I was lucky to make a reservation and visited the restaurant for the first time on a weekday at 5:30 pm. The head chef at Tatsusho, whom I love, always says, "I only eat soba here," so I had been wanting to visit this place at least once. Due to 6 people rescheduling their reservation, I ended up sitting alone at the counter, enjoying a leisurely 3 and a half hours. The elderly head chef had finished making soba for the day, so I had a 1-on-1 experience with his only apprentice of 10 years. As I sipped on a Heartland beer, the meal began with soba porridge and Soba made from more than one kind of buckwheat flour, both of which were new and exciting experiences for me. We chatted about the head chef, the restaurant, how the apprentice became a disciple, soba, and various dishes, and the apprentice tailored the course to suit me. It was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The perilla leaf soba had a refreshing flavor that tickled my nose. Side dishes like bamboo shoot skin and wasabi pickles were served with sake, and I started drinking Shimetari while enjoying the meal. The apprentice served an omakase course featuring three types of mountain vegetables, which were excellent. The deliciousness of the mountain vegetables was brought out by the Soba made from more than one kind of buckwheat flour, creating a masterpiece that was incredibly tasty. The homemade yuba soba sushi (generous portion, rich yuba flavor) and Hanamaki soba were served to add variety to the meal, followed by tempura of udo and bamboo shoots, and more Soba. The conversation with the apprentice was lively. We drank sake while eating coarse-ground soba and yakisoba, and discussed what kind of meat would be good. I mentioned that duck was a must and that I also wanted to try shrimp. The shrimp tempura, grated yam Soba, and duck and green onion Soba were served. The duck and green onion Soba was incredibly delicious. The duck was juicy and tender, and the green onion had a strong sweetness. It was the most delicious duck and green onion dish I had ever tasted. The apprentice mentioned, "The way to cook duck is still difficult, and I continue to come up with new ideas." Finally, I enjoyed the soba with dipping sauce, tempura dipping sauce, and duck broth, with half served cold and half served hot. The cold soba went well with the dipping sauce, while the hot soba went well with the duck broth. The duck broth was so delicious that I ordered another serving of hot soba. The duck broth hot soba was incredibly tasty. Lastly, I was served two types of soba soup (dipping sauce soba soup and duck broth soba soup) to finish the meal. It was a delicious and heartwarming end to a luxurious 1-on-1 experience. By the time I realized, it was almost 9 pm. I am grateful for this extravagant 1-on-1 experience.

I used to live within walking distance, but I moved a while ago. I always used to eat a la carte, but now that I'm an adult, I tried the kaiseki meal for 3300 yen. They prepared two different types of zaru soba for me to compare, with an additional charge for the extra one. It was amazing. Everything was delicious.

Recently, I have been eating soba more often and decided to re-enroll in the A35 Soba Prep School. To truly understand the deep and unique A35 world, I recommend starting with the basics of soba = school, and then moving on to the prep school = A35. I arrived at the restaurant at 11:30 am when it opened. They have continuous business hours, so you can make a reservation at any time you like. This was my second visit, and this time I had the opportunity to listen to the owner's anecdotes. Today's menu in the A35 world included: miso soba, plum soba porridge, yam soba porridge, fried soba with soba sauce, yukari soba, sarashina soba, soba rolls, yuba rolls, nanban rolls, sesame soba, mizuna soba, nanban soba, fried soba with sweet bean paste, flower roll soba, plum grated soba, coarse-ground soba, yakisoba, small pillar tempura soba, shiso cut soba, yuzu cut soba, soba zenzai, and many more that I can't remember. I enjoyed a generous two-hour meal. I was able to fully enjoy a variety of soba dishes, from soba with soba sauce, to 100% buckwheat soba, 80% buckwheat soba, soba cuts, and soba zenzai. Each dish had a different expression, but there were no failures in the owner's diligently made soba. Especially, I liked the soba cuts. I used to be against them and would never eat them... but recently, I have developed a sense of appreciation for seasonal soba cuts. The hot soba was also wonderful, with a delicate aroma and sweetness that was more pronounced than with cold soba or soba with sauce. Next time, I'll try to focus more on the hot soba. The owner is a chatterbox, and once he starts talking, he won't stop. If there are no other customers around, the conversation won't end. If a boyfriend gets caught up in conversation, his girlfriend might get bored... so be careful when using this place for a date. I was full, but had a pleasant post-meal feeling. Thank you for the feast.

I had a late breakfast at a soba restaurant that felt like it was made by a soba artisan, not just ordinary soba. It was ranked as the top restaurant in the Hakata area, so I had high expectations, but it wasn't as delicious as I had hoped. Even though soba is my favorite food, the taste was a bit underwhelming. I had the duck soba and plum sauce soba. The flavors were definitely unique and unlike anything I've tried before, but I can't say they were delicious. The prices were quite high compared to the portion sizes. I paid 4510 yen for those two dishes, and I was a bit surprised by the cost, but they didn't give me a receipt so I couldn't see the details.

I was impressed by a soba restaurant in Fukuoka that has won numerous awards, including being listed in the Michelin Bib Gourmand guide. My friend and I shared the mori (cold) sarashina soba and the juwari (100% buckwheat) soba, along with shrimp tempura. The sarashina soba was delicate, elegant, and fresh, truly exceptional. The juwari soba was also delicious. We enjoyed the soba on its own, as well as with condiments like grated daikon radish and wasabi. The owner, who shared his passion and knowledge about soba at the counter, made our dining experience enjoyable and delicious. He even allowed us to try different ways of eating the soba. If you love soba, I highly recommend visiting this shop with the owner's unique style and strong dedication. I would love to visit again when I'm in Fukuoka. The shop is open from 11:30 to 20:00, with a reservation-only course available after 17:00. Closed on Tuesdays (irregular closing on Mondays). Located 339m from Yakuin Station. Parking available for about 2 cars in front of the shop. Counter seating for 8 people only. Opened on February 10, 2003. #Akama Chaya Asango #Asango #soba #Sarashina soba #Juwari soba #Japanese noodles #soba lovers #noodles #Fukuoka gourmet #Fukuoka soba #Fukuoka #Fukuoka sightseeing #Fukuoka lunch #Japan #Japanese food #soba #Michelin

[Assorted Buckwheat Noodle Dishes] - Buckwheat Miso - Buckwheat Grain Porridge with Yam - Fried Buckwheat Noodles with Minced Chicken Sauce - Freshly Grated Ginger - Buckwheat Sushi with Plum and Sesame - Yuba (Tofu Skin) with Wasabi - Buckwheat Crepe with Myoga (Japanese Ginger) and Shiso Leaf - Grilled Duck - Small Dried Young Sardines Tempura - Assorted Steamed Buckwheat Noodles (Present and Past) - Buckwheat Noodles with Coarsely Ground Buckwheat - Rolled Omelette

I visited the restaurant for the omakase soba dish at 1:30 p.m. I arrived a little early but was seated. I sat at the far right. The chef shared some interesting stories in the middle. I ordered the omakase soba dish. When asked if I had any dislikes, I hesitated for a moment and was asked if I was okay with duck, to which I replied yes. They mentioned that all the soba is made with 100% buckwheat. Indeed, everything that came out was delicious. They asked if I could still eat more, and I said yes, so surprisingly more dishes came out. I am full now, thank you. Oh, what about the duck?

Today at lunch, I had the omakase soba course, where various soba dishes kept coming until I said stop. The skill of mixing various ingredients into the 100% buckwheat soba was amazing. When you take a bite, the aroma of the soba spreads and it's pure bliss! Fukuoka's soba is the best!

The restaurant was full of the head chef's passion and attention to detail. The soba expertise was amazing, and it felt more like a place to enjoy while sipping on drinks and listening to the chef's stories with friends rather than savoring the food slowly. It seems like a good place to visit alone. The soba was delicious, but since I'm not a big soba enthusiast, I couldn't fully appreciate the chef's dedication. It might be recommended for men who can distinguish the differences.

In 2023, I visited the 60th soba restaurant on my soba journey. I had been curious about this particular restaurant for a while, so when I had some business in Kokura, I decided to make the trip to Hakata. Due to a typhoon, the Shinkansen was not running, so I had to take a flight to Hakata Station instead. The restaurant was located about a 5-minute walk from Yakuin Station. It was about a 20-minute taxi ride from Fukuoka Airport and less than 10 minutes from Hakata Station. The restaurant was tucked away from the main street, with a red noren curtain and a subtle sign that read "soba." Inside, there was only a counter where the owner was busy at work in the open kitchen. I arrived around 4 pm due to the sudden change in transportation, but luckily they were open all day on weekends. I was initially going to order my usual coarse-ground soba and tempura, but the owner recommended trying a variety of soba dishes, so I decided to leave it up to him. The tasting course included coarse-ground 100% soba, sarashina soba, tempura, 80% soba, 80% soba (warmed), hanamaki soba, soba-gaki, and grilled soba-gaki. It was a true soba feast. The owner's knowledge and passion for soba were truly fascinating, and I learned a lot about the history and culture of soba. The "warmed" soba, which is served without rinsing after boiling, was a unique experience that made the trip worthwhile. The sarashina soba had a delicate color and a smooth, elegant texture. The soba-gaki, made by pounding and lightly kneading coarsely ground soba, had a distinct texture and allowed the true flavor of the soba to shine through. The soba dipping sauce had a rich soy sauce flavor that complemented the soba without overpowering it. Overall, it was a memorable experience, and I look forward to trying over 100 soba restaurants on my journey and revisiting this one when the weather gets colder.

The chef told me that they don't have any high-end ingredients, just soba. But what a feast of soba dishes it was. It was like a soba cruising experience, learning about soba while enjoying various soba dishes. Looking back, I realized that except for dashimaki tamago and small dried fish, everything else was plant-based, which was a unique composition compared to my usual meals. It was a valuable experience that left me feeling satisfied.

I am not very knowledgeable about soba noodles, but even as an amateur, I could sense the dedication of the soba artisan. I was able to enjoy the professional craftsmanship right before my eyes. The head chef is so particular that he doesn't let any other staff cook the dishes. There are only counter seats, and the chef personally prepares all the dishes for each customer. This means it takes a bit of time, but it really conveys the chef's dedication and hospitality. Due to budget constraints, I only ordered the white soba noodles this time. The noodles were beautiful, leaning towards firm with a good bite! The soba tea had a strong soba flavor, just like a traditional soba shop. The egg omelette was made with soba broth, and it paired perfectly with grated daikon. The flavor was subtle. I plan to try the kaiseki course next time. There are many creative dishes using soba, and it seems like a place for gourmet food lovers as well. Highly recommended menu items.

This is my second visit. I felt like having soba for lunch after drinking too much the day before, so I decided to revisit this place. What's great about this place is that you can make a reservation even for lunch. When I went there for the first time, it was during the lunch peak hour, but I was able to make a reservation. However, when I arrived at the reservation time, I had to wait quite a bit. It was a bit nerve-wracking because I had to catch a flight that day, but I managed to make it on time. I remembered this, so this time I made a reservation to match the lunch opening time. The soba itself is delicious. The owner's attention to detail is evident. This is a valuable soba restaurant in Fukuoka, a city known for its udon culture.

Today, I visited a soba restaurant in Fukuoka City, which has been selected as one of the top 100 restaurants on Tabelog. I made a reservation for lunch in advance and arrived on time. I ordered the "Mori Nishoku," which allows you to enjoy both Sarashina soba and seasonal soba. It was served promptly. The Sarashina soba had a subtle aroma and a wonderful texture, even though it was not served at a low temperature. It was an exquisite soba dish. The seasonal soba, called "Shiso Kiri," had chopped shiso leaves mixed in, giving it a refreshing aroma. The hospitality at the restaurant was also excellent. Thank you for the delicious meal.

Platinum Akama Tea House A35 has been a frequent stop for us even before moving here. The basics of soba are impeccable, and the kaeshi and dashi are truly top-notch. With this, we always enjoy our sake and leave in high spirits. Thank you for the wonderful meal!

"Akama Chaya A 35" is a restaurant run by a soba enthusiast for soba lovers. I visited the restaurant alone with a reservation at 7:00 pm on a weekday. The cozy interior with only a counter exudes a calming atmosphere with the warmth of wood. The menu offers a variety of soba dishes, including set courses. However, the main style is to communicate your budget, favorite soba, and desired length of stay, then leave it to the chef to create a menu for you. On the day of my visit, I requested dishes that pair well with alcohol and a variety of soba dishes. The total amount I paid was around 16,000 yen, including ordering 2 servings of sake. The lineup of dishes served included soba miso, soba with grated yam, morekoma soba, shiso soba, butterbur sprout soba, celery root soba, soba sushi - plum shiso nori roll, soba sushi - yuba roll, fried soba noodles, coarse-ground soba noodles, coarse-ground grilled soba noodles, hanamaki soba, turmeric soba, small fish tempura, yuba tempura, morekoma soba (hot), morekoma soba (cold), coarse-ground kneaded soba noodles, soba manju with butterbur and celery, and seasonal mountain vegetable dishes. The "yuba tempura" was unexpectedly delicious and I couldn't resist ordering another yuba dish. The chef mentioned it was a dish reminiscent of Chinese cuisine from the Edo period. It was made by wrapping grilled leeks and fried morekoma soba in yuba, finished with a sauce like a spring roll, providing a crispy texture and the sweet taste of leeks that was unforgettable. Among the soba noodles, the "coarse-ground grilled soba noodles" stood out with its fragrant and bitter taste that paired perfectly with sake. The morekoma soba, especially the unique "turmeric soba," left a lasting impression, but the refreshing and cool taste of the "shiso soba" served early on was the most memorable. The eccentric service from the soba enthusiast chef may not be for everyone, but I personally enjoyed it as I had a great time. I wouldn't recommend it for those looking to unwind alone after work, but for those who want to fully enjoy soba dishes, I suggest giving it a try. Lastly, be cautious when the chef asks, "What else would you like to eat?" - it may lead to unexpected offerings!"

I was looking forward to lunch at "Akama Chaya Asago," a soba restaurant that has been selected as a Bib Gourmand in the Fukuoka Michelin guide. The restaurant is located about a 5-minute walk from Yakuin Station Exit 2 of the subway, and I arrived at the opening time of 11:30 am. I made a phone reservation about a month in advance just to be safe. The seating consists of only a counter with 7-8 seats. Now, it's time to decide on the menu. There are options for a lunch kaiseki, chef's choice, or a la carte soba. Hmm, decisions decisions. I consulted the chef and requested to try 2-3 types of soba. The first to be served was 100% buckwheat soba, which had a great texture and refreshing taste! Next, I had a comparison of 80% buckwheat soba - one that was soaked in water for about 30 minutes (apparently tastes better this way) and one that was freshly boiled. The aroma and sweetness were delightful! Then, I had soba kakiage with a soba-based sauce on top - a dish that not many places offer, making it quite rare. Following that, I tried coarsely ground soba kakiage, which was served at Soba Denkaku. It was intentionally flavored with soy sauce (to avoid being overpowered by miso). Next up was soba sushi - one with yuba rolled inside (made with 100% buckwheat soba) and one with pickled plum and shiso leaf inside. Lastly, I had Hana Maki Soba made with 100% buckwheat soba. The aroma of the broth was amazing! Of course, the soba itself was also outstanding! To finish, I was served soba-yu. Every soba dish served was exceptional! I look forward to coming back next time to enjoy some sake with the chef's choice menu. It was a delicious meal!

Gengoshi is a lump of starch. The royal family eats soba soup with soba noodles. Normal turmeric sesame with sweetness and aroma Red rose flower Soba and mozuku Soba fuki no tou Soba soba sushi Nori soba shrimp soba The price is on the higher side for a soba restaurant, but you can learn about soba from the basics.

A superb restaurant where you can enjoy soba noodles during the day at a leisurely pace. The owner's suggestions, based on conversations with customers, are always spot-on. A renowned establishment where you can truly appreciate the depth of soba noodles with all five senses.■■Thank you for the wonderful meal■■

Fukuoka's final meal ended with soba. As I get older, eating a large amount has become difficult, and I headed to Asanogo-san, who I had heard was good at making soba. The area of Yakuin, where I have decided to settle down, has become familiar to me. It may be rare to have continuous operation in this style. I arrived almost as soon as the restaurant opened for lunch on weekends and holidays, as reservations were not accepted. There were about 6 seats at the counter. Since it was my first time, I ordered the soba kaiseki set for 6270 yen. Based on reviews, I wondered if I would be able to finish it all. The set included 4 types of soba and 8 types of side dishes. The portions of soba were small, but each had a different flavor so I didn't get tired of it. I probably won't have this experience again in the future. Only more soba was served, with no comparison to local soba. It was interesting to compare the Hanamaki soba with the more traditional soba. I have recently found that I enjoy eating more traditional soba as well. The dishes were served one after another in about an hour until I left. The owner explained each dish very carefully, but I had to eat quickly to keep up with the pace. I tried to keep an open mind and went with an empty stomach. Unfortunately, I couldn't fully appreciate this soba. It felt like graduating from high school and attending a cram school. Do I keep going until I pass, or not? I don't dislike this style. Next time, I will make a reservation for dinner and visit with a friend. I want to challenge myself and see how I do next time.

On the second day in Fukuoka, we visited a popular soba restaurant in Kyushu, called "Akama Chaya Asago." The warm wooden facade with lattice design welcomed us with the aroma of delicious broth even before opening. The interior had a spacious counter where we sat comfortably. The father and son duo who ran the place created a lovely atmosphere. The restaurant mainly offers an "omakase" style menu, where they tailor the dishes based on your preferences. The owner's passion for soba was evident in his gentle and welcoming demeanor. We were served a variety of soba dishes to try, each one more delicious than the last. The experience was a true delight, and we would love to visit again when in Fukuoka.