山の中にポツンと現れる伝説の名店そば屋！夫婦２人が守る究極の味の裏側に密着。

山の中にポツンと現れる伝説の名店そば屋！夫婦２人が守る究極の味の裏側に密着。

Tamba-Sasayama City, Hyogo Prefecture 33 years in business, Roan Matsuda Owner: Matsuda Shinnosuke (40) We’re making mori soba. We make it by blending four types of flour that we mill ourselves
. Natural hot spring water (Mr. Matsuda) It is said that if you make Japanese food with soft water
the taste will change. (Mr. Matsuda) (The dough is) Roughly grip even if you bend it like this if there are few cracks, it’s okay Mori soba Next, we’ll make the coarsely ground soba. (Mr. Matsuda) The outer husks are also ground together (The sieve) The mesh is also a little rough
We use a 1mm mesh There are also black shells
and a little dark part in it. Coarsely ground soba (Mr. Matsuda) (The dough) dries out quickly
and cracks easily, so I’ve been told to be careful (by the previous owner) We’re trying to make sure the dough doesn’t dry out too quickly. Finally, we’re going to make the soba noodles. The three types of soba are finished. (Mr. Matsuda) As I thought, the first soba I’m thinking about the balance. The texture is also important. the way it goes down your throat the taste, the aroma, the aftertaste – it’s all there I thought it was the first bowl of soba, and I chewed the coarsely ground soba well to bring out the flavor The third type of soba is grated daikon soba, so when you mix it with the condiments it’s made thin so that the condiments can easily be mixed in but it’s also got a good bite But the number one priority is
to have a good texture and Firm and springy texture. The third one is what we’re aiming for. We’re preparing the vegetables Pumpkin Small chrysanthemum-shaped pumpkin (Mr. Matsuda) It’s a pumpkin that has been in Japan for a long time. We’re going to steam the pumpkin. Daikoku shimeji We’re going to heat the Daikoku shimeji in the oven (Mr. Matsuda) This is a butternut squash It’s a pumpkin, but
it’s really smooth green beans We’re going to put the charcoal in now We’re grilling the vegetables over the charcoal fire Shiitake mushrooms The owner’s wife
Matsuda Masako Mirin White soy beans Cooking thinly sliced egg Raw peanuts Checking the saltiness Making Japanese sweets
“Glutinous rice and buckwheat rice” Figs The rice and buckwheat have finished cooking. Chestnut paste (Mr. Matsuda) The smaller one is honkare-bushi. The larger one is yakibushi.
It’s a broth made with katsuo-bushi. Roast venison (Mr. Matsuda) It’s the soup stock. For making Japanese Rolled Omelette 11:30 Opening time Reservations only (reservations required by the day before)
Lunch is served in two sessions (11:30 / 14:00) and dinner is served from 18:00 onwards The people from
Kira Farm, who supply vegetables to Roan Matsuda, came to the store. Buckwheat tea (Mr. Matsuda) This is buckwheat tea.
We use domestic buckwheat tea. You can also eat the seeds inside. (Mr. Matsuda) Non-alcoholic beer,
sake and plum juice. Homemade ginger ale Sparkling water Appetizer (fig) Roasted venison Peanuts Please try it!
It’s mostly vegetables from Sasayama (Tamba). (Male customer 1) (There are) no seasonings.
(Female customer) You said there was nothing on it. (Male customer 1) It’s delicious! Assorted dishes Homemade hishio Cooking duck soup Preparing the broth for the duck soup Duck meat Next, I’ll bring you some Mori Soba. The part of the buckwheat flour that is closest to the center is white.
This is soba made from that flour. Mori Soba (Male customer 2) It’s got a great springiness to it. (Mr. Matsuda) I have brought you the best sake. This is a dry sake, isn’t it? (Male customer 2) Stop saying that, or it’ll just keep pouring in.
(Female customer) Around there is fine. (Female customer) Thank you. (Female customer) Let’s eat! (Male customer 1) Is it delicious? (Female customer) It’s delicious!
(Male customer 2) Is it spicy? (Female customer) But it’s refreshing
and relatively easy to drink (Mr. Matsuda) It’s komatsuna and shiitake mushrooms. The shiitake mushrooms are
We use shiitake mushrooms grown on logs in Tanba Sasayama. Coarse-ground soba Yuzu pepper Excuse me.
This is coarsely ground soba. The outer husk is also coarsely ground. Coarsely ground soba Preparing the Kakiage (Mixed Tempura) Preparing the soba sushi Grilling the conger eel Soba sushi (Mr. Matsuda’s wife) It’s a turnip called Kuretsubo turnip. (Mr. Matsuda) There’s a small village called Kuretsubo in Tono City, Iwate Prefecture. This turnip can only be found there. Cooking Kakiage (Mixed Tempura) Kakiage (Mixed Tempura) Soba-Yu (Male customer) Of course the food is delicious The dishes that come out
(on the menu) change with the seasons That’s what I look forward to (Mr. Matsuda) I have brought you some Soba-Yu. The pickles that go with the Soba-Yu The one on the right is a Chayote It’s pickled in salted rice bran The pinkish one is red onion For the umeboshi, put them in the soba water only
and try eating them after you’ve loosened them up The first cup has soup in it, so when you have the second cup, put this umeboshi in it and eat it after you’ve broken it up Please try it. Matcha The aroma of the (chestnut dumplings) is completely different. (Mr. Matsuda) It’s almost all chestnut (the original flavor),
and we don’t add much sugar either. Because we carry them around, we have to add sugar to them to make them last longer. I have brought you some Mori Soba. We remove the outer husk of the buckwheat seeds
and use the center of the buckwheat seeds. Please enjoy. Mori Soba Coarsely ground soba (duck soup) Grated daikon soba Sweets (Matcha + chestnut rice cake) The owner arrives. Owner）Good morning. Cameraman）Good morning. Carrying the luggage. An old red-tiled house sits at the foot of the mountain. A day at Izumisoba begins. Owner）It’s cold, let’s turn on the AC. Turning on the air conditioner. Getting motivated. Cameraman）Do you always start this early in the morning? Mr. Ohki）A bit later than this, actually. I come between 7 and 7:30. That’s when I usually get started. Owner）My voice is completely gone… Apparently, his voice isn’t doing well this morning. Washing hands thoroughly. Getting re-motivated. Let’s ask how the shop was started. Mr. Ohki）I used to be a company employee. At that time, I was working in Tokyo. There was talk of opening a branch office in Okinawa. They were looking for volunteers to transfer to Okinawa. Since my wife’s family is from Okinawa, I decided to transfer to Okinawa, which led to our move. At that time, I was still working as a company employee. About two years later, there was talk of another transfer. When I was told to move out of Okinawa again… I thought it would be better to stay in Okinawa with my family. It was just before our third child was born. We decided it would be best to stay in Okinawa. So we decided to live in Okinawa. At that time, I thought… What kind of work should I do? For some reason, I thought of Okinawa soba, which I liked. I thought I might give it a try. The land and building of this shop were owned by my wife’s father. He told me that we could use it. He suggested, “Why don’t you give it a try?” That’s how we started Izumisoba. Using his father-in-law’s building, he opened Izumisoba. Taking soup bones out of the freezer. Cameraman）What do you usually use for the broth? Pork bones and chicken carcass. That’s the base. Then I add dried bonito flakes. The bonito flakes might be the strongest in flavor. Pork bones and chicken carcass are placed into the pot. Onions. Weighing the vegetables. Trying to make the amounts about equal. Cutting and washing carrots. Adding onions and carrots. Cameraman）How long do you simmer the broth? Mr. Ohki）About two and a half hours. It usually takes around two and a half hours to prepare. Measuring rice. Washing the rice. Adding cooking sake and water. Setup complete. I once visited Okinawa when I was a student. The Okinawa soba I had there was so delicious. That place still exists. It’s called “Nakamura Soba” in Onna Village. I had the Okinawa soba from “Nakamura Soba” for the first time, and thought, “Wow, Okinawa soba is amazing!” That really stuck with me. As I continued trying soba at many different places, I started to want to make it myself. I tried making noodles by hand at home, and also making the broth. At that time, I never thought about opening a soba restaurant. Cameraman）Wait, you made noodles at home!? Yeah, haha. I just really wanted to try making them. And when I did, it turned out surprisingly good. When you make it by hand, you realize how different it is. At first, it was just a hobby making Okinawa soba. Cameraman）Have you been using homemade noodles since opening? Yes, ever since the beginning. We’ve always used homemade noodles since we opened. Cleaning the machine. We also blend the flour. There are many kinds of flour, so we carefully combine the good ones. Mixing in the salt and everything. Cooling it down. Skimming scum off while making noodles. Cameraman）Are the ingredients for Okinawa soba different from udon? Mr. Ohki）Basically, we use wheat flour. We add kansui, water, and salt to the flour. So it’s not that different from udon. Cameraman）Where are you from? I’m from Chiba Prefecture. I mostly lived in Kanto due to work. I lived in Chiba and Kanagawa. I looked for jobs, but couldn’t find many. So I decided to start my own business. And I opened an Okinawa soba restaurant. Cameraman）Did you have experience in the food industry? Not at all. It’s not that I loved cooking or anything. I just really liked Okinawa soba for a long time. I even made the noodles at home. It started completely as a hobby I enjoyed. I decided to give it a try. I researched a lot. And started making it myself. When I looked into how to get started, I found something called an Okinawa Soba Startup School. It was run by the president of the Okinawa Soba Preservation Society. His name is Mr. Nozaki. He taught me the basics of making Okinawa soba, and what it means to run a restaurant. As I learned more, I started to feel like, “I want to try this.” I wanted to take on the challenge. And that’s how I started my Okinawa soba shop. Until then, I really knew nothing about restaurants. So I genuinely wanted to learn. At that point in time, when I started to seriously consider opening a shop, we did a full renovation. We renovated everything except the roof. I helped out alongside the carpenter myself. We spent about a year preparing the renovation. And then we opened the shop. It’s been exactly five years since opening. Mr. Ohki）To be honest, it’s really dangerous. If your hand gets caught, it’s over. You could lose it instantly. Modern machines have sensors and safety measures. But this one is old, so there are no sensors at all. I always wear short sleeves. Even in winter, I don’t wear long sleeves. Because your clothes could get caught. Apparently, that kind of accident can happen. Cameraman）In the northern part of Okinawa— There are still many places people don’t know about, right? Mr. Ohki）Surprisingly, there are quite a few shops. There’s even a soba restaurant nearby. The number of restaurants has been increasing. Mr. Ohki）Now we add the flour we mixed earlier. We’re going to shape it into a flat sheet. It turns into a smooth, sandy texture like this. Mr. Ohki）It comes out from here. Mr. Ohki）When I first learned this, I wondered— How does this powder turn into a sheet? But it really becomes a proper sheet. Mr. Ohki）We repeat this process once more. I learned how to make noodles at Okinawa Seifun (Okinawa Flour Milling Co.). They offer training programs for noodle-making. That’s where I was taught. Director）How many times do you repeat this process? Mr. Ohki）Just one more time. After that, we let it rest a bit, make it thinner, and then cut it. Letting the dough rest for a bit. This makes about 60 to 70 servings of noodles. We let the dough rest a little to relax it. Mr. Ohki）I’m always alone, honestly. I quietly work by myself. My wife usually comes around 10 a.m. After she finishes shopping for ingredients. Cleaning the tools and the space— It’s pretty tough, honestly. Mr. Ohki）In Okinawa soba, the noodles and soup are the stars. So for me, not making the noodles myself wouldn’t feel right, personally. That’s why I make the noodles too. But honestly, I sometimes wonder how much easier it would be if I didn’t. Cameraman）Izumisoba is located deep in the forest, right? What were customers like in the early days? Mr. Ohki）We used to get a lot of calls. People would say, “Where is it exactly?” So we set up several signs. At first, we were just kind of winging it. But many customers seemed to have trouble just getting to the place. We often heard, “Is there really a shop ahead?” People asked that a lot. Then when the shop finally appears, many customers feel relieved. Since it’s in the forest, there are frequent power outages. And also, natural disasters— when there’s heavy rain or a typhoon— this area is quite vulnerable, so it can be tough. There have been several times when the power went out during business hours. Maybe two or three times. Of course, it happens when typhoons hit, but even on just windy days, the power can suddenly go out. It’s rare, but it happens. The customers are surprised when it does. Eating soba in silence during a blackout— it’s part of the charm of nature, but there are inconveniences that come with it. Cameraman）How is this area for raising children? I live in Nago City, but my oldest son used to attend school in Izumi when he was little. This area really has a relaxed atmosphere. It feels like time flows more slowly here. The nearby Izumi Elementary and Junior High is also small in size. Only about seven students per grade. But they all get along really well. And the communication between parents is very strong too—there’s a good sense of community. In Chiba or schools in the city, there are usually 30 to 40 kids in one class. And the communication between parents is minimal. Compared to that, this place feels much warmer. I think it’s a really good environment for raising children. Cameraman）Is your wife from Izumi? Mr. Ohki）Yes, she went to elementary and junior high here. She said there were about 10 students in her grade back then too. It’s that kind of environment she prefers. Some families even move here from other areas to attend the school. I’ve heard stories like that. According to my wife, going from such a small school straight to a large high school with a lot of students— she said it was really overwhelming. So there are pros and cons to this place. Mr. Ohki）Around here, we simmer the prepared soki (pork ribs) until it’s ready to serve. We parboil it and season it beforehand. We season it lightly. Then we simmer it so it’s ready to serve. Especially older customers— they often order the soki. Alcohol. Cameraman）Do you close when you run out of noodles? Mr. Ohki）Yes, we close when either the noodles or soup runs out. That’s when we’re sold out. We can only make a limited amount. Our storage capacity isn’t that big either. We can’t serve hundreds of portions. Since the noodles are homemade, stocking them up is key. Which means we can only make a small amount. Mr. Ohki）Now I’m going to cut the simmered pork belly we prepared. Cameraman）Was this boiled beforehand? Mr. Ohki）Yes, I boiled it yesterday. Mr. Ohki）Each cut is a different shape depending on the section. It’s tough to make them uniform. Director）What dish is this pork belly used for? Mr. Ohki）It’s for the “Sanmai-niku Soba” and “Izumisoba”. Izumisoba contains both pork belly and soki. The cost of ingredients has been going up. I think it’s nearly doubled since we started. Adjusting the heat for the simmering soki. Cameraman）How long do you simmer the soki? Mr. Ohki）About 30 minutes. Mr. Ohki）We use what’s called “Hon-soki”, which has hard bones and isn’t easy to eat as is. There are two main types: soft bone soki and hon-soki. If overcooked, it gets mushy and unpleasant in texture. We aim for just the right tenderness. It should come off the bone easily—that’s ideal. That’s what we aim for. The trimmings from the pork belly go into the Jūshī (rice dish). Mr. Ohki）Before we opened, I visited a lot of different restaurants. Right before starting, I went for research purposes— taking notes and everything. I probably seemed like a weird customer. Not just the soba, but the lighting in the restaurant too. Cameraman）For someone from mainland Japan, what was your image of Okinawa soba? Mr. Ohki）At first, I thought it was just food for tourists. But after coming to Okinawa, that changed completely. Of course, tourists eat it too, but it’s really loved by the local people. I strongly felt that it’s a beloved local dish. That’s what really drew me in. That’s probably the biggest reason I became so hooked on Okinawa soba. That kind of culture is really cool to me. People eat it at home casually. And in restaurants, locals are everywhere. When you talk about Okinawa soba with friends, everyone has their favorite soba shop. If you ask 100 people, you’ll get 100 different answers. That kind of dish is fascinating. And it’s fun in that way too. They’re all so different. Some shops use bonito broth as the base. Others use pork broth. That variety is part of what makes it so interesting. At first, most of our customers were locals from Okinawa. But over the past few years, more tourists have been coming. Now it’s about half and half. Personally, I’d prefer to have more locals come to the shop. Not just once, but as regular customers who return again and again. We do get some tourists— people visiting Okinawa for the first time. Some even try Okinawa soba for the first time here. So I really want those customers to think, “Wow, Okinawa soba is delicious.” That’s the kind of impression I hope to leave. Mr. Ohki）We place the cut pork belly into the simmering sauce. Cameraman）What’s the base of the sauce? Mr. Ohki）Soy sauce, mirin, and sugar. It’s a simple seasoning. We let the pork soak up the sauce for a bit. Each restaurant has its own unique way of doing things. I learned that at the startup school. We got the chance to work in the kitchens of several shops. It was a valuable learning experience. I trained at about six different places. And every one of them was completely different. Not a single one was the same. Everyone had their own style. The taste, of course, varied— but also the prep methods, ingredient ratios, even how they made the noodles. Cameraman）What’s your ideal Okinawa soba? Mr. Ohki）I like light, refreshing soba. But I also love the traditional, classic style. The “standard” Okinawa soba, you could say. Personally, I prefer soba with a bonito-based broth. The first time I had Okinawa soba in Okinawa was back when I was a student. At Nakamura Soba in Onna Village. That’s where I had my first Okinawa soba. And it was incredibly delicious. After that, I came to Okinawa almost every year. Eating there became a yearly tradition. That experience really stuck with me. Nakamura Soba’s soba is the image of Okinawa soba in my mind. They also use a bonito-based broth, and the noodles are homemade too. The noodles are fantastic. I love the traditional style of Okinawa soba. And I try to make my soba in that spirit. Mr. Ohki）In a bit, I’ll be adding bonito flakes. I’m going to put them into the soup. Some shops make a separate bonito broth and blend it with the main soup. Cameraman）You add it directly? Yes, I mix it straight into the pork-based soup. Some shops don’t use bonito flakes at all. I tend to use a fairly large amount of bonito flakes. Mr. Ohki）There’s a pack that contains bonito and other fish flakes. I put it all in together. Just toss it in. Bonito flakes go in as is. Let it simmer for about an hour. That’s how we extract the bonito flavor. We want it to have the right taste once the meat is added. As water evaporates, even small changes in heat can really alter the final amount. So I don’t use a strict cooking time. When the soup is ready, I base it on the original water level. I monitor the final level to adjust concentration. That way, the flavor stays consistent. If I went strictly by time, then heat variation over two to three hours would make evaporation wildly different. And that would change the flavor. So I try to keep the taste as consistent as possible. Some shops manage with a kind of “good enough” approach— yet their flavor somehow stays consistent. Soup-making is really tricky. That flexible Okinawan style— I actually really like it. It’s kind of charming. Cameraman）You can really hear the sounds of nature in the kitchen. Mr. Ohki）It’s refreshing, for sure. It makes the work environment pleasant. The first time I visited my wife’s family’s Yachimun Café Shīsāen— I thought the same thing. Back then, my father-in-law was still running it as a café owner. I remember thinking, “It must be amazing to work in a place like this.” Never thought I’d actually be the one working here someday. Cameraman）It feels like a very meditative space. Mr. Ohki）Yes, exactly. Cameraman）Are you alone every morning until 10? Yes, until 10 a.m. Sometimes I listen to things while I work, but generally, I enjoy this time a lot. It’s peaceful and fulfilling. Mr. Ohki）This is the meat simmering sauce. Made with soy sauce and mirin, and sugar. We also add salt. We keep some in stock so it’s always ready to use. Now we thin it out to prep just before cutting. For Tōjin Soba noodles, we adjust the thickness a bit. We make two types of noodles. Now we’re going to divide them. Into two kinds. This part here will be for Tōjin soba, and the other is the standard noodle. The steps will differ again from here. Now we’re finally moving on to cutting the noodles. This is the cutting process. This machine automatically sprinkles flour. It helps prevent the noodles from sticking together. The flour is essential for separation. This is for regular soba. We slightly adjust the thickness again. Then, we follow the same process. And it’s done. Excuse me. Our noodles are slightly different in thickness. According to historical records of Tōjin soba, the noodles were described as thick. So we make them a little thicker. Cameraman）So this is the thicker one? Mr. Ohki）Yes, it might not be obvious at first glance, but once boiled, they puff up. That’s when you can really tell the difference. The way the soup clings to the noodles changes too. And the texture becomes noticeably different. To strengthen the noodles— we knead them to give them bounce. Personally, I prefer noodles with a chewy, springy texture. Kneading them helps achieve that. It gives them that firmness. Cameraman）So they curl from that process? Yes, that’s part of it. Cameraman）Do you let them rest in that state? Yes, exactly. These won’t be served today. Probably two days from now. We leave them at room temperature for a while. Udon is kneaded by foot, right? This is a bit similar to that. Cameraman）What is Tōjin soba, exactly? San Shokuhin published some materials long ago. There’s a document that explains the origin of Tōjin soba. Cameraman）Did it start in Naha? Apparently, yes. That’s what the records show. It’s said that Chinese merchants were the first to make black-broth soba, and that became the root of Okinawa soba. That’s the story. Tōjin soba came from that origin. What we serve now is a recreation of that Tōjin soba. The broth is black, and sliced pork is placed on top— that’s the classic form of Tōjin soba. Cameraman）Is it an old dish? It first appeared over a hundred years ago. That’s when Tōjin soba was first introduced to Okinawa. That’s what the documents say. Cameraman）So it’s the prototype of Okinawa soba? Apparently so. Someone who worked there was the first to make Okinawa soba. That document is pretty rare. I searched for it desperately. Not many people have a copy. As for Tōjin soba’s broth, we make it and freeze it in advance. It’s a limited-quantity item, so we don’t serve it all the time. We portion it out and keep it frozen. The owner’s wife has arrived at the shop. Cameraman）Is the dog always like this? Yes, pretty much. Though today, it might be extra energetic. Wife）I handle the side dishes. I’m in charge of the small bowls, so to speak. We serve two small side dishes with Izumisoba. There are two. One is sweet-and-sour pickled goya (bitter melon), and the other one varies depending on the day. It’s usually something like seasoned island tofu. We usually include both goya and island tofu. I prepare those. And then I do customer service with one part-time helper. As for the soba, my husband handles the soup, noodles, and meat—all of it. I manage all the little details in the shop. If I don’t do it, no one will. (Husband’s) head’s too full. He does everything back there. He works facing away from the dining area, so I feel like I need to keep an eye on the front of the shop. I handle the customer-facing side. Izumi has no ocean view. It’s in the center of the island. You can’t see the ocean from here. It’s mountains. That’s pretty rare in Okinawa. It feels more like a forest. It’s cool in the summer. The elevation is slightly higher, and it’s a basin. Cool air tends to collect in Izumi. It rains a lot here and stays cool. It’s a summer retreat, but in winter— it can get close to zero degrees Celsius. Some elders even say it used to snow here. Especially in the higher areas of Izumi. I was born here. Lived here until I was 15, through junior high. Then for high school, I moved to Naha. Lived in a dorm and later on my own. Then I moved to Kanagawa for work. Stayed there for about 10 years. Then came back for various reasons— Back home here. Close to my parents’ house again. Cameraman）You met your husband at your previous job? Yes, yes. It was back when we worked in Kanagawa. But you know, once we had kids, we felt that Okinawa was a better place to live. For the kids especially, being around nature is important. We wanted them to grow up close to nature. Cameraman）How old are your children now? Ten, six, and five. Our first was born in Yokohama. The second was born in a hospital in Naha. The third was born, and two months later we moved back here to my family’s house. That’s when we opened the shop. Cameraman）Do just the two of you run the shop? It’s the two of us, plus one helper. One part-time staff member, so three of us in total. That’s our team. At first, it was just the two of us—no part-timer. Running the shop with just the two of us. It was really tough. But everyone’s amazing. In all our customer service— we’ve never once received a complaint. They’re wonderful. Now I’ll start making the Jūshī (seasoned rice). This is the rice we soaked. For the Jūshī. Okinawa soba broth. Sake. Now we add the mixed seasonings. Sliced pork. Dried shiitake mushrooms. We use the carrots from the broth, instead of throwing them away. We keep them in the fridge. We usually have lard in stock, but we’re out today, so we’re using this lard instead for the Jūshī. Lard. Our daughter named him— His name is Makura. He’s a boy. This dog was actually given to us by a regular customer. Their dog had puppies, and they were looking for homes. So we offered to take one. He’s still only about a year old. Still young and full of energy. Lie down, lie down. Lie down, lie down, lie down. Lie down! Lie down! We do most of our prep work in the morning and after closing. During business hours, it’s mostly just serving. Good morning. Thank you very much. We’ve been serving this since day one: Sweet-pickled goya. It’s marinated for over five days. It takes a lot of effort. I’ve thought about stopping it, but my husband insists we keep it. (For the tuna), we drain the oil and just use the meat. Mentsuyu sauce. Sesame oil. Mix it all together. Add about two ice cubes. It’s a bit too salty as is, so we adjust it with this. This was marinated the day before yesterday. It’s a sweet-pickle style. We massage it daily to bring it to this state. Until opening— which is at 11 a.m. The other side dish is island tofu. We get fresh tofu every morning. Sometimes it’s island tofu, sometimes it’s regular tofu, but it’s mostly island tofu. I go to a tofu shop in Nago in the morning and buy it there. I cut it to this size. If you cut it too early, it loses its flavor. So I cut it about five minutes before serving. That’s how we do the tofu. The dog’s jumper is missing. He doesn’t have clothes anymore. We bought it, though… Ah… Sorry, boy. It’s cold today. Makura… Cameraman）Is that Makura’s outfit? It’s a cape. We actually bought a dog jumper, but it got lost yesterday. Since it’s cold today, we used our daughter’s old vest as a makeshift cape for him. He has free time in the morning, right? Out in the mountains— for about 30 minutes. That’s when the vest must have gotten lost. We searched a lot, all through the mountains. Cameraman）Do you only use lard for the Jūshī? Mr. Ohki）Yes, for the Jūshī. Cameraman）Does it make a difference? Mr. Ohki）The flavor changes completely. In Okinawan Jūshī, it’s traditional to use lard—I’ve heard that before. That inspired me as well. Right now, we’re thawing it. Cameraman）Is that the broth for Tōjin soba? Mr. Ohki）Yes, it is. Cameraman）Is soy sauce the base for Tōjin soba? Yes, soy sauce is the base. Mr. Ohki）It’s kind of like pork broth with added soy sauce. Some shops add bonito broth as well. Cameraman）What’s this? Part-timer）That’s Kōrēgūsu. It’s a classic Okinawan condiment for soba. It’s just chilies steeped in awamori (Okinawan liquor). We buy the awamori, and sometimes customers bring us chilies as gifts. They say, “These are from my garden.” Island chili peppers. We pack them from the top. This much— about this much. Then seal it. After one or two months, it becomes like this. All the heat comes out. And we use it like this. How many are in there? Maybe 40 or 50 peppers. Cameraman）Are those local too? Yes, they are. Some are from people in Izumi. Others come from Motobu. Like couples who come to eat soba. We have several people who bring them for us. The flavor also depends on the awamori you use. It changes slightly. Ours might be a bit stronger. Usually it’s 25% alcohol, but ours is 30%. So it’s stronger. It’s alcohol. If you add a lot of Kōrēgūsu, it gets very spicy. We just leave the peppers soaking forever, so it gets spicier and spicier. Cameraman）Are these all drawings of Makura? Our six-year-old daughter and seven-year-old son drew them. These are their drawings. My wife saw this photo and painted this. So it’s based on that photo? Tōjin soba has these chunks of pork belly on top, right? Yes, the document I found says “pork pieces about the size of a bean.” So we put slightly small sliced pork on the noodles. Cameraman）What’s this? When we first opened the shop, he’s been with us for a really long time. He became our official shop dog. So we give him little treats. Like sweet potato, or meat— All for Makura. Oh no… It started raining. It’s just about time to turn off the heat. We judge it by the water level. Add salt, and seasonings. Time to flavor the soup. Cameraman）What’s mainly in it? Mainly salt, and some other seasonings. Salt is the main component. We prepare this the day before. Lately we’ve been using enoki, and topping it with enoki sauce. Cameraman）What did you just add? Salted kelp. Then let it steam a little. This is the Jūshī we just finished cooking. The shop is now open. Menu. Ticket machine. Wife）Now that the goya has been cut by the staff, I’ll take over and finish the prep. Sprinkling sugar and salt draws out the bitterness. Even while serving customers, I always do it like this right after opening. Then let it sit like this for about an hour. Leave it in this state. It draws out a lot of bitterness. After that, we soak it in ice water, and then pickle it in sweet vinegar. Cameraman）Does salt really remove the bitterness from goya? Wife）Yes, it does—through osmotic pressure. If the osmotic pressure changes, even just sugar draws it out. Normally you use salt for that, especially when making champuru. But since we’re serving it raw, I find a sweeter taste easier to eat. Some bitterness remains, so I use both sugar and salt to draw it out. You get a lot of green juice that comes out. After an hour—or even 30 minutes is fine. Then I add sugar again to the pickling vinegar to make it extra sweet. Since we don’t cook it, we always leave it like this. Cameraman）Thank you very much. The first group of customers arrives. Soki soba, and Sanmai-niku soba. Mr. Ohki starts preparing the soba. Mr. Ohki）Welcome. Warming the bowls with hot water. Mr. Ohki）This is how the noodles look. Wife prepares the side dishes. Sweet-pickled goya. Kamaboko (fish cake). Sanmai-niku (pork belly). Bone-in hon-soki (pork spare ribs). Green onions. Wife）Thanks for waiting—Sanmai-niku, right? Sanmai-niku soba. Soki soba. Welcome! Kamaboko and sanmai-niku (pork belly). Bone-in hon-soki (pork spare ribs). Wife）Thanks for waiting—order No. 5! Izumisoba. Jūshī (seasoned rice). Cameraman）What did you order today? Customer）Izumisoba. A friend told me about this place. My friend runs a restaurant and recommended it. It’s my third time here. Cameraman）Are you from around here? Customer）I’m originally from Okinawa. I went to university nearby. Cameraman）Are you stopping by during work? Customer）Yes, that’s right. Director）How’s the taste? Customer）Still as delicious as ever. Mr. Ohki）The bowl’s design is footprints. Inside is an illustration of a Yanbaru Kuina (Okinawan bird). My wife did the design. She asked a designer friend to create it. They made it for us. Mr. Ohki）Welcome. Come on in. Preparing a large Izumisoba and a sanmai-niku soba. Pouring hot broth over noodles while loosening them with chopsticks. Two slices of kamaboko. Each bowl gets its respective meat topping. Here’s the large one. This should be about right. Here you go. Wife）That’s the large portion—order No. 4! Three Izumisoba, two kids’ soba, and three Jūshī. Mr. Ohki is cooking while his wife prepares for serving. Jelly that comes with the kids’ soba. Sweet-pickled goya. Island tofu (with enoki sauce). Soba dishes are completed one by one. Jūshī infused with rich pork flavor. Thanks for waiting! Here’s your kids’ soba. Kids’ soba. Customer）Looks delicious! Izumisoba. Jūshī. Customer）Looks tasty! So much food—amazing! Delicious goya. The goya is really good too. Cameraman）Where did you come from today? Customer）Today I came from Nakagusuku. I came from Itoman. We’re staying at Kanucha from today. We came here to stay overnight. We just came straight here to have fun. We looked it up on Instagram. Found it in a “Top Soba in Northern Okinawa” ranking. “Izumi” was the same name as one of our friends’ surnames, so we thought, “Let’s go!” We took photos and sent them to that friend. It’s super delicious! Really light and very tasty. Cameraman）How’s the soup? Customer）It’s light and delicious. Such a gentle taste. Good! It has a Yanbaru Kuina pattern on it. It was delicious. Mr. Ohki）Thank you very much. Take care! Pouring the broth. Kamaboko and sanmai-niku (pork belly). Bone-in soki (spare ribs). Wife）Thanks for waiting—here’s the large portion! Staff）Thanks for waiting! Large Izumisoba, right? Large Izumisoba. Cameraman）How does it taste? Customer）The broth flavor is really strong. It’s really delicious. Compared to other Okinawa soba places, the aroma of the broth stands out. We’re here from Tokyo. We came for work. We love Okinawa soba. Customer）It’s our first time. We found it online. It had great reviews. Red pickled ginger. The goya doesn’t taste bitter— It’s not bitter and easy to eat. Really tasty—what a surprise. The flavors in Tokyo are stronger. Okinawa’s flavors are gentler. Wife）Here you go— Soki, Izumisoba, and two plain soba. Loosening the noodles inside the bag. Mr. Ohki）Just soup and noodles. Cameraman）That’s the plain soba?
Mr. Ohki）Yes, plain soba. Next to it, the broth is being prepared. Skillfully plating the soba with practiced hands. The plain soba is finished. Green onions are added—Izumisoba is ready. Soki soba is also complete. Staff）Thank you very much. Customer）Is it good? Child）It’s yummy! Customer）Is this pickled goya? It’s delicious! I’m from Tokyo. My grandmother’s house is in Naha, Okinawa. We came back to visit her. We heard this place was delicious, so we came. It’s our first time here. Cameraman）How is it? Customer）It’s really delicious. Customer）I’ve eaten a lot of Okinawa soba before, but you don’t find many shops with this kind of atmosphere. I’m really glad we came today. Is it good? Child）It’s yummy! Customer）The taste was just right—not too strong, not too light. I even drank all the soup. I want to come again. I’ll definitely be a regular. The jūshī was delicious too, and the side dishes were great. There was plenty of food—now I’m going home full. The house has an old Okinawan home vibe, like grandma’s house—it felt comforting. You can enjoy your meal while watching the nature outside. We had a really good time. Our kid ate a lot of the kids’ soba. All of it, right? Show a thumbs-up! Child）Thumbs-up! Customer）Thumbs-up! It was delicious. Child）Bye-bye! Wife）Two regular Izumisoba. Even past lunch, the orders keep coming. Wife）Order No. 3! Customer）So much green and animals we don’t see in Tokyo. The air is something you can’t experience in Tokyo. I’m glad we came. It was really delicious. I’d love to come again. Next time, with my family. Fully packed. The shop is full of people enjoying Okinawa soba. Mr. Ohki keeps cooking without taking a break. Wife）Thank you for waiting. Order No. 1—Soki soba. Wife）Next is Izumisoba. Staff）Please be careful. Bye-bye! Customer）It was delicious. Customer）Thank you for the meal.
Mr. Ohki）Thank you very much. Customer）Was it good? Child）The noodles were yummy. Customer）The noodles were good? Child）The soba was tasty! Customer）The atmosphere is so nice. Like a traditional old house. Customer）It felt like time was flowing slowly. Lots of greenery too. It feels like a hidden retreat. Really lovely place. Customer）The kids ate a lot too— Sorry they were a bit noisy! But the staff were so kind. Child）I ate a lot! Wife）Thank you very much. We’ll hold onto the ticket for you. There’s a self-serve water station too. Wife）One kids’ soba and one Tōjin soba. Mr. Ohki）Tōjin soba order in? Wife）Yes. Mr. Ohki）I’m gonna forget how to make it! Thanks for waiting! Wife）Here’s your Tōjin soba. It comes with Jūshī. Tōjin soba—the origin of Okinawa soba, it is said. Mid-thick curly noodles soak up the rich broth beautifully. Tender bite-sized pork belly, soaked in sweet-savory sauce—absolutely irresistible. The soy-based soup evokes a nostalgic journey through time. Rice? Forgotten. This savory dashi-flavored Jūshī steals the spotlight. Their signature dish: classic Okinawa soba with bonito-based broth. Topped luxuriously with bone-in soki and pork belly. Springy noodles with a refreshing smooth bite. One mouthful—and you’ll understand why Izumisoba is so beloved. Pork belly that bursts with savory flavor the moment it hits your tongue. A perfect harmony of meaty sweetness and dashi depth—this is soki at its finest. Crisp and refreshing sweet-pickled goya adds a final touch. This was “Izumisoba,” a humble Okinawa soba eatery quietly nestled in the forests of Yanbaru. Kobe, Japan 3-minute walk from Chuo Ichiba-mae station Sanshouan, established 23 years ago Close encounter with one of Kobe’s best super-heavy udon restaurants. Udon noodle portions: 800 g for regular, 500 g for small.
(usually 180-250g per serving) Sanshouan Owner：Shuichi Sumi (59) I’m off to make udon noodles. I’m going to cut the stretched dough (Director) It’s so big! Utsuwa! (Mr. Sumi) This is a normal serving This is a small (serving) Small is 500g 800g for a normal serving 1 ball sold is about 4 balls A normal serving is. 50 yen off from there. 500 g of small Owner’s sister at work Preparation of kake-dashi soup San Shoan’s speciality
Preparation of toriten The famous toriten (chicken tempura) is prepared at a time.
More than three to four kilograms are prepared at a time. Soy sauce Making tempura batter Part-time workers at work Soup for bukkake udon noodles Temporary frying of toriten (Director) Is this all?
(Staff) Yes. (Director) That’s a huge amount. (Staff) It’s going to run out at about 12:30. In the morning, about three to four kilograms is gone very quickly Prepared in advance
Maitake mushroom rice Cleaning of the shop 11:30 Opening of the shop Seating at counter Table seating Tatami room seating Menu Many customers arrive as soon as the restaurant opens (Staff) Toriten cold small, please -! The made noodles are boiled. Tempura is also fried at once. Toriten bukkake udon (cold, small) Toriten bukkake udon (hot) (Staff) Toriten hot udon noodles (hot), the Tsuyu sauce is cold. Here you go. Oyako-don Tempura bukkake udon Tenzaru udon Chiku-ten-tama bukkake udon Inside the restaurant where the number of customers never stops In the kitchen, orders are constantly being passed around. Toriten bukkake udon (cold), large. Zaru udon set meal Kitsune udon set meal Curry udon Tempura bukkake udon noodles (small) Toriten bukkake (hot) (small) Toriten bukkake udon noodles, egg temp. Additional udon noodles are made between sales Toriten bukkake udon (large) Maitake mushroom bukkake Tenzaru udon (Staff) Thank you for waiting~! Curry udon (Male customer) (Udon) The firmness is amazing. And the noodles are so thick. It’s very satisfying to eat. (Female visitor) (From home) I haven’t been here in a year because it’s so close.
I saw TikTok. There was usually a huge line. I just wanted to come and eat. I’m happy with the quantity! (Male customer) Because it’s too late to come There will be no noodles 800 g It’s still a great way to eat! (Director) How much?
(Female customer) Small. (Female customer) 500 (g) for small. This is also delicious! There’s a bit more of a pile of this. (Male customer) I think we’re about halfway through this now? (Female customer) But small. (Male customer) But a large serving weighs 1.5 kg (Director) 1.5 kg? (Male customer) When I ate before, I suffered! (Female customer) You didn’t eat any leftovers, did you?
(Male customer) I ate without any leftovers! Mentaiko (cod roe) Mentaiko Kamatama Cold. Wakame udon noodles (Staff) Yes! Thank you for waiting~!
Oyako-don: Mini udon noodles, please! (Male customer) Yes! Thank you for the food!
(Staff) Thank you very much! (Male customer 1) I am, yes. I had the mentaiko kamatama today. It has a lot of mentaiko and a lot of mentaiko It was very tasty. And all sorts of udon shops and things like that. I go there quite a lot, but In terms of quantity, it’s overwhelmingly here. The cost is also very good, so I’ve been here quite a few times. The amount of toriten is so much. Like super voluminous. (Male customer 2) Toriten, palm-sized I get about five or six pieces of toriten on top of me. (Male customer 2) That’s right. (Male customer 1) The taste is already 5 stars!
(Male customer 2) It’s delicious! Male customer 2) The noodles are chunky! (Director) Thank you very much. (Male customer) Thank you very much. Actual meal 1 Curry udon Water-soluble potato starch Curry udon Actual meal 2 Toriten bukkake udon (cold, large) Toriten bukkake udon large Size comparison Actual meal 3 Maitake mushroom rice Maitake mushroom rice, small 3:00 pm Lunch service ends. (Mr. Kaku) My predecessor 10 years.
13 years for me.　 So 23 years. I mean, it’s more like a corporate effort.
That’s one of those things, but… Perhaps a little bit. We’re on the edge.
There’s a part of me that’s running the shop. Because the location is also a place Still, please choose I can get them to come.
If you have a customer… Even if it’s just for a little while.
I hope I can keep trying for a long time. People around me ask me why I go to such lengths (to run a store). I hope they’re happy with it. It’s a balance, isn’t it? Price, volume, taste… How much you can do with the price. In that price. How well you can do it. Maintain. I hope the customer is happy Volume and so on. I’ll do my best to maintain it!

0:00　ろあん松田
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住所　兵庫県丹波篠山市丸山１５４

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55:51　伊豆味そば
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住所　〒905-0221 沖縄県国頭郡本部町伊豆味１４８０

2:06:11　讃松庵
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住所　兵庫県神戸市兵庫区切戸町６−１８

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