Catch Your Noodles! The Table Sport of Japanese Nagashi Somen

Anjali Prasertong
Anjali Prasertong
Anjali Prasertong is a writer and public health dietitian focused on food systems, racial equity, and nutrition. Originally from Los Angeles, she has taught English in rural Japan, worked as a private chef in Malibu, and led an innovative city-funded corner store program in New Orleans that increased fresh food access in low-income neighborhoods. She was previously a contributing editor for The Kitchn, and currently lives in Denver with her husband and two kids.
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updated May 2, 2019
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Do you feel pretty confident in your chopsticks skills? If so, you might be ready to try nagashi somen, a fun Japanese eating style that serves noodles not in a bowl or a plate, but racing by in a bamboo pipe full of flowing water. Get those chopsticks ready!

Somen noodles are a type of thin wheat noodle usually eaten cold, so after catching their noodles from the cold flowing water, diners dip them in a cup of flavorful sauce and eat. Nagashi somen is a summer tradition, often seen at festivals or in restaurants, but families can also rig up their own backyard bamboo pipes.

To be transported to summertime Japan for a moment, take a look at this short, lovely video of a family enjoying nagashi somen.

Related:

Pho and Beyond: 10 Comforting Asian Noodle Soups

(Image: Keitabando)

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