Soba ( or , "buckwheat") are

Japanese noodles Noodles are a staple of Japanese cuisine. They are often served chilled with dipping sauces, or in soups or hot dishes.Sakui, S. (2009, July 1st)Somen: Chilled, the Japanese Noodles are a Summer Delight ''Los Angeles Times.'' Retrieved January ...

made primarily 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. Buckwheat originated around the 6th millennium BCE in the region of what ...

flour, with a small amount of

wheat flour Wheat flour is a powder made from the grinding of common wheat used for human consumption. Wheat varieties are called "soft" or "weak" if gluten content is low, and are called "hard" or "strong" if they have high gluten content. Hard flour, or ...

mixed in. It has an ashen brown color, and a slightly grainy texture. The noodles are served either chilled with a dipping sauce, or hot in a

noodle soup Noodle soup refers to a variety of soups with noodles and other ingredients served in a light broth. Noodle soup is a common dish across East Asia, Southeast Asia and the Himalayan states of South Asia. Various types of noodles are used, such as ...

. They are used in a wide variety of dishes. In Japan, soba noodles can be found at fast food venues like to expensive specialty restaurants. Dried soba noodles are sold in stores, along with '' men-tsuyu'', or instant noodle broth, to make home preparation easy. 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 , also known as the , is the period between 1600 or 1603 and 1868 in the history of Japan, when the country was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and some 300 regional ''daimyo'', or feudal lords. Emerging from the chaos of the Sengok ...

Etymology

The word ''soba'' (蕎麦) means "

" (''Fagopyrum esculentum''). The full name for buckwheat noodles is ''soba-kiri'' (蕎麦切り "buckwheat slices"), but ''soba'' is commonly used for short. Historically, soba noodles were called ''Nihon-soba'', ''Wa-soba'', or ''

Yamato was originally the area around today's Sakurai, Nara, Sakurai City in Nara Prefecture of Japan, which became Yamato Province and by extension a Names of Japan, name for the whole of Japan. Yamato is also the dynastic name of the ruling Imperial ...

-soba'', all of which mean "Japanese soba". This was meant to distinguish soba from wheat noodles of Chinese origin, such as

ramen is a Chinese noodle dish popularized in Japan. It includes served in several flavors of broth. Common flavors are soy sauce and miso, with typical toppings including , nori (dried seaweed), menma (bamboo shoots), and scallions. Ramen h ...

, sōmen, or

udon Udon ( or ) is a thick noodle made from wheat flour, used in Japanese cuisine. There are a variety of ways it is prepared and served. Its simplest form is in a soup as with a mild broth called made from dashi, soy sauce, and mirin. It is usual ...

. In more recent times, ''soba'' can refer to noodles in general, regardless of origin or composition. For example, ''ramen'' was traditionally called ''chūka soba'' (中華そば) or ''shina soba'' (支那そば), both meaning "Chinese noodles", though the word '' shina'' is now considered offensive.
p145
/ref> ''Soba'' can be used to refer to wheat noodles, as in '' aburasoba'' or ''

yakisoba (, , ) is a Japanese noodle Stir frying, stir-fried dish. Usually, soba noodles are made from buckwheat flour, but soba in are Chinese-style noodles () made from wheat flour, typically flavored with a condiment similar to Worcestershire sauce ...

''. In

Okinawa most commonly refers to: * Okinawa Prefecture, Japan's southernmost prefecture * Okinawa Island, the largest island of Okinawa Prefecture * Okinawa Islands, an island group including Okinawa itself * Okinawa (city), the second largest city in th ...

, ''soba'' generally refers to

Okinawa soba is a type of noodle produced in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. Okinawa soba is a regional collective trademark of The Okinawa Noodle Manufacturing Co-op. On Okinawa, it is sometimes simply called ''soba'' (or ''suba'' in the Okinawan language), alt ...

, also made from wheat flour.

History

Background

Traces of buckwheat have been found at

Neolithic The Neolithic or New Stone Age (from Ancient Greek, Greek 'new' and 'stone') is an archaeological period, the final division of the Stone Age in Mesopotamia, Asia, Europe and Africa (c. 10,000 BCE to c. 2,000 BCE). It saw the Neolithic Revo ...

sites in Japan, dating to 4000-2000 BCE, during the

Jōmon period In Japanese history, the is the time between , during which Japan was inhabited by the Jōmon people, a diverse hunter-gatherer and early agriculturalist population united by a common culture, which reached a considerable degree of sedentism an ...

. Buckwheat cultivation was first recorded in the ''

Shoku Nihongi The is an imperially-commissioned Japanese history text. Completed in 797, it is the second of the '' Six National Histories'', coming directly after the and followed by ''Nihon Kōki''. Fujiwara no Tsugutada and Sugano no Mamichi served as t ...

'', in an imperial edict of 722 CE issued by

Empress Genshō was the 44th monarch of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'')元正天皇 (44)/ref> according to the traditional order of succession. Her reign spanned the years 715 through 724. Genshō was the fifth of eight women to take on the ...

, instructing farmers to plant buckwheat in response to

drought A drought is a period of drier-than-normal conditions.Douville, H., K. Raghavan, J. Renwick, R.P. Allan, P.A. Arias, M. Barlow, R. Cerezo-Mota, A. Cherchi, T.Y. Gan, J. Gergis, D. Jiang, A. Khan, W. Pokam Mba, D. Rosenfeld, J. Tierney, ...

and

famine A famine is a widespread scarcity of food caused by several possible factors, including, but not limited to war, natural disasters, crop failure, widespread poverty, an Financial crisis, economic catastrophe or government policies. This phenom ...

. Another edict of 839 CE declared that buckwheat should be sown in August, and harvested in October, because the crop grows quickly in poor soil. However, buckwheat did not seem to be widely cultivated, and was only sporadically eaten as

porridge Porridge is a food made by heating, soaking or boiling ground, crushed or chopped starchy plants, typically grain, in milk or water. It is often cooked or served with added flavourings such as sugar, honey, fruit, or syrup to make a sweet cereal ...

. In the 8th century, noodle-type foods of Chinese origin appeared in Japan. Later, the monk Enni (1202-1280) is traditionally credited for introducing noodles to Japan after returning from China. The first specific reference to buckwheat noodles (''soba-kiri'') comes from a record of 1574, kept at Jōshō-ji temple, which documents that ''soba-kiri'' was served to workers repairing the main hall. More mentions of soba noodles follow throughout the early 1600s.

Edo period

Modern soba originates from the

(1603-1868), centered around the city of Edo (modern

Tokyo Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...

). The earliest references to soba are associated with Buddhist monasteries and tea ceremonies. The 1643 cookbook '' Ryōri Monogatari'' (料理物語) is the first to contain a recipe for making soba. After the Great Fire of Meireki in 1657, soba shops became increasingly common in Tokyo. At first, soba was considered a low-class food, but its reputation improved by the 18th century, when it began to be eaten by

samurai The samurai () were members of the warrior class in Japan. They were originally provincial warriors who came from wealthy landowning families who could afford to train their men to be mounted archers. In the 8th century AD, the imperial court d ...

and other high status peoples. One estimate states that every city block had one or more restaurants serving soba. These soba establishments, many also serving

sake Sake, , or saki, 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 indeed any East Asi ...

, functioned much like modern cafes where locals would stop for a casual meal. In 1860, a meeting in Tokyo concerning the price of buckwheat was attended by 3,726 shops, indicating the popularity of soba. Soba was also sold from mobile food stalls called '' yatai''. At the time, much of the city's population was 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 name beriberi was possibly borrowed in the 18th century from the Sinhalese phrase (bæri bæri, “I canno ...

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

thiamine Thiamine, also known as thiamin and vitamin B1, is a vitamin – an Nutrient#Micronutrients, essential micronutrient for humans and animals. It is found in food and commercially synthesized to be a dietary supplement or medication. Phosp ...

. Soba, which is high in thiamine, was regularly eaten to prevent beriberi. File:Machikado-ya Tenzaru Teishoku 20220529-02.jpg, ''Zaru soba'' is an early form of soba, because soba was originally steamed on bamboo trays called ''

zaru A is generally a flat or shallow basket made from bamboo used in the preparation and presentation of Cuisine of Japan, Japanese cuisine. It also has variations made of plastic or metal similar to a strainer, sieve or colander. ''Zaru'' are air ...

'' Three children eating, Japan LCCN2001705662.jpg, Three children eating soba, 1890-1923 Fukuyama soba restaurant 1771.jpg, Soba delivery in Fukiya-chō, Tokyo. Print by Kitao Shigemasa, 1771 Japanese Edo Soba Yatai 03.jpg, Replica of a '' yatai'' (food stall) from the

Modern

Soba buffet near Suidobashi Station by shibainu

Soba continues to be popular in modern times. Restaurants dedicated to soba include Sunaba, Chōju-an, Ōmura-an, Shōgetsu-an, Masuda-ya, and Maruka, some of which are ''

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

'', or traditional establishments whose names have passed down over 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 serve soba and

together, since both are prepared and eaten in a similar manner.

Railway station Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport using wheeled vehicles running in railway track, tracks, which usually consist of two parallel steel railway track, rails. Rail transport is one of the two primary means of ...

s often sell soba, as it is a popular and inexpensive

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

. They are frequently purchased by busy

salarymen The term is a Japanese word for salaried workers. In Japanese popular culture, it is portrayed as a white-collar worker who shows unwavering loyalty and commitment to his employer, prioritizing work over anything else, including family. "Salary ...

. Soba continues to be sold at ''yatai'' food stalls. There are regional differences in the consumption of soba. A common perception is that soba is more popular in the

Kantō region The is a geography, geographical region of Honshu, the largest island of Japan. In a common definition, the region includes the Greater Tokyo Area and encompasses seven prefectures of Japan, prefectures: Chiba Prefecture, Chiba, Gunma Prefe ...

(eastern Japan), while

is more popular in the

Kansai region The or the lies in the southern-central region of Japan's main island Honshū. The region includes the prefectures of Nara, Wakayama, Kyoto, Osaka, Hyōgo and Shiga, often also Mie, sometimes Fukui, Tokushima and Tottori. The metropol ...

(western Japan), though there are exceptions. As such, soba is considered the traditional noodle of choice for Tokyoites. Soba is traditionally eaten on

New Year's Eve In the Gregorian calendar, New Year's Eve refers to the evening, or commonly the entire day, of the last day of the year, 31 December, also known as Old Year's Day. In many countries, New Year's Eve is celebrated with dancing, eating, drinkin ...

in most areas of Japan. This soba is called ''

toshikoshi soba is a traditional Japanese noodle bowl dish eaten on ōmisoka (New Year's Eve, 31 December). This custom is intended to enable the household to let go of the year’s hardship because soba noodles are easily cut while eating. History The custom ...

'' ("year-crossing soba"). In the Tokyo 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.

Preparation

Soba is made by slicing dough into thin noodles. Historically, soba was made only from buckwheat flour, and was steamed in baskets, because they were too brittle to boil. Modern soba is usually made from a mix of 80% buckwheat flour, and 20% wheat flour. Fresh soba, often served at restaurants, are generally cooked immediately after slicing, when the noodles are still moist and pliable. Store bought soba are dried and straight, and come in bundles.

Types

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 is a family of stocks used in Japanese cuisine. ''Dashi'' forms the base for miso soup, clear broth soup, noodle broth soup, and many simmering liquids to accentuate the savory flavor known as umami. ''Dashi'' is also mixed into the flour b ...

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

Cold soba

Chilled soba is often served on a sieve-like bamboo tray called a ''

'', sometimes garnished with bits of dried

nori Nori is a dried edible seaweed used in Japanese cuisine, usually made from species of the red algae genus ''Pyropia'', including ''P. yezoensis'' and ''Pyropia tenera, P. tenera''. It has a strong and distinctive flavor, and is generally made in ...

seaweed, with a dipping sauce known as ''soba tsuyu'' on the side. The ''tsuyu'' is made of a strong mixture of ''

'', sweetened

soy sauce Soy sauce (sometimes called soya sauce in British English) is a liquid condiment of China, Chinese origin, traditionally made from a fermentation (food), fermented paste of soybeans, roasted cereal, grain, brine, and ''Aspergillus oryzae'' or ''A ...

(also called "satōjōyu") and

mirin is a type of rice wine and a common ingredient in Japanese cuisine, Japanese cooking. It is similar to sake but with a lower alcohol (drug), alcohol content and higher sugar content. The sugar content is a complex carbohydrate that forms natur ...

. 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 Wasabi (Japanese language, Japanese: , , or , ) or Japanese horseradish (''Eutrema japonicum'' syn. ''Wasabia japonica'') is a plant of the family Brassicaceae, which also includes horseradish and Mustard plant, mustard in other genus, genera. ...

and sliced negi 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, Uganda, Eastern Region of Uganda. It is the main municipal, administrative, and commercial center of Tororo District. History Tororo was garrisoned by the Uganda Army (1971–1980), Uganda Army's Air an ...

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

daikon Daikon 大根 (だいこん) or mooli, (مولی) ''Raphanus sativus'' 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 ...

radish **

nattō is a traditional Japanese cuisine, Japanese food made from whole soybeans that have been Fermentation in food processing, fermented with Bacillus subtilis, ''Bacillus subtilis'' var. ''natto''. It is often served as a breakfast food with rice. ...

: 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. Soy is a staple crop, the world's most grown legume, and an important animal feed. Soy is a key source o ...

s **okura: fresh sliced

okra Okra (, ), ''Abelmoschus esculentus'', known in some English-speaking countries as lady's fingers, is a flowering plant in the Malvaceae, mallow family native to East Africa. Cultivated in tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate regions aro ...

*''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 a modern and fusion cold soba dish mostly served outside Japan. *''Zaru soba'' (): ''Mori soba'' topped with shredded nori seaweed.

Hot soba

Soba is also often served as a

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). * : ''Tanuki soba'' *''Kake soba'' : Hot soba in broth topped with thinly sliced negi, and perhaps a slice of

kamaboko is a type of Curing (chemistry), cured , a processed seafood product common in Japanese cuisine. It was initially made in the year 1115. Production and uses is made by forming various Purée, pureed deboned whitefish (fisheries term), whit ...

(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 freshwater, fresh and seawater, salt water. Duck is eaten in many cuisines around the world. It is a high-fat, high-p ...

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

raccoon dog ''Nyctereutes'' (Greek: ''nyx, nykt-'' "night" + ''ereutēs'' "wanderer") is a genus of canid which includes only two extant species, both known as raccoon dogs: the common raccoon dog (''Nyctereutes procyonoides'') and the Japanese raccoon do ...

soba", in

Kansai The or the lies in the southern-central region of Japan's main island Honshū. The region includes the prefectures of Nara, Wakayama, Kyoto, Osaka, Hyōgo and Shiga, often also Mie, sometimes Fukui, Tokushima and Tottori. The metropoli ...

): Topped with '' aburaage'' (deep-fried

tofu or bean curd is a food prepared by Coagulation (milk), coagulating soy milk and then pressing the resulting curds into solid white blocks of varying softness: ''silken'', ''soft'', ''firm'', and ''extra (or super) firm''. It originated in Chin ...

). *: Hot soba (or

) noodles in curry flavored broth topped with chicken/pork and thinly sliced negi. *''Nameko soba'' : Topped with

nameko ''Pholiota microspora'', commonly known as ''Pholiota nameko'' or simply , is a small, amber-brown mushroom with a slightly gelatinous coating that is used as an ingredient in miso soup and nabemono. In some countries this mushroom is avail ...

mushroom. *''Nishin soba'' : Topped with cooked . *''Sansai soba'' ("mountain vegetables soba"): Topped with '' sansai'', or wild vegetables such as warabi, zenmai and takenoko (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 that usually consists of seafood and vegetables that have been coated in a thin batter and deep-fried. Tempura originated in the 16th century, when Portuguese Jesuits brought the Western-style cooking method of ...

batter). *''

Tempura is a typical Japanese dish that usually consists of seafood and vegetables that have been coated in a thin batter and deep-fried. Tempura originated in the 16th century, when Portuguese Jesuits brought the Western-style cooking method of ...

soba'' : Topped with tempura, a large

shrimp A shrimp (: shrimp (American English, US) or shrimps (British English, UK)) is a crustacean with an elongated body and a primarily Aquatic locomotion, swimming mode of locomotion – typically Decapods belonging to the Caridea or Dendrobranchi ...

frequently is used, but vegetables are also popular. Some of soba venders use

kakiage , a Japanese cuisine, Japanese dish, is a type of ''tempura''. It is made by Batter (cooking), batter-dipping and deep frying, deep-frying a batch of ingredients such as shrimp bits (or a clump of small-sized shrimp). ''Kakiage'' may use other ...

for this dish and this often is called Tensoba. *''Tororo soba'' or ''Yamakake soba'' : Topped with ''

'', the puree of '' yamaimo'' (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 tofu. Thin slices of tofu are deep-fried, and the product can then be split open to form pouches. is often used to wrap , and it is added to miso soup. It is also added to udon noodle dishes, which are ca ...

) Image:Tsukimi_soba.jpg, Tsukimi soba (

raw egg Humans and other Hominidae, hominids have consumed Egg, eggs for millions of years. The most widely consumed eggs are those of fowl, especially chickens. People in Southeast Asia began harvesting chicken eggs for food by 1500 BCE. Eggs of oth ...

) image:Nameko soba ãªãããã°.jpg, Nameko soba (

mushrooms) Image:Kamonanban2.JPG, Kamonanban (

duck Duck is the common name for numerous species of waterfowl in the family (biology), family Anatidae. Ducks are generally smaller and shorter-necked than swans and goose, geese, which are members of the same family. Divided among several subfam ...

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

)

Noodle varieties

Different flavors and types of soba noodles are available. In Japan, buckwheat is produced mainly in

Hokkaido is the list of islands of Japan by area, second-largest island of Japan and comprises the largest and northernmost prefectures of Japan, prefecture, making up its own list of regions of Japan, region. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaidō fr ...

. 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 country, landlocked Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshu. Nagano Prefecture has a population of 2,007,682 () and has a geographic area of . Nagano Prefecture borders Niigata Prefecture ...

is famous for a variety of soba called ''shinshu soba'', because the region's volcanic soil and temperature extremes are suited for growing buckwheat. 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 integrate cultivation, milling and cutting, and provide soba cutting courses for customers, a major leisure activity in Nagano. Only noodles containing 40% or more buckwheat flour can carry the ''shinshu'' name.

By location

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

Hokkaidō is the second-largest island of Japan 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 railway via the Seikan Tunnel. The ...

(around

Asahikawa is a Cities of Japan, city in Kamikawa Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan. It is the capital of the subprefecture, and the second-largest city in Hokkaido, after Sapporo. It has been a Core cities of Japan, core city since April 1, 2000. The city i ...

city) *''Izumo soba'': named after Izumo in Shimane *''Izushi soba'': named after Izushi in Hyōgo *''Shinshu soba'' or ''Shinano soba'': named after the old names of

By ingredients

*''Cha soba'': flavored with green tea powder *': flavored with '' funori'' seaweed. Originated in Uonuma, Niigata *'' Jinenjo soba'': flavored with wild yam, Japanese yam or Chinese yam flour *''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'' ...

*''Sarashina soba'': thin, light-colored soba, made with refined buckwheat *''Inaka soba'': "country soba", thick soba made with whole buckwheat *''Ni-hachi soba'': "two-eight soba", soba containing 20% wheat and 80% buckwheat *''Towari soba'' or ''Juwari soba'': 100% buckwheat soba.

Outside Japan

A variation of

known as is popular in the city of

Campo Grande Campo Grande (, ) is a city in the Central-West Region, Brazil, central and western Regions of Brazil, region of Brazil, Capital city, capital of the state of Mato Grosso do Sul. Historically a Fortification, stronghold of Separatism, separatists ...

, in the

Brazilian state The federative units of Brazil () are subnational entities with a certain degree of autonomy (self-government, self-regulation, and self-collection) and endowed with their own government and constitution, which together form the Federative Repu ...

Mato Grosso do Sul Mato Grosso do Sul ( ) is one of Federative units of Brazil, Brazil's 27 federal units, located in the southern part of the Central-West Region, Brazil, Central-West Region, bordering five Brazilian states: Mato Grosso (to the north), Goiás and ...

due to influence of

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.

Etiquette

Soba is typically eaten with chopsticks, and in

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

, 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.

Delivery

Food delivery services called ''demae'' (出前) originally served 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 no ...

(lords) in the 1700s. Until the late

Shōwa period Shōwa most commonly refers to: * Hirohito (1901–1989), the 124th Emperor of Japan, known posthumously as Emperor Shōwa ** Shōwa era (昭和), the era of Hirohito from 1926 to 1989 * Showa Corporation, a Japanese suspension and shock manufactu ...

(1926–1989), stacks of soba bowls were carried on the shoulders of deliverymen on bicycles. In March 1961, new cycling traffic laws added restrictions. Officials of the

Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department The , known locally as simply the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), is the prefectural police of Tokyo, Tokyo Metropolis, Japan. Founded in 1874, the TMPD is the largest police force in Japan by number of officers, with a staff of more than 4 ...

stated: "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." Although soba is still delivered today, motorised scooters have replaced the bicycles. The

Honda Super Cub The Honda Super Cub (or Honda Cub) is a Honda underbone motorcycle with a four-stroke engine, four-stroke single cylinder engine, single-cylinder engine ranging in engine displacement, displacement from . In continuous manufacture since 1958 wit ...

motorcycle was designed with soba delivery in mind.

Nutritional value

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 forms ...

, including

lysine Lysine (symbol Lys or K) is an α-amino acid that is a precursor to many proteins. Lysine contains an α-amino group (which is in the protonated form when the lysine is dissolved in water at physiological pH), an α-carboxylic acid group ( ...

, 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 wat ...

that is easily digested. Soba noodles also contain

antioxidants Antioxidants are Chemical compound, compounds that inhibit Redox, oxidation, a chemical reaction that can produce Radical (chemistry), free radicals. Autoxidation leads to degradation of organic compounds, including living matter. Antioxidants ...

, including

rutin Rutin (rutoside, quercetin-3-O-rutinoside or sophorin) is the glycoside combining the flavonol quercetin and the disaccharide rutinose (α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→6)-β-D-glucopyranose). It is a flavonoid glycoside found in a wide variety of pla ...

and

quercetin Quercetin is a plant flavonol from the flavonoid group of polyphenols. It is found in many fruits, vegetables, leaves, seeds, and grains; capers, red onions, and kale are common foods containing appreciable amounts of it. It has a bitter flavor ...

, and essential nutrients including

choline Choline is a cation with the chemical formula . Choline forms various Salt (chemistry), salts, such as choline chloride and choline bitartrate. An essential nutrient for animals, it is a structural component of phospholipids and cell membrane ...

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 ...

References

Citations

Sources

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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