Handa Somen (Hand-Stretched Wheat Noodles)
Handa Somen (Thick Hand-Stretched Wheat Noodles of Tsurugi)
Handa Somen is a hand-stretched somen (thin wheat noodle) made in the Handa district of Tsurugi Town, Mima District, Tokushima Prefecture. Its most distinctive feature is that it is thicker than ordinary somen, close to the thickness of hiyamugi (a slightly thicker wheat noodle). It has a strong, springy texture (koshi) and a slippery smoothness, and it is sometimes said that 'the noodles bounce on the tongue.' It is said to have begun in the Edo period, when boatmen who handled river transport on the Yoshino River brought the production method back from Miwa in Nara. The cold winds blowing from the Shikoku Mountains and the water flowing from Mt. Tsurugi into the Yoshino River were well suited to making somen. Its only ingredients are wheat flour, salt and water, and because it does not easily fall apart when cooked, it can be eaten either cold or hot. In Tokushima households it is used in a variety of dishes throughout the four seasons. 'Handa Somen' is also registered as a regional collective trademark.
Origin
There are various theories about its beginnings. According to the Japan Patent Office's introduction of regional collective trademarks, boatmen on the Yoshino River's riverboats brought the technique from Miwa in Nara in the mid-Edo period. Another account says the boatmen learned a method that had been transmitted from Miwa via Awaji Island. The boatmen are said to have started making it for their own consumption and as a winter side job, and it eventually became an industry of Handa.
History
According to materials from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, production in 1871 (Meiji 4) was 56 tons. At the time there were no flour mills, and wheat was ground into flour with waterwheels in Ikawadani (伊川谷). In the early Showa era, the town mayor, who was also a physician, is said to have inspected the Banshu region of Hyogo Prefecture and worked to improve quality, laying the foundation for it as a local specialty. In 1928 (Showa 3), the Handa Town Somen Association was formed. In 2004, the Handa Hand-Stretched Somen Cooperative was established, and there are said to be just over 20 noodle makers in the town today.
Features
The noodles are said to be about 1.3–1.7 mm in diameter, thicker than typical hand-stretched somen. Made only from wheat flour, salt and water, the dough is stretched repeatedly until it becomes thin. Because of the hand-stretching method, the gluten fibers in the wheat are less likely to break down, which is said to produce a strong, springy texture. Another feature is that the noodles do not easily go soggy after boiling or fall apart when cooked. A boiling time of about 5 to 6 minutes is given as a guide. Producers are also working to standardize product specifications, shipping 100 g bundles wrapped in washi (Japanese paper) under the name 'Handa Tenobe Somen' (Handa Hand-Stretched Somen).
Main Ingredients
Food Culture
In Tokushima households, it is eaten not only as chilled somen in summer but also in a variety of ways regardless of season, including hot dishes and aemono (dressed dishes). Because it is thick and does not easily fall apart, it is said to keep its texture well even in hot dishes. It can also be easily bought at supermarkets in the prefecture.
Famous Shops
半田そうめん食堂
徳島県美馬郡つるぎ町貞光東浦68-1（折目亭 遊懐に併設）
A specialty restaurant run by the third generation of 北室白扇 (Kitamuro Hakusen), a noodle maker that has long made somen in Handa; it opened in 2022. It serves monthly-changing somen dishes and set meals (gozen) centered on Handa Somen. The set meals are said to come with dashimaki tamago (rolled omelet with dashi) and rice cooked with grains grown in the western part of the prefecture.
道の駅 貞光ゆうゆう館
徳島県美馬郡つるぎ町貞光大須賀11-1
A roadside station (michi-no-eki) in Tsurugi Town where you can eat Handa Somen at its restaurant. It is said to usually serve kamaage somen (served hot straight from the pot), with chilled somen also offered in summer. Handa Somen can also be bought at its local products shop. Because few restaurants in the town serve Handa Somen, it is a valuable place to taste it locally.
View details →| Handa Tenobe Somen (株式会社オカベ) | Handa Somen from オカベ (Okabe), a noodle-making company with its head office and direct sales shop in Handa, Tsurugi Town. The direct sales shop is located at 徳島県美馬郡つるぎ町半田字東毛田48. According to a feature article, a gift box of dried noodles for 10 servings costs 1,360 yen (tax included), and semi-fresh noodles for 15 servings with concentrated tsuyu cost 2,700 yen (tax included). The dried noodles keep for about a year and a half from the date of manufacture.Where to buy →PR |
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FAQ
Q. Is Handa Somen different from hiyamugi?
A. For machine-made dried noodles, those under 1.3 mm thick are classified as somen, and those 1.3 mm or more but under 1.7 mm as hiyamugi. Hand-stretched dried noodles, on the other hand, can be labeled 'tenobe somen' (hand-stretched somen) as long as their thickness (major diameter) is under 1.7 mm. Handa Somen is on the thick side, but because it is made by hand-stretching, it is sold as somen.