Soba is one of the soul foods of the Japanese people.
There are many types of soba throughout Japan, but Echizen City and other areas in the Reihoku region of Fukui Prefecture are famous for Echizen Oroshi Soba, which is cold soba topped with plenty of grated radish, flaked bonito, and chopped green onions.

It is a simple dish, but if you follow the particulars of the dish, it is actually very deep. Why did Fukui become a soba (buckwheat noodle) famous? Let us introduce how Echizen grated buckwheat noodles were born and the secret of their delicious taste.

In Echizen City, pretty white flowers can be seen blooming all over the fields in late October. Soba Flowers.

There are two types of buckwheat noodles grown throughout Japan: "native varieties" which have been handed down from generation to generation in the region, and "improved varieties" which are created through artificial crossbreeding. The main species grown in Fukui is "native". Although it is difficult to cultivate and the yield is unstable, the buckwheat noodles made from the small, tightly packed buckwheat seeds are highly aromatic and have a strong texture.

Fukui's soba originated in the Warring States Period. It is said that the cultivation of buckwheat noodles began when Takakage Asakura of Ichijodani encouraged the people of the castle to grow buckwheat noodles, which are more nutritious than rice and have a shorter harvest period, as a means of saving their lives in case of war or natural disasters.

At that time, soba noodles were not eaten in the noodle form of "soba-kiri" as they are today, but "soba-gaki" which was made by grinding soba berries on a stone mortar, pouring boiling water over them, and kneading them.

▲"Soba-gaki" made by kneading buckwheat flour

The style of "Echizen oroshi-soba" (cold soba noodles topped with grated radish and flaked bonito) was born more than 400 years ago. In 1601, Tomimasa Honda, who came to Echizen City as the lord of Fuchu (present-day Echizen City), brought with him from Fushimi, Kyoto a buckwheat noodle craftsman named Gonzaemon Kaneko.

It is said that the origin of "Echizen grated buckwheat noodles" came about after consulting with a doctor at the castle who devised a new type of buckwheat noodles to be eaten with grated daikon (Japanese radish) to further benefit one's health.

Soba is high in "rutin", which is effective against arteriosclerosis and high blood pressure, and has been featured on TV programs. It is amazing to see the wisdom of the ancients that they came up with the idea of eating it with grated daikon, which is good for digestion, more than 400 years ago.

Echizen grated buckwheat noodles have many episodes, the most famous of which is the story of how the name "Echizen grated buckwheat noodles" came about.

In 1947, Emperor Showa visited Takefu and enjoyed a bowl of oroshi soba (grated buckwheat noodles) and asked for another bowl. It is said that the name "Echizen soba" became popular because whenever soba was mentioned after his return to the Gosho, he would fondly remember "that soba from Echizen is...".

Located five minutes by car from JR Takefu Station, "Soba Kura Tanikawa" is a well-known restaurant that attracts many fans from within and outside of the prefecture.

▲Atmospheric garden in front of the entrance

The owner, Masami Tanikawa, began making buckwheat noodles when he was 30 years old and opened his restaurant when he was 47.

▲Mr. Tanikawa

Not only in Echizen City, but many people in Fukui Prefecture make soba noodles at home. Mr. Tanigawa also has always liked to create everything himself, learned to make buckwheat noodles while working at his company. When traveling around the country on business, he would load his buckwheat noodle making equipment into his sales van and serve it to his customers.

However, when he was 45 years old, he was shocked when he encountered homemade buckwheat noodles at a buckwheat noodle restaurant outside of the prefecture.

"In those days, most soba stores used to make nihachi-soba with wheat flour as a binder, because the noodles would become shredded if they were made from buckwheat flour alone. However, the Jyuwari Soba I had at that time was only made of buckwheat flour, but it was not so dry and the noodles were clear, chewy, and had a high aroma of buckwheat. I wanted to make buckwheat noodles like this."

In his quest to find the secret of the delicious taste, Mr. Tanikawa went to several restaurants that serve home-made Jyuwari Soba, and learned that the secret of making Soba with a chewy texture without any tsunagi (a kind of wheat flour used in buckwheat noodles) depends largely on the freshness of the buckwheat flour.

The best way to make soba noodles with fresh buckwheat flour is to vacuum-pack a year's supply of brown buckwheat flour in cold storage and mill only the amount used that day in house. Thus, at "Soba Kura Tanikawa" grated buckwheat noodles made from buckwheat flour milled in-house every day became the signature dish.

▲Oroshi Soba (750 yen, tax included). The aroma of freshly shaved bonito flakes whets the appetite.

The grated buckwheat noodles at "Soba Kura Tanikawa" are a little thicker, and the aroma of the buckwheat spreads with each bite. The grated daikon (Japanese radish) on top of the soba noodles initially gives off a pungent, spicy taste to the nose, but it gradually transforms into a deeply delicious flavor together with the sauce and shaved flaked bonito.

Soba Kura Tanikawa uses locally grown brown buckwheat noodles (buckwheat seeds with hulls) from Maruoka, Fukui Prefecture. This is then milled using a stone mill. With a stone mortar, the aroma and taste of soba noodles are not lost because it is less likely to have frictional heat.

Soba varies in color from black to white, but Echizen soba is generally black in color. The buckwheat seeds are originally encased in a black husk, but in Echizen grated buckwheat, even the black husk is ground into the buckwheat, resulting in buckwheat noodles with a darker color and a more aromatic flavor.

"Soba is harvested around November every year. The key is to keep the buckwheat seeds fresh and vacuum-packed in cold storage to prevent oxidation so that they will always taste good for a year from here until the next year."

In this way, the soba noodles are put into a state of hibernation and can be enjoyed year-round with the flavor of fresh soba.

Furthermore, since the taste of daikon (Japanese radish), the key ingredient in grated buckwheat noodles, changes depending on the type, three different types of spicy daikon are combined to provide a consistent spiciness and flavor throughout the year.

Tanikawa says with a laugh, "There is no end to the things I am particular about." Soba (buckwheat noodles), broth, daikon (radish), and dried bonito flakes...... are simple ingredients, which is probably why the beliefs of the cook are directly expressed in this dish.

There are many buckwheat noodle shops in Echizen City. Enjoy the deep flavors that differ from store to store, and you will be drawn into the charm of "Echizen Oroshi Soba" (grated buckwheat noodles).

Text / Ai Ishihara