Traditional Miwa Somen

Miwa, Nara Prefecture is one of Japan’s leading production centers of somen noodles. Miwa Yamakatsu Seimen Co., Ltd. is located in such a traditional area. The history of somen in Nara Prefecture is long, dating back to about 1,200 years ago. It is said to have originated when people began to make preserved food from flour made from harvested wheat and sacred water from Mt. On the other hand, the origin of “Miwa Yamakatsu Seimen” is said to date back to 1804, when the first generation took up somen noodle making as a side job during the off-season for farmers. From that time to the present day, the sixth generation, Katsuyama Yamashita, has continued to pursue delicious noodles and continues to produce the somen noodles that are still loved today.

How to Select Delicious Somen

So, what should we look for when selecting Somen noodles?

The first point is whether the production method is hand-rolled or machine-made. The machine method involves stretching the dough into a thin sheet and then cutting it into small pieces. On the other hand, hand-pulled somen noodles are made by craftsmen, so many of them have a strong texture. If you are looking for firmness and a smooth texture, you should choose the hand-pulled type.

Next, if you are health-conscious, you may want to choose based on salt, additives, and oil content. In fact, salt and oil are often used in the production process of somen. Because of this, if you end up eating too much without being aware of it, you may end up consuming too much salt. If you want to be deliciously health-conscious, you must also check the salt, oil, and additives.

Miwa Yamakatsu Noodle’s Commitment

Miwa Yamakatsu Seimen produces ” yori ” somen, which is similar to barley rope, the original form of somen. The process begins by layering more than 150 layers of flat noodles to form a round bar. Then, the noodles are twisted like a rope to make them firm. Here at Miwa Yamakatsu Seimen, the process is said to be 15 times more labor intensive than usual. In addition, oil is generally used to prevent the noodles from sticking together when making somen, but Miwa Yamakatsu Seimen does not use any oil at all to preserve the flavor of the flour. This is how the umami and sweetness of the noodles are brought out even more. The taste of these noodles is recognized throughout Japan, and they were served to the heads of state at the G8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit in 2008.

Why not try this traditional hand-pulled, oil-free, delicious somen noodles? It would also be a great gift for the mid-year holiday or as a gift.

The combination of the passion for delicious noodles and the craftsmanship that makes it possible will overturn the image of somen noodles you have had until now.

The post Mr. Katsuyama Yamashita, who preserves the traditional hand-pulled method in Nara, a famous production area of somen noodles/ Sakurai City, Nara Prefecture first appeared on NIHONMONO.

Naraijuku is located in the south of Shiojiri City, Nagano Prefecture. The old post town, which was one of the eleven Kiso inns along the Nakasendo route from Edo to Kyoto, still retains the atmosphere of those days and has been designated as a national important preservation district for groups of traditional buildings. In the Edo period (1603-1867), the town was known as “Narai Senken,” and many people used to come and go. Although it is still a tourist destination that attracts approximately 600,000 visitors annually, inns and restaurants have gradually disappeared from the town as the traditional purpose of using the area for lodging has faded. The Suginomori Sake Brewery, located in a corner of the town and loved by local residents as one of the five best sake breweries in Kiso, regrettably closed its doors in 2012, ending more than 200 years of history since its establishment in 1793.

The newly reborn sake brewery “Suginomori Brewery”

In 2020, however, a project was launched to renovate the dormant sake brewery and a nearby guest house to create a lodging complex that would serve as a hub for visitors touring the Naraijuku area. Hiroshi Sandberg joined the project as a project advisor and was suddenly given the task of revitalizing the sake brewery, an important part of the project. Sandberg is a returnee with mixed roots, having a Swedish-American father and Japanese mother. He was involved in the revitalization of hotels and inns as part of his former company’s operations, and through this experience, he focused on the revitalization business utilizing Japan’s historical resources, and established Kiraku Co. Kiraku has been involved in the revitalization of regions throughout Japan, including the “Kiraku Obi” luxury accommodation facility in a fully renovated old private house in Nichinan City, Miyazaki Prefecture, the “Nazuna” ryokan-style accommodation facility in a historic building in Kyoto, and the “Kiraku” single building rental facility. He has transformed many idle real estate properties into businesses, but he had absolutely no experience in sake brewing. It was a challenge to break new ground.

However, as soon as he saw the building, his intuition took precedence: “It is rare to find a sake brewery in the middle of a sightseeing area. Many sake breweries are located in the suburbs for reasons of site and brewing environment, but the brewery felt that the building had a story to tell, having accumulated history along with the scenery of Narai-juku since its establishment. Another factor that encouraged him was the fact that the brewery still had its “sake brewing license,” which would normally have expired after the brewery closed and the business was notified of its closure. Today, it is difficult to obtain a new sake brewing license unless you have something to show for it. Of course, he understands that sake brewing is not as easy as one might think. After starting the project, he approached several breweries to see if they would be willing to cooperate with him and help with operations, but he did not receive a positive response from any of them. In the midst of all this, they invited Mr. Hidehiko Matsumoto, whom they had met through a previous project in Kyoto, to serve as an advisor. He was the toji (master brewer) of the Matsumoto Sake Brewery in Kyoto at the time, and was well known and respected in the sake industry for his “Sawaya Matsumoto Morihate” and other famous sake products. The project was launched, but Mr. Matsumoto was a little concerned about one thing. The warehouse was only 250 square meters in area.

As one might expect, few sake breweries in Japan would be able to brew sake on such a small site. However, the traditional business model of sake breweries, which is to “only brew in winter” and “only wholesale to wholesalers,” does not match the needs of the modern age, right? Based on this hypothesis, the company decided that this size was just right, as it would allow for year-round sake brewing under the watchful eye of the toji. In addition, the brewery is located in close proximity to a restaurant in the complex, allowing visitors to watch the sake brewing process up close while they dine. We thought this entertainment value was an important piece to the business, which is why we were so particular about this location.

The birth of the sake “narai”

After that, we spent about a year planning the story of the product release in reverse, launching the website, selecting the most appropriate channels, and other development activities based on our advanced marketing skills. The brewery’s toji, Masayuki Irie, who had studied sake brewing at Matsumoto’s brewery and other breweries around Japan, was invited to be the toji, and finally the “suginomori brewery” was launched, with the first sake production beginning in October 2021. The name of the sake brewed by Suginomori brewery is “narai. Like whiskey, the sake is named after a famous Japanese liquor, and is named after a place. Of course, tracing is not the only reason. By naming it after a place, we thought we could approach it from both hooks, the sake and the name of the place, in this age of widespread web searches. To live up to the name, we also pursued a flavor unique to the area. The mountain water from the Kiso River, which has been used since the time of the previous generation, “I have drunk many kinds of water throughout Japan, but the water from Narai has a top-class, clean texture.” Mr. Matsumoto praised the water so highly. The brewer insists on “Shinshu Shibori,” a method of squeezing the water using local products as much as possible, while staying close to the blessed natural environment. Of course, to avoid being too particular and niche, he is considering the global market and aims to create sake that can be enjoyed by everyone. Being involved in this project and being a returnee myself, I was able to get a bird’s eye view of the challenges of sake brewery management in Japan, such as weak management that relies on experience and the need to improve information dissemination. The introduction of seasonal brewing to improve production efficiency and provide stable employment for employees is another idea that is typical of Sandberg, who has lived abroad for a long time and is able to honestly question traditional Japanese industries. In the future, he would like to use the knowledge he has gained here to actively engage in the revitalization of sake breweries that have fallen into financial difficulties.

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History of “Masashichi Nakagawa Shoten”

Many people have probably seen “Masashichi Nakagawa Shoten” and “Yuu Nakagawa” at commercial facilities and station buildings around Japan. These stores are operated by Masashichi Nakagawa Shoten Co. The company that operates these stores is Masashichi Nakagawa Shoten Corporation, whose vision is to “Energize Japanese crafts!

Nakagawa Masashichi Shoten has a long history. In 1716, Kihei Nakaya I founded the wholesale business of Nara Sarashi in Nara Prefecture. Nara-zarashi is a hand-woven, hand-bleached hemp fabric that has been bleached to a pure white, and because of its high quality, it was valued during the Edo period as formal clothing for samurai warriors and for use at shrines and temples.
However, with the Meiji Restoration, the demand for Nara-sarashi began to decline as the samurai, who were the biggest consumers of the fabric, disappeared. While many Nara-sarashi shops changed their business, Nakagawa Masashichi Shoten tried to survive as a hemp shop by opening up new markets such as sweat absorbent for bathing and maternity clothes. The strategy paid off, and the high quality of the “Sweat Cloths” was recognized and the company was honored with an Imperial warrant. In 1925, the company exhibited a handkerchief made of handspun hand-woven linen as a representative of Japanese craftsmanship at the Paris Exposition, and received a certificate of merit. The certificate of the exhibition is still displayed in the main store. Today, the factory in Japan is no longer in operation, but in order to preserve the handmade texture, some of the production has been moved overseas to keep the handspun hand-woven hemp handkerchiefs alive.

The challenge of “Masashichi Nakagawa Shoten”

In 1985, Masashichi Nakagawa, who had been engaged in wholesale and manufacturing until then, opened “Yu Nakagawa” in a vacant workshop following the relocation of the head office and started the retail of linen accessories. At the time when Masashichi Nakagawa joined the company, about 70% of its annual sales of 1.2 billion yen were related to tea ceremony utensils, and sales of Japanese goods using linen fabrics accounted for only about 30% of total sales, 80% of which were wholesale and 20% of which were retail. After determining how to keep up with the competition, the company decided to strengthen its brand power, in other words, to dramatically increase the number of points of contact with customers. In this way, the company succeeded in accelerating sales at directly managed stores and the development of its own brand, thereby raising its brand recognition. The company began to collaborate with makers across the country to develop products not only for hemp, but also for general household goods based on Japanese craftsmanship. In particular, “Hanafukin,” made of two layers of 100% cotton kaya-ori fabric, won the Good Design Gold Award in 2008 for its functionality and lovely appearance, and continues to be a best-seller today. Today, the company has grown to have approximately 60 stores nationwide, and in the 16 years since Mr. Nakagawa joined the company, sales in the household sundries business have increased 13-fold. Furthermore, under the vision of “Revitalize Japanese crafts! the company expanded its business to include management consulting and distribution support for craft manufacturers nationwide.

An “industrial revolution” in crafts and “industrial tourism” to spread their appeal.

Mr. Nakagawa’s goal is to energize the entire manufacturing region. Crafts are based on the division of labor, and if any part of the craft is interrupted, the whole process comes to a halt. For example, in a pottery production area, if all processes could be completed in one place, including the fabric and mold makers involved, rather than just the potter, an “industrial revolution” would be born in the world of crafts. However, this would require a huge investment. So what should be done to make it happen? The concept that we came up with was “industrial tourism. By gathering manufacturing sites in one place and preparing them so that visitors can come at any time, it will be easier for them to come into contact with local craftsmanship and industrial tourism will become a reality. Industrial tourism requires not only manufacturing, but also attractive contents such as good food and lodging. After nearly 10 years of planning, the city decided to open a three-story commercial complex “Shikasaru Kitsune” in April 2021 as a base for “revitalizing Nara as a city”. The three-story commercial complex “Shikasaru Kitsune Building” opened in April 2021 as a base for “revitalizing the entire city of Nara.

Designed by one of Japan’s leading architects, Mr. Hiroshi Naito, the building’s appearance blends in with the wooden architecture of Naramachi, and the alleyways within the building are intended to create a nostalgic atmosphere, expressing the newness of the old while preserving the old. The building is designed to be a place where many people who come to Nara to visit the “Shika Sarukotsu Building” can enjoy food and shopping, as well as an area where visitors can learn about the history of Nakagawa Masashichi Shoten’s craftsmanship. In addition, the “JIRIN” area was established to provide multifaceted support for small businesses in order to create an opportunity for people to try starting something in Nara against the backdrop of Nara’s rich cultural heritage. It holds study sessions on business management, and right next to the space, Nakagawa and his team have set up an office. New small businesses have already sprung up here, and the first star that will energize Nara, as Mr. Nakagawa envisioned, has begun to shine.

Nakagawa says that even at this point, they have only reached the second stage of their goal.
The challenge of Nakagawa Masashichi Shoten will continue in order to restore the pride of Japanese craftsmanship.

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Yamato Tea, a nationally renowned tea brand

The history of Yamato tea dates back to 806, when Kobo Daishi brought back tea seeds from Tang Dynasty China, planted them in Uda, Nara Prefecture, and introduced the tea manufacturing method. Later, tea spread to temples, the tea ceremony culture flourished, and tea cultivation became even more prosperous. Yamato tea has now become a nationally renowned brand, and is even served at five-star hotels in Tokyo and in first-class airliners. The Uekubo Tea Farm is located in Momogano, Tsukigase-mura, Nara City, about 30 minutes by car from the city, in the mountains at an altitude of 400 meters. The vast tea fields sloping down from the small mountain are a refreshing contrast to the blue sky. The charm of the tea produced in Tsukigase is that it is sweet and beautifully colored. The tea leaves themselves are beautifully green, and the light green color of the tea itself is also beautiful. The taste is similar to that of gyokuro. These are made possible by the high quality mineral-rich soil, water source, and steep terrain. The tea leaves retain their natural umami and sweetness due to the extreme temperature differences. Early in the morning on sunny, cool days in spring and fall, a sea of clouds spreads over the area, creating a spectacular view. The fantastic sea of clouds provides a natural “cover” for the tea leaves, giving them a flavor similar to gyokuro.

Junichi Kamikubo, the third president of Kamikubo Tea En, received the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries Award, the highest award at the National Handmade Tea Fair in 2017. He is the first tea master in the Kansai region to be awarded the title of “Tea Saint,” which is given to the winner of this award. Hand-moiling tea is a common practice before the introduction of tea machines, and can be said to be the origin of tea production. Tea making machines have been developed based on this hand-moiling technique, and the machines perform the steaming, rubbing, and drying processes. All processes of hand-kneaded tea are done by hand, and the finished product is as long, thin, glossy, and beautiful as a needle. Compared to machine-made teas, which are broken when they float in hot water, hand-momi-cha is characterized by its ability to return to the original form of tea leaves. This tea is widely acclaimed both in Japan and abroad for its artistic quality.

Dreaming of creating a space to touch tea

Mr. Kamikubo did not originally intend to take over his family’s tea business, but he had a strong interest in plants from an early age and wanted to work with plants. He decided to study tea professionally and chose to study at a tea research institute in Shizuoka. There, he met his mentor, who told him that if he was going to spend the rest of his life doing anything, he should acquire the skills to be the best at it and return home, so he decided to study hand-pulling tea. By the end of his two years of study, he was completely absorbed in the world of te-momi tea. The “hand-momi-cha” that Mr. Kamikubo makes depends on a variety of factors, including weather conditions, technique, intuition, his own physical condition on the day, and the growth of the tea leaves. He must be unselfish and not overbearing in his efforts to produce a good product. Otherwise, it is impossible to make a good quality handmade tea.

The process of hand-pulling tea is divided into nine steps. First, carefully selected tea leaves are steamed, and then the steamed tea leaves are handled on a roasting furnace to remove water. Then, the tea leaves are rubbed so as to twist the stems, and gradually kneaded into a tea dumpling with full body strength. Next, the tea leaves are untied one by one and twisted to form a spindle shape. This “firigiri” process is said to be the most difficult. The tea leaves are then rubbed so that they form a wire-like shape. Finally, the tea leaves are shaped and dried.
These processes take six to eight hours, but in Mr. Kamikubo’s hands, the tea is as beautiful as if it were flowing. His artistic technique produces a tea that is as straight and shiny as a needle. Because of the time and effort required to make the tea by hand, even Mr. Kamikubo can only produce 400 grams of tea per year. Tea is a living thing, and so is the person who handles it. It is only a person who can read the heart of the tea leaves, which cannot be read by machines, and it is only because he or she puts his or her heart and soul into it, with the sole intention of delivering a good product to the drinker, that the tea is a gem. Therefore, it cannot be produced in large quantities, but its taste, aroma, and flavor are truly exceptional and can only be produced by hand.
We would like to set up a tea park here, where people can try hand-pulling and tasting tea. We would like to create a tea park here, where people can experience tea by hand and taste the tea. I would be happy if people come here to see, feel, and taste the tea and fall in love with Yamato tea. Mr. Kamikubo smiles as he aims to complete the tea park. I am looking forward to spending a relaxing time with Yamato tea while feeling the scenery and air of Tsukigase.

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The beginning of Nara-zuke

Nara-zuke is made by pickling salted vegetables and fruits in sake lees. This pickle has a strong impact with its tortoiseshell-colored visual and strong alcoholic flavor when you taste it. It is said to have originated more than 1,300 years ago when vegetables were pickled in doburoku, the prototype of sake, as a preserved food. At that time, sake made from rice was a luxury item, and there are documents that show that it was consumed by aristocrats in the Heijo-kyo Capital, making it a traditional Nara food. Later, in the Muromachi period (1333-1573), when the method of making sake was established in Nara, the process was changed to marinating in “sakekasu” (sake lees), and by the end of the Edo period (1603-1868), it was being sold as a commodity. At that time, Nara’s reputation for good sake attracted tourists, and it is said that the product became popular as a souvenir when they visited Nara and became “Nara-zuke,” named after the place where it was made. Mori Narazuke Shop, founded in 1869, is one of the inheritors of the Nara pickle making tradition that began with Nara’s sake culture. The store is located in front of the Nandaimon gate of Todaiji Temple and still receives enthusiastic support from tourists as a souvenir and from lovers and locals alike.

As with most pickles, the vegetables are first pickled with salt alone to remove the water from the vegetables. Once the water is sufficiently removed, the vegetables are next pickled in sake-kasu (sake lees). When the vegetables are soaked in sake-kasu, the salt is removed and the flavor of the sake-kasu soaks into the vegetables. The process of changing the sake lees is repeated two or more times. Incidentally, if this process is done only once, it is classified as “pickling with sakekasu. The color and flavor of the sakekasu is deepened and the taste is deepened by changing the blend of the sakekasu each time it is pickled and aged. The number of times the sake lees is changed differs from store to store, and the process of stepping in and the timing of changing the sake lees is all based on the longtime intuition of the artisan, who carefully carries out each step by hand, which is probably how Nara pickles with deep flavor are made. Sakekasu contains alcohol, and the alcohol content remaining after pickling is about 8%. One of the characteristics of Nara pickles is that the unique flavor and aroma of sakekasu can be enjoyed. If you feel the flavor of sakekasu is too strong, let it sit in the refrigerator for half a day after cutting, and the alcohol will dissipate and the original sweetness of sakekasu will increase, making it easier to eat.

How to make Nara-zuke

Furthermore, Mori Narazuke is characterized by the use of nothing but salt and sakekasu (sake lees). The sake lees is changed about five times, depending on the material to be pickled. The salt content is lower than that of ordinary pickles. The sweet aftertaste comes from the rice malt and is a completely natural fermented food. Therefore, it is a little spicy and goes well with rice and sake. There are 13 kinds of vegetables to be pickled. All of them are selected from contracted farmers. They have tried their hand at Nara-zuke, a traditional vegetable from Yamato called “Yamato Sanjaku Cucumber,” or pickling in an old-fashioned jar, and they never stop trying new things while keeping the traditional methods handed down from generation to generation.

Spreading Nara-zuke to the world

Mariko Mori, the fifth president of the company, is working on how to brand this traditional food and promote it, especially to young people who do not eat Nara pickles, from her unique female perspective.
　She is already working on an initiative to introduce new recipes using Nara pickles. She has already introduced new recipes using Nara pickles, such as “Narazuke Toast with Melted Cheese,” “Carpaccio with Narazuke Sake Kasu Dressing,” and “Basque Cheese Cake with Additive-Free Nara Pickles,” on her website and through social networking services. In addition to these efforts, she also uses the media to promote Nara-zuke and its beauty benefits.

It may not be long before the new generation of Nara pickles that Mr. Mori is promoting will be noticed around the world.

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Discovery of a Historic Site

”Heijokyu” refers to the center of the Heijo palace, where the center of administration was. The palace was divided into 2 sectors; one where the emperor lived and the other sector for administration, where rituals and politics were conducted. The palace is 1300 years old, but this site was not designated as the palace remnnants until the Taisho period.
In 794 the capital was moved to Heian, and the Heijo palace was left to its ruin. The building was eventually demolished and the land was used for agriculture. Over time, it was forgotten and literally was buried under the ground.
Time moved on and in 1850, towards the end of the Edo period, an official employed under the government conducted research and claimed that under the farmlands was the remnants of the Heijo palace. In the Meiji period, preservation acts progressed and finally in the year Taisho 11 (1922) it was recognized as one of the country’s historic sites.

Restoration and Excavation in Progress

Official excavation was commenced only after the war and is still under way. Many ruins with historical worth are still being discovered.
Simultaneously, restoration of the Heijo palace is taking place. In 1998, the Suzaku Gate, which is said to be the entrance to the palace, was restored. Later, in 2010 on the 1300 year commemoration of the transfer of the capital to Heian, the former Imperial Audience Hall was completed.
In 1998 the remnants of Heijo palace was designated World Cultural Heritage along with Todaiji as ”the Cultural Asset of Ancient Capital, Nara”. The Suzaku Gate is lit up at night. The vermillion gate lit up in the darkness sets out a mystical atmosphere making your mind wander off thinking about ancient Nara.

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Restoring tea farms at birthplace of Yamato tea

Kazuto Hazama and Kenichi Igawa, both of whom work at the ”Kenichi Shinzen Nouen”, are 2 people Nakata coincidentally ran into at ”Akame Natural Farming School” when he was visiting Mie. They had been attending the school to learn about natural farming. Igawa works to restore the abandoned tea farms in Nara by natural methods. This roused Hazama’s interest, and soon he left his job to join him.
Kenichi Nouen is located in the Yamato planes northeast of Nara. In 2005, the location was renamed and was transferred to become a part of Nara, but before this, the area was called Tsuge and was a popular district for Yamato tea. The altitude is 400 m – 500 m above sea level, causing heavy snow during the winter, and thus is referred to as the ”Hokkaido of Yamato”. The temperature difference between night and day is great, which is ideal for tea cultivation.

No Excess Labor

What the two are trying to do is to restore this farmland with the help of nature. They have been successful to an extent that now harvest can be expected in a couple of areas.
Their policy is leaving it to the hands of nature, not putting in excess labor. They will trim the shrubs if they grew too much and cover the tea, but otherwise, they cultivate the tea leaves without doing much else. Nara’s production of tea ranks 6th in the country. It is a city that had traditionally been very close to Buddhism and tea. In Nara, the two youths are successfully restoring tea farms with the aid of nature.

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Taste of handmade “tofu”

”Umemoto Tofu Store” is located in Nagara, Gose-shi of Nara, by the foot of Mt. Kongo. Many people visiting the temples and/or climbing Mt. Kongo drop by. It has been in business for more than a century.
It does not stand out as a shop, but if you take a look inside, you will likely see the shop owner busily making ”tofu”. They only use domestic soy beans and are particular about their natural coagulation for the bean curd. Their ”tofu” has the taste and texture of genuine ”tofu”. When eaten, the taste of soy beans spread in your mouth.
The other popular product is the soy milk. It is so thick you ”eat it” rather than ”drink it”. It is like having dessert.

Nakata’s favorite is the ”Takigawa tofu (tofu somen)” which is served only during the summer. He tried to duplicate the taste at nakata. net café 2010. Good taste obviously becomes popular. ”Tofu” made in the morning is normally sold out before noon. They began making ”tofu” to be sold in the afternoon as well, but you may need to reserve your ”tofu” if you want to make sure you get some.

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“Food” Links Producers to the Consumers

Izumisawa Farm is a pig farm as well as producers of rice. They used to share excess pork that they couldn’t consume themselves with their neighbors. Soon with the neighbors’ encouragement, they started to produce ham and sausages to be sold. It has been 25 years since they opened their store, now with a restaurant as well.
As this was the sequence of events to their opening, their quality of pork is outstanding. At Izumisawa Farm, all their pigs are fed with inhouse produced feed, and they take a full month more than average to raise their pigs. This way, they can raise marble meat, sweet and savoury. Obviously with this meat, what else can you expect than delicious ham?
”Baaku” holds an autumn annual event called the ”Syoku no Ranhansha”with neighboring producers and restaurants. Participating producers serve dishes using the ingredients they raise, have workshops dismantling pork, etc. A good opportunity for producers to meet their consumers. Participants have been on the increase, with 2000 people gathering last year. Ham made from pigs that are raised in the vast pasture at the base of Mt. Kongo. Enjoy a taste of this delicacy yourself.

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Appreciating old Japanese-style houses

An old Japanese-style house standing on the street close to Hase Temple. You may miss it as you enjoy strolling in the countryside. ”Ichinyoan” is a ”soba” shop using an old renovated Japanese-style house that was built 150 years ago. The interior is modern and simply designed, which is another appealing feature of the shop.
The ”soba” buckwheat is milled inhouse and thus has strong fragrance. The ”soba” noodles are cut very lean and narrow, making it easy to slurp down. ”Soba” can be enjoyed once in your mouth and then when it slides down your throat.
Another popular dish that is served is the ”shojinzen”. Fresh vegetables are elaborately prepared, a treat for the eyes as well as for the palate. There are customers that pay a visit just for this ”shojinzen”. It is advised to make a booking in advance.
Inside, besides seats on the tatami mats, there are table seats, but the seats on the porch are highly recommended. Enjoy the view of the garden while you enjoy your meal with a sip of ”sake”. Get a little drunk and then your senses will wake up, stimulated by the aroma of the ”soba”. What a treat!

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