Morioka Jajamen (Flat noodles with meat miso)
Morioka’s soul food: mix Jajamen to your taste, then finish with a comforting bowl of chitantan.

About Morioka Jajamen (Flat noodles with meat miso)

Jajamen, a local dish from Morioka City in Iwate Prefecture, is known as one of Morioka’s three great noodle dishes. After tasting zhajiangmian in former Manchuria before the war, Kansho Takashina adapted it in Morioka after the war using Japanese ingredients, creating a style of his own.

Jajamen is served with a distinctive, flat noodle similar to udon, topped with a special meat-miso sauce, cucumber, and green onion. Add condiments such as grated ginger, grated garlic, vinegar, and chili oil to taste. The key is to mix the toppings and condiments thoroughly. The chance to adjust the flavor to your liking is part of the dish’s appeal.

Another highlight is chitantan, a soup made by cracking a raw egg into the bowl after you finish the noodles and adding the noodles’ cooking water. The remaining meat miso blends with the egg, making this a satisfying way to finish the meal.

A serving of Jajamen (about 400 g) contains approximately 460 kcal, 19.85 g of protein, 20.3 g of fat, and 47.7 g of carbohydrates.

Morioka has many specialty Jajamen restaurants, including the original Pailon, each offering its own distinctive flavor. When you visit, try finding a bowl that suits your taste.

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