous amount of vegetables and ingredients, making it a well-balanced and nutritious dish. The broth also has a mild sweetness, adding to its comforting flavor.

9. Hoto (ほうとう)

Hoto is a traditional noodle dish from Yamanashi Prefecture, it can be considered a type of udon.

It consists of thick, flat wheat noodles, simmered in a miso-based soup with many types of vegetables(pumpkin, potatoes, mushrooms.. etc), and meat.

Hoto is typically served in an iron pot. Since the noodles are cooked with the starch from the flour still on them, the soup becomes creamy, allowing it to coat the noodles well. The noodles are even thicker than udon, giving them a chewy and hearty texture.

This dish is nutritious and warming, making it especially delicious during the cold winter months.

10. Reimen (冷麺)

Reimen originally comes from the Korean Peninsula, but the Japanese version differs in terms of the noodles’ ingredients.

• Korean-style reimen: Made from buckwheat flour, with thin noodles that have a slightly weaker chew and a smooth texture
• Japanese-style reimen: Made from wheat flour, with thicker noodles that are chewy and bouncy

This Japanese-style reimen originated in Morioka, Iwate Prefecture, and is known as “Morioka Reimen(盛岡冷麺)”.

It is typically served as cold noodles topped with kimchi, cucumber, chashu (braised pork), and a boiled egg, all in a rich broth made from beef bones and chicken bones.

In the End

Did any of these catch your interest? If you haven’t tried them yet, now is the perfect time! Let me know your thoughts in the comments. I’d love to hear from you!