Tai Somen (Sea Bream Somen Noodles) ｜ Our Regional Cuisines

Kumamoto Prefecture

Tai Somen (Sea Bream Somen Noodles)

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Image source: Misa Tazaki, Kamiamakusa Municipal Ryugatake Elementary School

Main lore areas

Amakusa Region, Kami-mashiki Region
(Mamihara in Yamato-cho)
Main ingredients used

Sea Bream, Somen Noodle

History/origin/related events

Tai (sea bream) has long been an indispensable fish for celebrations and other occasions. Kumamoto prefecture has an abundance of fresh sea bream, and its consumption is always among the highest in the country. It is popularly served in a variety of ways, including sashimi, salt-grilled fish, and sea bream chazuke (rice in green tea).
In the Amakusa region, “Tai Somen” (also known as ‘Tai Men’) involves making a broth from the head and bones leftover after filleting sea bream and pouring the broth over somen noodles before eating. It's a practical wisdom of not wasting the rich flavor of sea bream broth, often served during celebratory occasions in a mindful approach to living. The use of somen noodles seems to have been influenced by the food culture of Shimabara, where somen is a specialty. Meanwhile, “Tai Men” from Yamato Town in Kami-mashiki District (formerly the Mamihara district) is a luxurious celebratory dish. It involves simmering a whole sea bream, arranging it on a large plate, and serving somen noodles as if they were representing white waves on the plate. Somen noodles are briefly cooked in a broth made from simmering sea bream, then arranged and served. The dish is enjoyed by dipping the noodles into the broth before eating. Mamihara was a bustling post town during the Edo period, flourishing with Sake brewing businesses and lined with merchant houses, including restaurants and inns. In a town nestled in the mountains, obtaining fresh sea bream was challenging. However, due to the affluence of wealthy merchants, Tai (sea bream) from Hyuganada sea was transported by carriage through Oita's Takeda and that from Amakusa was shipped via boats or swift horses. In the old days, it was a special dish for weddings and other such occasions, and the women of the village inherited the recipe for making it, with each family having a pot and serving dish large enough to boil 2 to 3 kg of Tai fish in.
“Tai Somen" (or ‘Tai men’) is also known as a local dish in Okayama, Ehime, and Hiroshima prefectures bordering the Seto Inland Sea. The exact origin in Kumamoto Prefecture is uncertain, but it is believed to have been introduced to Mamihara from Himeshima in Oita Prefecture. In Himeshima, sea breams are known to form a pair and choose a nest, never parting ways. This behavior has symbolized the wish for an unbreakable bond during wedding ceremonies. It is also meant for both families to meet each other ("tai-men") and the long noodles symbolize the enduring relationship between the two families, expressing a wish for lasting connections.
Opportunities and times of eating habits

“Tai men”, which is made by simmering a whole fish, was used for weddings and other celebratory occasions, although it is less common nowadays. Amakusa's "Tai Somen" (‘Tai-men‘), which uses Sea bream bone broth, is also a celebratory dish and is still made at local gatherings and other events. During the peak seasons of sea bream in spring and autumn, as well as black sea bream (Chinu) in the summer, they may appear as seasonal recommendations on restaurant menus.
How to eat

Somen noodles are briefly cooked in a broth made by simmering sea bream, to which sugar and soy sauce are added. The somen is then plated, and the broth can be poured over the top or served separately as a dipping sauce in another container. In Amakusa's recipes, there is a tendency not to use sugar in simmered sea bream dishes.
Efforts for Preservation and Succession

(Outline of the traditions, the preservation society, social media use, modern approaches to commercialization)
Some restaurants and hotels in Amakusa offer "Tai Somen" ("sea bream somen noodles") with their own unique arrangements, making it a specialty.

RECIPE

Ingredients (5 servings)

Red Pacific sea bream 1 (500-800g)
Somen Noodle 5 bunchs
Japanese leek, finely chopped As needed
Ginger, sliced As needed
Green onion As needed
[Seasoning A] Light soy sauce 100ml
[Seasoning A] Dark soy sauce 100ml
[Seasoning A] Red Sake 100ml
[Seasoning A] Sake 100ml
[Seasoning A] Suger 1 tbsp.
[Seasoning A] Water 300ml

How to cook

1. Remove the entrails of fresh sea bream, quickly submerge them in hot water, and remove the scales thoroughly.
2. In a large pot, add water and all of seasoning A, ginger, and green onions. Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 20 minutes. (Be careful not to make it too thick.)
3. Boil somen noodles, rinse in cold water, and roll into small pieces.
4. Transfer the cooked sea bream to a platter, arrange small pieces of somen noodles around it, and sprinkle with small green onions. Just before serving, pour a generous amount of the broth over the snapper.
Top with grated ginger, yuzu (Japanese citron), julienned broiled egg, etc. as desired to make it a "Hare" dish (festive dish).

provider : Kiyomi Tozawa, Executive Chef in Japanese Cuisine of the New Sky at ANA Crawn Plaza Hotel Kumamoto

Recipes vary depending on the region and home.

Contact

Food Cultures Office, Overseas Market Development and Food Cultures Division, Food Industry Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries

Tel:+81-3-3502-5516

Tai Somen (Sea Bream Somen Noodles) ｜ Our Regional Cuisines

Kumamoto Prefecture

Tai Somen (Sea Bream Somen Noodles)

Main lore areas

Main ingredients used

History/origin/related events

Opportunities and times of eating habits

How to eat

Efforts for Preservation and Succession

RECIPE

Ingredients (5 servings)

How to cook