page_title: Soba
section_title: Varieties of soba noodles and types of soba in Japan
hierarchical_section_title: Soba / Varieties of soba noodles and types of soba in Japan
context_page_description: Soba is the Japanese name for buckwheat. It usually refers to thin noodles made from buckwheat flour, or a combination of buckwheat and wheat flours. They contrast to thick wheat noodles, called udon. Soba noodles are served either chilled with a dipping sauce, or in hot broth as a noodle soup.
  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. There are a wide variety of dishes, both hot for winter and cold for summer, using these noodles.
  Soba can nutritionally complement other grains like white rice and wheat flour. Thiamine, missing from white rice, is present in soba. Soba contains all eight essential amino acids, including lysine, which is lacking in wheat flour. The tradition of eating soba arose in the Edo period.
context_section_description: 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. Soba that is made with newly harvested buckwheat is called "shin-soba". It is sweeter and more flavorful than regular soba.
  Nagano Prefecture 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 (Asahikawacity);
  Izumo soba: named after Izumo in Shimane;
  Izushi soba: named after Izushi in Hyōgo;
  Shinshu soba: named after the old name of Nagano Prefecture. Also known as Shinano soba. (Shinano=Shinshu).
  By ingredients
  Cha soba: flavored with green tea powder;
  Hegi soba: flavored with seaweed;
  Inaka soba: "country soba", thick soba made with whole buckwheat;
  Jinenjo soba: flavored with wild yam flour;
  Mugi soba: flavored with mugwort;
  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.
caption: Cha-Soba maki-sushi
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