Sanma-men, also written as 生馬麺, is a regional ramen specialty that originated in Kanagawa Prefecture. Despite the name, it is not a noodle dish made with Pacific saury. The name is said to come from the Chinese characters 生馬, referring to fresh, lively ingredients. One explanation is that the dish came to be known as Sanma-men because it originally used three fresh ingredients: bean sprouts, pork, and ta cai, a leafy Chinese vegetable.
Sanma-men is typically made with thin noodles served in either a salt-flavored or soy sauce-based soup. The noodles are topped with a generous serving of ingredients cooked together in a thick, glossy sauce. Common ingredients include bean sprouts, cabbage, wood ear mushrooms, kamaboko fish cake, and thinly sliced pork.
The warm, thickened topping helps keep the dish hot while adding plenty of texture and flavor. With its generous quantity of vegetables and pork, Sanma-men offers a satisfying meal with a good balance of ingredients.
Sanma-men is particularly popular in areas south of the Tama River and east of the Oi River. Although it is closely associated with Yokohama and Kanagawa Prefecture, it has gradually become established as a regional dish enjoyed by people throughout the area.
For visitors exploring Yokohama, trying a bowl of Sanma-men is a delicious way to experience a local ramen tradition. Its combination of thin noodles, savory soup, and a hearty vegetable-and-pork topping makes it a distinctive alternative to more familiar styles of Japanese ramen.