Aya Sonoko Issaryo

Wanko Soba (Morioka)

"Wanko" is a dialect that refers to a wooden bowl. In areas such as Morioka and Hanamaki, there was a custom of serving soba to entertain guests. The only way to serve freshly boiled food to a large number of customers at once is to serve it in small portions in bowls. This etiquette is said to be the origin of Wanko Soba. The reason why you are forced to refill your plate as soon as you finish eating is a courtesy of hospitality towards guests, which is called ``otebachi.'' ``Wanko Soba'' is a playful dish where the waitstaff throws soba noodles in one after another while shouting ``Hai, Dokkoi. The greeting "Gochisousama" is not understood there. The food is served until the bowl is covered.

Morioka cold noodles

Cold noodles originally originated in the northern part of the Korean peninsula, but Teruto Aoki, who was originally from Hamheung in the northern part of the peninsula and immigrated to Japan, opened a restaurant called "Shodoen" in Morioka in 1955 (which still exists today). Cold noodles have appeared in Morioka, including (now open). At that time, cold noodles from Pyongyang had been introduced to Japan, but Mr. Aoki mixed the flavor of the spicy cold noodles from his hometown, Hamheung, with the light, non-spicy cold noodles from Pyongyang, and this is how Morioka cold noodles began. Since the 1960s, cold noodle shops have opened one after another in the Morioka area, each creating new flavors, and from the 1980s onwards, with the gourmet boom, ``Morioka cold noodles'' suddenly became known throughout the country. Morioka cold noodles are made with wheat flour and potato starch, so the noodles are characterized by their strong chewiness. The soup is made by boiling beef or chicken, seasoning it, and chilling it, and it blends with the spiciness of kimchi. There are approximately 30 cold noodle shops in the city.

Fukuda bread

This is a bakery that is so well-loved by the locals that there is no one in Morioka who doesn't know about it. It's sold at supermarkets, but if you go to a Fukuda bread shop, they'll add your favorite jams and toppings and cook it right in front of you.