Making Hōtō: A Delicious Activity from the Yamanashi Prefecture

The following blog was written by a student intern on a Summer 2025 CIEE high school summer abroad program. Read on for a first-hand account of what it's like on program!

After traveling almost three hours by bus to Lake Kawaguchi or Kawaguchiko (河口湖) in the Yamanashi Prefecture, the HSSA Anime & Manga students stopped by Fujiya, a restaurant known for Hōtō (放蕩). Hōtō is a Japanese noodle-soup dish native to Yamanashi; containing thick noodles, miso broth, and vegetables, Hōtō is a must-try for anyone visiting Yamanashi. Our students took the extra step by not only trying Hōtō, but also making the noodles themselves. 

The key to making delicious Hōtō is the right ingredients. After getting situated, the students were given a bowl of flour that they were instructed to add water to. This turns the flour into dough and makes it malleable enough to mold into noodles. Because of how precise Hōtō making is, a specific amount of water is necessary for the perfect consistency. Students had a great time creating the best dough possible for their future lunch. 

Once the dough is watery enough, the students were asked, with gloved hands, to mix in the water to make the dough. This required smushing the dough with their hands for a couple minutes until the consistency was correct. Nostalgic for their childhood days with Play Dough, students enjoyed this portion of Hōtō making the most. 

With their dough ready to go, the students were tasked with rolling the dough out and cutting it into small lines. These would become the noodles. Reaching the final steps of making Hōtō, the students were excited to use the rolling pins and knives to make the most amazing and delectable noodles possible. 

With their noodles properly cut and assembled into a bowl, they are ready for cooking. The restaurant staff brought out hot pots full of boiling miso soup and vegetables. Eager and excited, the students carefully places their noodles into the pots, waiting with bated breath for the noodles to be cooked and ready. This took about 10 minutes and while waiting, the students got even more excited as the delicious smell of Hōtō filled the air.

Finally, after all their hard work, the noodles were ready to eat. Students, tired yet satisfied, eat their noodles with huge smiles on their faces, proud of the work they achieved. As one of the staff members working with the students, I tried the noodles as well, and they were very delicious! Or, as said in Japanese, oishii. The Yamanashi Prefecture is typically known for the glorious Mt. Fuji, but students were happy to experience another aspect of the prefecture in a very hands-on way, and with a yummy result. 

CIEE's high school summer abroad programs provide teenagers with the opportunity to explore specific fields and studies while abroad. There are two sessions per summer, three to four weeks each, where students are giving a holistic and diverse experience of a country's culture and way of life. 

Apply today!