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Tsukemen (つけ麺), while not as world-famous as ramen, is a favorite and a source of pride for the Japanese. It's a dipping noodle dish consisting of cold noodles served with hot broth and various toppings.
A symphony of Japanese cuisine
With "Tsuke" meaning to dip and "men" meaning noodles, Tsukemen is known as a dipping version of ramen with a different flavor compared to traditional ramen.
Known as the creator of Tsukemen, Kazuo Yamagishi lived in Nagano Prefecture and apprenticed at the Taishoken Ramen restaurant (Nakano). At the age of 17 (1950), after accidentally seeing a colleague eat ramen by dipping the noodles into a bowl of soup, the idea for this type of noodle dish flashed through his mind. Yamagishi wanted to create a dipping version of ramen similar to soba, adding a sweet and sour broth, similar to Hiyashi Chuka (cold ramen served in summer).
Tsukemen ramen is a favorite dish and a source of pride for the Japanese people.
After numerous trials, in 1955, Yamagishi first introduced Tsukemen to the menu at his restaurant, "Taishoken." In a short time, the dish became popular and well-loved due to its novel way of eating (compared to the standards of the time). Its flavor was also considered superior to ramen by many. However, it wasn't officially named Tsukemen until 1970. Furthermore, the preparation process for this noodle dish required more ingredients than regular ramen, and it wasn't until several years later that it was officially included on the menu for customers.
In this context, "Tsuke" means dipping and "men" means noodles, so Tsukemen is known as a dipping version of ramen with a different flavor compared to traditional ramen.
At the time, this noodle dish was called "tokusei mori" soba (literally "special soba") - a name that remains on the menu to this day. However, to avoid confusion with traditional chilled soba noodles, Yamagishi chose the name "Tsukemen," meaning "dipping noodles," and the dish has retained its original flavor to this day.
Noodles are usually served cold, while soup is typically served hot.
A typical tokusei mori soba dish at a restaurant consists of a large bowl of noodles and a separate bowl of broth made from chicken, pork, fish, and vegetables, with added niboshi (dried sardines) or sababushi (smoked mackerel). When eating, diners gently stir the broth to mix the ingredients, then pick up a noodle with chopsticks and dip it into the broth. As the demand for Tsukemen (Japanese noodle soup) in Tokyo has increased over the years, restaurants have also found ways to meet and innovate to suit this demand.
Tsukemen ramen is a type of ramen noodle dish, but it's eaten in a unique way: dipping the noodles into a separate bowl of broth or soup.
More than just a dish, it's a cultural experience.
Tsukemen is a Japanese ramen dish, but the noodles and broth are served separately in two different bowls. The noodles are usually served cold, while the broth is typically served hot. In addition, the noodles and broth are often served with other toppings such as rolled omelets, seaweed, or boiled eggs.
Ramen served in tsukemen is often chilled by the chefs to maintain the freshness of the noodles.
Unlike other types of ramen that are usually eaten in cold weather, Japanese people prefer to eat Tsukemen ramen on hot days. Because it's a dipping noodle dish, the purpose is to keep the noodles fresh and chewy until the diner enjoys the dish, so the noodles and soup are served in separate bowls to prevent the noodles from becoming soggy in the hot broth.
The difference between cold noodles and hot broth is an interesting and addictive contrast that diners find addictive once they choose to try tsukemen. It's not surprising to say that the noodles are more important than the broth in this dish, and often some restaurants will serve less broth than the amount of noodles they serve.
Tsukemen has become a very popular dish in Tokyo and throughout Japan today.
This unique difference helped Tsukemen become a "new wave" in the 2000s. Numerous restaurants serving this dish sprung up in the Kanto region. Later, chefs also adapted the broth of Tsukemen into many different versions, such as: Chicken Hala Tsukemen, Italian Tsukemen, Shrimp and Tomato Tsukemen, etc.
Unlike Taishoken's Tsukemen, which always maintains the original flavor, Taizo Nakagawa, the CEO of Nakagawa Menya, believes that offering a variety of flavors provides customers with diverse experiences. "I want to show customers that there are many different ways to enjoy a dish," he says. "Instead of keeping the same flavor from beginning to end, having different versions prevents customers from getting bored. I believe that flavor and emotion depend heavily on how the food is served."
Unlike other types of ramen that are usually eaten in cold weather, the Japanese prefer to eat Tsukemen ramen on hot days.
With its unique flavor, delightful way of enjoying it, and diverse variations, tsukemen is not just a dish but also an icon of Japanese cuisine. This noodle dish has captivated the hearts of countless diners around the world, solidifying its position as a must-try specialty when visiting the land of cherry blossoms.
