Hitachinaka City is known as the "sea town" closest to Tokyo along the Joban Line.

This town was formed in 1994 by the merger of Katsuta City and Nakaminato City, and has a long-loved local delicacy, Nakaminato Yakisoba being one of them.

This time, we will introduce the charm of Nakaminato Yakisoba, a nostalgic taste from Hitachinaka City.

What is Nakaminato Yakisoba?

Nakaminato Yakisoba is a type of yakisoba made with chewy, hand-stretched, steamed noodles, and is a Hitachinaka soul food that has been popular in the area for over 60 years.

It is a familiar taste that many have eaten as children on the way home from school or at festivals, and it is a dish that has even competed in the local gourmet festival "B-1 Grand Prix."

The medium-thick, chewy noodles are steamed at high temperature to give them a chewy texture.

Also, depending on the shop, there are various flavors, such as those finished with pork bone soup, those using locally produced soy sauce, sauce flavored ones, ones like omu soba, and ones containing Hitachi beef.

The history of Nakaminato Yakisoba

Nakaminato Yakisoba began when Eiju Watanabe of Watanabe Noodle Factory, which was founded in 1954, encountered sauce yakisoba in Asakusa and learned how to make the noodles and cook it.

It is said that after much trial and error with local restaurants, the prototype of Nakaminato Yakisoba as we know it today was created.

Furthermore, after the postwar period of scarcity, the development of the fishing and agriculture industries, combined with factors such as the ease of preparing yakisoba and its reasonable price, led to Nakaminato yakisoba becoming popular in a variety of establishments within the city, including diners, sweet shops, and okonomiyaki restaurants.

Nowadays, it has become established as a local yakisoba dish characterized by its chewy, thick noodles, and with each restaurant adding their own variations, it is enjoyed as a yakisoba dish with a wide variety of flavors.

How to make Nakaminato Yakisoba

Nakaminato Yakisoba is made using the traditional method of quickly steaming the noodles in a high-temperature, high-pressure bamboo steamer, then evaporating the moisture without using water or oil, and loosening the noodles by hand.

It is no exaggeration to say that the chewy, hand-stretched, steamed noodles are the secret to the deliciousness of Nakaminato Yakisoba.

In addition, because the noodles are not coated with oil, the flavors of the ingredients and sauce are easily absorbed, resulting in a chewy and satisfying yakisoba.

The method of preparation is almost the same as regular yakisoba, and after frying the meat and vegetables, you add the noodles while loosening them up. The key to this is not to loosen the noodles with a spatula right away after adding them, but to add an appropriate amount of hot water (or water) to steam them, and then loosen them when they have warmed up. This will prevent the noodles from falling apart.

Once everything is cooked, top off the meat, vegetables, seasonings, and plenty of sauce. It tastes even better with some green laver or pickled ginger.

The deliciousness and appeal of Nakaminato Yakisoba

Nakaminato Yakisoba can currently be enjoyed at 14 restaurants in the city (as of September 2020). Did you know that the ingredients used and the cooking methods differ depending on the restaurant?

At this famous restaurant that has been in business for over 50 years, you can choose between two flavors of yakisoba, sauce or soy sauce, and the rich pork bone soup and lard are the key ingredients of the flavor.

Also, at one okonomiyaki restaurant, you can enjoy a hearty yakisoba dish, which is fried noodles cooked on a hot plate and then wrapped in egg. Some restaurants offer takeaway, so please try it as a light meal or snack.

Things to do in Hitachinaka

From here, we will introduce tourist spots in Hitachinaka City. Hitachinaka City, located in the center of the Pacific coast of Ibaraki Prefecture, is close to the sea and is known as a livable city where nature and urban areas coexist.

At Nakaminato Fishing Port, where fresh local fish are landed, there is the Nakaminato Fish Market, which consists of a total of 12 seafood stores and restaurants. Here, you can taste fresh local fish caught in Hitachinaka at reasonable prices.

At the restaurants, you can enjoy seasonal seafood such as seafood bowls, sashimi, grilled dishes, nigiri, and in winter, monkfish dishes. In addition, the seafood stores sell dried fish, fresh fatty tuna, and other delicacies that go well with alcohol, and the area is bustling with people every day.

Another place we would like to introduce is the vast Hitachi Seaside Park.

Here you can see a variety of flowers throughout the seasons, such as nemophila in early summer and kochia in autumn.

The park has a large Ferris wheel that offers a view from 100 meters above sea level, a Pleasure Garden with over 20 types of attractions, athletic facilities, a BBQ area, and more, so you can spend your time relaxing in any spot you like.

It's a fascinating park where you can have fun all day long, so be sure to check it out.

Access to Hitachinaka City

Hitachinaka City is easily accessible from the city center, and its gateway, Katsuta Station, is about an 80-minute express train ride from Tokyo Station.

If you are traveling by train, take the JR Joban Line or Ueno-Tokyo Line from Tokyo Station and the journey takes about 2 hours and 20 minutes.

If you take the express bus, it takes about two hours from the Yaesu South Exit of Tokyo Station to the East Exit of Katsuta Station. The fare can be roughly the same as if you were to take a local train from Tokyo, but depending on the season, the bus fare can be more expensive. It's best to check the fare each time.

If you are flying, it will take about 70 minutes from Ibaraki Airport to the west exit of Katsuta Station by airport bus. It will take about 2 hours and 25 minutes from Narita Airport to Katsuta Station. Please use this information as a reference when you go out.

Location of Hitachinaka City, Ibaraki Prefecture

summary

This time we introduced Nakaminato Yakisoba, a local delicacy from Hitachinaka, Ibaraki Prefecture.

Nakaminato Yakisoba is thick and chewy, with a chewy texture and rich flavor that will have you eating more and more. The ingredients and flavors vary depending on the store, so it's fun to compare the different types.

If you visit Hitachinaka City, be sure to check out the store.

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