Hitachiota, Ibaraki, Japan｜西金砂そばの郷 そば工房

I received some delicious new soba noodles♪ Kenchin soba is a specialty. Two pieces of conger eel were tough. One bottle is enough. The autumn leaves are also wonderful. The field after harvesting soba is bright red with autumn leaves.

A hermitage in the Nishikanasuna area, the birthplace of Hitachi Aki Soba There is a monument commemorating the visit of His Imperial Highness Prince Hitachi in front of the eaves of the main building. ■July 18, 2022, early afternoon ■Hitachi Aki Soba Juwari Soba (Large) ■I visited Hitachi Aki Soba no Iori again this year, accompanied by a couple living in Mito City who enjoy making soba themselves. We will take you by car to the famous restaurants listed in the booklet "SOBADO Soba Michi" published by Hitachiota City. ■You drive along the prefectural road from Mito city, and as you gradually get deeper into the mountains, you realize that your destination is near. When I turned right, the houses disappeared, and after walking for a while, I saw a hermitage that looked like a private house, which at the time was thought to be quite Japanese modern. ■It is run by local housewives, so it can be described as local home cooking. It is actually the first soba specialty store to open in the now well-known Kanasago area. ■In a corner of the garden in front of the eaves, there is a monument to His Imperial Highness Prince Masahito of Hitachinomiya. It is said that His Imperial Highness, who loved Hitachi so much that he named it Hitachinomiya because he wanted the name of the imperial family, visited the restaurant with his classmates shortly after it opened. The elegance of a small, inconspicuous monument. ■Back then, buckwheat noodles were actually grown in the field next to the hermitage, but unfortunately it is no longer possible to tour the farmland. It seems that the number of successors to farmers has decreased, and they have concentrated on suitable land a little further away. ■I was recommended the "Juwari Zaru Soba" and it was a large portion. If you choose a seat, you can also watch the dough being ground in a stone mill and made by hand. It is thinly sliced, soft, and light brown in color. It has a good crispness and doesn't come apart in your mouth. ■In Edomae, the soba soup is often kept a secret, but it is local soba. Established in 1987, it carries a signboard for Yonebishi Soy Sauce in Hitachiota City. If it's made in a cedar vat, it's definitely domestically produced whole soybeans. A taste of my hometown that shares its roots with Mito natto. ■For the first bite, simply enjoy the soba noodles. For the second bite, wash the soba with a choko containing only water. There would be no complaints if this was well water, but it is tap water that has been purified from river water in modern times. My third bite was my first soba soup with Yonebishi soy sauce. I also added chopped green onions and grated wasabi, but in the end I returned to the mizukuchi. ■After dinner, head to Fukuroda Falls, a nationally designated special scenic spot, to cool off. Approximately 30 kilometers in distance. The road weaves through the gentle mountains of Okukuji and the gently meandering river. The famous waterfall, which was selected as a geopark, was formed by the erosion of a lava dome that was born on the ocean floor and rose up. It is said to be academically valuable. ■This summer, the amount of water was low, and the water flowing down the rocks like the soba noodles above was impressive. Although the water source is still far away, Hitachi Aki Soba grows in the clear water of this water system. Is it a waterfall that the sportsman knows about?Water for soba noodles

The red clay new soba was very delicious with its aroma and sweetness. I wish the service and atmosphere were a little better. However, the inside of the store is spacious and is recommended if you want to gather around and enjoy delicious soba noodles.