Togakushi Soba (戸隠そば) is a famous variation of soba from Nagano Prefecture (Chubu Region).
It is considered of the “big three” soba types (三大蕎麦) in all of Japan. The noodles are made from local buckwheat flour, and traditionally served on a bamboo platter (i.e zaru) in 5-6 small bunches.
Togakushi (戸隠村) is the name of a former village in Nagano. The area is now part of Nagano City.
Read on for more interesting info about Togakushi soba:
Ingredients
The main ingredients of Togakushi Soba are:
- Soba
That’s it!
Specifically, the soba must be “Shinshu soba” made from local buckwheat flour in Nagano. It is also traditionally served on a bamboo platter in five or six small bunches (known as “bocchimori” ぼっち盛り).
To be considered as Shinshu soba, the noodles must be made with at least 40% buckwheat flour. Togakushi soba is typically served together with a local spicy radish (i.e. Togakushi daikon), and other local wild vegetables.
Location / Where to Eat
Togakushi soba is originally from former Togakushi Village (戸隠村) in Nagano Prefecture. The area is now part of Nagano City. There are still many restaurants in the area that specialize in soba.
Togakushi Soba has become so famous that you can now find many shops outside of the Togakushi area selling it. You can even find “Togakushi soba” sold in supermarkets, though a lot of it is just using the name for marketing purposes. In some cases the name “Togakushi soba” is used as an alternative name to “Shinshu soba”.
To get the real stuff, make sure head over to Togakushi Village!
🥷 Fun fact: Togakushi is also famous for ninja! It is the home of “Togakure-ryu Ninjutsu“, one of Japan’s three great ninjutsu techniques (along with Iga and Koga). There is also a ninja village and ninja museum you can visit.
History / Origin of Togakushi Soba
Soba was originally brought to Togakushi in the Heian Period (794 to 1185) by monks training in the area. Originally, it was in the form of soba balls known as “soba-gaki”, not noodles like it is today. During the Edo period, monks at Togakushi Shrine learned how to make soba noodles (“soba-kiri”), and modern day Togakushi soba was born!
Soba from Nagano (i.e. Shinshu Soba 信州そば) is famous throughout Japan, as the area’s climate and geography are particularly suitable for growing buckwheat. Togakushi in particular is a mountainous area known for its clean and pure water (the 2nd ingredient needed to make soba noodles).
Other types of Shinshu Soba
Togakushi soba might be the most famous type of “Shinshu soba”, but there are plenty of other local types and styles. Here is a list of a few:
- Toji soba (とうじそば),
- Sunki soba (すんきそば),
- Azumino soba（安曇野そば), and
- Oshibori soba (おしぼりそば)
Learn more about Shinshu Soba here
Fun Facts about Togakushi Soba
- Togakushi Soba is one of the big 3 soba dish types in Japan. The other two are Wanko soba from Iwate Prefecture, and Izumo Soba from Shimane Prefecture
- Togakushi soba is often served in 5 small bunches (bocchimori) on a bamboo platter (i.e. zaru). It is said by some that the the five bunches represent the five Togakushi shrines.
- When making togakushi soba, the dough is rolled out into a circle, instead of the usual square
Summary
Have you ever tried togakushi soba before? What did you think of it?
Leave your thoughts and comments below!
