For me, pasta is like a blank canvas that you can paint with any color you like, and it will always turn out well. You can try oily, tomato-based, cream pasta, and you can never go wrong with it. If I'm craving something late at night, I always make Peperoncino pasta with olive oil, lots of garlic, and a bit of chili. It's simply beautiful. Meanwhile, my husband prefers cup ramen when he has a midnight craving. I eat pasta instead because I think it's healthier, haha.
Today, I wanted to write about pasta—how it arrived in Japan, its evolution, and share some Japanese-style pasta options. Japanese-style pasta includes soy sauce, mayonnaise, mentaiko, or even seaweed(nori). Many of my friends aren't very enthusiastic when they first hear about this fusion of elements, but I welcome it. Again, pasta is a canvas; enjoy it however you like. One of my favorite pasta is shirasu (whitebait) with olive oil and Japanese basil. They even put natto on it. Extreme? No, simply delicious.
The photo below is from Goemon, a famous chain here in Japan. It's a butter-soy based pasta with a boiled egg, a delicious example of Japanese-style Wafu pasta. Sooooo Goooooood!
Now, let's get back to the history of how pasta came to Japan.
Pasta, or macaroni as it's known in Italian, was first introduced to Japan during the Meiji period, over 100 years ago. While various sources cite different years for its introduction, it is commonly believed that pasta first arrived in Japan in 1895, brought back by a chef from a restaurant in Shinbashi after a trip to Italy.
Other sources claim that pasta was first made in Japan around 1883, when French missionary Father Malik Marie de Rotz built a brick, single-story macaroni factory in Tonoumi-cho, Nagasaki Prefecture, and began producing it there.
In the book "Seiyo Ryori Tsu" written by Kanagaki Robun, the kanji character "somen" appears. This is said to have referred to macaroni. It was also translated as "udon" and other things, and all pasta-like things were written as macaroni.
Reference- Tokyo Metropolitan Central Library Special Collection Room
However, pasta's popularity in Japan did not truly begin until a trader from Yokohama requested Ishitsuki, who operated a noodle manufacturing business in what is now Kamo City, Niigata Prefecture, to produce macaroni.
Domestic production advanced from the early Showa period, but the machines used were small and operated in batches. Each step—mixing ingredients, kneading, compressing, extruding, and drying—was done individually, limiting availability to only a few restaurants.
Ketchup and Tomato Sauce
The production of tomato ketchup coincided with the rise in pasta's popularity in Japan. Tomato sauce is the most popular pasta sauce, and in Japan, its image spread from ketchup.
The first tomato ketchup in Japan was released by Kagome in 1908 (Meiji 41). This led to dishes like tomato-fried spaghetti and Neapolitan. It wasn't until much later that authentic tomato sauce made with canned tomatoes became widely used.
Pasta production then saw a temporary decline due to the impact of World War II.
Introducing "Spaghetti Naporitan"
I'm not certain about the origin of the name. Firstly, I thought maybe is inspired by Naples, Italy, but there seems to be no reference to confirm this connection. There are many theories about the origin of Naporitan, but it is generally agreed that it started in Japan after World War II, during the American occupation and not Italy.
It is believed that Americans saw spaghetti fried with ketchup and influenced its creation. Another theory is that the dish was refined at the "Yokohama Hotel New Grand," which accommodated officers. The head chef at the time saw the spaghetti fried with ketchup and improved it by using tomato sauce. Another popular theory is that the Western restaurant "Center Grill," also in Yokohama, served the fried spaghetti with ketchup as it was.
Japanese-Style Spaghetti or 和風 Wafu Becomes Popular
Japan is home to great pasta restaurants that prepare classic dishes like carbonara, cacio e pepe, arrabbiata and more. However, there is also Japanese Style Pasta invented here called "wafu pasta." This unique fusion combines Italian pasta with Japanese flavors, offering a twist on classic recipes. The classic of Wafu pasta is Tarako Pasta which is mentaiko with butter and topped with nori. If you feel a bit adventurous you can visit its birthplace of this great dish: Kabe no Ana Restaurant which means “Hole in the Wall” in the Shibuya neighborhood.
Founded in 1953 by Takayasu Narimatsu, the restaurant came to be after Narimatsu was introduced to spaghetti by Paul Bloom, the CIA Far East Secretary at the time. Bloom hired Narimatsu as a server at diplomatic gatherings where international foods were showcased. Kabe no Ana was one of the first spaghetti restaurants in Tokyo and quickly gained popularity among members of the U.S. military, American expats, and curious locals.
"Kabe no Ana," it also introduced other Japanese-style spaghetti dishes like "tarako," "asari shimeji clams with natto," and "oshinko natto," which became very popular.
The Spread of Domestically Produced Pasta
The import of fully automatic, full-scale pasta-making machines in the 1950s, which could handle everything from mixing to drying, marked a significant milestone. In particular, 1955, the year these machines were introduced, is often referred to as the "first year of pasta" in Japan. During this period, domestic pasta was made by blending multiple wheat flours to suit the taste and texture preferences of Japanese people.
Nippon Flour Mills introduced "Oh My Brand," and Nisshin Flour Mills launched "Ma-Ma Macaroni" (originally known as "Nihon Macaroni"). These brands helped make pasta more prevalent in home cooking, and spaghetti even started to appear in bento lunches.
The Rise of Nuova Cucina
During the 1980s, more Japanese people traveled abroad and experienced authentic Italian cuisine. This exposure led to an increased appreciation for "the real thing," and the number of genuine Italian restaurants in Japan grew.
Consequently, Japanese tastes in pasta evolved, creating a demand for domestically produced pasta made from "100% durum semolina." Whole tomatoes from Italy also became commonplace in Japanese kitchens.
With trade liberalization, ingredients began to be imported directly from Italy. Essential items for authentic pasta dishes—such as pasta, olive oil, bottled foods, and processed meat products—started to appear in high-end supermarkets and department stores in Japan.
Lastly, if you want to try Wafu pasta I recommend the below places
Yomenya Goemon in Meguro City, Shimomeguro, 1 Chome−2−22 1F
Spajiro in Azabu-Juban NK Building, 2-1-3 Azabu-Juban, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Kamakura Pasta in Yokohama, Nishi Ward, Minatomirai, 3 Chome−5−1 ４F
Kabe no Ana in Shibuya-ku, Dogenzaka 2-25-17 Kasumi Building 1F
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