Noodle Day

What Is Noodle Day?

December 11th is "Noodle Day" in Japan. It was established by the National Federation of Noodle Manufacturers' Cooperative Associations (Zenmenren), based in Morishita, Koto Ward, Tokyo. Hoping to keep interest in noodles alive all year, the federation designated the 11th of every month. The Japan Anniversary Association certified it in 1999.

Because "1" Looks Like a Long, Thin Noodle

The date rests on two ideas at once: how the numeral looks, and how it sounds.

• First reason: the figure "1" resembles a long, slender noodle
• Second reason: "11" can be read as "ii," meaning good
• The symbolic date: November 11th, with four "1"s in a row, is the flagship among the monthly Noodle Days
• The wish: linking the "1"s also stands for "slender, long, lasting, long-lived"

Slurping Noodles Sounds Auspicious

According to the federation, eating noodles goes "tsuru-tsuru, kame-kame" -- echoing the words for crane and turtle, both symbols of long life -- which makes Noodle Day a lucky one. The category covers udon, soba, ramen, somen, hiyamugi, spaghetti, macaroni, Okinawa soba, kishimen, hoto and bifun. Note that December 14th is a separate "Men no Hi," written with a different character, commemorating the tale that the Ako samurai ate soba before their famous raid.

Tips for Marking This Day

• Decide now where you will buy your New Year's Eve soba
• Try one kind of noodle beyond udon, soba and ramen
• Warm yourself up with a hot bowl
• Look into the regional noodle specialties around Japan

Twenty Days Until New Year's Eve Soba

The "slender and long" symbolism leads straight to the custom of eating soba on New Year's Eve. December 11th is a day to start thinking about the bowl that closes the year.