Nijiya Mimi: Fujinomiya Yakisoba, Made Mimi-san's Way
Fujinomiya yakisoba isn't the same dish you'll find anywhere else in Japan. The noodles are made differently, with lower moisture content, giving them a tasty, chewy bite that's become the town's signature. At Nijiya Mimi, that difference is the whole point.
A recipe built on a contradiction
Mimi-san's mother, who founded the shop, had one rule she never let go of: yakisoba means "fried noodles," so the noodles should actually be fried.
"Calling it 'fried noodles' yet adding water makes the noodles soggy. She wanted to cook them without adding water, serving truly fried noodles. That's the philosophy behind how we make it."
Most yakisoba is steamed with water before it hits the pan. Nijiya Mimi's isn't, and that's the whole difference between Fujinomiya style and everywhere else.
Kept small on purpose
Mimi-san's mother had wanted to be a cook since she was a child, and the family business gave her the opening to do it. She built Nijiya Mimi small on purpose.
"She wanted people to eat food she'd made herself, directly. In a large restaurant, too many hands get involved and you lose that direct connection to the customer. She didn't want that, which is why she kept the shop small."
Mimi-san inherited both the shop and the principle behind it.
Fujinomiya, then and now
When Mimi-san's mother opened Nijiya Mimi over 30 years ago, the town was thriving, with a department store and a bowling alley right across the street. That guaranteed foot traffic is long gone, but the shop, and the customers it built along the way, have stayed.
"Our customers really love food, and love eating. Many of them seem genuinely passionate about the details of what they're eating."
The Champion Yakisoba Chef of Fujinomiya
Nijiya Mimi took first place in the inaugural Fujinomiya Yakisoba Iron Chef Grand Prix, a competition Mimi-san entered mostly to support the town.
"I entered thinking it would be a nice way to help liven things up and support everyone else. Winning came as more of a surprise than anything. I did it because it was fun, and happened to win."
Cooking for fun, on and off the clock
The curiosity doesn't stop at the shop's door. On days off, Mimi-san cooks paella, tacos, and Vietnamese food at home, chasing ideas from other cuisines rather than repeating the same dishes.
"Rather than making the same things over and over, I get a lot of new ideas from trying different cuisines."
Introducing visitors to Fujinomiya
Ask what makes Nijiya Mimi different from anywhere else and the answer isn't just the noodles.
"I'd say it's the closeness to customers, the conversation, and, this might sound surprising, the fact that I love Fujinomiya as a town means I can introduce visitors to it too."
Visiting Nijiya Mimi
Mimi-san wants first-time visitors to walk in with one idea in mind: this is Japanese fast food, on the same casual footing as takoyaki and okonomiyaki, not a formal sit-down meal. What keeps the shop going after all these years comes down to one thing.
"Hearing customers say 'it's delicious.' That's really what it comes down to. It makes me happiest."
Visit Nijiya Mimi when you come to SLEEEP Fuji. It's just a 5 minute walk from our front door.
