"In Western culture, eating is heavily defined by the experience of taste and texture. But for the Japanese, eating goes beyond just the gustatory sensations in the mouth and includes also the olfactory and post-mastication sensations of food gliding down the throat, through the esophagus, and finally settling in the belly. Nodogoshi is essentially an undefined, extrasensory feeling that is triggered by taste, aroma, and touch simultaneously during food or drink consumption. This belief and practice has existed for a while in Japanese culture but can be experienced and learned rather quickly by anyone.
In addition to slippery noodles like soba and udon, slimy foods like yamaimo (mountain yam), okra, natto (fermented soy beans), and raw egg yolk also trigger nodogoshi; these are known as neba neba foods (Japanese for sliminess). The Japanese also enjoy neba neba foods because they “feel good” in the stomach, likely due to the slimy enzymes coating the food, which facilitate smoother digestion."
