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When it comes to Morioka, Iwate’s local food, people think of wanko soba, jajamen, and Morioka Reimen—the noodles with that distinctive bouncy chew. A bowl at a restaurant is something special, but even a supermarket pack can taste surprisingly good if you cook it with a little care.
Store-bought Morioka Reimen tastes a little bland if I just follow the package directions, you know?
Even with a store-bought pack, once you get the boil time and the ice-water rinse right, it gets a whole lot better.
In this article, a writer from Morioka walks through how to make supermarket Morioka Reimen taste better, based on actually cooking it at home.
Prepare the soup according to the package instructions. What really changes the result is the noodle boil time, how you finish them in ice water, and the topping combination.
Tips for Making Store-Bought Morioka Reimen Taste Even Better
- Follow the package boil time. If it gives a range, the shorter end (a little firmer) tastes better
- Right after boiling, chill the noodles in ice water while rubbing off the slipperiness
- Then rinse under cold water and drain them well
- Use 2–4 slices of lean beef, cooked until just done
- Kimchi works, but kakuteki (cubed daikon kimchi) is even better
The Store-Bought Morioka Reimen I Used This Time: Todahisa
This time I used Morioka Reimen (2 servings) from Mendokoro Todahisa (戸田久, also called Toda-kyu), a noodle shop in Morioka, Iwate. It’s a familiar supermarket pack with noodles and soup included. Kimchi sauce and kimchi are not in the bag—you buy those separately. The package lists a standard boil time of 1 minute.
Ingredients for Store-Bought Morioka Reimen at Home
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Store-bought Morioka Reimen | 1 pack (2 servings) |
| Lean beef | 2–4 slices |
| Cucumber | As needed (thinly sliced) |
| Nashi (Japanese pear) | 1/4 to 1/2 |
| Boiled egg | 1 |
| Kakuteki (or kimchi) | As needed |
Use the soup that comes in the pack. Because kimchi sauce and kimchi are not included, prepare kakuteki or kimchi separately as a topping. This time I went with kakuteki.
How to Make Store-Bought Morioka Reimen at Home
1. Prepare the toppings first
Cook 2–4 slices of lean beef until just done (too much meat takes over the bowl, so 2–3 slices is the sweet spot). Lean beef with little fat sits better in a cold soup and doesn’t feel heavy.
Slice the cucumber thinly into rounds. Cut about 1/4 to 1/2 of a nashi (Japanese pear) into bite-size pieces (around 1/4 is usually just right). Halve the boiled egg. Adjust all of these to taste.
2. Prepare the soup according to the package instructions
Prepare the soup exactly as written on the store-bought pack. Pour it into a bowl and have it chilling by the time the noodles are done. It tastes better that way.
3. Boil the noodles (a little firmer tastes better)
Boil the noodles for the time on the package. If the package gives a range, the shorter time (a little firmer) is closer to how Morioka Reimen is eaten in Morioka. For example, if it says 1 to 1 1/2 minutes, go with 1 minute.
Use plenty of boiling water, and loosen the noodles as they cook.
4. Finish in ice water and rinse off the slipperiness
As soon as they’re boiled, go straight into ice water. Chill the noodles in the ice water while rubbing off the slipperiness. This is the most important step for store-bought reimen. The noodles are hot right after boiling, so be careful if you handle them with your hands.
Once the slipperiness is gone, rinse under cold water, drain thoroughly, and put them in the bowl. Leftover water will dilute the soup, so drain them carefully.
5. Add the toppings
Pour the soup over the drained noodles, then arrange the beef, boiled egg, cucumber, nashi, and kakuteki on top.
Both kimchi and kakuteki work as a reimen topping. It’s a matter of taste, but kakuteki is the one I’d pick. The spiciness and crunch play well against the chewy noodles.
6. Done
Even with a store-bought pack, if you boil the noodles a little firmer and finish them well in ice water, they keep their chew. Cook the beef until just done too, and eat it with fruit and kakuteki in between bites—you’ll get surprisingly close to restaurant Morioka Reimen, and a bowl made at home is genuinely delicious.
Recommended Morioka Reimen restaurants
At every shop, the chew of the noodles, the beef-bone soup, and the kimchi sauce balance a little differently. Here’s a Morioka native’s roundup of places that truly taste great.
Frequently Asked Questions
Question
How many minutes should I boil the noodles?
Answer
Follow the package. If it gives a range, use the shorter time.
Boil to the package time, then finish in ice water. Even if you like them softer, you’re better off doing that than boiling them longer up front—the chew holds up better.
Question
How does restaurant Morioka Reimen compare with store-bought reimen cooked at home?
Answer
At a restaurant, the handmade noodles and the depth of the beef-bone soup are noticeably different.
The best thing about store-bought Morioka Reimen is how easy it is.
Question
My local supermarket doesn’t sell Morioka Reimen. Where can I buy it?
Answer
You can also order it from online shops such as Amazon.
Summary: How to Make Store-Bought Morioka Reimen Taste Even Better
With store-bought Morioka Reimen, just getting the boil time and the ice-water finish right is enough to keep that distinctive chew in the noodles. Prepare the soup according to the package instructions, and for toppings, lean beef cooked until just done and kakuteki make the difference.
- Boil the noodles on the shorter side: Follow the package; if there’s a range, use the shorter time (a little firmer)
- Rinse off the slipperiness in ice water: Rinse under cold water and drain well
- Keep the beef lean, and cook it until just done: 2–4 slices (2–3 recommended)
- Toppings: Thinly sliced cucumber, nashi, boiled egg. Kakuteki is the pick
Give it a try at home—it’s an easy way to recreate the taste of Morioka Reimen. On a hot summer day, a well-chilled bowl of reimen really is something special.
Recommended Hotels for Sightseeing and Business Trips in Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture
Because Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture, is a castle town and an ancient city, Morioka Station, where the Shinkansen stops, and Morioka's downtown area (entertainment and commercial district) are slightly separated. Compared to prefectural capitals in other prefectures (regional areas), Morioka is a city where shops still relatively remain in the center of town (such as the Odori arcade street). Furthermore, as a city of water and greenery with three rivers flowing through it, hotels suitable for sightseeing and business trips are scattered throughout the area.
Among them, the hotel areas in Morioka City are roughly divided into three main zones. The recommended areas vary depending on your priorities—such as location, city sightseeing, gourmet dining, or proximity to downtown/entertainment districts—so choosing a hotel that fits your purpose is recommended.
If you are looking for a hotel in Morioka City, please be sure to check out the following article.
The ancient capital of Morioka, a former castle town, retains the charm of good old Japan. To fully enjoy and sightsee Morioka, choose a high-quality hotel in a recommended area.
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