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Japanese people love and eat noodles such as soba, udon, ramen, pasta, and somen, but soba is the only noodle that has "Japanese" in its name, making it a very familiar food culture for the Japanese people.

Nowadays, soba noodles are long, thin noodles, but until the middle of the Edo period, soba noodles were generally in the form of dumpling-shaped "sobagaki." When sobagaki, which are thin slices of soba noodles, were invented, the noodles we see today became common, and it seems that the beginning of soba restaurants was in 1789 in Azabu Nagasakacho, Edo, when a traveling merchant from Shinshu, Uemon, put up a sign that read "Shinshu Sarashina Soba Place."

After that, the culture of eating soba spread throughout Japan, and each region developed its own soba culture. Currently, Hokkaido ranks first in the country in terms of both soba cultivation area and production volume, and soba culture has taken root here in Otaru as well. We will introduce some delicious soba restaurants in Otaru.

Otaru Soba

Give Otaru as a gift.

From the "Old Otaru Warehouse" overlooking the canal,
From UNGAPLUS, which brings you the "Story of Otaru" that walked alongside the Kitamae ships,
We will introduce you to "Places to visit in Otaru."

Please enjoy Otaru.

8 recommended soba restaurants in Otaru

↓ Otaru Soba Restaurant Yabuhan
↓ Handmade Soba Kimura
↓ Handmade soba noodles
↓ Fresh Soba Ichifuku
↓ Aramata
↓ Kobiyama Soba Restaurant
↓ Kurumiya Soba Restaurant
↓ Minamitaru Sandpit

Find out more about Otaru's gourmet food

Delicious Otaru Soba - Otaru Sightseeing ①

Otaru Soba Restaurant Yabuhan

A famous restaurant that you should definitely visit if you come to Otaru.

Located in a back alley about a five-minute walk from Otaru Station, this long-established soba restaurant was founded in 1954. It's a must-visit when you come to Otaru. The elegant Japanese-style building exudes the dignity of a famous restaurant. The building itself is a dignified fusion of the stone storehouse of the Shiratori family, a herring fishing boss, the historic Gorakuen (former residence of Kanazawa Tomojiro), and an old traditional Japanese restaurant. You can choose from two types of soba: local flour noodles (produced in Hokkaido) or regular flour noodles (a blend of imported wheat). We recommend the herring soba, which exudes the essence of Otaru, a port town that prospered from herring fishing, and the popular sea urchin soba. The restaurant's hidden number one dish, curry soba, is also hard to resist.

Delicious Otaru soba

Store name : Otaru Soba Restaurant Yabuhan
Address : 2-19-14 Inaho, Otaru, Hokkaido
phone : 0134-33-1212
Opening hours : [Mon-Sat] 11:00-15:00, 18:00-20:30
11:00-15:00, 17:00-20:00
Closed : Every Tuesday, twice a month on irregular Wednesdays
Credit cards : accepted
Home page　Click here for the homepage

Delicious Otaru Soba - Otaru Sightseeing②

Handmade Soba Kimura

This soba is said to be one of the best in the city.

The owner, who has been a chef in Otaru for over 30 years, has a strong love for soba noodles, and in 2009 he renovated the first floor of his home to open Handmade Soba Kimura. The owner's passion for soba noodles and dedication to learning has resulted in the creation of soba noodles that are said to be among the best in the city. The soba flour is a blend of the Nakagawa native variety from Kuromatsunai and Kitawase from Bihoro, milled in-house. This soba restaurant is particular about hand-making soba noodles with a 10:1 ratio of buckwheat flour to wheat flour. Although it is located in a residential area away from the city center, it is a thriving restaurant that is packed with people at lunchtime.

Delicious Otaru soba

Store name : Handmade Soba Kimura
Address : 3-16-8 Saiwai, Otaru, Hokkaido
phone : 0134-29-0262
Opening hours : 11:30-15:00 (until sold out)
Closed : Wednesdays and Thursdays (occasionally closed on other days)
Credit cards : not accepted

Delicious Otaru Soba - Otaru Sightseeing ③

Handmade soba noodles "Ironai"

Listed in the Michelin Bib Gourmand in 2017.

Ironai Handmade Soba is a soba restaurant located in a stone warehouse on Ironai Street. The stone warehouse was renovated and opened in 2004 (Heisei 16). The restaurant serves coarsely ground, hand-made soba noodles made with buckwheat flour from Horokanai Town, Hokkaido. Its quality is such that it was featured in the Michelin Bib Gourmand in 2017. They prepare around 30 servings daily and close when they are sold out. Their limited edition "Country Soba," made slightly thicker, is exquisite.

Delicious Otaru soba

Store name : Handmade Soba Iro-nai
Address : 1-5-8 Ironai, Otaru, Hokkaido
phone : 0134-33-1671
Opening hours : 11:00-14:00 (until sold out)
Closed : Wednesdays and two other irregular days a month
Credit cards not accepted

Delicious Otaru Soba - Otaru Sightseeing ④

Fresh Soba Ichifuku

If you ask any soba lover, this name will always come up.

Opened on June 2nd, 1894 (Meiji 27), Nama Soba Ichifuku has been in business for around 130 years. The founder, originally from Tottori, settled in Hokkaido hoping to make a name for himself. Now run by the fourth generation, Ichifuku is a restaurant that is sure to be mentioned by soba lovers in the city. It is the oldest soba restaurant still in operation in Otaru. A thriving establishment with deep roots in the local community, Ichifuku's smooth Sarashina soba noodles are deliciously combined with the broth.

Delicious Otaru soba

Store name : Fresh Soba Ichifuku
Address : 1-6-8 Ironai, Otaru, Hokkaido
phone : 0134-22-1043
Opening hours : 11:00-15:00, 17:00-19:00
Closed days : Irregular
Credit cards : not accepted
Home page　Click here for the homepage

Delicious Otaru Soba - Otaru Sightseeing ⑤

Aramata

Thin, white Sarashina-style 28% buckwheat soba noodles.

Aramata, run by an owner who trained for 13 years at Otaru's famous Yabuhan before going independent, serves thin, white Sarashina-style 28% buckwheat soba noodles. Facing the central market, the restaurant has a hideaway-like appearance as you enter through a long, narrow passageway. The interior, with its subdued lighting that isn't too bright, has a slightly more mature atmosphere. All of the buckwheat flour, including the wheat flour used as a binder, is produced in Hokkaido. The soba noodles have a firm texture and are easy to swallow, and the soup has a refreshing taste with just the right amount of spiciness. To bring out the flavor of the broth, the owner is particular about shaving bonito flakes before making the broth. In the evening, the soba menu is limited to standard dishes, with the addition of a la carte dishes to go with sake.

Delicious Otaru soba

Store name : Aramata
Address : 3-4-12 Inaho, Otaru, Hokkaido
phone : 0134-27-8288
Opening hours : 11:30-15:00, 17:30-20:00
Closed : Wednesdays
Credit cards : not accepted

Delicious Otaru Soba - Otaru Sightseeing ⑥

Soba Restaurant Kobiyama

Hand-made "100% buckwheat soba" made with "Ranboshi buckwheat flour."

Sobadokoro Kobiyama is located in the Central Market Building 1. The bright and clean interior has four counter seats and table seating. The handmade "100% buckwheat soba" made with "Ranboshi buckwheat flour" is thin and smooth to the touch. The soy sauce used is from a brewery that has been in business in Nagano since the Edo period. We recommend the "Iwanori Soba" with its slightly sweet broth and the aroma of rock seaweed.

Delicious Otaru soba

Store name : Soba Restaurant Kobiyama
Address : Otaru Central Market Building, 3-11-1 Inaho, Otaru, Hokkaido
phone : 090-9511-0156
Opening hours : 11:30-14:30, 18:00-24:00
Closed : Mondays
Credit cards : not accepted

Delicious Otaru Soba - Otaru Sightseeing ⑦

Soba and Sake Restaurant Kurumiya

Handmade country soba noodles are prepared starting at 6am.

Soba Sake Shop Kurumiya is located about a 10-minute walk from Minami-Otaru Station, adjacent to Otaru Sumiyoshi Shrine. It opened on October 7, 2018. The first thing that catches your eye when you enter the restaurant is a stylish 10-seat table with a hearth and spacious raised seating. The owner starts preparing his handmade country soba noodles at 6am. The broth is made from Rishiri kelp and 3-5 types of bonito flakes, and the seasoning is soy sauce from Chiba Prefecture. As the large "sake" sign at the entrance of the restaurant suggests, "soba appetizers" are also one of the restaurant's selling points.

Delicious Otaru soba

Store name : Kurumiya Soba and Sake Restaurant
Address : 2-5-1 Suminoe, Otaru, Hokkaido
phone : 0134-65-0008
Opening hours : 11:00-15:00, 17:00-21:00
Closed days : 11:30-15:00, 17:30-21:00
Sunday 11:30-15:00
Credit cards : not accepted

Delicious Otaru Soba - Otaru Sightseeing ⑧

Minamitaru Sandbox

We recommend the specialty "Nishin Soba."

Minamitaru Sunaba is located in front of JR Minami-Otaru Station. The soba and tsuyu are characterized by the so-called "Nihachi soba" which is made with 80% buckwheat flour and 20% wheat flour. You can choose between hand-made country soba, which is medium-thick and slightly flat, and Sarashina soba, which is made with white buckwheat flour known as Ichibanko. Both have a good aroma, smooth texture, and a good bite. The rich, sweet tsuyu broth adds a rich flavor to your mouth. The restaurant's specialty, Nishin soba, is highly recommended.

Delicious Otaru soba

Store name : Minamitaru Sanda
Address : 9-10 Sumiyoshicho, Otaru, Hokkaido
phone : 0134-34-1293
Opening hours : 11:30-19:00
Closed days : Irregular
Credit cards : not accepted

UNGAPLUS

Good luck from the shipping town of Otaru...
May the flow that has been protected without interruption be your ally and open up your luck.

During the Meiji period, Otaru flourished as the gateway to the development of Hokkaido.
Kitamae ships flapped their pure white sails across the ocean, traveling to and from Honshu and bringing many goods and cultures to this area.

UNGAPLUS delivers original products that incorporate the history and culture of Otaru, as well as high-quality products from the ports of call of the Kitamae ships, from the former Otaru Main Warehouse, the first commercial warehouse in Hokkaido, built by Kitamae ship owners Nishide Magozaemon and Nishitani Shohachi.

The story of Otaru, which has walked alongside the Kitamae ships, can be heard from this place.

We are looking forward to your visit and have a wide selection of original items that are only available here and make great souvenirs.

Click here for details on "UNGAPLUS" Store name : UNGAPLUS

address : 2-1-20 Ironai, Otaru 047-0031

phone : 0134-65-8150

Opening hours : 10:00~18:00

Closed days : Open everyday

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