Soba/Kurumimochi in Sakai

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I think those who have visited Japan must have noticed there are so many noodle shops in Japan, actually everywhere. Today, we'd like to show one soba noodle shop in Sakai, which may be the oldest noodle shop in Japan. This shop started in 1684(325 years ago). Junko-san, Harema-san's sister, showed us around the old Sakai town. Harema-san is the hocho(Japanese knife we introduced in our last newsletter). It was a very warm day and we took the street car(it is known as "chinchin densha"- the bell of the train has a retro-flavored sound and people gave it it this name). The building of the noodle shop "Chikuma" looks rather strange! The entrance still has a very old appearance, but since part of the place was burned during the last war, they added the newer part; it just seemed to make it more practical. When we got inside, the sound of the sobako(buckwheat)mill machine welcomed us. Then there are simple ozashiki, tatami rooms. It was rather dark and the ceiling was low. We sat down and there was no menu. Then Junko-san and the waitress started to say "One? One point five?" They only serve `steamed` soba and your choice was only the amount of soba you wanted. We chose `one` but if you are really hungry, we recommend you order`one point five`(one and a half). They serve steamed soba on a square steaming basket and we ate by dipping the soba noodles in the tsuyu, the liquid based with soy sauce. Also they serve raw egg, so you can mix the raw egg into the tsuyu. We tried both and they were both good. Usually, soba lovers prefer soba cooked to `al dente` but Chikuma's soba are much softer. We talked about what kinds of people from the past might have possibly eaten Chikuma's soba. Of course we know that a lot of men with chonmage(topknot) and women in kimono were here and ate the same soba. Sakai city was actually a very unique city- there were many merchants who were full of enterprising spirit and curiosity. One of the famous men, who was known as Ruson Sukezaemon, was from Sakai, so he must have eaten Chikuma's soba! It was so exciting to imagine. Ruson Sukezaemon had traveled to the Philippines at that time and brought back tsubo(vase)-which has been so prized to use in the tea ceremony, and he became a very wealthy merchant. Toyotomi Hideyoshi loved the tsubo. Eating soba at Chikuma was like a time traveling experience. Visitors to Japan will noticed there are many noodle shops seemingly everywhere. Today, we would like to visit just one, a soba noodle shop in Sakai. It may be the oldest such eatery in Japan as it was started 325 years ago. Our hostess is Junko san, sister to Harema san who is the "hocho" owner of the shop. She showed us around old Sakai the town where this noodle shop is located.

It was a very warm day, so Junko-san wanted to take us to another old shop with shaved ice(kaki-gori). The name of the shop is "Kanbukuro." We heard that usually there are always a lot of people waiting in a queue. Even though there is a long queue, it will not take a long time, so we recommend you wait:-) It is not a fancy shop, and it is a rather small shop. They only serve mochi(dumpling) with nice, sweet sauce(kurumi mochi) and shaved ice with kurumi mochi. Their history is very long, too! The name of the shop `Kanbukuro` was named by Toyotomi Hideyoshi in 1593. Kanbukuro really means `paper-bag`. Hideyoshi saw the master of this sweetshop helping build Osaka castle and throwing roof tiles so easily. Hideyoshi Just like the soba of Chikuma, this sweet has been loved for a LONG time. A dark colored sweet an(anko), known as sweet bean paste, is very popular. Their an was not too sweet, but mild and very tasty. I heard their paste was made of sweetpeas. Their store was started in 1329!!!! When the shaved ice was served, it looked just like`ice` with nothing on it. The sweet bean paste and mochi-dumbling are covered with the shaved ice. It was really a nice refreshment on such a warm day. If you visit Sakai city, touring around the oldtown by cinchin densha street car and dropping by these old shops will be a lot of fun. It was a very warm day and we took the street car famous as "chinchin densha" which refers to the retro sound of its old bell. The building Chikuma in which the noodle shop is located looks rather strange. While the entrance still has a very old look the rest of the building is much newer in style as it is a replacement for the former structure burned during World War II.

Inside, the sound of the sobako (buckwheat) mill machine welcomed us as we stepped into the tatami room, a simple ozashiki style. The atmosphere is dim and the ceiling is low. There is no menu as became apparent when our hostess Junko san and the waitress asked, "One? One point five?" It turns out that the shop serves only steamed soba noodles and your menu choice is to decide on the amount. We chose number one, but if you are really hungry we recommend the larger order of 1.5. Steamed soba is served in a square steaming basket. We eat with our chop sticks by dipping the soba noodles in the tsuyu, a soy sauce based condiment. Also served are raw egg which you can mix into tsuyu if you like. Both ways are good. Many soba lovers prefer their noodles cooked "al dente", but Chikuma's soba are much softer.

As we dined we wondered aloud about the various people who might have possibly eaten Chikuma's soba, perhaps a lot of men with chonmage (topknot) and women in kimono had been here in earlier times. Sakai city was actually a very unique city where there were many enterprising and curios merchants. One famous man, Ruson Sukezaemon, was a native of Sakai so he likely ate Chikuma's soba here. It excited us to imagine him dining here long ago. He had travelled to the Philippines during his life and brought back tsubo (vases) which are prized for use in the Japanese tea ceremony and he became a very wealthy merchant. Another famous person, Toyotomi Hideyoshi loved the tsubo. Thus, for us, eating soba at Chikuma was like a trip back in time

As it was a very warm day Junko san offered to take us to another old shop which served shaved ice (kaki-gori). The shop named Kanbukuro is well known and reputedly always has a lot of people waiting in line. Even so it was not a long wait. It is not a fancy place, rather small and plain. They serve only mochi (dumpling) with nice sweet sauce (kurumi mochi) and shaved ice with the same sauce. Their history is also ancient. The name Kanbukuro originated with Toyotomi Hideyoshi of the tea ceremony fame in 1593. It really means paper-bag. The story is that Hideyoshi saw the master of this sweet shop helping build Osaka castle as he was throwing roof tiles so easily that they seem as light weight as paper bags. Hideyoshi was impressed and gave him the name Kanbukuroto. His shop has been called Kanbukuro since then. Of course paper bag and sweet shaved ice are not normally associated in meaning. But, perhaps like MacDonald? and hamburger, over time they have become somewhat the same meaning.

Just as the soba of Chikuma, this sweets at Kanbukuro have been loved for hundreds of years. This store was established in 1329. The dark colored sweet bean paste "an" (anko)is very popular. In truth it is not extra sweet but mild and very tasty. I was told theirs is made from sweet peas rather than beans.

When the shaved ice was served, it looked just like ice with no additions. Under the ice were the an and mochi-dumbling. It was a very nice refreshment on a warm day.

If you visit Sakai city, be sure to tour the old town by chinchin densha (street car) and drop by these old shops for a fun, historic and interesting experience.

Pictures: The old entrance with newly added building

The buckwheat-millmachine of Chikuma

The ozashiki, tatami room of Chikuma

This is `one` soba.

The entrance of Kanbukuro

You can see the old `wooden` ticket for the order.

The famous Kori kurumi mochi

Information †

Chikuma †

Address Shukuin-nishi 1-1-16, Sakaiku, Sakai City, Osaka Pref
Tel 072-233-1218
Open 10:30am -- 9pm
Closed Mon ( When Monday is national holiday, opened the day and next day is closed )

Kanbukuro †

Address Sinzaike-higashi 1-2-1, Sakaiku, Sakai City, Osaka Pref
Tel 072-233-1218
Open 10am -- 5pm
Closed Tue, Wed ( When these days are national holiday, opened these days and next day is closed )

• Chikuma - Chikuma

• Kanbukuro - Kanbukuro

Please add your comment here! †

• totemo omoshiroi desu yo. -- Greg Vercoe? 2009-11-18 (Wed) 23:31:56
• Food sounds delicious! What a long interesting history. Thank you for this information. -- Betty Fay Marks? 2009-11-15 (Sun) 18:39:03
• Your forays into the world are always enjoyable to follow, it makes me miss being in Japan very, very much. Always so many wonderful hidden "treasures" tucked away into the oddest little places. Thank you for refreshing my memories. -- Moor Lutz? 2009-11-15 (Sun) 17:15:22 This sounded like a wonderful adventure with a delicious snack! Joán

Original text is written by Yuka on 15th Nov 2009. You can read the original text in this frozen page Soba/Kurumimochi in Sakai(Original) This site is hosted by ICHIROYA