Nittanosho Kanzantei, a small eatery in Ota, caught the attention of food lovers by launching a dish not found on its traditional menu: the divine noodle. Originally created as a souvenir for home cooking or gifting, this eye-catching dish quickly became a social media sensation.
Instead of the usual thin strands, the noodles are cut into thick, rectangular sheets, each printed with large characters. The ink used is edible and stays vibrant even after cooking, so diners can read the text while enjoying their meal.
Each pack of the divine noodles features the Heart Sutra, considered the most sacred text in Buddhism. While many Japanese temples hand out the sutra on paper to visitors, this small restaurant found printing it on noodles to be a perfect fit.
Despite the buzz among online communities and food connoisseurs, the restaurant refuses to serve the dish for dine-in. They explain that since the sutra focuses on meditation practice, it’s best experienced privately at home.
Each pack contains about 260 characters, along with a booklet that helps readers understand the kanji and offers modern translations for those unfamiliar with the sutra.
According to the restaurant’s official site, the noodles are printed using a mix of bamboo charcoal starch and wheat-based caramel food coloring. Although the characters may fade slightly after cooking, the text remains readable. They also recommend adding vegetables like cabbage, carrots, onions, and taro to enhance the taste.
Currently, the divine noodles are only sold in Gunma Prefecture. A three-serving pack with dashi seasoning costs around 1,620 yen (about 200,000 VND).
Besides this unique noodle, Japan is known for other unusual food combos like miso soup with ice cream cones or alien-themed steamed buns.
