パン pan: bread
焼きそば yakisoba: Japanese fried noodles
I have previously posted about yakisoba. However, if you have gone to a convenience store in Japan, you may have noticed an interesting item called yakisoba pan (bread). Yes, I mean the hotdog bun filled with fried noodles and topped with benishouga (red pickled ginger) and nori (dried seaweed flakes). Sometimes it will have small slices of meat or hot dog in it, or will be topped with mayonnaise. It is (was?) a popular snack for school-age kids (not sure if it still is).
I cannot explain this, really, but there is something sort of tasty about fried noodles in a hotdog roll. It sounds kinda odd, but you might be surprised by the unique taste so nonetheless I recommend trying it while you are in Japan. You can eat it cold or have the conbini heat it up for you in the microwave (I think it tastes better hot personally). By no means is this some high-quality or fancy item– just a simple, cheap snack food.
I have never seen it at a matsuri (festival), then again since I live in Okinawa it may not be a thing here. It is easy to find at both Lawson and FamilyMart convenience stores, though.
