Nagasaki

The craftsmanship and passion of the noodle makers can be felt in that al dente bite

Hand pulled somen noodles of Shimabara

Run-off water from the famed Unzendake Mountains (One of Japan’s top 100 sources of delicious water) is used to mix stone-ground Japanese flour. Salt used is sea salt from salt beds of Tsushima island, which is full of minerals. In order to bring out the chewiness of the noodles, the dough is rested and pulled over and over again. Finally, the noodles are pulled until they are thin as threads. Due to the laborious preparation, the noodles (despite being so thin) are tough and do not break apart in the water. They maintain a satisfying ‘slipperiness’ and chewiness when cooked. The craftsmanship and passion of the noodle makers can be felt in that al dente bite.