View source for Saimin

{{Short description|Hawaiian noodle dish}}
{{For|the Japanese Horror film released as Saimin in Japan|Saimin (film)}}
{{Infobox food
| name             = Saimin
| image            = Classic Saimin.jpg
| caption          = Saimin is a noodle soup developed in Hawaii.
| alternate_name   = 
| country          = [[United States]]
| region           = [[Hawaii]]
| creator          = 
| course           = 
| type             = [[Noodle soup]]
| served           = Hot or warm (as "fried saimin") 
| main_ingredient  = {{Transliteration|ja|[[Dashi]]}}, [[Noodle|egg and wheat noodles]], [[Scallion|green onions]], and {{Transliteration|ja|[[kamaboko]]}}
| variations       =fried saimin, saidon
| calories         = 
| other            = 
}}

'''Saimin''' is a [[noodle soup]] dish common in the contemporary [[cuisine of Hawaii]]. Traditionally consisting of soft wheat egg [[noodle]]s served in a hot {{Transliteration|ja|[[dashi]]}} garnished with diced [[Scallion|green onions]] and a thin slice of {{Transliteration|ja|[[kamaboko]]}}, modern versions of saimin include additional toppings such as ''[[char siu]]'', sliced [[Spam (food)|Spam]], [[Egg garnish|sliced egg]], [[bok choy]], [[mushroom]]s, or shredded [[nori]]. When [[wontons]] are added to the noodle soup, it is seen on menus as the heartier ''wonton min''. All saimin establishments have their own, often secret recipe for the soup base, but primarily use {{Transliteration|ja|[[kombu]]}} and [[dried shrimp]] as major ingredients. Common [[Condiment|table condiments]] mixed in the saimin broth are [[Mustard (condiment)|Chinese hot mustard]] and [[soy sauce]], added in small quantities according to each individual's taste. Many local residents of Hawaii also enjoy barbecued [[teriyaki]] beef sticks ([[Kebab|skewers]]) or [[Hamburger|American hamburgers]] as a side dish.

Saimin was developed during Hawaii's [[Sugar plantations in Hawaii|plantation era]] and is a testament to the history of cultural influences found in the [[Hawaiian Islands]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Archives |first=L. A. Times |date=1993-06-06 |title=A Sample of Saimin Can Be... |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-06-06-tr-131-story.html |access-date=2023-03-17 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}</ref> It is a local [[comfort food]] eaten all year round at any time of day for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or as a late-night snack. Initially consumed by the [[working class]], saimin can now be seen on the menus of Hawaii's restaurants from [[Fast food restaurant|fast food chains]] to upscale [[five-star hotel]] restaurants. It is commonly eaten at sporting events or available precooked [[Convenience food|packaged food]] much like [[Instant noodle|instant ramen]].

==History==
===Etymology===
''Saimin'' is a compound of two Chinese words: {{lang|zh-hant|細}} ({{lang-zh|p=xì|j=sai3}}), meaning small, and {{lang|zh-hant|麵}} ({{lang-zh|p=miàn|j=min6|links=no}}), meaning noodle. The word derives from [[Cantonese]] and is still used commonly in Cantonese today. The first recorded use of the [[Romanization|romanized]] word in Hawaii dates as far back as 1908,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85047084/1908-07-19/ed-1/seq-2/|title=Say! But It Was A Bully Saturday Eve.|date=July 19, 1908|work=The Sunday Advertiser|page=2}}</ref> but was most likely spoken in the [[Hawaiian Pidgin|local dialect]] much earlier. In Hawaii's contemporary [[Hawaiian Pidgin|pidgin language]], saimin has become a [[Hyponymy and hypernymy|hyponym]] or blanket term for noodle soups, particularly [[Instant noodle|instant ramen]] (e.g., "And one day, I come home from school and Blu and Maisie are eating dry saimin sprinkled with the soup stock").<ref>{{Cite book|title=Blu's Hanging|last=Yamanaka|first=Lois-Ann|publisher=Harper Perennial|year=1997|isbn=978-0380731398|location=New York|pages=[https://archive.org/details/blushanging00yama/page/5 5]|url=https://archive.org/details/blushanging00yama/page/5}}</ref>

===Origin===
The precise origins of saimin as a dish is debatable. The clash of cultures in Hawaii makes it difficult to precisely pinpoint the exact beginning of saimin, but in turn makes this dish unique with roots set deeply in Hawaii's history. The earliest records of saimin identified the dish as being Chinese in origin. Many newspaper clippings of Hawaii's yesteryears mentioning saimin are also exclusively associated with the Chinese population and their neighborhoods. The majority of these associations are also subtly [[derogatory]], suggesting a less desirable, low-class representation of their community. That being so, it may become a sensitive issue crediting Chinese immigrants with saimin's origins even with strong written evidence behind this theory.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Wayson |first=Malt |date=March 5, 1917 |title=The Dietician |url=https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn82014682/1917-03-05/ed-1/seq-12/ |work=Honolulu star-bulletin |page=12, Sports Section}}</ref>

It is certain that saimin, along with much of the contemporary [[cuisine of Hawaii|cuisine in Hawaii]], is closely related to the immigration of Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Filipino, and Portuguese field workers during the [[Sugar plantations in Hawaii|plantation era of Hawaii]] beginning in the 1850s.<ref>{{Cite book|title=The Food of Paradise: Exploring Hawaii's Culinary Heritage|url=https://archive.org/details/foodparadiseexpl00laud_279|url-access=limited|last=Laudan|first=Rachel|publisher=University of Hawaii Press|year=1996|isbn=9780824817787|location=Honolulu|pages=[https://archive.org/details/foodparadiseexpl00laud_279/page/n122 99]}}</ref> As the popular belief goes, these plantation laborers of various ethnic backgrounds would return from the fields and share [[communal meal]]s. For example, a Korean family may have had extra [[scallion|green onions]] growing in their yard, the Portuguese would have some extra pork from making [[Portuguese sausage|sausage]], the Chinese would share some noodles, while the Japanese provide some {{Transliteration|ja|[[dashi]]}} for the meal. At this point, they would all throw their ingredients into a pot and share what was created. It may be through these improvised communal meals that saimin was possibly born. This common, yet supposed history of saimin's origins is highly debatable, since there are recorded accounts of much [[Racism|racial tension]] between the various ethnic groups during this time.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Fleischman|first=Richard K.|date=May 1, 2000|title=The interface of race and accounting: the case of Hawaiian sugar plantations, 1835-1920|journal=Accounting History|volume=5|pages=7–32|doi=10.1177/103237320000500102}}</ref> Interracial activity was highly limited and the groups were more than often [[Racial segregation|segregated]], leaving little chance for these imagined communal meals.

Among the immigrant population in Hawaii, one of the largest (besides the Chinese) and most influential (besides the Caucasian) immigrants were the Japanese<ref>{{Cite book|title=The Japanese Conspiracy: The Oahu Sugar Strike of 1920|last=Duus|first=Masayo|publisher=University of California Press|year=1999|isbn=9780520204850|location=Los Angeles|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/japaneseconspira00duus}}</ref> and it is theorized that saimin was created by this ethnic group wanting to eat [[ramen]]. Instead of a full replication, they were limited to the ingredients readily available to them in Hawaii, resulting in the creation of saimin. There are records of Japanese immigrants peddling saimin in Hawaii as early as 1915,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn82014682/1915-12-13/ed-2/seq-15/|title=Japanese Maidens Want Permit To Sell Saimin in Aala Park|last=Nakamura|first=H.|date=December 13, 1915|work=Honolulu Star-Bulletin|page=14–A}}</ref> giving them a decent standing as its fore-bearer. However, the Japanese ramen theory also has many complications and anachronisms. During the same time period, ramen was not the widely popular phenomenon in Japan as it is known today<ref>{{Cite book|title=The Untold History of Ramen: How Political Crisis in Japan Spawned a Global Food Craze|last=Solt|first=George|publisher=University of California Press|year=2014|isbn=978-0520277564}}</ref> and would not be considered a food Japanese immigrants immediately associate with their homeland. To drive this point further, if indeed Japanese immigrants were attempting to recreate ramen in Hawaii, the common Japanese language did not use the word {{nihongo|''ramen''|ラーメン}} until about the 1950s. In Japan it was first known as {{nihongo3|{{lit|Chinese soba}}|支那そば|shina soba}},<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/anneli-rufus/ramen-is-racist_b_870470.html|title=Ramen Is Racist|last=Rufus|first=Anneli|date=2011-06-02|website=HuffPost|language=en|access-date=2019-09-07}}</ref> as the ramen itself was a dish with Chinese origins.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Japanese Noodles (No. 4) |url=https://www.kikkoman.com/en/foodforum/the-japanese-table/32-4.html |access-date=2022-07-20 |website=Kikkoman Corporation |language=ja}}</ref><ref name=":12">{{Cite web |title=Part 1: China Origin |url=https://www.ramen-culture.com/history-pt1 |access-date=2022-07-20 |website=Ramen Culture |language=en-US |archive-date=2022-07-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220720132155/https://www.ramen-culture.com/history-pt1 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name=":22">{{Cite web |last=Media |first=USEN |title=Indespensable Knowledge For Every Ramen Lover! A Glossary with Shop Recommendations |url=https://savorjapan.com/contents/discover-oishii-japan/indespensable-knowledge-for-every-ramen-lover-a-glossary-with-shop-recommendations/ |access-date=2022-07-20 |website=SAVOR JAPAN |language=en}}</ref> Saimin noodles themselves are closer in characteristic to the curly yellow-colored Chinese egg noodles found in [[wonton noodles]] as opposed to the straight white wheat noodles consumed in Japan, giving Chinese immigrants an edge as the first developers of saimin.

===Initial appearance===
Saimin was first sold as a menu item in the early 1900s from unmarked and unnamed 'saimin wagons'<ref>{{Cite book|title=Hanahana: An Oral History Anthology of Hawaii's Working People|last=Kodama-Nishimoto|first=Michi|publisher=University of Hawaii Press|year=1984|isbn=9780824808952|location=Honolulu|pages=42}}</ref> as "an immigrant family's first step into American entrepreneurship".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-06-06-tr-131-story.html|title=A Sample of Saimin Can Be...|date=1993-06-06|website=Los Angeles Times|language=en-US|access-date=2019-09-05}}</ref> The noodles, broth, and toppings were made from scratch and prepared by hand in their homes. With all the components ready to assemble and serve, they would wheel out to a spot wherever there were plantation laborers looking for a cheap and quick bite to eat. As these families earned more money, they were able to set up shop at fixed locations.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=http://archives.starbulletin.com/specials/kaimuki/rise.html|title=Kaimuki on the Rise: Kaimuki Saimin and Delicatessen|last=Watanabe|first=June|date=April 23, 1996|website=archives.starbulletin.com|publisher=Honolulu Star-Bulletin|access-date=2019-09-07}}</ref> The first of these saimin stands could be found near the old plantation towns and farms of Hawaii as early as the 1930s, feeding hungry fieldworkers for as little as $0.05 a bowl.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=http://archives.starbulletin.com/97/09/10/features/story1.html|title=The Shiromas scoop up hot bowls of noodles for one nostalgic weekend|last=Enomoto|first=Catherine Kekoa|date=1997|website=archives.starbulletin.com|publisher=Honolulu Star-Bulletin|access-date=2019-09-05}}</ref>

===Post-plantation popularization===
As Hawaii gradually moved from an [[Agricultural economics|agricultural]] economy towards a more [[Service economy|service-based]] economy in the 1960s and 1970s,{{Citation needed|date=February 2025}} saimin stands moved away from the plantation fields with many more establishments opening near [[Sports venue|sporting venues]], [[movie theater]]s, [[Billiard hall|pool halls]], and [[school]]s. Due to its timely preparation and warm broth, it became popular as a quick late night snack for young adults after a night out on the town. Also at this time several public schools throughout Hawaii began offering saimin as a regular option for students who did not want to eat the scheduled weekly menu.

It was not until the opening of [[Honolulu Stadium]] and its addition to the concession stand's menu when saimin became acknowledged as a popular [[fast food]] and put under a national spotlight.<ref>{{Cite journal|date=1969|title=National Geographic|journal=National Geographic Society (U.S.)|volume= 136|page=528}}</ref> [[Chuck Tanner]], retired Major League Baseball player for the [[Boston Braves (baseball)|Boston Braves]] and former manager of minor league baseball team the [[Hawaii Islanders]] in 1969 and 1970, recalled, "During the games, fans ate corn on the cob. They had some soup. . . won ton or something. I don't know. And they had these sticks with beef on them."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://sabr.org/bioproj/park/honolulu-stadium#sdendnote9anc|title=Honolulu Stadium {{!}} Society for American Baseball Research|website=sabr.org|access-date=2019-09-05}}</ref>

===Modern period===
Saimin became less popular in the 1980s and 1990s as the appearance of other exciting noodle soup dishes made their way to Hawaii such as [[tonkotsu ramen]] and [[pho]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hawaiimagazine.com/content/how-hawaii-style-saimin-making-comeback|title=How Hawaii-Style Saimin is Making a Comeback|last=Fox|first=Catherine Toth|date=August 26, 2019|website=Hawaii Magazine|language=en|access-date=2019-09-15}}</ref> As other forms of noodle soup grew in popularity, many saimin institutions closed, leaving saimin as a [[comfort food]] of nostalgic value to the older generation in Hawaii.

===Historic saimin establishments===
Several saimin establishments including saimin noodle factories and restaurants have become local landmarks in Hawaii and have attracted out-of-state visitors venturing off the traditional tourist-beaten paths. There are many that have closed their doors, such as Shiroma's Saimin<ref name=":0" /> in [[Waipahu]], Washington Saimin<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2003/Oct/02/ln/ln22a.html|title=Washington Saimin latest to go|last=Lum|first=Curtis|date=October 2, 2003|website=the.honoluluadvertiser.com|publisher=The Honolulu Advertiser|access-date=2019-09-05}}</ref> in [[Makiki]], Hall Saimin in [[Kalihi]], Likelike Drive In, and most recently Dillingham Saimin (formally known as Boulevard Saimin). Some local institutions still in existence with decades under their belts are Jane's Fountain, The Old Saimin House, Palace Saimin, Meg's Drive In, Shiro's Saimin Haven, Forty-Niner Restaurant, and Sekiya's Restaurant & Delicatessen on [[Oahu]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.honolulumagazine.com/Honolulu-Magazine/Biting-Commentary/June-2014-1/Old-School-Saimin-Shops/|title=Noodle Tuesday: 8 Old School Saimin Shops|last=Gill|first=Lorin Eleni|date=June 17, 2014|website=www.honolulumagazine.com|language=en|access-date=2019-06-02}}</ref> Also notable are Nori's Saimin & Snacks on [[Hawaii (island)|the Big Island]], Sam Sato's on [[Maui]], and Hamura's Saimin on [[Kauai]], which was given the [[James Beard Foundation]]'s America's Classic honor in 2006.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.robertshawaii.com/blog/saimin-local-food-celebrity/|title=Saimin: A local food celebrity|website=Roberts Hawaii|language=en-US|access-date=2019-09-05}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://archives.starbulletin.com/2006/04/30/news/story04.html|title=Hamura's wins national award|last=Nichols|first=Katherine|date=April 30, 2006|website=archives.starbulletin.com|publisher=Honolulu Star-Bulletin|access-date=2019-09-05}}</ref>

==McDonald's saimin==
[[File:McDonald instant noodles (14043849590).jpg|thumb|A serving of McDonald's saimin.]]

[[McDonald's]], an American [[fast-food]] giant based in [[Oak Brook, Illinois]], became aware of the saimin phenomenon in the Hawaiian islands in the late 1960s. [[Maurice J. "Sully" Sullivan]], legendary Hawaii [[entrepreneur]] and owner of [[Foodland Hawaii|Foodland Super Market Limited]], had purchased and opened the first McDonald's restaurant in Hawaii in 1968 at his flagship grocery store. He opened several more McDonald's franchises, and for 12 straight months, McDonald's Hawaii became the highest-grossing group of franchises in the world. Sullivan wanted to serve his favorite meal, saimin, at his McDonald's restaurants, knowing all too well that his restaurants would boom with its introduction to the menu.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|last=De Silva|first=Rita De Silva|date=2016-04-30|title=The long-standing joy of saimin|url=https://www.thegardenisland.com/2016/04/30/opinion/the-long-standing-joy-of-saimin/|access-date=2021-07-20|website=The Garden Island|language=en-US}}</ref>

Sullivan invited executives from the McDonald's corporation, including owner and business tycoon [[Ray Kroc]] for dinner at two family-owned, "hole-in-the-wall" saimin stands in Honolulu: Washington Saimin and Boulevard Saimin. That night, Sullivan convinced Kroc to expand McDonald's menu for the first time in its corporate history to include a local "ethnic" food. Researchers worked extensively with Washington Saimin to develop a recipe for McDonald's Hawaii. Sullivan secured deals with [[Ajinomoto]], a local Japanese saimin noodle factory and fishcake supplier, to manufacture a special soup base.<ref name=":3" />

Saimin was one of McDonald's Hawaii's most popular menu items. Later, Sullivan introduced breakfast platters consisting of [[Portuguese sausage]], eggs, and steamed white rice; [[Spam (food)|Spam]], eggs, and rice; and a Breakfast deluxe, a combination of the two, to his menu, capitalizing on the local food phenomena.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2016-11-14|title=Local Flavors You'll Only Find at Fast-Food Restaurants in Hawaiʻi|url=https://www.hawaiimagazine.com/local-flavors-youll-only-find-at-fast-food-restaurants-in-hawaii/|access-date=2021-07-20|website=Hawaii Magazine|language=en-US}}</ref>

On June 29, 2022, McDonald's Hawaii announced that it would no longer offer saimin on its menu. The item was discontinued because Okahara Saimin, the chain's supplier, closed due to its owners' retirement at the end of May.<ref>{{cite web|date=2022-06-29|title=So long, saimin! McDonald's in Hawaii discontinues a favorite menu item|url=https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2022/06/30/mcdonalds-soup-thats-only-available-hawaii-has-been-discontinued/|access-date=2022-06-30|website=Hawaii News Now|language=en-US}}</ref>

==S&S saimin==
Much like its close counterpart ramen, saimin was also developed as an [[instant noodle]] in 1963 by Shimoko & Sons saimin brand, better known to locals as [[S&S saimin]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=http://archives.starbulletin.com/2006/05/24/business/story03.html|title=Sun Noodle adds S&S Saimin to its product line|last=Nichols|first=Katherine|date=May 24, 2006|website=archives.starbulletin.com|publisher=Honolulu Star-Bulletin|access-date=2019-09-06}}</ref> Unlike instant ramen, S&S saimin noodles require refrigeration or freezing and are not dry. The noodles are also pre-cooked, making it a ready-to-eat food by simply adding hot water with a soup base packaged separately. Instant saimin has since become a staple in many Hawaii households because of its quick and easy preparation, in addition allowing the consumer to add any toppings they desire.

S&S is a large contributor to popularizing saimin since the name brand sponsored many local television shows between the late 1960s and early 1980s. During this time, S&S sent 20 children to Disneyland through a contest held with the beloved children's program, [[The Checkers and Pogo Show]]. The saimin brand also sponsored the "[[S&S Junk Show]]", a [[karaoke]]-based amateur singing program which ran for 15 seasons.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.newspapers.com/clip/24556287/obituary_s_s_saimin_founder_clarence/|title=Obituary S & S Saimin Founder Clarence Yutaka Shimoko 209|website=Newspapers.com|language=en|access-date=2019-09-13}}</ref>

The S&S saimin brand was acquired by the Japanese multinational drink company [[Ito En]] in 1987.<ref name=":1" /> The brand was later sold to Hawaii-based noodle and pasta manufacturer [[Sun Noodle]] in 2006.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2006/May/24/bz/FP605240326.html|title=Itoen (USA) sells S&S Saimin division|last=Daysog|first=Rick|date=May 24, 2006|website=the.honoluluadvertiser.com|publisher=The Honolulu Advertiser|access-date=2019-09-06}}</ref>

==Variations==
Some saimin establishments may have the option to substitute the traditional thin egg noodles for the thicker [[Udon|udon noodle]], or sometimes mixing both, creating something seen on local menus as ''saidon''. A soup-less pan-fried version similar to Japanese [[yakisoba]] and Chinese [[lo mein]] is simply known as ''fried saimin''. This variation is particularly popular at carnivals, fairgrounds, and catered parties since it can be prepared in large quantities and consumed at room temperature. ''Fried saimin'' is also served as a side dish in [[Bento|okazuya bento]] and [[plate lunch]].

==See also==
{{portal|food}}
*[[Cuisine of Hawaii]]
*[[Plate lunch]]
*[[Loco moco]]
*[[Spam musubi]]
*[[Malasada]]
*[[Manapua]]
*[[Green River (soft drink)]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
{{Commons category}}
* [http://starbulletin.com/2001/09/05/features/story1.html ''Gambling on a Good Meal'', Betty Shimabukuro, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, September 5, 2001] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080101073802/http://starbulletin.com/2001/09/05/features/story1.html |date=January 1, 2008 }}
* [http://www.keithpr.com/2jb/manapua.html ''Got Manapua'', Kyle Tatsumoto and Keith Kamisugi, Nichi Bei Times, 2001] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040604154204/http://www.keithpr.com/2jb/manapua.html |date=2004-06-04 }}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060510180611/http://archive.mauitime.com/v07/v07iss19/feat.html ''Noodlemania: Hawaii's melting pot is a bowl of saimin'', Marnie Masuda, Maui Time Weekly, November 6, 2003]
* [http://www.khnl.com/Global/story.asp?S=760588 ''Shige's Saimin Stand'', Lyle Galdera, KHNL, April 27, 2002]
* Joan Clarke, [http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?userid=ZYw1r43NkR&isbn=0964335913&itm=23 Local Food: What to Eat in Hawaii], Namkoong Publishing, 1997
* [[Rachel Laudan]], [http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?userid=ZYw1r43NkR&isbn=0824817788&itm=5 Food of Paradise: Exploring Hawaii's Culinary Heritage], University of Hawaii Press, 1996

{{Soups}}

[[Category:Noodle soups]]
[[Category:Noodle dishes]]
[[Category:Asian-American cuisine]]
[[Category:Cuisine of Hawaii]]
[[Category:Chinese-American culture in Hawaii]]
[[Category:Japanese-American culture in Hawaii]]