Naniwa Okina

The soba joint found its home in 1930 along the quaint streets of Oimatsu Dori, once a pilgrim stop and now an antique-filled stretch. Third-generation owner Kanda Takuji witnesses the evolution of Naniwa Okina through the leadership of his grandfather and father before he assumes ownership. Today, Kanda sources buckwheat seeds from across Japan and kneads them by hand in the store — never in bulk, but just enough to last the day. Honing his craft under a soba master, he cuts the noodles to perfect thickness. His unwavering dedication to the soba craft shines through in the seemingly simple offerings of two signatures: zaru and juwari. For the zaru soba, Kanda blends a 20-80 ratio of buckwheat and wheat flour, while the juwari boasts 100% buckwheat flour and showcases the quality of his house-milled grains. Specialty soba dishes, such as clam or meat soba, highlight ingredients sourced from trusted partners. With eyes looking forward, Kanda never forgets Naniwa Okina's heritage. Even the dashi stock maintains the same recipe as that passed down from his grandfather.