Tanabata & Sōmen
Tanabata (Star Festival) on July 7 is a festival in Japan that centers on the tale of 2 stars Orihime (Vega) and Hikoboshi (Altair). These 2 lovers were separated across the Milky Way “river” and can only meet once a year if there is fair weather. If rain falls on July 7th, it is poetically called 洒涙雨 (sairiyū, “a rain of tears”) as the 2 lovers cannot cross the Milky Way and their reunion is postponed for another year. The food traditionally eaten on this day in Japan is sōmen, chilled wheat noodles. Sōmen can be traced back to China’s sùmiàn/suomen, which when deep-fried were called saku-bei/sakumen and given as an offering on the seventh day of the seventh month to ward off illness. Over time, this dish evolved into the fine wheat noodles eaten today and became established as the traditional dish eaten on Tanabata for good health.
Why sōmen on Tanabata? The white, silky noodles are likened both to the Milky Way and the threads of Orihime’s weaving in the traditional Tanabata tale. People sometimes eat sōmen as a prayer for skill in the crafts and arts, as Orihime is said to be an exceptionally skilled weaver. Sōmen noodles are also easy to digest in the hot summer weather. Beginning in the Heian period and increasing in popularity in the Edo period, sōmen became the customary gift to give on Tanabata and July 7th is now recognized as “Sōmen Day” in Japan.
This recipe is a tomato “bukkake” sōmen: fresh tomatoes, tuna, sesame oil, and ground sesame make it refreshing yet full of umami. Celebrate Tanabata’s wish for health with this simple bowl.
10 minutes
Chiori
PROFILE
INGREDIENTS
SERVES 4
Original recipe (1X) yields 4 servings
When scaling the recipe, the ratios of some ingredients may require slight adjustments. Adjust as necessary and season to taste.
- 15 oz sōmen (thin wheat noodles)
- 2 tomatoes, diced (approx. ⅓-inch or 1 cm cubes)
- 2 cans tuna in oil, undrained (standard 5 oz / 140 g cans)
- Sesame oil, to taste
- Sliced scallions, to taste
- A2 tbsp. mentsuyu (noodle soup base), 3× concentrate
- A2 tbsp. ground toasted sesame seeds (suri-goma)
- A1 tsp. sugar
- AA pinch of salt
INSTRUCTIONS
- 1
Make the topping & cook the noodles. In a bowl, combine the diced tomatoes and the undrained oil-packed tuna. Add A ingredients (mentsuyu, ground sesame, sugar, and salt)and mix well. In a pot of boiling water, cook the sōmen per package directions. Rinse under cold running water, rubbing lightly to remove the slipperiness; drain well.
- 2
Assemble. Plate the sōmen into bowls, spoon the tomato–tuna mixture over the noodles, drizzle sesame oil generously over the top, and finish with a sprinkle of sliced scallions. Add star-cut bell peppers for a special Tanabata touch if you like.
RecipeID
320
Tips & Notes
Feel free to increase the amount of mentsuyu or ground sesame seeds to taste.
For 2 servings, use roughly half the amount.
Be sure to drizzle sesame oil over the noodles themselves so the strands are nicely coated.
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I live in Sapporo, Hokkaido, and I’m a mother of two daughters who both love to eat. As a working mom, my realistic, everyday recipes have resonated with many, and as of May 2024, I’m grateful to have over 380,000 followers on Instagram. Thank you so much for your support! From a homemaker’s perspective, my motto is to create recipes that make families happy and help busy women. I share dishes that can be made even more delicious with just a small twist using seasonings you already have at home. Along with recipes, I also post daily tips on cooking techniques to enhance flavor and handy food storage methods that make life in the kitchen easier.