[Tohoku] Why is Yakisoba Bagoon loved in Tohoku? A closer look at regional soul food

One of the things that surprises people living in Tohoku when they go outside the prefecture is that they don't sell yakisoba bagoong. In fact, Yakisoba Bagoon is not available nationwide, and is only available in Tohoku and Shinetsu!

This article introduces the reasons why Yakisoba Bagoon is loved in Tohoku. When you travel to Tohoku, be sure to try Yakisoba Bagoon and experience the soul food of Tohoku!

What is the Tohoku soul food “Yakisoba Bagoon”?

"Yakisoba Bagoon" is a cup of yakisoba sold by Toyo Suisan, and has been loved by the people of Tohoku for many years since its release in 1979. Some people in Tohoku have never eaten cup yakisoba other than yakisoba bagoong. At supermarkets, there are more Yakisoba Bagoon than the nationally famous Peyoung and Nissin Yakisoba UFO.

The impactful name ``Bagoon'' is said to convey the wish for people to work hard toward their dreams and goals. The packaging released in the past featured illustrations of the six prefectures of Tohoku, showing how much the people of Tohoku love yakisoba bagoong.

Why is Yakisoba Bagoon so loved in Tohoku?

Why is Yakisoba Bagoon, a regionally limited product, so loved by the people of Tohoku? I tried to think about the reason.

Yakisoba Bagoon celebrates its 45th anniversary this year! (as of 2024)

Yakisoba Bagoon was born in 1979, and when it first went on sale, it was sold nationwide, but sales did not increase as expected, and from the 1990s onwards, they started selling cup yakisoba under a different brand. However, in the Tohoku and Shinetsu regions, Bagoon remained popular, so sales continued, and as a result, it is now a regionally limited product.

Manufactured in Hachinohe City, Aomori Prefecture

Yakisoba Bagoon was released in 1979 and was sold nationwide until the mid-1990s. In fact, from the time it was released until 2012, it was manufactured at a factory in Hachinohe City, Aomori Prefecture! Although this product was originally popular in the Tohoku and Shinetsu regions, there may have been a sense of familiarity because it was manufactured in Tohoku.

Sweet sauce that Tohoku people like

Yakisoba Bagoon is characterized by its light and sweet sauce.

Hokkaido's famous ``Yakisoba Bento'' and ``Nissin Yakisoba UFO'', which is number one in the cup yakisoba industry, are characterized by their thick, thick sauce. In addition, ``Payang'', which is the best-selling in eastern Japan, has an exquisite sourness and spiciness. Yakisoba Bagoon has a unique taste that seems to combine all the advantages of 3 types of cup yakisoba.

The noodles are chewy and mix well with the sauce. The ingredients include plenty of cabbage and minced meat, making it very filling! There is also a furikake that contains green seaweed and red ginger, so you can enjoy even more complete cup yakisoba.

Comes with wakame soup, which is nice when it's cold.

Another feature of Yakisoba Bagoon is that it comes with wakame soup. Winter comes early in Tohoku, with the first snow sometimes falling in November... In such a cold winter, you want to drink warm soup.

Yakisoba Bagoon comes with wakame soup, and after eating yakisoba, you can drink the wakame soup to refresh your mouth. The ``yakisoba bento'' of Hokkaido, which also has snow, also comes with soup, so perhaps the common feature of cup yakisoba, which is loved in snowy regions, is seaweed soup.

I tried fried noodles bagoong

I actually tried yakisoba bagoong.

I didn't notice it until now, but it says "Limited to Tohoku/Shinetsu" When you peeled off this film, there were instructions on how to make it and recommended products inside.

It comes with illustrated explanations, so even beginners can easily make it. The amount of hot water required is 530ml for fried noodles and 150ml for soup. The soup has a strong flavor, so add more hot water if you like.

When I opened it, it contained cabbage and minced meat, furikake, sauce, and wakame soup. There are more sachets than other fried noodles, so make sure you have taken out 4 sachets before you start cooking.

I'm going to add a quick note, but here's one point.

To prevent the cabbage from spilling out when draining the water at the end, place some oysters under the noodles. By doing this, you can enjoy the deliciousness of the fine cabbage without it flowing. At this time, by leaving the lid wider than the specified space, it will be easier to put the oysters under the noodles.

After adding hot water, wait 3 minutes, but during this time you can warm up the liquid sauce. Although it is not written in the recipe, the warmer it is, the more the oil will mix and coat the noodles, making it more delicious.

I throw away the hot water after 3 minutes, but since it's a waste, I use the water to make wakame soup. Am I the only one who feels happy when noodles come in? The correct way to make it is with boiling water, but since you can add the little bits of cabbage and noodles that flow out, it makes you feel like you're making a profit.

After draining the hot water, pour in the warmed sauce, mix, and finally sprinkle with furikake to complete the dish. It also comes with wakame soup, so this alone makes a great yakisoba set meal! As you can see in the photo, there are plenty of cabbage and minced meat.

The furikake contained the classic green seaweed and red ginger. The flavors of green seaweed and pickled ginger add a nice accent, and you'll be able to keep eating until the end.

We also recommend adding mayonnaise or mustard midway through to change the taste. Some advanced users add natto or curry as toppings. Please try eating it with your own favorite arrangement.

summary

How was that? Yakisoba Bagoon is a rare cup of yakisoba that can only be purchased in Tohoku and Shinetsu. The addictive taste, which is unlike any other cup yakisoba, has been loved by the people of Tohoku for many years. When you visit Tohoku, why not buy Yakisoba Bagoon and compare it with other cup Yakisoba?