[On Nodogoshi]
Taking a mouthful of cold somen noodles, we enjoy the sensation of them slipping smoothly down the throat. Slurping freshly made soba lightly, we savor it along with its aroma. On a hot day, we drink a glass of beer that feels wonderful as it goes down the throat.
While the word "nodogoshi" is used quite naturally in Japan, there does not seem to be a direct equivalent in English. Although English has terms like "mouthfeel" or "texture," there is generally no word that expresses the "comfort of the moment something passes down the throat" as an independent element of deliciousness.
In Japan, not just taste, but also the sensation extending from the tongue to the throat has been cherished as part of deliciousness. Behind this lies Japan's unique way of eating: "slurping."
By slurping soba, udon, or somen while taking in a little air, the aroma rises up into the nose, allowing you to simultaneously enjoy the flavor, aroma, and the sensation as it passes down the throat. Although uncommon in many countries, this has been passed down in Japan as a natural way of eating.
Even more interesting is the attitude toward "chewing." Of course, Japan also has foods where you enjoy chewing thoroughly, such as rice crackers, dried squid, and takuan pickled radish. However, with dishes like soba, tofu, chawanmushi, and mizuyokan, the value is placed less on chewing thoroughly and more on slipping smoothly down the throat.
On the other hand, in food cultures centered around bread and meat dishes, the way flavors and umami spread the more you chew constitutes an essential part of deliciousness. Moreover, there are many dishes that celebrate the joy of chewing, such as the elasticity and firmness of noodles in China, or the texture of naengmyeon and yakiniku in Korea.
From a health perspective, however, chewing thoroughly is known to stimulate saliva secretion and aid digestion. Foods that celebrate nodogoshi and foods meant to be chewed and savored each offer their own distinct kinds of deliciousness.
Dashi broth extracted from kelp or bonito flakes lets you feel its umami the moment it enters the mouth. Tofu and chawanmushi can also be enjoyed for their delicate flavors without strong chewing. The popularity of such dishes may well be one of the reasons why nodogoshi is treasured in Japan.
It is said that in Edo, eating soba by slurping it down without chewing much was considered "iki" (chic). By dipping the soba just a little into tsuyu dipping sauce and slurping the thin noodles all at once with a sound, you savor both the aroma and the nodogoshi of the soba. That must have been the Edokko style of enjoyment.
"You dip this long fellow one-third into the tsuyu and swallow it all in one bite. You mustn't chew. If you chew, the flavor of the soba disappears. That smooth slide down the throat is where the true value lies." "I Am a Cat" by Natsume Soseki
I remember being rushed by my older sister at a standing-soba shop, being told, "Soba is something you eat quickly without chewing." Thinking back now, I understand the meaning, but at the time I just wanted to take my time and savor it slowly.
This year brings another intense heatwave, so let's channel an Edokko spirit and savor nodogoshi, a uniquely Japanese way of enjoying food.
Seiryugama's Sobachoko
https://www.shokunin.com/en/seiryu/soba.html
Kurikyu's Magewappa Zaruseiro
https://www.shokunin.com/en/kurikyu/soba.html
Hirota Glass's Edo Glass "Karai"
https://www.shokunin.com/en/hirota/karai.html
References
https://serai.jp/gourmet/22606/2
https://www.kikkoman.com/jp/kiifc/information/old/rp20101109.html
https://www.sobahonda.co.jp/blog/soba-nodogoshi/
https://www.edoren.jp/news/news/蕎麦雑話
https://www.aozora.gr.jp/cards/000148/files/789_14547.html
https://ukiyo-e.org/image/artelino/51681g1
