なごやきしめん亭

What is Kishimen?

Kishimen noodles are wider than conventional noodles.

Dried noodle quality standards require that noodles are no less than 4.5mm wide, no greater than 2.0mm thick, and are made from wheat flour.

They are usually eaten with soy-based sauce flavored with bonito and kelp stock and topped with kamaboko fish paste, spinach and bonito shavings.

Flat noodles taste best when mixed and eaten with soup.

Origins of Kishimen

Blessed with the clear waters of Kiso River and ideal climate conditions, Owari Plain has long been a noodle producing area. Among the local products, Kishimen noodles have widespread popularity among food aficionados throughout Japan as a representative product of Owari Nagoya.

There are numerous stories about the origins of Kishimen. It is said to have originated from flat noodles that were served with pheasant ("Kiji" in Japanese) meat for a lord in Nagoya, thus giving the name "Kijimen;"another story is that it derived from "Kishumen" from the Kishu area; and there is another story that the vassals of Takeda Shingen during the Warring States Period introduced "Himokawa" and "Hoto" flat noodles to Owari from the Kanto region.

The existence of these different stories, without any one established theory, adds to the mysterious appeal of "Nagoya Kishimen" noodles.

Following repeated research aimed at serving delicious yet inexpensive Kishimen noodles while adhering to tradition, Nagoya Kishimentei has finally established a vaunted manufacturing method and flavor that is in no way inferior to hand-made noodles.

This Kishimen may be called an entirely natural food that is finished with completely "old-style" color and flavoring.