Pasta is a food with a daily presence in Japan. There are thousands of noodles that differ from the West, both in the composition of the dough and in the ingredients of the dish. In this article, we will look at different types of Japanese noodles.
Although we mention different types of noodles, Japan is famous for making its own noodles in restaurants, so the flavor and type somewhat change from region to region and from restaurant to restaurant, providing original and indescribable types.
Throughout the article, we will highlight one of the keywords for each type of noodle; by clicking on it, you will be redirected to an article that talks more about that particular type of noodle.
Table of Contents
Ramen or Lamen – Noodle Soup
Ramen is a simple dish that consists of a noodle soup with a variety of ingredients and flavors. Usually, restaurants make their own noodles used in the dish, which closely resembles instant ramen (only in appearance).
There are hundreds of different types of ramen; some chefs spend their whole lives perfecting their original recipe, and the preparation of some lamen can take up to 12 hours. There are thousands of ramen restaurants scattered throughout Japan.
In addition to the traditional shoyu lamen, shio lamen, and miso lamen, we also have different preparations like tsukemen and tantanmen. Some cooks go further and create ramen with black broth, on fire, or stuffed with meat; the imagination is the limit!
Soba – Buckwheat Noodles
Soba is a traditional Japanese noodle made from buckwheat that is usually served cold or hot. They are easily found throughout Japan; it is a quite common dish that replaces the standard meal of rice and meat.
There are different types of Soba, from the more consistent industrialized ones to the homemade ones made from pure buckwheat, which have a very fragile consistency. The noodles usually mix with the dish’s sauce, creating a magnificent flavor.
Some characteristics of soba are its crunchy sensation, the way the dough and sauce mix and meet on the tongue, as well as its aroma. The most traditional are kakesoba, tenpurasoba, zarusoba (cold noodles), sansaisoba, and many others.
Udon – Thick Noodles
Udon is a thick noodle made from wheat flour. This noodle is usually thicker and whiter than soba and also has a broth made from dashi, mirin, and shoyu. Generally, a Soba restaurant serves the same dishes with Udon noodles.
In other words, there are zaru udon, kake udon, kamaage udon, chikara udon, kare udon, kitsune udon and many others, just as there are for soba. Udon has a lighter flavor that usually depends on the sauce and the ingredients that accompany it.
While soba noodles are brown, smooth, and thin, udon noodles are shiny white, round, and thick. The flavor and density of udon noodles can vary depending on the region of Japan where you eat them.
Harusame – Transparent Noodles
Harusame, also called glass noodles, is a type of transparent noodle made from starch and water. They are usually sold in dry form and are often used in soups, fried dishes, or spring rolls.
The harusame is usually made with bean sprout starch, potato starch, sweet potato starch, tapioca starch, or cane. In the case of the Japanese version, it is generally made with potato starch. Its name literally means spring rain (春雨).
The translucent noodle is commonly used to make salads or as an ingredient in hot pot dishes. They are also often used to make Japanese adaptations of Chinese and Korean dishes. Another similar alternative is Shirataki.
Shirataki – Calorie-Free Noodles
Shirataki, also known as Konnyaku, gained popularity outside Japan as a weight-loss food due to its lack of calories. The thin, translucent noodle is made from konjac yam and is high in dietary fiber, with low carbohydrates and calories.
The noodle is quite popular in sukiyaki, nikujyaga, and other cooked dishes. The noodle can also be drained, dried, and roasted, which reduces bitterness and gives the noodle a consistency, usually used in soup or sauce.
The shirataki can be purchased dry or wet. When bought wet, they are packed in liquid. They usually have a shelf life of up to a year. It is recommended to wash the noodles to remove the odor from the liquid version.
Somen – Cold Noodles
The somen [素麺] is a very thin white wheat flour noodle, usually served cold and quite popular in the Japanese summer. The same noodle can be served hot in winter under the name nyumen.
The somen is cooled immediately after being cooked and is served plain to be dipped in a sauce called tsuyu, which is usually based on katsuobushi with onion, ginger, or myoga. Surprisingly, this cold noodle is really a delight.
Some restaurants offer nagashi-somen. On this occasion, the noodles are placed in long bamboo troughs that float through it; at this moment, you must be quick to grab the noodles and dip them in the sauce. A kind of noodle conveyor.
Yakisoba – Fried Noodles
The word Yakisoba literally means “fried noodles.” This dish is widely consumed and appreciated in many parts of the world, especially in Brazil. It is a street food, present at festivals and fairs.
Yakisoba is a simple dish, basically made with stir-fried noodles with vegetables and meats. Always well seasoned and with a specific sauce. The Chinese noodle used in yakisoba is called chuukamen, which is similar to lamen.
There are variations like yakiudon, made with thick noodles. Yakisoba is so famous and juicy that it is often sold inside a bread roll in convenience stores called yakisoba pan.
Tokoroten – Seaweed Noodles
Tokoroten is a noodle made from agarophyte seaweed and has been consumed by the Japanese for over a thousand years. It is believed that Tokoroten was introduced to Japan from China during the Nara period and was widely consumed in the Edo region.
Originally, the noodle was simply made by boiling tengusa and served to eat immediately. Through freezing, the emergence of kanten, jelly, or agar-agar was discovered. Its firm resistance gave rise to the tokoroten noodle.
Tokoroten can be consumed hot or cold. As a noodle, it is more commonly consumed with a mixture of vinegar and soy sauce, sometimes with nori, pepper, and sesame. In the Kansai region, tokoroten is consumed as a dessert with kuromitsu.
Hiyamugi – Cold Wheat
Hiyamugi [冷麦] means cold wheat; it is a type of dry, very thin Japanese noodle made from wheat. It is thicker than somen, similar to vermicelli, considered the second thinnest noodle after somen.
Hiyamugi has a diameter between 1.3 millimeters and 1.7 millimeters. Anything thicker is udon, and anything thinner is sōmen. They are usually white but can be mixed with pink or green colored noodles.
Hiyamugi is enjoyed cold during the summer months. It is usually served over ice or floating in water in a transparent glass bowl. The cold noodles are served with a side sauce called tsukejiru, made with dashi, soy sauce, and mirin.
Chanpon – Noodles Cooked in Soup
Chanpon is a regional noodle dish from Nagasaki. There are different versions in Japan, Korea, and China. The dish was inspired by Chinese cuisine. It is made by frying pork, seafood, and vegetables with lard in a broth made from bones.
Noodles are specially made for chanpon. Unlike other ramen dishes, only one pot is needed since the noodles are cooked together with the soup. Depending on the season, region, and situation, the ingredients differ along with the flavor.
There are other variations found in Japan. Ankake no Chanpon is a soy sauce-based variant found in Tottori, Shimane prefectures, as well as in the city of Amagasaki in Hyōgo prefecture.
Instant Noodles – Cup Noodles
Instant noodles and the famous Cup Noodles were invented in 1958 in Japan by Momofuku Ando, founder of Nissin. One of the most consumed noodles worldwide, in Japan, there are thousands of flavors and different types of instant noodles.
Instant noodles are consumed by a large part of the Japanese and global population due to their low price and short preparation time. Called ramen, their flavor doesn’t even come close to that of original ramen.
Despite being tasty, they are high in fat, sodium, and various chemical components, which can be harmful to health if consumed too frequently. Nowadays, all countries manufacture their instant noodles.
Other Types of Japanese Noodles
Sanuki udon – Popular in Kagawa, has its unique characteristics; the noodle has a square shape and flat edges with a very chewy texture. This type of udon can be found in restaurants marked [さぬき].
Wanko Soba – A style from Iwate prefecture, particularly in Morioka and Hanamaki. It consists of a small portion of soba noodles in small bowls. Where you quickly eat your soba noodles and refill your bowl immediately.
Sara udon – Literally means “plate noodle”; it is a native dish from Nagasaki prefecture. Despite the name Udon, there are variations with thin noodles that are quite popular. The noodles are served with fried cabbage, moyashi, vegetables, pork, and others.
Okinawa Soba – A type of noodle made in Okinawa; its dough is not like that of original soba; it resembles more udon, and its soup is quite similar to ramen; the dough can come slightly flattened depending on the region in Okinawa.
Toshikoshi soba – A traditional Japanese noodle dish eaten on New Year’s Eve. This custom leaves the difficulties of the year behind because the pure buckwheat soba noodles are easily cut while eating.
Tsukemen – A type of ramen that is quite strong with a thick broth where you actually dip the noodles into the broth to eat them. Soba and udon are some types of noodles used in the dish.
Wafu Pasta – Italian Pasta in Japan
In Japan, just like the rest of the world, you can find traditional Italian pasta and other European region pastas. Western recipes like carbonara are quite popular in Japan. I personally tried these pastas thanks to Japan.
There are restaurant franchises like saizeriya specialized in pastas similar to Italian dishes but adapted to the Japanese palate. Pizzas and other types of pasta are quite common in Japan.
There is a fusion of Italian pasta with Japanese noodles called Wafu Pasta. Just as you find authentic Italian recipes in Japan, you also find traditional noodles like spaghetti in Japanese recipes.
The origin of Wafu pasta dates back to 1953 in a small restaurant in Tokyo called Kabenoana (Hole in the Wall). At that time, there were only three restaurants serving pasta in Tokyo, one of which was in the Imperial Hotel.
The Italian-type noodles are generally called pasta, which literally refers to dough. It is also commonly used to refer to the variety of pasta dishes. In Japanese, noodle pasta is called men [麺].
Normally, the pasta is made from an unleavened dough of hard wheat flour mixed with water and formed into sheets or various shapes. It can be made with flour from other cereals or grains, and eggs can be used instead of water.
Noodle Vocabulary in Japanese
In addition to the types of Japanese noodles we have seen throughout the article, you may want to try other Italian pastas and noodles. Below we will leave a list of words referring to types of noodles in Japanese.
| Portuguese | Japanese | Romaji |
| thick noodles | 太麺 | futomen |
| egg pasta | エッグパスタ | eggupasuta |
| angel hair | カペッリダンジェロ | kaperridanjero |
| thin pasta (fettucine) | 平麺 | hiraman |
| capellini | カッペリーニ | kapperiinii |
| vermicelli | バーミセリ | beemiseri |
| carbonara | カルボナーラ | karubonaara |
| fedeline | フェデリーニ | fuederiini |
Where to Buy Japanese Noodles?
After seeing these delights, you may wonder where to buy and eat these noodles. If you are in Japan, just go to any street to come across a market or restaurant, but those living in Brazil have some difficulty finding them.
In Brazil, it is common to find yakisoba, udon, and ramen, but even a simple and traditional buckwheat soba is hard to find. Some manage to buy such noodles in markets with an oriental products section.
Unfortunately, these supposed industrialized oriental noodles sold in the market are not the same as the noodles found in Japan. Many are manufactured in Brazil and only imitate the real noodles found in Japanese restaurants.
There are stores that sell oriental products like konbini and Amazon.
List of Chinese Noodles
Japan and China have a strong connection, so it is quite common to find Chinese noodles in Japan, both in Japanese versions and in their original Chinese version. To complement the article, we will leave a list of Chinese noodles:
Sometimes the name below refers only to the ingredient of the Chinese noodle mix. It is a popular and common dish. I hope you enjoyed the article; if you did, share it and leave your comments.
- Ants climbing a tree
- Banmian
- Beef chow fun
- Cart
- Chongqing
- Chow mein
- Crossing the bridge
- Kuan fen
- Dan zai
- Dandan
- Drunken
- Hokkien mee
- Hot and sour
- Hot dry noodles
- Lanzhou beef lamian
- Liangpi
- Lo mein
- Lomi
- Huoguo dun fen
- Luosifen
- Mee pok
- Millinge
- Satay bee hoon
- Shanghai fried
- Su-style
- Ulmyeon
- Wonton
- Yuntunmian
- Zhajiangmian
- Biangbiang
- Cellophane
- Chinkiang pot cover
- Cumian
- Daoxiao
- Dragon beard
- Henan braised
- Hot dry
- Jook-sing
- Kaomianjin
- Lai fun
- Lamian
- Liangpi
- Migan
- Misua
- Mixian
- Mung bean sheets
- Oil
- Paomo
- Ramen
- Rice vermicelli
- Saang mein
- Shahe fen
- Shrimp roe
- Silver
- Yi mein
- Youmian
- Gong Zai Mian
- Wonton noodles
- Cheonsachae
- Dotori guksu
- Garak guksu
- Jjolmyeon
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