Champon is a mixed noodle dish that is famous in Nagasaki, Japan. I was introduced to it by my friend Megumi who is a local to Tokyo but absolutely loves Champon! It can be eaten in two ways, one way with soup and egg-style noodles and one with fried noodles and a tasty sauce. I was excited to try it out on an afternoon after work on the island, very hungry and ready for some food.
We went to a local restaurant in Ojika, a small island in Nagasaki, called Furusato to try it out.
We left on bicycles and zoomed down the hill, past the harbour, to the main road. We were told by a wise local that Furusato was an excellent place to eat Champon, so we were determined to find this spot.
After exploring a bit we realised we didn't know where the restaurant was exactly. Megumi stopped an old woman who was walking down an alleyway, and asked her for some directions. She was provided with a wealth of quickly spoken directions in Japanese, that kept coming and coming.
We both smiled at eachother and thanked the woman repeatedly, assuring her that what she has told us already would help us get there, before saying goodbye. As we left, she grabbed my hand and wished me well and we exchanged pleasantries.
Then, we found the bright red sign of Furusato, down a winding alleyway close to the Community Center on the main street. Considering the general ambiance on Ojika island is very quiet, with an occasional passerby that will always greet you with a smile, I was surprised to see that the restaurant was absolutely packed with people on the afternoon we chose to venture out from our guesthouse.
I had the soup style Champon and Megumi had the fried noodle salad style. There's something so comforting about coming in from the chilly November wind into a room filled with friendly chatter, the smell of tasty food, and a warm bowl of noodle soup coming your way.
The portion sizes at Furusato are generous and warming, with my Champon consisting of a mixture of meat, cabbage, flavorful broth, and egg noodles.
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