Otoinekofu is the smallest village in Hokkaido, located in the middle of the JR Soya Main Line. In this small village, there is a soba restaurant called "Tokiwaken" run by a husband and wife. When I visited about six years ago, I sat on the tatami mats next to the shop and enjoyed their black soba. In the summer when I visited Otoinekofu, the vast soba fields with white flowers swaying in the wind were beautiful. Hokkaido is the top producer of soba in Japan, with Hokkaido's northern region being a major soba production area. The unique black noodles are made using a method called "grinding mix," which uses the part between the soba seed and skin, resulting in a strong-flavored and fragrant soba that is very nutritious. I found out that there is a restaurant in Tokyo where you can enjoy this soba, so I drove here today. The parking fees around here are expensive, making me nervous. ¥400 for 15 minutes! I quickly placed my order and had to eat in a hurry! However, I had no idea that it was a popular restaurant with a long line! I waited for 20 minutes, and the parking fee was already over ¥400. Appetizer: "Okara" sourced from a long-established store in Yotsuya. Yes, it's delicious. It makes me want to drink sake. Main dish: "Sobameshi" The rice used is "Yumepirika." It is cooked with mushrooms, and soba seeds are mixed in as well. This is also delicious. "Tanuki Soba (hot)" ¥1,080 If you want to feel the warmth of Otoinekofu, warm soba is the way to go. A fragrant aroma rises gently. The black soba with a firm texture is entwined with a fragrant broth. This is delicious. I will fully enjoy the taste of this restaurant without comparing it to the soba I had at Otoinekofu Station. In the heart of Tokyo, where you cannot hide behind the sentiment of traveling, this straightforward black soba is delicious. "Tanuki Soba (cold)" ¥1,080 Toppings include tenkasu, wakame seaweed, cucumber, carrot, green onions, and wasabi. This is a typical Tanuki Soba. First of all, the broth is delicious. The flavor of the broth combined with the aroma of the ground soba creates a luxurious taste. The soba noodles have a great chewy texture. The texture, mouthfeel, and throat sensation are all pleasant. This might be more noticeable with cold soba. The crispy tenkasu, not soaked in water, is also unique to cold soba. Finally, you drink the broth mixed with soba water. This is also delicious. I don't know much about the owner, but perhaps they are from Hokkaido. They seemed busy, so I couldn't talk to them. This place would also be nice to visit for drinks at night. Having okara and tempura as snacks, a cup of sake, and finishing with black soba... just thinking about it makes me smile. Thank you for the meal. If I have the chance, I will come back again. Now, thinking about the snowy Otoinekofu, I left Sugidaimon Shopping Street behind.

The alcohol selection is good for 2,000 yen, but the soba from Onibi no Miya in Hokkaido is 1,400 yen with rice included, which is surprising. I didn't plan on having the Shinano soba, so I opted for the Onibi no Miya soba set. I started with Akahoshi to moisten my throat, and the appetizer of fried tofu was unexpectedly delicious! We also had some white "snow fairies" corn, which was tasty. I think boiled corn is sweeter than raw. The tempura served with salt consisted of shiso leaf, shrimp, and eggplant. The eagerly awaited soba was jet black and visually appealing, but I found it too soft for my liking, and the seaweed flavor overpowered the soba, so I couldn't fully enjoy the soba's taste. Soba is definitely a matter of personal preference, so I didn't enjoy it as much as other reviewers. It was a rare opportunity to try Onibi no Miya soba that even locals might not get, but it seems to be different from the rustic soba I prefer.

"Otoineppu" is a small village in the northern part of Hokkaido, Japan. The name comes from the Ainu language, meaning "muddy river." The soba noodles there are black, like squid ink pasta, and incredibly delicious. I visited the village about 20 years ago on a rainy day and warmed up at the local public bath before trying the Genghis Khan dish. I didn't know about the famous soba noodles back then, but I definitely want to go back and try them. Otoineppu, here I come.

I went for lunch. I had tempura, mixed rice with corn and asparagus, 2 side dishes, and a combination of black and white soba noodles. The soba noodles had a unique texture, with a good bite, and both the Shinshu soba and the Inawashiro soba were delicate and delicious. It cost around 1500 yen. I think it's good value for money.

The soba noodles at Oniwazono Soba had a good texture and were more filling than they appeared. The tempura and mixed rice (with corn and asparagus) were also delicious, making me want to visit again. However, it is recommended to make a reservation in advance when going for lunch.

I finally tried the famous "Otowakokufu Soba" in Yotsuya. Although I came here to eat yakitori, I couldn't resist the temptation of trying the Otowakokufu Soba as it is hard to find. Despite being quite full, I decided to just have the soba. After a 30-minute wait due to its popularity, I finally got a seat and ordered a comparison set with the "Sarashina Soba." The Otowakokufu Soba had very chewy noodles, more on the firm side rather than soft. The texture was bouncy and satisfying. It was delicious and the service was also excellent. Thank you for the meal.

I had always wanted to try the soba here. Without doing thorough research on Tabelog, I went there. I thought it was a standing soba shop. It was completely different, more like an authentic kappo cuisine and traditional izakaya Japanese restaurant. I was surprised... I had the Kuro Tanuki Soba during lunchtime. It came with takikomi gohan, which I agreed to. The takikomi gohan had corn in it, giving it a deep and delicious flavor. Now, onto the main dish, the Kuro soba exceeded my expectations. The texture was great, and the ingredients were plentiful and tasty. The yuzu was a nice touch. The slightly sweet soba broth matched perfectly. It's a really good restaurant, but I was a bit confused because I thought it would be more like a standing soba or casual soba shop. I prefer the atmosphere of casual soba shops where I can eat more casually. It's just a matter of preference, and for those who enjoy savoring each dish, this restaurant will surely meet their expectations. The soba was really good and delicious. Next time, I thought it would be even better to enjoy the dishes leisurely with close friends. I wish this soba could be easily found in more places.

The soba here is said to be very rare. I tried the Otoifukobe soba (black) for the first time, so I ordered it as zaru soba. The zaru soba (large serving) costs 1,170 yen. It's really dark in color! They grind the buckwheat with the husk, which makes the soba slightly thicker and softer, but it has a great aroma of buckwheat. I'm glad I ordered the large serving. They also offer a lunch service with takikomi gohan (mixed rice), but I just had the soba today. The roasted okara from a tofu shop that has been around for 140 years in Yotsuya was also delicious, making me crave for some white rice. The best part of zaru soba is the soba-yu (soba dipping broth), which comes out piping hot at the right moment. They use not only the soba cooking water but also the whole grain of Otoifukobe soba, making the soba-yu very delicious. I just want to keep drinking the soba-yu! The soba itself was also delicious! I will definitely come back again. Next time, I'm thinking of getting a set meal.

Finally made it here. Ever since watching a video of my favorite train-related YouTuber "Suit-san," I've been curious about this soba. I wanted to visit Otoineppu in Hokkaido like him and try it, but the last remaining shop closed down. The only Otoineppu soba left in Japan is now only available at this shop in Tokyo. It's a bit ironic that the authentic version has disappeared, but I decided to give it a try. Located just a few minutes from Marunouchi Yotsuya-Sanchome Station. It's about a 10-minute walk from Yotsuya Station straight down Yasukuni Street. It has a small appearance. I decided to order the "Premium Otoineppu Set" (¥2000) which comes with Hokkaido sake. The set includes tempura side dishes (okara and potato salad), mixed rice, and soba. The things that left an impression on me were the sake, tempura, and soba. The mixed rice is made with Hokkaido rice "Yumepirika" and fresh ginger. The fresh ginger adds a nice kick to it. The tempura included shrimp, shiso leaf, and eggplant, but the eggplant was the most delicious. Even though I'm a meat eater, I find vegetables tastier when they're in tempura form. And the soba. The deep black color is wonderful. It shines black and is enjoyable to look at. The texture was different from what I expected. It's a bit chewy, similar to konnyaku. The soba noodles were slightly thicker as well. The aroma wasn't very strong, but I enjoyed the texture. The taste was also excellent. Lastly, I ordered soba-yu (soba water) to finish off the meal. It was soothing with a great flavor and aroma. I felt relaxed. I wanted to ask for a refill (laughs). The staff were friendly and welcoming, making it a pleasant experience. I'll definitely come back again.

I saw the black soba from Otoineppu online and wanted to try it. Finally, I was able to visit the restaurant. I wandered into a narrow alley in Araki-cho, but I could have easily found it (laughs). It was lunchtime, and I was a bit worried if they were open because the entrance was small. There were no other customers at first, but then a few groups came in. I ordered the mixed soba. They served ginger rice as a side dish because it was lunchtime. The ginger rice was delicious, with a nice kick of ginger flavor. The owner proudly told me that it's made by a tofu shop nearby using okara. It was also tasty. The black soba from Otoineppu was not grainy, but had a slightly chewy texture similar to the nori flakes in Hegi soba. The mixed soba with Sarashina soba was also delicious, but I think I should have just ordered the black soba. I heard that a soba restaurant in Otoineppu has closed down, and it's traditional to eat soup soba there, so I was recommended to try the warm soba next time. I definitely want to go back and try the warm soba. The service was very polite, and the owner was full of love for Hokkaido.

I used to prefer the cold black soba at Otoikofu, but the warm soba is incredibly delicious! I had already tried the white soba as well... I would even want seconds. If this restaurant were nearby, I would want to visit all the time. The Hokkaido sake, Kunimare, is easy to drink, has a good fragrance, and is incredibly delicious. It's fun to choose the sake cup as well. Thank you for the meal.

I made a reservation and visited the restaurant. I heard that you can eat soba from Otoikono in Tokyo. I made a reservation for a course meal. This time, three of us visited and were seated in a sunken kotatsu-style private room. The restaurant is small. When passing behind the counter where people are sitting to get to our seats, it's not really recommended for women. There are two tables in the private room, but they are so close that it feels like sharing a table with the next group. The restaurant is lively, and the noise from the neighboring table makes it difficult to communicate with the staff. We were offered a drink all-you-can option, but I don't drink, so I ordered for everyone, but I felt hesitant to call the staff, so it was pointless. The course consisted of dishes with a Hokkaido vibe, but they seemed similar to the sweet potato mochi I bought at Kushiro Airport's souvenir shop recently. The soba seemed like it was just boiled. Since it didn't mention being hand-made, I'm not sure. I wanted to eat quickly and leave, but the service was slow, and spending over 2 hours on a soba course was tough. It was too noisy to have a conversation, making the meal unenjoyable.

Soba izakaya located on Sugi Daimon Street. The interior has about 8 counter seats and two tatami rooms. Managed to get in without a reservation miraculously. It's quite small but has a nice atmosphere. We had an appetizer platter, potato salad, soba, and eggplant tempura. The appetizers were delicious and made the drinks go down smoothly. It was my first time trying Otoikofu soba, which was black with a strong flavor and chewy texture, very tasty, just my preference. I was sitting at the counter and noticed that almost everyone there was from outside the city, coming here specifically to eat. Yeah, I can see why they would come here.

I became a fan after dining here last year. This time, we visited to celebrate my son's coming of age, and the attentive service and detailed explanations of the dishes were just as wonderful as before. The atmosphere was very comfortable. We were completely satisfied in every aspect. We promised to visit again next year around the same time as we left the restaurant.

【Otoineppu TOKYO】A rare restaurant in Tokyo where you can enjoy whole buckwheat grains ground into coarse soba noodles. It was delicious, I want to go again ❤️〜＊〜＊〜＊〜＊〜＊〜＊〜＊〜＊〜＊〜＊〜＊〜＊〜〜＊〜＊〜＊〜＊〜＊〜＊〜＊〜＊〜＊〜＊〜＊〜＊〜..〜＊〜＊〜＊〜＊〜＊〜＊〜＊〜＊〜＊〜＊〜＊〜＊〜For reservations and inquiries 050-5456-3608Access☆Yotsuya-Sanchome, A4 exit (about 2 minutes)・From the bakery Antendo and the Nishikimatsu plum, turn left at the second street on the left after passing Yachiyo Sushi on Sugidaimon Street to find Otoineppu TOKYO on the left☆Akebonobashi Station, A1 exit (about 6 minutes)・After exiting the A1 exit, turn left and enter the alleyway (there is a Freshness Burger in the alley)・Go straight up the slope and cross the street at the outer garden east street・After walking about 150m on Sugidaimon Street, you will find Otoineppu TOKYO on the right☆Yotsuya Station, Yotsuya exit (about 10 minutes)・There is a taxi rotary inside the station, go up on the left・Head towards Shinjuku on Shinjuku Street＊You will see Kentucky on your right and Saint Marc Cafe on your left・Go straight for about 3 minutes・After passing UFJ Bank and Mizuho Bank, turn right・After passing Yachiyo Sushi on Sugidaimon Street, you will find Otoineppu TOKYO on the left142m from Yotsuya-Sanchome StationBusiness hours and holidaysBusiness hours[Mon-Fri] 11:30-14:00, 17:00-23:00[Sat] 11:30-14:30, 17:00-23:00[Sun, holidays] ClosedClosed on Sundays and holidaysSeating and facilitiesNumber of seats: 16 (8 counter seats, 8 sunken kotatsu seats)Private room: NoneRental: Not availableSmoking: Completely non-smokingParking: Nonehttps://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1309/A130903/13239730/#Yotsuya #Yotsuya-Sanchome #Yotsuya #Yotsuya #Arakicho #Marunouchi #Marunouchi ol #beertime #tempura #beer #draftbeer #soba #buckwheatnoodles #love #Aoi Miyazaki #Akihabara #Amuro #Gundam #GUNDAM #otaku #gourmet #gourmet #selfie #cafe #cafetour #cafestagram #restaurant

I had the Inawashiro soba and tempura assortment. First, I was served a small dish of okara from a long-established tofu shop in Yotsuya. It was salty and had a flavor that would go well with alcohol. It was delicious. Next, I received a complimentary dish of mixed rice. The rice was cooked firm, and the carrots were soft and sweet, making it tasty. The tempura consisted of shrimp, chrysanthemum leaves, sweet potato, shimeji mushrooms, and black maiitake mushrooms. Although it was called a four-point assortment, I actually got five pieces. The batter was thick and crispy, making it delicious. The chrysanthemum leaves had a crunchy texture like chips. The soba had a strong flavor of buckwheat husks, giving it a unique taste. The texture was firm and delicious.

During my student days, I had black soba at Oiwake-ko Station in the heart of winter. It was unlike any other station soba I had tried before, and it left a lasting impression on me. Although I only had it once, it remains a vivid memory. I have been to Hokkaido many times, but that soba is one of my nostalgic tastes. I found out online that the same soba is available in Tokyo, so I took a train during my lunch break to go and eat it. I ordered the Oiwake-ko Set, a course meal made with Hokkaido rice and vegetables. And to finish, that black soba. It was a nostalgic experience, and I enjoyed it with a sense of deep satisfaction.

I tried the famous Onihei Konjou Soba, which is known for its black color and has become a rare find since it was discontinued. The soba itself was not particularly special in terms of flavor or aroma, just average. However, the mochi with cheese on top was delicious and the pumpkin tempura was surprisingly tasty. I'm not usually a fan of sweet potatoes or chestnuts, but I was impressed by how good they were here. Overall, a unique dining experience at Onihei Konjou Soba in Yotsuya.

#Otoineppu Soba (#Otoineppu) #Zaru Soba ¥980 Soba from Otoineppu, Hokkaido, served in Yotsuya, Tokyo. The soba is pitch black, ground with the skin on, making it black and fragrant. It looks rustic and rough, but it's smooth and chewy with a great texture. It's a unique flavor I've never had before! At this restaurant, it seems like kake soba is the popular choice. The takikomi gohan and okara are served as a lunch special, and they are incredibly delicious. I'm glad I went for lunch. This is a cool hidden spot in Funamachi. If you know about it, you might become a regular. Shinjuku Ward paypay 25% cashback.

Visited for the first time on March 23, 2022. Didn't have much time, so only tried the soba at Otowakofu Station. The appetizers and sake looked delicious, so I made sure to come back six months later. Everything was delicious. "Tokiwaken," a famous standing soba shop inside JR Otowakofu Station, closed in 2020 but reopened for a limited time on August 20-21, 2022. The famous "black soba" of Otowakofu Village may disappear! Will a successor to this specialty be born?

Established in 1926 (Taisho 15), Hokkaido's "Hatakeyama Seimen" in Oniishi-fu Village closed its doors on August 31st, much to the disappointment of many. Known as the "best station soba in Japan," their signature dish was made from buckwheat grains ground with their black husks intact, using the delicious soft water of Oniishi-fu to create firm black noodles with a satisfying texture. It was thought that this unique "Oniishi-fu soba" had disappeared completely, but to our surprise, we discovered that there was still stock available at "Oniishi-fu TOKYO" in Yotsuya. We immediately paid a visit. After walking from Yotsuya Station towards Araki-cho, we stopped at a Sapporo Akarei bar to quench our thirst. The appetizers of the day included tofu skin from a long-established tofu shop, potato salad with pickled radish, and sake-soaked Hokkaido melon. Before diving into the soba, we looked at the menu to select a few dishes to enjoy with our drinks. We chose the local sake "Kunimare" from Mashike and a sake cup of "Shirokuma." It was nice that water was served promptly. From the daily recommendations, we selected "Wakigawa shishamo" (2 male, 2 female) - the male shishamo had a rich flavor and was truly delicious. We also tried the "namerou salmon" for the first time, which was quite tasty. And of course, we ended our meal with the highlight - the "Oniishi-fu soba." The black, firm soba noodles were truly "extremely delicious." It's such a shame that this soba will no longer be available.