Akaiwa Soba and the Joy of Making Soba by Hand
Japanese People and Soba
When we think of traditional Japanese food, we think of sushi, tempura, and soba.
Soba has been enjoyed in many parts of Japan for a very long time. Soba noodles, as we know them today, are said to have become popular during the Edo period.
There are many kinds of local soba throughout Japan, such as Togakushi Soba, Izumo Soba, and Wanko Soba.
Here, I would like to introduce Akaiwa Soba from the Akaiwa area of Nakanojo, Gunma, my hometown.
The Historic Mountain Village of Akaiwa
Akaiwa is a historic sericulture village in the former Kuni Village, now part of Nakanojo Town. It has been designated as a Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings by the Japanese government.
The village stretches across the mountains overlooking the Shirasuna River. Stone walls and old houses once used for sericulture can still be seen today.
Around the village, there are terraced fields built with stone walls. In autumn, white soba flowers cover these fields.
The mountain valley turns white with soba flowers, creating one of the beautiful autumn scenes of Akaiwa.
Old buildings and water mills that tell the story of Akaiwa's history as a sericulture village can also still be found here.
The Charm of Akaiwa Soba
Akaiwa Soba is made from buckwheat grown in these terraced fields. Local people work together to harvest the buckwheat and carefully grind it with a stone mill in a traditional water mill house.
The buckwheat is ground slowly with the stone mill, helping to preserve its natural flavor.
The local community also continues to take part in the whole process, from growing and milling the buckwheat to making and selling the soba.
For this reason, Akaiwa Soba is more than just a local specialty. It is also part of an effort to preserve the history, culture, and beautiful landscape of the area.
Akaiwa and Me
I was born in my mother's family home in Akaiwa.
When I was a child, my mother took me there many times. I remember the terraced fields overlooking the Shirasuna River and the soba fields that turned completely white in autumn.
Those beautiful scenes are still in my memory today.
For me, Akaiwa Soba is not only the taste of my hometown. It is also a part of my childhood memories.
Gunma has many delicious foods, but Akaiwa Soba has a special place in my heart.
From the Jomo Shimbun News Video
A White Autumn: Soba Fields Spread Across the Akaiwa Area of Nakanojo
Enjoying Handmade Soba with Friends
This coming Sunday, the 27th, we are planning our regular soba-making gathering.
From time to time, my ski friends and I get together when the time is right. We knead the buckwheat flour, roll out the dough, cut the noodles, and cook them.
Then we sit together, taste the freshly made soba, and enjoy talking.
For me, this is one of the greatest pleasures in my life.
We use two traditional cooking stoves and make a strong fire. While we cook the soba, we also put potatoes, pumpkin, onions, and other seasonal vegetables into a large pot and roast them over the fire.
The soba is delicious.
And the vegetables are delicious, too.
Someday...
Someday, I hope to grow my own buckwheat and share the soba with my friends.
Around Akaiwa
There are also several interesting places to visit around the Akaiwa area, including Lake Nozoriko, Chatsubomigoke Park, the former Ooshi Station, and Shiriyaki Onsen. The links are gathered on the Sato Farms sightseeing page.