🍜 Jigokudaki (Goto Udon/Shimabara Somen)

“Goto udon” is a traditional specialty from the "Goto Islands", located in the westernmost part of Nagasaki Prefecture. It is said that Japanese emissaries to the Tang dynasty introduced the original form of the dish after learning various things in China, since the "Goto islands" were formerly a port of call for ships carrying such envoys. Recent research suggests that "Goto udon's origin" might be related to a Chinese dish called "somen" from the Yantan area in Yongjia County, Zhejiang Province, China, since the two dishes are prepared in such a similar way. The noodles in Shimabara somen are not raw and use camellia oil. When boiled, the noodles are thin, round, and characterized by their slippery mouthfeel.