While soba can easily be enjoyed at home, the experience of dining at a restaurant brings a whole new flavor. Across Japan, in regions such as Shinshu and Izumo, there are many famous soba restaurants where you can savor exquisite handmade soba, including 100% buckwheat soba made without any binders. Be sure to visit and experience it for yourself.
Nagano Prefecture, also known as Shinshu, has long been famous for its soba. There are renowned soba restaurants throughout the region. The significant temperature differences between day and night help grow delicious buckwheat, and the pure, rich water enhances the aroma and flavor of the buckwheat flour. If you visit Nagano, enjoying Shinshu soba is a must.
Wanko Soba is a well-known gourmet dish from Iwate Prefecture. It is said to originate from the “soba hospitality” tradition passed down in the southern region. When your bowl is empty, another bite of soba is immediately added, and the number of bowls stacks up as you continue eating. The customs, such as the call-outs, differ slightly depending on the region, adding to its unique charm.
Izumo soba, a local dish of Shimane Prefecture, is characterized by its dark, fragrant noodles made by grinding buckwheat seeds with their husks. There are two main ways to enjoy Izumo soba: cold “wariko soba” served in round lacquerware, and warm “kamaage soba” served with soba broth.
Hegisoba is one of Niigata’s representative dishes, named after the “hegi,” a wooden container made from strips of wood. With funori seaweed as a binder, Hegisoba is known for its smooth texture and chewy bite. The beautifully arranged, bite-sized portions of soba are part of the unique enjoyment of this dish.
Soba-yu, the water used to boil soba, is served at the end of a soba meal. Nowadays, it’s common to find soba-yu thickened with buckwheat flour for a richer texture. You can drink it as is to enjoy the aroma of the soba, or mix it with the leftover dipping sauce. Adding leftover condiments like shichimi or sansho pepper creates a new flavor experience. Soba-yu is rich in water-soluble nutrients such as minerals, dietary fiber, and polyphenols, making it a healthy addition to your meal.
Nagano Prefecture, also known as Shinshu, has long been famous for its soba. There are renowned soba restaurants throughout the region. The significant temperature differences between day and night help grow delicious buckwheat, and the pure, rich water enhances the aroma and flavor of the buckwheat flour. If you visit Nagano, enjoying Shinshu soba is a must.
Wanko Soba is a well-known gourmet dish from Iwate Prefecture. It is said to originate from the “soba hospitality” tradition passed down in the southern region. When your bowl is empty, another bite of soba is immediately added, and the number of bowls stacks up as you continue eating. The customs, such as the call-outs, differ slightly depending on the region, adding to its unique charm.
Izumo soba, a local dish of Shimane Prefecture, is characterized by its dark, fragrant noodles made by grinding buckwheat seeds with their husks. There are two main ways to enjoy Izumo soba: cold “wariko soba” served in round lacquerware, and warm “kamaage soba” served with soba broth.
Hegisoba is one of Niigata’s representative dishes, named after the “hegi,” a wooden container made from strips of wood. With funori seaweed as a binder, Hegisoba is known for its smooth texture and chewy bite. The beautifully arranged, bite-sized portions of soba are part of the unique enjoyment of this dish.
Soba-yu, the water used to boil soba, is served at the end of a soba meal. Nowadays, it’s common to find soba-yu thickened with buckwheat flour for a richer texture. You can drink it as is to enjoy the aroma of the soba, or mix it with the leftover dipping sauce. Adding leftover condiments like shichimi or sansho pepper creates a new flavor experience. Soba-yu is rich in water-soluble nutrients such as minerals, dietary fiber, and polyphenols, making it a healthy addition to your meal.
Handmade soba refers to soba noodles crafted by hand without the use of machines. Soba made by skilled artisans boasts outstanding flavor and texture. The soba-making process includes steps such as mizu mawashi (mixing water with buckwheat flour), kneading, rolling, and cutting. Among these, mizu mawashi and kneading are particularly important for bringing out the best qualities of the ingredients. The technique of incorporating water into the buckwheat flour and kneading it enhances the flavor of the soba, resulting in delicious noodles created through meticulous effort.
Yamanashi
A Japanese-Style Teahouse You'll Want to Stop by While Strolling Along the Lakeside
A soba and udon restaurant located on the lake near Kawaguchiko Ohashi Bridge. This is a Japanese house from about 180 years ago that was relocated and restored, with a thatched roof and a great atmosphere. The inside of the restaurant has a quaint appearance that makes you feel like you've traveled back in time, and you can enjoy your meal by the hearth. Our proud udon and soba noodles are made from carefully selected flour and have a gentle flavor that goes down easily. The ingredients on top of the noodles vary depending on the season, so find your favorite version.
Shiga
A Famous Restaurant Founded in the Edo Period, Located Near Enryakuji Temple on Mt. Hiei
A soba restaurant with ties to the world heritage site, Enryakuji Temple on Mt. Hiei. Sakamoto, Otsu City, a town in front of Enryakuji Temple on Mt. Hiei, was also the base of the Anatashu, who are said to have built the stone walls of Azuchi Castle. Founded in 1716 by Kihachi Tsuruya, a monk at Enryakuji Temple on Mt. Hiei, this is a long - established store that has been in operation for over 300 years since the Edo period. The stately building is also a registered tangible cultural property. The owner's surname is also strongly connected to history, and he was allowed to call himself "Kami - nobu" because of the "Nobu" of Enryaku - ji Temple on Mt. Hiei and the fact that he went to the mountain to provide food. It is also deeply moving to be able to enjoy the handmade soba noodles that have been handed down since the establishment of the restaurant in the traditional land and building.
Kyoto
Blissful Soba Served in a Gorgeous Space
Saryo Tesshin, a new venture of the popular Miyazaki soba restaurant "Soba-ya Tesshin," has opened in Kyoto City. Located in a renovated Kyoto townhouse over 100 years old, which is also the family home of the proprietress, the restaurant offers a refined atmosphere where you can enjoy specialties like "Supreme Kyoto Duck Nanban" and traditional Japanese sweets such as financiers.
Toyama
A Place to Savour the Essence of Toyama’s Seasonal Flavours
This unique restaurant offers different ways to enjoy itself depending on whether it's on weekdays or weekends. On weekends, you can enjoy stone-ground, hand-made soba noodles made with the "Yao native" variety, grown in Toyama's clear water and nature. The sweets made with buckwheat flour are also a popular choice, being rich in flavor and low in calories, making them a guilt-free treat. On weekdays, the "Flower Basket Fermentation Meal" is a must-try, showcasing a variety of side dishes made with homemade fermented seasonings and seasonal local ingredients. The menu, brimming with the owner's own harvest from the fields and mountains, is known for its vibrant flavor and health benefits. Lunch service is until sold out, while dinner requires a reservation.
Find a Restaurant with Handmade Soba Noodles
Because buckwheat flour lacks the stickiness needed to form noodles, binders like wheat flour (which contains gluten), seaweed, or yam are often added. However, soba made solely from buckwheat flour and water, without any binders, is known as juwari soba. Artisans who craft juwari soba need exceptional skills in handmade techniques. One of the main features of juwari soba is that, since it’s made only with buckwheat flour and water, you can enjoy the pure flavor, aroma, and texture of the buckwheat without any additives.
Kyoto
Exceptional Soba Served with Seasonal Tempura
Located just a 3-minute walk from Uji Station on the Keihan Electric Railway, Tsubameya is a soba restaurant known for its authentic tempura made with fresh, local ingredients from the Yamashiro area. The menu also features cha soba made with Uji matcha, offering a uniquely local flavor. The restaurant uses carefully selected buckwheat flour, primarily sourced from Kyoto Prefecture and blended with flour from neighboring Shiga, to craft its exquisite soba.
Iwate
Freshly Ground 100 Percent Soba Served in an Old Folk House
At "Juwari Soba Takara-ya," diners can enjoy aromatic 100% buckwheat soba freshly ground on a millstone daily. Located in a renovated old house that retains its traditional charm, the restaurant is popular among locals and tourists. The broth, made with soy sauce from Iwate's Kido Soy Sauce Shop, pairs perfectly with the soba. Plans are underway to offer online sales, making this delicacy accessible nationwide.
Kyoto
The Original Home of Oeyama’s Signature Dish, "Oni Soba", in Northern Kyoto
This is the birthplace of Oeyama's specialty, "Oni Soba", a beloved dish for over 160 years since the Edo period. "Oni Soba" refers to thick, firm, 100% buckwheat soba noodles, handmade from domestically grown whole buckwheat and milled in-house. The name is said to have originated from the phrase "kowai (hard) ki (raw) soba," which became "ki (oni=devil) soba" and eventually evolved into "Oni soba." While the traditional way to enjoy "Oni Soba" is as "Kake soba (served in hot broth)", the seventh-generation owner has continued to innovate with new creations. In addition to the popular "Toriten soba (soba topped with chicken tempura)", guests can enjoy a diverse range of soba noodles with different thicknesses and serving styles, as well as local specialities such as "Maizuru fish pickles (regional fish)" and "Yamabuki no Umani (mountain butterbur simmered in sweet soy sauce)".
Osaka
Traditional Japanese Dining With a Focus on Soba and Wellness
"Sennorikyu" is a restaurant specialising in carefully crafted soba and traditional Japanese cuisine. Popular dishes feature health-conscious and beauty-enhancing ingredients, including "Kyoto Duck", known for its rich, high-quality fat, as well as 90% soba noodles, rice flour noodles, and chia seed noodles. Soba is prepared daily by a skilled soba chef, offering handmade noodles of exceptional quality.
Find a Restaurant with Juwari Soba
Nihachi soba refers to soba noodles made with a mixture of 80% buckwheat flour and 20% wheat flour as a binder. It is easier to make compared to 100% buckwheat soba, and is therefore considered the basic style of soba. The appeal of Nihachi soba lies in its smooth texture and soft feel. You might wonder, “Does the addition of wheat flour affect the flavor or aroma compared to juwari soba?” However, when made with care, the addition of 20% wheat flour does not diminish the rich flavor of the soba.
Kyoto
Exceptional Soba Served with Seasonal Tempura
Located just a 3-minute walk from Uji Station on the Keihan Electric Railway, Tsubameya is a soba restaurant known for its authentic tempura made with fresh, local ingredients from the Yamashiro area. The menu also features cha soba made with Uji matcha, offering a uniquely local flavor. The restaurant uses carefully selected buckwheat flour, primarily sourced from Kyoto Prefecture and blended with flour from neighboring Shiga, to craft its exquisite soba.
Find a Restaurant Where You Can Eat Nihachi Soba
All over Japan, you can find unique local soba varieties, each offering a fresh take on the traditional dish. Some famous examples include Nagano’s “Shinshu soba,” Fukui’s “Echizen soba,” which is served with grated radish, chopped green onions, and bonito flakes, Yamaguchi’s “Kawara soba,” featuring tea soba served on a hot tile topped with shredded egg and sweet-simmered beef, and Hyogo’s “Izushi Sarasoba,” where small portions of soba are served with plenty of condiments. Enjoy the authentic taste of local soba while exploring different regions.
Ibaraki
Celebrated Eatery Nestled in Hitachiota’s Mountain Village, a Noted Soba Region
"Jikyuan" is located in the naturally rich mountain valley of Hitachiota City. It is a famous soba restaurant known only to those in the know, and queues form on weekends. The owner practices slash-and-burn farming, and the soba is made entirely in-house, from growing the buckwheat to milling it, resulting in fresh, chewy, and fragrant soba. In addition to the classic bamboo steamer soba, the topped kenchin soba is a must-try. Kenchin soba, a recreation of the good old Ibaraki local cuisine, is a masterpiece, with noodles that fall apart easily in a soup rich in dashi and vegetables.The interior, richly accented with wood, offers a calming ambience. Terrace and veranda seating are designated for guests with reservations for the "Traditional Kenchin Soba Set", providing an exclusive setting.
Kyoto
Exceptional Soba Served with Seasonal Tempura
Located just a 3-minute walk from Uji Station on the Keihan Electric Railway, Tsubameya is a soba restaurant known for its authentic tempura made with fresh, local ingredients from the Yamashiro area. The menu also features cha soba made with Uji matcha, offering a uniquely local flavor. The restaurant uses carefully selected buckwheat flour, primarily sourced from Kyoto Prefecture and blended with flour from neighboring Shiga, to craft its exquisite soba.
Yamagata
A Famous Soba Restaurant With Long Lines in Sagae City, Yamagata Prefecture
In Yamagata's Sagae City, "Soba Restaurant Hifumi" is a renowned soba restaurant known for its deep-flavored broth and aromatic handmade soba. The most popular dish, "Niku Soba," features chicken with rich umami. The restaurant also offers creative new dishes, such as "Spicy Tsukesoba Nidaime," catering to spice lovers. The bright interior includes counter, table, tatami, and standing areas, offering a casual yet enjoyable dining experience.
Kyoto
Enjoy Seasonal Oyster Dishes in a Traditional and Elegant Japanese Space
Located approximately a 12-minute walk from JR Fukuchiyama Station, this long-established Japanese restaurant has been in business for about 100 years. Since its founding, "Kakisue Hinoki" has been delivering high-quality oysters directly from producers in Hiroshima Prefecture every morning. From November to May, the restaurant operates as "Kakisue", where customers can enjoy a wide variety of oyster dishes such as "Karatsuki Namakaki Lemon Zoe (fresh oysters in the shell with lemon)", "Dote Nabe", "Kaki Fry (fried oysters)" and "Kakimeshi (oyster rice)". From June to October, the restaurant's name changes to "Hinoki", where the main dishes are "awara soba" and "kaiseki cuisine (focuses on a banquet-style with alcohol)." The restaurant, which serves oyster dishes, is a relocated oyster boat from Hiroshima Prefecture and is equipped with table seating, sunken kotatsu seating, and private rooms, making it suitable for a wide range of customers, from individuals to groups.
Find a Restaurant Where You Can Eat Local Soba
