Local specialties

Izumo Soba

  • 32Shimane

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  • 32Shimane

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Izumo Soba
Image attribution: AI-generated image · GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst

Dark-colored soba from the Izumo region, made by grinding buckwheat with its hulls and eaten cold as warigo soba or hot as kamaage soba.

Dish profile

About this dish

History and origin
In the early Edo period, Matsudaira Naomasa, the first lord of the Matsue domain, is said to have brought soba makers with him when he moved from the Matsumoto domain in Shinshu, spreading soba throughout the Izumo region. Warigo soba is said to derive from people in the castle town of Matsue carrying soba in square tiered boxes.
When it is eaten
Although it is now available year-round, its peak season is considered to be the shin-soba (new soba) period, when buckwheat harvested in autumn is used. At the Kamiari Festival in the tenth month of the old lunar calendar, hot kamaage shin-soba used to be served at stalls.
How it is eaten
Cold warigo soba is eaten by pouring cold tsuyu (dipping broth) directly over soba served in round tiered boxes called "warigo." Hot kamaage soba was served at stalls during the Kamiari Festival by putting boiled soba in a bowl without rinsing it and adding soba cooking water and condiments; diners add tsuyu themselves to adjust the flavor.

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  • PorkPork: no direct clue found (absence is not confirmed)
  • Alcohol (mirin / sake)Alcohol (mirin / sake): no direct clue found (absence is not confirmed)

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