Soba: History, Types & Health Benefits

From ramen to somen and udon, Japan is known for noodles. But one of the most classically Japanese noodle dishes is soba, which is typically made of a mix of buckwheat flour and white wheat flour, but can also be made with 100% buckwheat flour for gluten-free noodles. Soba noodles can be enjoyed either cold or hot, making it the perfect dish for any season. Served chilled, soba comes with a side of mentsuyu as a dipping sauce. It can also be served as a hot soba noodle soup, topped with tempura or kamaboko fish cake slices. With a characteristically nutty flavor and pleasant rustic texture, soba noodles taste delicious and also happen to be healthy.

Soba is said to have originated from Central Asia and was brought to Japan from China sometime during the Jomon Period. The first records of soba noodles are from the Nara Period (710-794), a time when buckwheat was the food of commoners and was eaten to stave off famine. 

Soba noodles became rooted in the traditions of Japan; in particular, a Japanese New Year’s custom is to eat soba noodles on the evening of December 31st. Called toshikoshi soba, this annual tradition symbolizes a long and healthy life, as the noodles are kept long and slurped up.

Japan has many seasonal festivals throughout the year, each coming with their own traditional dishes to enjoy. This Kanagawa cooking class teaches recipes revolving around a different holiday each month.

If you join the class in November, you’ll learn about Japanese New Years Eve traditions while making a bowl of delicious toshikoshi soba alongside two or three side dishes. You’ll also receive an English recipe booklet so you can add toshikoshi soba to your own New Years traditions at home.  

Book Seasonal Festive Japanese Cooking Class

Although it may look complicated, making your homemade soba noodles is not that hard at all, if you have the right technique. The ingredients are simple, just buckwheat flour, white wheat flour, and water. Combine the two types of flour and mix in the water until rough and crumbly, then knead it. The hardest part is rolling it out to an even thickness and cutting the dough into evenly shaped noodles. 

Want to try it for yourself with all the special tools and an expert teacher to guide you? Join a handmade soba cooking class or browse some soba experiences to taste these healthy buckwheat noodles for yourself.

This is one of the simplest soba noodle dishes. It consists of cooked, rinsed, and chilled soba noodles that are served in a zaru (traditional bamboo basket). Served alongside the noodles is a small bowl of dipping sauce made of soy sauce, mirin, and dashi. There are also other condiments and side dishes to spice up the meal, like fresh green onions, spicy wasabi, or thin slices of nori.

Another popular way to enjoy soba noodles is as a hot dish. For kake soba, the soba noodles are boiled then drained. The hot broth (made with soy sauce, mirin, and dashi) is then poured over the noodles. Kake soba has a very mild flavor but is usually seasoned with spring onions for freshness, and fish cake may also be included.

If you’re a fan of golden, deep-fried tempura, you’ll love tempura soba. This dish can be served either hot or cold. The hot version features the soba topped with seafood or vegetable tempura, whereas the cold version comes with a separate bowl of dipping sauce, where both the tempura and soba should be dipped as you eat them.

Find out more: Best Tempura Restaurants in Tokyo

Kitsune soba is another popular soba noodle dish, which comes in two versions: hot and cold. The soba is topped with aburaage, a thin and slightly sweet piece of fried tofu. 

Compared to noodles made solely from white wheat, buckwheat is lower in calories. This makes it a healthy substitute for other types of pasta.

Contrary to its name, buckwheat is not actually a type of wheat. Instead, it is composed of grain-like seeds. So, people with celiac disease or gluten intolerance can still enjoy soba noodles, as long as the soba is made with 100% buckwheat flour. (Make sure to check this ahead of time as soba is sometimes made using a mix of buckwheat and white wheat flour.) 

Gluten-free in Japan? Read our post about Gluten-Free Restaurants in Tokyo or browse gluten-free experiences on byFood. 

The main ingredient in soba noodles, buckwheat flour, is high in fiber. Dietary fiber keeps food moving through the digestive tract and contributes to a fuller, more satisfied feeling, reducing overeating. 

There are 6-8 grams of protein in a 2-ounce (dry) serving of soba. Protein is an essential component for building muscles and bones, and increases feelings of satiety, so you feel fuller for longer. Buckwheat is also a plant protein, so vegetarians and vegans alike can enjoy soba noodles. Looking for more plant-based Japanese foods? See our blog post about Vegetarian Restaurants in Tokyo and our Tokyo Vegan Guide. 

If you are too busy to try making your own soba or you want to try out a more authentic feel, then you can dine out at a soba noodle restaurant. These restaurants are all over the country, and you’ll likely see displays of plastic food models outside the shops. You can also enjoy soba experiences during a variety of food tours and cooking classes in Japan, and taste these healthy buckwheat noodles for yourself. 

If you can’t wait to try soba for yourself check out the best soba restaurants in Tokyo! Or, if you are feeling fancy, check out the most affordable Michelin-starred restaurants in Tokyo, which features two Michelin-rated soba restaurants.