Niigata

A B-grade gourmet dish from Niigata Prefecture, featuring yakisoba topped with meat sauce. I always eat it whenever I go back home! It's served by two companies, “Friend” and “Mikazuki,” but their sauces and noodle thicknesses differ. I personally prefer “Friend”'s Italian!

（Kanegon）

A soul food of Niigata residents. Thick yakisoba noodles are topped with meat sauce. In Niigata City, it’s available at “Mikazuki,” and in Nagaoka City at “Friend.” Both are fast-food chains. I’m team “Mikazuki.”

（daisy*）

A traditional Niigata specialty. The Italian from chain restaurant “Mikazuki” features yaki-udon topped with tomato sauce, corn, bean sprouts, and more. When I was a child, my mom would often buy it for me when I was sick, so it’s a nostalgic flavor for me.

（Nae）

A soul food from Nagaoka City, Niigata Prefecture. The fast-food chain “Friend,” that is said to have originated the drive-thru concept, serves Italian. Their side menu includes gyoza. I prefer “Friend” in Nagaoka, but the “Mikazuki” I loved during my student days is also a precious memory.

（Kurori）

This is a B-grade gourmet dish with thick, yakisoba-style noodles with plenty of bean sprouts, cabbage, and meat sauce on top. The white ginger garnish adds a nice touch. In Niigata City, you can enjoy it at “Mikazuki.”
It’s such a familiar dish, often sold at kindergarten bazaars, that it’s part of life in Niigata from childhood.

（Towa）

Thick noodles, like udon, topped with a meat-sauce-like topping, yet it’s called Italian!

（Gophers）

Chewy yakisoba noodles with Napolitan-style toppings. It’s a soul food of Niigata that I often ate after grocery shopping as a child. Affordable and addicting! Although I now live in Kanagawa Prefecture, when I think of noodles, it’s “Mikazuki”’s Italian that comes to mind.

（Manami）

The best way to enjoy “Friend”’s Italian is to take it home from their Nagaoka City drive-thru and eat it with family!

（Koharu no Touchan）

It’s a dish you can only find in Niigata Prefecture. Since it’s been featured on TV many times, I probably don’t need to explain further… I like mine with extra sauce and extra ginger.

（joujou）

Whenever I went to Niigata City’s downtown area as a middle schooler, I’d always stop by “Mikazuki” for Italian to fill my stomach before heading home. It was available in food courts of large supermarkets and at school festivals. Loaded with bean sprouts, topped with meat sauce, and garnished with ginger. The seasonal limited-edition sauces are fun too.

（yuki）

It’s a simple but irresistible B-grade gourmet dish from Niigata that makes locals crave it regularly.

（Hina）

When I visited my husband’s family in Nagaoka, they introduced me to “Friend”’s Italian as a local specialty. The combination of yakisoba noodles and meat sauce was incredibly delicious!

（Noma）

In Niigata City, the chain “Mikazuki” offers Italian: thick yakisoba-like noodles topped with meat sauce. Sometimes they even have a white sauce version depending on the season!

（Sofi）

A unique and mysterious dish that you can only find in Niigata. I ate it again after 20 years and was comforted by its unchanged taste.

（Yukibuu）

At “Mikazuki,” available at around 20 locations in Niigata Prefecture, Italian is served as thick yakisoba topped with meat sauce or curry. My best recommendation is the cream-sauce “White Italian.”

（r.e.s.o.r.t）

The Italian from “Mikazuki” is a soul food familiar to Niigata residents since childhood. Thick yakisoba noodles are topped with meat sauce and garnished with ginger, making it delicious. You can even get extra portions of meat sauce and ginger. I often enjoy it freshly made at the store or take it out.

（Megutan）

“Mikazuki’s” Italian is a dish of thick, chewy yakisoba noodles covered with meat sauce. The meat sauce is topped with bean sprouts and cabbage, making it similar to yakisoba but uniquely addictive once you try it! Most Niigata locals probably know this dish. There are also curry and white sauce variations, but the classic Italian is undoubtedly the best! You can even order it online.

（Junjun）

A menu item from the shop “Mikazuki,” featuring chewy thick yakisoba noodles topped with meat sauce. Other variations include white sauce and curry. When it comes to Niigata noodles (outside of ramen), this is a standout option!

（Haruka）

This soba uses a seaweed called funori as a binder, giving it a smooth and slippery texture that’s delicious. It’s served beautifully in a wooden tray called a hegi. My favorite place to eat it is “Nadai Nama Soba Yoshiya” in Tokamachi City. You can also buy dried noodles at souvenir shops or supermarkets, making it a great gift.

（No-chan）

At “Kojimaya Sohonten” in Tokamachi City, you can slurp freshly boiled Hegi soba! You’ll feel like you could eat endlessly.

（hondara）

Soba made with funori as a binder is rare. “Nadai Nama Soba Yoshiya” in Tokamachi City is incredibly delicious!

（Nicchi）

Made with buckwheat grown in Niigata’s soil and clear snowmelt water, this soba conveys the purity of Niigata. There are many recommended shops, including “Kojimaya Sohonten,” “Sobaya Nagamori,” “Sobadokoro Hiraishitei,” and “Shinbashi.” Simple zaru soba is the best way to enjoy it.

（Hina）

Unlike ordinary soba, Hegi soba uses funori as a binder, creating a slippery yet firm texture. The noodles are often arranged in bite-sized portions shaped like horseshoes on a tray called Hegi. Recommended shops include “Kojimaya Sohonten,” “Nadai Nama Soba Yoshiya,” “Fukumasu,” and “Hegisoba Seibe.” Unlike Edo-style soba, it’s better to dip the noodles generously in the sauce. You can also change up the flavor with sesame or green onions. Some shops serve mustard instead of wasabi.

（Yokota Masaaki）

This is the smoothest and most delicious soba I’ve ever had. I recommend “Ganso Ojiya Soba Kadoya.”

（Nyakomu）

This is a firm and smooth soba that is made with funori. I recommend the long-established “Kojimaya Sohoten.”

（Pupe）

This soba, made with funori, has a slippery texture and a faintly green hue. I always feel happy eating it. The dipping sauce, made with bonito stock, doesn’t overpower the noodles but rather enhances their flavor. I eat this soba every time I return to my hometown—it’s a beloved taste.

（Takizawa）

The use of funori creates a uniquely smooth texture. The noodles arranged on a hegi looks beautiful too. I recommend shops like “Kojimaya Sohonten” and “Ganso Ojiya Soba Kadoya.”

（daisy*）

This soba is firm and smooth. While wasabi is the standard condiment, mustard is often used as a topping.

（Chi）

Niigata’s famous soba, made with funori as a binder, has a strong aroma and perfect firmness. At “Soba-dokoro Nakanoya” in Shiozawa, I recommend enjoying it while gazing at the serene river flow.

（Yui）

I simply love the taste and texture of this soba. I love Hegi soba from “Kojimaya Sohonten.” I don’t live in Niigata, so I order them raw online. They are available as dried noodles, too, but I think getting them fresh is the best.

（Yukkari）

The Hegi soba at “Kojimaya Sohonten” feels slightly shorter than regular zaru soba, making it easy to slurp up in one go. The noodles, blended with funori, have a smooth texture perfect for summer. Even the soba-yu (hot water from boiling soba) has a slight thickness, likely thanks to the funori, and it’s delightful.

（Umekichi）

Although I usually prefer udon over soba, the smooth texture of soba made with funori feels special. The neatly arranged bite-sized portions in the hegi tray also make it easy to eat.

（Kanazawa no Kamaboko niwa Ita ga Nai）

For me, soba means “Tsumari Soba” near my mother’s family home. I boil it for slightly less time than instructed and enjoy it as zaru soba with condiments. The funori binder gives it a refreshing texture. Highly recommended!

（Yakiimo Kaasan）

I love the “Aoshima Shokudo” in Nagaoka City. The slightly rich broth with a hint of ginger warms you up. It’s a comforting and memorable taste that makes me crave it again. The char siu and boiled spinach toppings are also delicious—I recommend adding extra portions!

（No-chan）

This ramen with a strong ginger flavor is perfect for cold winters! It warms you up wonderfully.

（Faru）

Famous for fireworks, Nagaoka is home to “Aoshima Shokudo,” where you can enjoy this warming ramen.

（Umetaro）

The ginger aroma is delightful, and the ramen warms your body, especially in winter. Depending on the shop, the flavor can be light or rich. Recommended places include “Aoshima Shokudo” and “Harunoya Shokudo.”

（Yokota Masaaki）

A friend of my husband’s from Niigata sent us this ramen, and I was hooked after trying it for the first time. The lightly ginger-infused soy sauce broth left me feeling warm—perfect for the snowy region. Next time, I want to try it locally.

（Akihana）

As a child, ordering takeout soba meant ramen from “Omura Shokudo.” The soup was filled with pork back fat, and the broth would spill when you removed the plastic wrap. The thick noodles, char siu, naruto, and bamboo shoots were all delicious! I didn’t realize this wasn’t common nationwide until much later. I’ve heard that first-timers might feel overwhelmed by the richness, which surprised me.

（Pokkori）

“Koshu Hanten” is famous for this dish. I grew up eating it, and the combination of pork back fat and thick noodles is anything but ordinary (in a good way).

（Miri）

The thick noodles are complemented by a broth infused with dried sardines and pork back fat, resulting in a bold flavor. I recommend “Ramen-dokoro Jun.”

（Tombo）

Niigata City is said to be the birthplace of Mabo men. Unfortunately, the original shop “Kanton Hanten” has closed, but many famous shops in the prefecture still serve it. I especially recommend the “Se-abura Mabo Men” from “Wafu Tonkotsu Tamaruya.” The noodles mixed with Koshihikari rice, pair perfectly with the mabo sauce. If the spiciness isn’t enough, many people add chili oil, but I prefer topping it with spicy miso.

（Yutamefu）