Somen, after all, is Ibonoito

Reflecting on 600 years of history

When summer comes, I hear it from somewhere. "🎵Somen, after all, is Ibonoito"
For me, having grown up in Kobe, these were words that needed no explanation. When you say somen, you mean Ibonoito.

Because it was so familiar to me since childhood, I had never thought about its origins.
However, when I looked into the history of somen again, this casual "after all" suddenly took on a new weight.

Banshu somen has a 600-year history of "dots and lines."

And as you trace that history, a long, continuous path emerges, leading through Nara, Horyu-ji Temple, the manors of Harima, the Tatsuno Domain, modern cooperative systems, and quality control.

1. Miwa: The Origin of Japanese Somen

Miwa in Yamato is known as the birthplace of Japanese somen.
At Omiwa Shrine, there is a legend that during the Hoki era of the Nara period, Kokunushi, the second son of the shrine priest Omiwa no Ason Saikusa, planted wheat in Miwa and used the clear streams of Mount Miwa to make somen.
This is merely a legend.
However, by the time the "Nihon Sankai Meibutsu Zue" (Illustrated Guide to Famous Products of Japan's Mountains and Seas) was published in the fourth year of Horeki (1754) in the mid-Edo period, Miwa somen already appeared as a famous product known throughout the land. It was praised as being as thin as thread and as white as snow, surpassing the somen of any other province.

Miwa was a temple town for Omiwa Shrine and a post station on the Ise Kaido road. The famous product eaten by pilgrims, travelers, and merchants spread to various places along with the people.

Up to this point, this is the well-known "Miwa Somen origin theory."

However, when you line up the somen production areas across the country, Banshu is a bit peculiar.

2. Somen That Spread Nationwide

Somen has famous production areas all over Japan.
Shodoshima is said to have begun about 400 years ago when islanders learned the technique of somen production in Miwa, Nara, and brought it back. Somen, which could be made by family labor during the winter farming off-season, was an industry well-suited to life on the islands of the Seto Inland Sea.

Tokushima's Handa Somen also developed during the Edo period in connection with the water transport of the Yoshino River. It is said that boatmen encountered somen and its manufacturing method while traveling between Nara, Awaji, and Naruto, and it became established as a side job for farmers.

Toyama's Omong Somen is even clearer. The manufacturing method was introduced to Omon Village in the first year of Kaei (1848) and spread as a winter side job for farmers.

Miyagi's Shiroishi Umen also has a legend that about 400 years ago, Suzuki Azaemon was taught a method for making noodles without oil by a traveling monk for his father, who was suffering from a stomach ailment.

Shimabara also saw the formation of hand-stretched somen production areas after the beginning of the Edo period.

While caution is needed regarding the details and accuracy of the legends, they share a major common feature: it is relatively clear "where the technology came from." They learned the manufacturing method from the outside and combined it with local wheat, water, climate, and off-season labor to turn it into an industry.

However, when you try to give the same explanation for Banshu, things get strange.

3. The Sense of Discomfort I Felt Regarding the Ibo River

The "History of the Ibo River" by the Himeji Office of River and National Highway of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism states that during the Bunka era (1804–1817), the somen manufacturing method was introduced from the Miwa region by Tadazaemon Morisaki and others in Kamioka-cho, and it developed as a winter side job for farmers.

After looking at the history of production areas nationwide, there is nothing strange about this. The method was introduced from Miwa, farmers made it as a winter side job, and it became a major production area blessed by the land. It is a story that seems very plausible.

But I got stuck here.

Wait a minute. Aren't there records of "somen" in Banshu from 400 years before that?

4. Oei 25: "Saumen" Appears in Harima

Oei 25, 1418.
The word "saumen" appears in the "Ikaruga-sho Hikitsuke," a document handed down at Ikaruga-ji Temple in what is now Taishi-cho, Ibo-gun, Hyogo Prefecture. This is a historical document introduced by the Hyogo Prefecture Hand-Stretched Somen Cooperative as the oldest record of somen in Banshu.

Furthermore, in Eikyo 5 (1433), there is a record of "one kanmon of somen" being presented from Ikaruga-ji Temple to the deputy governor of Harima Province, and in Kansho 2 (1461), somen also appears at the celebration of the construction of the shrine building of Iwa Shrine, the Ichinomiya of Harima Province.

Strictly speaking, these are not direct proof that it was "manufactured in Banshu," but rather records of "consumption and gifting" at temples and shrines. The possibility that the noodles, which were still a luxury item at the time, were ordered from somewhere else cannot be completely ruled out.

However, it is an undeniable fact that in 15th-century Harima, there was already a culture of knowing, gifting, and eating somen at celebrations.

If so, interpreting the events of the early 19th century as the "beginning of Banshu somen" still leaves a sense of discomfort.

Then, what was the background that connected these medieval records to the industrialization of the early modern period?

5. Ikaruga-ji Temple: The Circuit Connecting Nara and Harima

Here, we need to look at the place where the 1418 record was left: Ikaruga-ji Temple.
There is an "Ikaruga" in Hyogo Prefecture, and its location is "Taishi-cho." This is no coincidence.

The Ikaruga-sho that existed in the area of present-day Taishi-cho was a Nara / manor of Horyu-ji Temple. This land had a long relationship with Horyu-ji Temple as the "Horyu-ji-ryo Harima-no-kuni Ikaruga-sho," and Ikaruga-ji Temple became an important base for manor management and Prince Shotoku worship.

In other words, Ikaruga-ji Temple in Harima was a base for the actual manor network connecting Horyu-ji Temple in Nara and Harima.

From here on, this is my inference.

Could it be that the somen culture that grew up in Yamato was transmitted to Harima through temples and manors? Craftsmen did not necessarily have to travel. Medieval temples were also huge social organizations where people moved, goods moved, and information moved.

Yamato
→ Temple cultural sphere including Horyu-ji
→ Horyu-ji-ryo Ikaruga-sho
→ Harima

It is quite possible that the somen culture entered Harima at an early stage through this route. When considering the history of Banshu somen, can we really ignore this "medieval Nara-Harima circuit"?

6. Why Does "Taishi" Remain in Harima?

I would like to take a slight detour here.
The names "Taishi-cho," "Ikaruga," and "Ikaruga-ji Temple" remain in Hyogo Prefecture. According to the history handed down in Taishi-cho, in the 14th year of Empress Suiko (606), Prince Shotoku, who was given rice fields in Harima Province by the Empress, donated them to Horyu-ji Temple, which later developed into the Horyu-ji-ryo Ikaruga-sho.

While this ancient history itself contains legendary elements, it is certain that this region had a deep relationship with Nara for a long period as a Horyu-ji manor in the Middle Ages.

Therefore, these words remaining in Harima are not just rare place names. They are traces of the long cultural exchange that existed between Nara and Harima.

I feel something more than coincidence in the fact that "saumen" appeared in the medieval documents of that land.

7. From Temple Food to Tatsuno Product

After a gap in historical materials following the medieval records, somen reappears on the stage of history in the Edo period, this time as a "product."

In the 5th year of Hoei (1708), there is a record that when the Yamamura family of Tatsuno fell ill, somen was delivered as a get-well gift from 10 people within the Tatsuno Domain. Furthermore, during the Horeki era (around 1751), it is said that the Tatsuno Domain issued a notice designating somen manufacturing and sales as a permitted industry. And by the An'ei era (1771–1780), somen production in Banshu began in earnest.

One major turning point can be seen here. Somen, which was once a gift for temples and shrines, became a regional product in the 18th century and grew into an industry managed by the domain.

The abundant wheat in the Ibo River basin, waterwheels for milling, salt from the coast of Harima-nada, and the boat transport of the Ibo River. Somen, which can be preserved and made during the winter farming off-season, grew into a full-scale local industry against the backdrop of Harima's natural conditions and commodity economy.

8. Then What Was the Transmission of the Manufacturing Method from Miwa?

Here, I return again to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism's description that "the manufacturing method was transmitted from Miwa during the Bunka era." There is no need to deny this entirely. However, the story becomes strange if you interpret this as the "first transmission (beginning from zero) of Banshu somen."

What did the contact with Miwa in the early 19th century mean in Banshu, where the Tatsuno Domain had already designated manufacturing and sales as a permitted industry in the mid-18th century and production was in full swing?

At the very least, it was not a "first transmission," but rather a stage of innovation—an improvement in manufacturing technology and quality enhancement for the already existing Banshu somen.

Furthermore, in the chronology of the Hyogo Prefecture Hand-Stretched Somen Cooperative, it is noted that during the Bunsei era (1818–1830), Chuemon Morisaki of Kamioka (note: there are variations in the spelling in historical materials) and others "inspected the somen guild organization in Settsu," suggesting that they were learning not only technology but also organizational forms from advanced areas.

Not satisfied with old traditions, going out to learn, and incorporating technology and organizations to polish their own somen. This greedy attitude of the people of Banshu must have increased their strength as a production area.

9. It Was Quality Control That Created "Ibonoito"

With the arrival of the Meiji era, the protection of the domain disappeared. It would not have been strange if the production area had declined here.
However, Banshu somen producers steered toward voluntary organization.

In Meiji 5 (1872), they established the "Myojin-ko" to standardize craftsman wages and quality. In Meiji 20 (1887), the "Harima Province Ibo-Sai-Ryo-Gun Somen Business Cooperative," the predecessor of the current cooperative, was formed.

And the decisive year was Meiji 27 (1894).

Inspection methods were tightened, products were graded, and "Ibonoito" was born as a unified trademark.

They attached inspection seals and made manufacturers responsible for quality. This was not just naming, but the birth of a modern quality assurance system (branding).

It is not something anyone can claim at will. The entire production area sets strict standards, inspects, classifies into 7 grades, and jointly protects credibility.

The reason Banshu somen was strong was not just because it had a history dating back to the Middle Ages. It was strong precisely because it perfectly converted that tradition into a modern system of "quality and credibility."

10. And It Became a "Summer Gift"

From around Taisho 8 (1919), the cooperative sent caravan teams across the country, and in Taisho 12 (1923), it formed a nationwide organization that led to the current special agency system.

It is a dried food that lasts a long time, fits beautifully in a box, and has guaranteed quality. And in the hot Japanese summer, it is a welcome gift for anyone.

The "saumen" that appeared in medieval temple documents culminated in the brand "Ibonoito," a representative gift of the Japanese summer, through early modern regional industrialization and modern thorough quality control and nationwide distribution networks.

11. Reflecting on 600 Years of History

For me, having grown up in Hyogo, Ibonoito was an all-too-obvious existence.

When summer comes, it appears on the dining table. It arrives in a wooden box. If you go to the supermarket, bundles with red bands are lined up, and that phrase is heard from the TV.

"Somen, after all, is Ibonoito"

I used to think it was just a clever commercial copy. But when you unravel the history, the way you see it changes.

Somen culture sprouted in the manor network that connected Nara and Harima in the Middle Ages.
A regional industry nurtured in the rich climate of the Tatsuno Domain in the early modern period.
And in the modern era, a strict quality control and credibility system that craftsmen built themselves.

Tradition is not just about keeping the same form as in the past. It is the work of polishing the baton you received to match the times and passing it on to the next.

There is no disagreement that the origin of Japanese somen is in Miwa. However, Banshu also tirelessly spun the threads of history and tailored it into a "taste representing Japan" through modern technology and systems.

Thinking about it that way, as someone who grew up in Hyogo, I feel proud.

The memory of "saumen" tasted by people in Harima 600 years ago and the Ibonoito we slurp this summer. Between them lies the work of countless people who have racked their brains and protected quality in every era.

This summer, when I slurp a mouthful of cold somen, I think I will reflect a little on that long historical journey.

Once again,

"Somen, after all, is Ibonoito"

By the way, please sprinkle the shichimi on the noodles before eating.

End.

References and Materials

Classical and Historical Materials

* "Ikaruga-sho Hikitsuke"
Referenced as an early record of somen consumption and culture in Banshu, with "saumen" mentioned in the article for Oei 25 (1418).
* "Nihon Sankai Meibutsu Zue" by Tetsusai Hirase, illustrated by Mitsunobu Hasegawa, Horeki 4 (1754)
Referenced as material showing the fame of Miwa somen in the mid-Edo period.

Banshu/Ibonoito Related

* Hyogo Prefecture Hand-Stretched Somen Cooperative "Ibonoito Museum Somen-no-Sato / History of Ibonoito / Historical Chronology"
Referenced for confirmation of dates and facts such as the 1418 "Ikaruga-sho Hikitsuke," the 1433 somen gift, the 1708 gift record, the manufacturing/sales permission around the Horeki era, organization in the late Edo/Meiji periods, the inspection system, and the establishment of the unified trademark "Ibonoito."
* Hyogo Prefecture Hand-Stretched Somen Cooperative "Ibonoito Quality Control"
Referenced for the current inspection and quality control system.
* Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Kinki Regional Development Bureau, Himeji Office of River and National Highway "History of the Ibo River"
Referenced for the description of the "transmission of the manufacturing method from the Miwa region" during the Bunka era. In this article, this description was compared with the history of Banshu somen before the early modern period, and its positioning was re-examined.

Ikaruga-sho/Ikaruga-ji/Horyu-ji Related

* Taishi-cho, Ibo-gun, Hyogo Prefecture "Ikaruga-ji Temple" and Ikaruga-sho related commentary
Referenced for the relationship between Horyu-ji-ryo Harima-no-kuni Ikaruga-sho, Ikaruga-ji Temple, Prince Shotoku legends, and regional history.
* Hyogo Prefectural Museum of History Ikaruga-sho/Horyu-ji Manor Related Materials
Referenced for the positioning of the Horyu-ji-ryo Ikaruga-sho in medieval Harima.

Various Somen Production Areas/Materials

* Omiwa Shrine Miwa Somen Origin Legend Materials
* Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries "Our Local Cuisine," "Encyclopedia of Traditional Japanese Food"
Referenced for the history of somen production areas such as Tokushima/Handa, Toyama/Omon, and Miyagi/Shiroishi.
* Kagawa Prefecture/Shodoshima Hand-Stretched Somen Related Materials
Referenced for the legend of the transmission of the manufacturing method from Miwa and the establishment of the somen industry on Shodoshima.
* Nagasaki Prefecture/Shimabara Hand-Stretched Somen Related Materials
Referenced for the history of the formation of the hand-stretched somen production area in Shimabara.

Regarding Historical Facts and Inferences in This Article

This article describes facts that can be confirmed by historical materials and historical inferences separately.

Main items that can be confirmed as historical facts

* The appearance of "saumen" in Ikaruga-sho related historical materials of the 15th century
* That Ikaruga-sho was a Horyu-ji manor
* That there are records of somen gifts within the Tatsuno Domain in the 18th century
* That the Tatsuno Domain is said to have advanced to a stage of grasping and controlling somen manufacturing and sales
* That organization by producers, inspections, and a grading system progressed in the Meiji era, and the unified trademark "Ibonoito" was established

Inferences/Hypotheses in this article

* The possibility that Yamato's somen culture was transmitted to Harima through the "Nara-Harima circuit" of the Middle Ages, i.e., the temple/manor network
* The possibility that some historical continuity existed between the 15th-century somen culture and the Banshu somen industry from the 18th century onwards
* An interpretation that views the contact with Miwa in the early 19th century not as the "first transmission of somen," but as a stage of improvement in manufacturing technology and quality enhancement for the existing Banshu somen

This article does not definitively determine the origin of Banshu somen.

It is an essay that re-examines why Banshu became a somen production area representing Japan while tracing the fragmentary historical materials—the "dots and lines" of history—spanning 600 years.