This time, we will be giving a thorough explanation about "Tan Tan Yakisoba," a local B-class gourmet dish from Yugawara Town, Kanagawa Prefecture.

Yugawara Town, Kanagawa Prefecture, is a town located in Ashigarashimo District, Kanagawa Prefecture. Facing Sagami Bay, the town is rich in nature and is known as a famous tourist destination with hot springs, cherry blossom viewing spots, and historical buildings.

This time, we will be introducing the charming local B-class gourmet dish "Tan Tan Yakisoba" of Yugawara Town, as well as tourist spots in the town!

What is tantan yakisoba?

Tan Tan Yakisoba is a type of yakisoba that is characterized by its fragrant and spicy flavor, made primarily from sesame paste and bean paste.

Although you can enjoy a variety of other flavors depending on the restaurant, there are two main flavors.

One is Yugawara citrus, which is made by adding citrus fruits such as lemons and Kiyomi oranges grown in Yugawara to the dish or using them as a secret ingredient.

The other is the poached egg type. As Yugawara is famous for its hot springs, this is a poached egg placed on top of the yakisoba. Sometimes the egg is changed to a boiled egg, a soft-boiled egg, or a fried egg.

The history of tantan yakisoba

Tan Tan Yakisoba was born from a certain legend.

There was a male raccoon dog in Yugawara, and one day, some local people injured him with a hunting bow. When the male raccoon dog found a spot where hot water was gushing out on the bank of a river flowing through the mountains and was healing his wounds, a female raccoon dog with a similar burn on her leg came to bathe.

The two raccoons fell in love as they returned to heal their wounds, and eventually became husband and wife. The two were so grateful for the hot springs that they transformed into humans to tell travelers about the wonders of Yugawara's hot springs. They later became messengers of the gods who bring good fortune, and are still guarding the hot springs to this day.

It is said that tantan yakisoba was born from the catchy song phrase "Tan tan tanuki♪," inspired by the raccoon dog that appears in this legend.

How to make Tan Tan Yakisoba

First, make the sauce. The ingredients for the sauce are about 3 tablespoons of peanut butter with granules, 1 tablespoon of chili bean paste, about 1 tablespoon of sweet bean paste, 1 teaspoon of sugar, 2 teaspoons of chicken stock or Chinese flavor, 2 teaspoons of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of sesame seeds, and hot water.

Place these in the same container and mix well.

Next, prepare one frying pan for cooking the noodles and one for making the toppings.

Place the yakisoba in a frying pan set aside over high heat for a while so that it browns. Once browned, flip the noodles over and brown the other side in the same way. The noodles are then done.

Next, add sesame oil and chopped ginger to the frying pan used to make the filling and heat over medium heat.When the aroma comes out, add the minced meat and stir fry.

Once the minced meat has changed color, add the bean sprouts and chives and stir fry lightly, then add the sauce prepared earlier and stir fry over high heat to evaporate the moisture.

Once all the cooking is done, place the noodles on a plate and top with hot toppings to finish.

Things to do in Yugawara-machi

From here, we will introduce some recommended tourist spots in Yugawara Town.

Manyo Park

Manyo Park is a park located in the center of Yugawara Onsen.

Within the lush park, there are cafes, restaurants and other shops where you can enjoy delicious food while taking in the scenery that changes with the seasons.

In addition, the park underwent a complete renovation in 2021, and Yugawara Soyu Books and Retreat was opened within the park.

Here you can enjoy a day trip to the hot springs and foot baths where you can feel the nature. There are also many cafes and takeout shops inside Yugawara Soyu Books and Retreat, so it is also recommended for those who want to enjoy gourmet food.

Fudo Falls

Fudo Falls is a 15-meter waterfall, named after its powerful appearance, which resembles that of Acala. On the left side of the waterfall is the substitute Acala, and on the right side is the Shusse Daikokuson.

There is a teahouse in front of the waterfall from which you can view the power of the waterfall, and you can enjoy sweet sake made with rice malt, miso oden, oshiruko, matcha and homemade red bean paste, and a set of shiratama.

Many tourists visit the area every day because they can enjoy different scenery depending on the season.

Access to Yugawara Town

Here we will introduce how to access Yugawara Town.

If you are coming from Tokyo, we recommend taking the Shinkansen and train. First, take the JR Kodama Shinkansen from Tokyo Station to Odawara Station, then transfer to the JR Tokaido Main Line to Yugawara Station.

If you are coming from Osaka, we recommend using the Shinkansen and trains. Take the JR Shinkansen Hikari from Osaka Station to Atami Station. Then, transfer to the JR Tokaido Main Line and get off at Yugawara Station.

Location of Yugawara Town, Ashigarashimo District, Kanagawa Prefecture

summary

This time, we introduced "Tan Tan Yakisoba," a local B-class gourmet dish from Yugawara Town, Kanagawa Prefecture.

We learned that it has a unique seasoning and preparation method that is different from regular yakisoba. We also learned that it is a local specialty that was born from an interesting legend.

Yugawara has many spots where you can experience the plentiful nature, making it a popular area visited by many tourists every year.

If you visit Yugawara Town, be sure to enjoy the tantan yakisoba and the scenery of Yugawara!

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