Handmade soba noodles paired with breathtaking snow scenery — a century-old Japanese house hidden in the mountains of Yamagata

When visiting Yamagata, you can’t miss its most famous soba noodles. Even though it’s tucked away in the mountains, Soba Q Jin’ya, which has been open for nearly 30 years and makes handmade soba noodles from self-grown buckwheat, is highly regarded by many.

Push open the wooden door of Sanbyakubou, and the first thing that greets you is the faint fragrance of soba. The second-generation owner, Shohei Okazaki, is busy in the narrow workshop — sifting flour, kneading dough, and cutting noodles — every step done with focus and care. Shohei Okazaki says the biggest difference between the soba here and elsewhere is the ingredients: 100% self-grown buckwheat, with no additives. The resulting noodles have the perfect firmness and retain the most authentic, simple aroma of buckwheat.

▲ Owner Shohei Okazaki making soba noodles on-site.

▲ Noodles made from 100% self-grown buckwheat offer excellent texture and aroma.

Shohei Okazaki also mentioned that among the four seasons, winter is the best time to enjoy soba noodles. The noodles made during this time are the freshest, and the texture is at its peak.If you visit Sanbyakubou in winter, aside from tasting the most traditional and pure flavor of soba, sitting in a 400-year-old house and admiring the enchanting snowy scenery outside the window is an unforgettable experience.

▲ The snow-covered garden in winter is like a dreamy illusion. (Photo by Jiayun Yu, reporter based in Yamagata)