奈良平安時代の頃、高僧（遣唐使）などによって大陸から我が国にもたらされたと
考えられます。
また戦国時代に武田信玄公が
甲州に出入りした高僧（遣唐使）から
伝承された陣中食で、俗に“武田汁”と言われ
生麺と季節の野菜を使い味噌汁の中で煮込むというもので
手間がかからず、消化も良く栄養価も高いことから
野戦食として用いられたと伝えられています。
またあるひとつの説では
武田信玄公自ら伝家の宝刀で
麺を細長く切ったことから
“宝刀”（ホウトウ）の名が生まれたという伝説も
あります。
It is considered that it was brought from China to Japan by high priests (Japanese envoys to China during the Tang Dynasty) in Nara-Heian period.
It is also said that In Sengoku-period, a feudal warlord Shingen Takeda was handed the recipe of soup called "Takeda-jiru" by a high priest who often traveled to Kosyu. This fuss free soup made with raw noodle and seasonable vegetable in miso soup, was used as a field ration because it was rich in nutrition and easy to digest.
According to another theory, the name "Houtou" comes from a legend that Shingen Takeda cut noodles into strips by his treasure sword. (Houtou means a treasure sword in Japanese)
山梨県の大部分が山地であるため水田が少なく米飯は貴重な食べ物でした
代わりによく食べられたのがこの「ほうとう」です
昔は「ほうとうの麺を打てないと一人前でない」と言われ
嫁入り修行の第一歩であったようです
郷土食として、これほど普及しているものも少なく
「朝はおねり、昼は麦飯、夜はカボチャのほうとう」というのが長い間甲州農村の日常生活での標準型であったようです。
2007年には農林水産省主催の日本各地の農山漁村に伝わり
国民に広く支持される「農山漁村の郷土料理百選」に選ばれています
The most part of Yamanashi prefecture is mountains. So, rice field is few. The rice was the precious food.
Instead of them, they eat this “Houtou”
Long time ago, Some people say “If you can't make Houtou noodle, you are not full-fledged people”
It seemed first step of training for married life.
As local dishes, so prevalent dishes are rare.
“In morning, Oneri. In noon Mugimeshi. In afternoon, Pumpkin of Houtou” seemed to Standard style of Koshu agricultual village in daily life for long time.
In 2007, this food was elected as “Local dishes of agricultual village and fishery village 100 collection” that is decended in agricultual village in Japan , supported by national, and held by Ministry of agricultual and fishery.
