Popular Food Limited in Hokkaido
Yakisoba Bento

Date：31, Jan, 2012
Investigated and Written by Misaka Youhei
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They say some think that Yakisoba (fried noodles) is a Chinese dish or food which originated in China. But Yakisoba is surely a Japanese dish. Against such people’s prejudices or not, Chinese soup belongs to Yakisoba Bento which we introduce at this time.

The name is Yakisoba Bento. Bento means a packed lunch in Japanese. But it is not a kind of food sale at box lunch stores or packed lunches at convenience stores. Yakisoba Bento is a sort of instant noodles. The most popular kind of them is considered as UFO produced by Nisshin Foods. In Japan, the character for TV CM of UFO, UFO Kamen Yakisoban played by Michael Tomioka was popular among children in 1990’s.

A company which manufactures Yakisoba Bento is Toyo Suisan Kaisha, Ltd., which owns its brand Maruchan. Originally Toyo Suisan has established its distribution network for marine products all within Hokkaido. And that early made the market share of Yakisoba Bento established.

The vital point is the taste. The taste is not over-rich, it tastes gentle. On the way to making other kinds of instant fried noodles, hot water is destined to be thrown away. With the hot water, Chinese soup is made. And the soup formidably tastes delicious.

On sale limited in Hokkaido, sometimes it is on sale in the main islands of Japan, for instance at Hokkaido fairs. So try it if the occasion arises.