noodles at
Jōten-ji temple.
Enni, the temple's founder, is traditionally believed to have brought noodlemaking back to Japan from China.
Background Traces of buckwheat have been found at
Neolithic sites in Japan, dating to 4000–2000 BCE, during the
Jōmon period. Buckwheat cultivation was first recorded in the
Shoku Nihongi, in an imperial edict of 722 CE issued by
Empress Genshō, instructing farmers to plant buckwheat in response to
drought and
famine. 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. 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. More mentions of soba noodles follow throughout the early 1600s.
Edo period . By Takehara Shunchōsai, 1796–1798 Modern soba originates from the
Edo period (1603–1868), centered around the city of Edo (modern
Tokyo). 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 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, 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. At the time, much of the city's population was susceptible to
beriberi, due to high consumption of white rice, which is low in
thiamine. 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. 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
Edo period Modern , Tokyo 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, or traditional establishments whose names have passed down over time. Some restaurants serve soba and
udon together, since both are prepared and eaten in a similar manner.
Railway stations often sell soba, as it is a popular and inexpensive
fast food. They are frequently purchased by busy
salarymen. 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 (eastern Japan), while
udon is more popular in the
Kansai region (western Japan), though there are exceptions. Soba is traditionally eaten on
New Year's Eve in most areas of Japan. This soba is called
toshikoshi soba ("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 ==