Soba ( or , "buckwheat") is a thin Japanese noodle made from

buckwheat Buckwheat (''Fagopyrum esculentum''), or common buckwheat, is a flowering plant in the knotweed family Polygonaceae cultivated for its grain-like seeds and as a cover crop. The name "buckwheat" is used for several other species, such as '' Fago ...

. The noodles are served either chilled with a dipping sauce, or hot in a noodle soup. The variety ''Nagano soba'' includes wheat flour. In Japan, soba noodles can be found in a variety of settings, from "fast food" places to expensive specialty restaurants. Markets sell dried noodles and '' men-tsuyu'', or instant noodle broth, to make home preparation easy. A wide variety of dishes, both hot for winter and cold for summer, uses these noodles. The amino acid balance of the protein in buckwheat, and therefore in soba, is well matched to the needs of humans and can complement the amino acid deficiencies of other staples such as rice and wheat (see protein combining). The tradition of eating soba arose in the

Edo period The or is the period between 1603 and 1867 in the history of Japan, when Japan was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and the country's 300 regional '' daimyo''. Emerging from the chaos of the Sengoku period, the Edo period was characteriz ...

History of soba in Japan, development of eateries

The tradition of eating soba originates from the Tokugawa period, also called the Edo period, from 1603 to 1868. In the Tokugawa period, every neighborhood had one or two soba establishments, many also serving

sake Sake, also spelled saké ( ; also referred to as Japanese rice wine), is an alcoholic beverage of Japanese origin made by fermenting rice that has been polished to remove the bran. Despite the name ''Japanese rice wine'', sake, and indee ...

, which functioned much like modern cafes where locals would stop for a casual meal. At that time, the population of

Edo Edo ( ja, , , "bay-entrance" or "estuary"), also romanized as Jedo, Yedo or Yeddo, is the former name of Tokyo. Edo, formerly a ''jōkamachi'' (castle town) centered on Edo Castle located in Musashi Province, became the ''de facto'' capital of ...

(Tokyo), being considerably wealthier than the rural poor, were more susceptible to

beriberi Thiamine deficiency is a medical condition of low levels of thiamine (Vitamin B1). A severe and chronic form is known as beriberi. The two main types in adults are wet beriberi and dry beriberi. Wet beriberi affects the cardiovascular system, r ...

due to their high consumption of white rice, which is low in

thiamine Thiamine, also known as thiamin and vitamin B1, is a vitamin, an essential micronutrient, that cannot be made in the body. It is found in food and commercially synthesized to be a dietary supplement or medication. Phosphorylated forms of thi ...

. It was discovered that beriberi could be prevented by regularly eating thiamine-rich soba. The delivery of food called ''demae'' was originally a service for wealthy

daimyō were powerful Japanese magnates, feudal lords who, from the 10th century to the early Meiji era, Meiji period in the middle 19th century, ruled most of Japan from their vast, hereditary land holdings. They were subordinate to the shogun and n ...

in the 1700s. Until the late Showa period, piles of soba bowls were packed on the shoulders of bicycle couriers. In March 1961, new cycling traffic laws added restrictions. Officials of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department said "To ride on a bicycle with piles of 'soba' bowls on your shoulder is dangerous. It must be prohibited from the viewpoint of road traffic safety. But we will not place any stricter curb as they will lose more than half their customers" and "With this police assurance to overlook the illegal traffic practice, 'soba' delivery boys will continue to race through the streets of Tokyo,". This method of soba delivery is not practiced anymore. Some establishments, especially cheaper and more casual ones, may serve both soba and udon as they are often served in a similar manner. Soba is the traditional noodle of choice for Tokyoites.

Serving soba

Soba is typically eaten with

chopsticks Chopsticks ( or ; Pinyin: ''kuaizi'' or ''zhu'') are shaped pairs of equal-length sticks of China, Chinese origin that have been used as Kitchen utensil, kitchen and List of eating utensils, eating utensils in most of East Asia, East and Southe ...

, and in

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

, it is considered acceptable to slurp the noodles noisily. This is especially common with hot noodles, as drawing up the noodles quickly into the mouth helps cool them. However, quiet consumption of noodles is no longer uncommon.

Common soba dishes

Like many Japanese noodles, soba noodles are often served drained and chilled in the summer, and hot in the winter with a soy-based dashi broth. Extra toppings can be added to both hot and cold soba. Toppings are chosen to reflect the seasons and to balance with other ingredients. Most toppings are added without much cooking, although some are deep-fried. Most of these dishes may also be prepared with

udon Udon ( or ) is a thick noodle made from wheat flour, used in Japanese cuisine. It is a comfort food for many Japanese people. There are a variety of ways it is prepared and served. Its simplest form is in a hot soup as with a mild broth called ...

Cold soba dishes

Chilled soba is often served on a sieve-like bamboo tray called a zaru, sometimes garnished with bits of dried nori seaweed, with a dipping sauce known as ''soba tsuyu'' on the side. The ''tsuyu'' is made of a strong mixture of dashi, sweetened

soy sauce Soy sauce (also called simply soy in American English and soya sauce in British English) is a liquid condiment of Chinese origin, traditionally made from a fermented paste of soybeans, roasted grain, brine, and '' Aspergillus oryzae'' or ''Asp ...

(also called "satōjōyu") and

mirin is a type of rice wine and a common ingredient in Japanese cooking. It is similar to sake but with a lower alcohol content and higher sugar content. The sugar content is a complex carbohydrate that forms naturally during the fermentation pro ...

. Using chopsticks, the diner picks up a small amount of soba from the tray and dips it in the cold ''tsuyu'' before eating it. Wasabi and scallions are often mixed into the ''tsuyu''. Many people think that the best way to experience the unique texture of hand-made soba noodles is to eat them cold, since letting them soak in hot broth changes their consistency. After the noodles are eaten, many people enjoy drinking the water in which the noodles were cooked (''sobayu'' ), mixed with the leftover tsuyu. *''Hadaka soba'' (naked soba 裸蕎麦): Cold soba served on its own. *''Hiyashi soba'' (): Cold soba served with various toppings sprinkled on top, after which the broth is poured on by the diner. It may include: **

tororo Tororo is a town in the Eastern Region of Uganda. It is the main municipal, administrative, and commercial center of Tororo District. History Tororo was garrisoned by the Uganda Army's Air and Sea Battalion during the Uganda–Tanzania War ( ...

: puree of ''yamaimo'' (a Japanese yam with a mucilaginous texture) **oroshi: grated

daikon Daikon or mooli, ''Radish, Raphanus sativus'' Variety (botany), var. ''longipinnatus,'' is a mild-flavored winter radish usually characterized by fast-growing leaves and a long, white, root. Originally native to continental East Asia, daikon ...

radish ** nattō: sticky fermented

soybean The soybean, soy bean, or soya bean (''Glycine max'') is a species of legume native to East Asia, widely grown for its edible bean, which has numerous uses. Traditional unfermented food uses of soybeans include soy milk, from which tofu an ...

s **okura: fresh sliced okra *''Mori soba'' (): Basic chilled soba noodles served on a flat basket or a plate. *''Soba maki'': A makizushi prepared as cold soba wrapped in nori. * Soba salad: Cold soba mixed in the sesame dressing with vegetables. It is more of a modern and fusion cold soba dish served outside Japan. *''Zaru soba'' (): ''Mori soba'' topped with shredded nori seaweed.

Hot soba dishes

Soba is also often served as a noodle soup in a bowl of hot ''tsuyu''. The hot ''tsuyu'' in this instance is thinner than that used as a dipping sauce for chilled soba. Popular garnishes are sliced long onion and shichimi tōgarashi (mixed chili powder). *''Curry nanban'' : ''Karē nanban'' * : ''Tanuki soba'' *''Kake soba'' : Hot soba in broth topped with thinly sliced scallion, and perhaps a slice of

kamaboko is a type of cured , a processed seafood product common in Japanese cuisine. is made by forming various pureed deboned white fish with either natural or man-made additives and flavorings into distinctive loaves, which are then steamed u ...

(fish cake). *: Topped with

duck meat In cooking and gastronomy, duck or duckling is the meat of several species of bird in the family Anatidae, found in both fresh and salt water. Duck is eaten in many cuisines around the world. It is a high-fat, high-protein meat rich in iron ...

and negi. * (in Kantō) or ''Tanuki soba'' ("raccoon dog soba", in

Kansai The or the , lies in the southern-central region of Japan's main island Honshu, Honshū. The region includes the Prefectures of Japan, prefectures of Nara Prefecture, Nara, Wakayama Prefecture, Wakayama, Kyoto Prefecture, Kyoto, Osaka Prefectur ...

): Topped with ''

aburaage is a Japanese food product made from twice-fried soybeans. It is produced by cutting tofu into thin slices and deep-frying them first at 110–120 °C, and then again at 180–200 °C. ''Abura-age'' is often used to wrap , and is added to miso ...

'' (deep-fried tofu). *: Hot soba (or

) noodles in curry flavored broth topped with chicken/pork and thinly sliced scallion. *''Nameko soba'' : Topped with nameko mushroom *''Nishin soba'' : Topped with cooked *''Sansai soba'' ("mountain vegetables soba"): Topped with ''

sansai is a Japanese word literally meaning "mountain vegetables", originally referring to vegetables that grew naturally, were foraged in the wild, and not grown and harvested from fields. However, in modern times, the distinction is somewhat blur ...

'', or wild vegetables such as warabi,

zenmai ''Osmunda japonica'' (syn. ''Osmunda nipponica'' Makino), also called Asian royal fern, is a fern in the genus ''Osmunda'' native to east Asia, including Japan, China, Korea, Taiwan, and the far east of Russia on the island of Sakhalin. It is ca ...

and

takenoko Bamboo shoots or bamboo sprouts are the edible shoots (new bamboo culms that come out of the ground) of many bamboo species including ''Bambusa vulgaris'' and ''Phyllostachys edulis''. They are used as vegetables in numerous Asian dishes and br ...

(bamboo shoots). *''Sobagaki'' : A chunk of dough made of buckwheat flour and hot water. * (in Kantō) or ''Haikara soba'' (in

): Topped with '' tenkasu'' (bits of deep-fried

tempura is a typical Japanese dish usually consisting of seafood, meat and vegetables that have been battered and deep fried. The dish was introduced by the Portuguese in Nagasaki through fritter-cooking techniques in the 16th century. The word ''tem ...

batter). *''

Tempura is a typical Japanese dish usually consisting of seafood, meat and vegetables that have been battered and deep fried. The dish was introduced by the Portuguese in Nagasaki through fritter-cooking techniques in the 16th century. The word ''tem ...

soba'' : Topped with tempura, a large

shrimp Shrimp are crustaceans (a form of shellfish) with elongated bodies and a primarily swimming mode of locomotion – most commonly Caridea and Dendrobranchiata of the decapod order, although some crustaceans outside of this order are refer ...

frequently is used, but vegetables are also popular. Some of soba venders use kakiage for this dish and this often is called Tensoba. *''Tororo soba'' or ''Yamakake soba'' : Topped with ''

'', the puree of ''

yamaimo ''Dioscorea japonica'', known as East Asian mountain yam, yamaimo, or Japanese mountain yam, is a type of yam (vegetable), yam (''Dioscorea'') native to Japan (including Ryukyu Islands, Ryukyu and Bonin Islands), Korea, China, Taiwan, and Assam. ...

'' (a Japanese yam with a mucilaginous texture). *'' Tsukimi soba'' ("moon-viewing soba"): Topped with raw egg, which poaches in the hot soup. *''Wakame soba'' : Topped with wakame seaweed *''Yamakake soba'' : ''Tororo soba'' Image:Kitsune soba by adactio at E-Kagen in Brighton.jpg, Kitsune Soba in Brighton, East Sussex, UK (

Abura-age is a Japanese food product made from twice-fried soybeans. It is produced by cutting tofu into thin slices and deep-frying them first at 110–120 °C, and then again at 180–200 °C. ''Abura-age'' is often used to wrap , and is added to miso ...

) image:Tanuki soba by rhosoi in Cupertino, CA.jpg, Tanuki Soba in Cupertino, California, US ( Tenkasu) Image:Tsukimi_soba.jpg, Tsukimi Soba ( Raw egg) image:Nameko soba ãªãããã°.jpg, Nameko Soba ('' Pholiota microspora'' mushrooms) Image:Kamonanban2.JPG, Kamonanban (

Duck Duck is the common name for numerous species of waterfowl in the family Anatidae. Ducks are generally smaller and shorter-necked than swans and geese, which are members of the same family. Divided among several subfamilies, they are a form t ...

) Image:Korokke soba.jpg,

Korokke Korokke ( ja, コロッケ; ) is the Japanese name for a deep-fried ''yōshoku'' dish originally related to a French dish, the croquette. Korokke is made by mixing cooked chopped meat, seafood, or vegetables with mashed potato or white sauce, ...

soba Image:Tempura soba of Fuji-soba.jpg, Tempura soba ( Kakiage)

Soba served on special occasions

Soba is traditionally eaten on

New Year's Eve In the Gregorian calendar, New Year's Eve, also known as Old Year's Day or Saint Sylvester's Day in many countries, is the evening or the entire day of the last day of the year, on 31 December. The last day of the year is commonly referred to ...

in most areas of Japan, a tradition that survives to this day (''

Toshikoshi soba is a traditional Japanese noodle bowl dish eaten on ōmisoka (New Year's Eve, 31 December).Bill Daley"New Year's Eve noodles: A savory end to the old year" Chicago Tribune This custom lets go of hardship of the year because soba noodles are ea ...

''; en, from one year to another). In the

Tokyo Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, with an estimated 37.468 ...

area, there is also a tradition of giving out soba to new neighbors after a house move (''Hikkoshi soba''), although this practice is now rare.

Nutritional value of soba

100 grams of cooked soba yields of energy. Soba contains all nine

essential amino acids An essential amino acid, or indispensable amino acid, is an amino acid that cannot be synthesized from scratch by the organism fast enough to supply its demand, and must therefore come from the diet. Of the 21 amino acids common to all life form ...

, including

lysine Lysine (symbol Lys or K) is an α-amino acid that is a precursor to many proteins. It contains an α-amino group (which is in the protonated form under biological conditions), an α-carboxylic acid group (which is in the deprotonated −C ...

, which common wheat does not contain. Soba contains a type of

polysaccharide Polysaccharides (), or polycarbohydrates, are the most abundant carbohydrates found in food. They are long chain polymeric carbohydrates composed of monosaccharide units bound together by glycosidic linkages. This carbohydrate can react with wa ...

that is easily digested. Soba noodles also contain antioxidants, including rutin and quercetin, and essential nutrients including choline,

and

riboflavin Riboflavin, also known as vitamin B2, is a vitamin found in food and sold as a dietary supplement. It is essential to the formation of two major coenzymes, flavin mononucleotide and flavin adenine dinucleotide. These coenzymes are involved in ...

Varieties of soba noodles and types of soba in Japan

Buckwheat is ready for harvest in three months, allowing four crops a year, mainly in spring, summer, and autumn. In Japan, buckwheat is produced mainly in

Hokkaido is Japan's second largest island and comprises the largest and northernmost prefecture, making up its own region. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaidō from Honshu; the two islands are connected by the undersea railway Seikan Tunnel. The la ...

. Soba that is made with newly harvested buckwheat is called ''shin-soba''. It is sweeter and more flavorful than regular soba.

Nagano Prefecture is a landlocked prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshū. Nagano Prefecture has a population of 2,052,493 () and has a geographic area of . Nagano Prefecture borders Niigata Prefecture to the north, Gunma Prefecture to the ...

is famous for soba. The noodles are known as ''shinshu soba''. One of the reasons for this popularity is that Nagano has natural features well-suited to soba production. The land has plenty of volcanic ash soil because of its highland location. It also has an extreme difference in temperatures. Many famous soba production centers can be found across the prefecture, from the Kurohime and Togakushi highlands in the north to the Kaida highlands in the south, and the prefecture boasts the second-highest production of soba in Japan. Many facilities are also engaged in integrated soba manufacturing, from cultivation to milling and cutting. Many of these facilities provide soba cutting courses for customers, forming one of the major leisure activities of Nagano. Soba noodles are produced by mixing buckwheat flour with some wheat flour (to reduce brittleness), adding water, mixing, kneading, rolling and cutting. As a general rule, only noodles containing 40% or more soba flour can carry the ''shinshu'' name.

By location

*''Etanbetsu soba'': named after the central region of

Hokkaidō is Japan's second largest island and comprises the largest and northernmost prefecture, making up its own region. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaidō from Honshu; the two islands are connected by the undersea railway Seikan Tunnel. The la ...

( Asahikawacity) *''Izumo soba'': named after

Izumo Izumo (出雲) may refer to: Locations * Izumo Province, an old province of Japan * Izumo, Shimane, a city located in Shimane Prefecture ** Izumo Airport * Izumo-taisha, one of Japan's most ancient and important Shinto shrines Ships * ''Izumo ...

Shimane is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region of Honshu. Shimane Prefecture is the List of Japanese prefectures by population, second-least populous prefecture of Japan at 665,205 (February 1, 2021) and has a geo ...

*''Izushi soba'': named after Izushi in Hyōgo *''Shinshu soba'': named after the old name of

. Also known as Shinano soba. (Shinano=Shinshu).

By ingredients

*''Cha soba'': flavored with green tea powder *''Hegi soba'': flavored with funori seaweed *''Inaka soba'': "country soba", thick soba made with whole buckwheat *''

Jinenjo ''Dioscorea japonica'', known as East Asian mountain yam, yamaimo, or Japanese mountain yam, is a type of yam ('' Dioscorea'') native to Japan (including Ryukyu and Bonin Islands), Korea, China, Taiwan, and Assam. ''Dioscorea japonica'' is us ...

soba'': flavored with wild yam flour *''Ni-hachi soba'': soba containing 20% wheat and 80% buckwheat *''Sarashina soba'': thin, light-colored soba, made with refined buckwheat *''Towari soba'' or ''Juwari soba'': 100% buckwheat soba. *''Yomogi soba'': flavored with

mugwort Mugwort is a common name for several species of aromatic flowering plants in the genus ''Artemisia.'' In Europe, mugwort most often refers to the species '' Artemisia vulgaris'', or common mugwort. In East Asia the species '' Artemisia argyi'' i ...

Soba restaurants

Sunaba, Chōjyu-an, Ōmura-an, Shōgetsu-an, Masuda-ya, Maruka are typical soba restaurants

Yagō , literally meaning "house name", is a term applied in traditional Japanese culture to names passed down within a guild, studio, or other circumstance other than blood relations. The term is synonymous with and . The term most often refers to the ...

in Japan (

Kantō region The is a geographical area of Honshu, the largest island of Japan. In a common definition, the region includes the Greater Tokyo Area and encompasses seven prefectures: Gunma, Tochigi, Ibaraki, Saitama, Tokyo, Chiba and Kanagawa. Slight ...

), from old time.やぶ光トピックス
三ツ沢商店街振興会公式ホームページ Some restaurants have delivery service by scooters ( Honda Super Cub) or bicycles. Moreover, they are a popular inexpensive

fast food Fast food is a type of mass-produced food designed for commercial resale, with a strong priority placed on speed of service. It is a commercial term, limited to food sold in a restaurant or store with frozen, preheated or precooked ingredien ...

railway station Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the vehicles run on a pre ...

s. Mainly, busy salarymen use the service.

Other uses of the word ''soba''

''Soba'' is also the Japanese word for buckwheat ''(Fagopyrum esculentum''). Roasted buckwheat kernels may be made into a grain

tea Tea is an aromatic beverage prepared by pouring hot or boiling water over cured or fresh leaves of '' Camellia sinensis'', an evergreen shrub native to East Asia which probably originated in the borderlands of southwestern China and northe ...

called ''sobacha'', which may be served hot or cold. Buckwheat hulls, or ''sobakawa'' (also called ''sobagara''), are used to fill pillows. Sometimes, beers are made with roasted buckwheat added as a flavoring, and called "soba ale". ''Soba'' is occasionally used to refer to noodles in general. In Japan,

ramen is a Japanese dish, Japanese noodle dish. It consists of served in a broth; common flavors are soy sauce and miso, with typical toppings including , nori (dried seaweed), menma (bamboo shoots), and scallions. Ramen has its roots in Chinese ...

is traditionally called ''chūka soba ''(中華そば) or, before the end of the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, ''shina soba'' (支那そば). Both of these mean "Chinese noodles", though the word ''

shina Shina may refer to: * Shina language, an Indo-Aryan language spoken in Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan * Shina people, a Dardic ethnic group in Gilgit Baltistan, Pakistan People named Shina * Shina Matsudo (born 1973), Japanese freestyle swimmer * ...

''was replaced by ''chūka'' because the Chinese considered the former term offensive.
p145
/ref> Parboiled ''chūka soba'' is stir-fried to make

yakisoba ''Yakisoba'' ( ja, 焼きそば ), "fried noodle", is a Japanese noodle stir-fried dish. Usually, soba noodles are made from buckwheat flour, but soba in yakisoba are Chinese noodles (Chuuka soba) made from wheat flour, typically flavored with ...

. The name ''ramen'' is the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese '' lamian'' (拉麺). '' Mazesoba'' (also called ''abura soba'' or ''

Taiwan mazesoba Taiwan mazesoba ( ja, 台湾まぜそば, ) is a dry noodle dish that originated in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, and is now considered a Nagoya delicacy. The dish was popularized by the ramen chain Menya Hanabi in 2008. See also *Japanese cuisine ...

'') is another ramen based dish. Note that these noodles do not contain buckwheat. In this context, 'soba' noodles proper are called ''nihon soba'' (日本蕎麦, 'Japanese soba') as opposed to ''chūka soba''. In

Okinawa is a prefecture of Japan. Okinawa Prefecture is the southernmost and westernmost prefecture of Japan, has a population of 1,457,162 (as of 2 February 2020) and a geographic area of 2,281 km2 (880 sq mi). Naha is the capital and largest city ...

, ''soba'' usually refers to Okinawa soba, * honbamon.com is an affiliate of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, of the Japanese Government via an intricate chain of delegation

http://www.shokusan.or.jp/honbamon/]) a completely different dish of noodles made out of flour, not buckwheat. Okinawa soba is also quite popular in the city of Campo Grande (

Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...

), due to influence of

ese (

n) immigrants. It is eaten all-year long at street markets or in special restaurants called "sobarias".
Associação Okinawa de Campo Grande – MS website
, the recipe has deviated from Okinawa style to suit Brazilian local preferences.

References

External links

Tokyo soba chef making noodles by hand from scratch
��illustrated article in English

��slide show with English subtitles
Cook makes homemade soba noodles
��video with English and Japanese subtitles {{Authority control Articles containing video clips Buckwheat dishes Cold noodles Noodle soups