Kyoto's "Nishin Soba" is characterized by its elegant taste born from its history and climate, and is loved by locals and tourists alike. It is also a popular dish to celebrate New Year's Eve.

Let's explore the characteristics and history of Shinsoba.

Characteristics of Herring Soba

The only ingredient in herring soba is sweet-simmered herring fillets, also known as "bo-taki." The word "mikaki" comes from the fact that the belly part is removed when filleting the herring. Herring fillets are dried and aged, making them a highly nutritious ingredient rich in protein, vitamins, and minerals. By sweet-simmering the herring, the herring's unique flavor is concentrated, and the plump, soft flesh enhances the light flavor of the soba.

The dashi broth used in herring soba is also distinctive. It is made with a clear dashi broth based on kelp and finished with light soy sauce. The umami of the herring fillets blends into the elegant dashi, and combines with the soba to create a deep flavor. Unlike the strong sweetness of herring soba in Hokkaido, this taste stands out for its delicateness that is unique to Kyoto. Garnish with chopped green onions to enhance the flavor even more.

Herring soba is a dish that can be enjoyed in any season. In addition to "herring soba," which is warm soba noodles topped with sweet herring, "hiyashi herring soba," which is cold soba noodles topped with herring, is also popular in the summer.

The history of herring soba

The history of "Nishin Soba" in Kyoto dates back to the Meiji period. The restaurant that originated it is "Matsuba", where the first Matsuno Yoemon opened a soba restaurant next to the Minamiza Theater in 1861. Later, the second Matsuno Yozabukichi came up with the idea for "Nishin Soba" in 1882 (Meiji 15).

"Nishin soba" is a dish that is deeply rooted in Kyoto's food culture. In the Edo period, there was no freezing technology, so seafood was preserved as dried fish to make it last longer and shipped to Kyoto. Among them, "dried herring" delivered by Kitamae-bune from Hokkaido was highly valued as a valuable source of protein in Kyoto, which is far from the sea.

The people of Kyoto would rehydrate herring in rice water, simmer it in a sweet and spicy sauce, and serve it on their daily dinner tables. Herring, a preserved food, was such a high-class ingredient that it was even presented to the Imperial Court, and was an indispensable part of the Kyoto dining table.

Matsuno Yozabukichi came up with the idea of combining this "dried herring" with soba noodles, and created "Nishin Soba." The sweet and spicy herring goes perfectly with the soba noodles, which have a strong dashi flavor, and word of its deliciousness spread in the blink of an eye throughout Kyoto and beyond.

"Nishin Soba" established a firm position as a Kyoto specialty, and became Matsuba's signature dish during the Taisho era. In particular, the culture of eating Nishin Soba on the way home from seeing a play at Minamiza Theater took root and became widely popular.

Tourist spots in Kyoto

There are many tourist spots in Kyoto where you can enjoy herring soba. This time, we will introduce three popular tourist spots in Kyoto City.

Minamiza Theatre

Minamiza, Japan's oldest theater, located at the foot of Shijo Ohashi Bridge, began operating in the early Edo period with the official approval of the Tokugawa Shogunate, and for about 400 years, many Kabuki actors have been performing spectacular performances here. It is also the birthplace of Kabuki, where Izumo no Okuni first introduced the Kabuki dance. Various performances are held throughout the year, with the December Kichirei Kaomise Performance being particularly popular. Recently, a new style of Kabuki that incorporates animation has also appeared, which is popular with a wide range of audiences.

There is also a restaurant inside the theater where you can enjoy meals during intermission, so you can enjoy the flavors of famous, long-established restaurants along with traditional Kabuki. It is worth visiting just to see the beautiful building, which has been designated a national tangible cultural property.

Kodaiji Temple

Kodaiji is a Rinzai sect temple founded in 1606 by Toyotomi Hideyoshi's wife, Kita no Mandokoro Nene. Nene built this temple to pray for Hideyoshi's soul, and the temple is known for its stroll-style garden with a pond (nationally designated historic site and scenic spot), part of which was moved from Fushimi Castle, where the temple was located. The garden was designed by Kobori Enshu, a feudal lord and tea master from the early Edo period.

Within the temple grounds, there is a mausoleum (an important cultural property) that houses a seated statue of Hideyoshi, and a lacquered shrine famous for "Kodaiji lacquer work." From the teahouses of Kasatei and Shiguretei, you can enjoy a beautiful panoramic view of Kyoto city, and nature in all four seasons. It is particularly known as a famous spot for viewing autumn leaves. Many tourists visit during the cherry blossom and autumn leaf seasons, when the temple is lit up at night.

Kyoto National Museum

Kyoto National Museum opened in 1897 as the Imperial Museum of Kyoto and houses approximately 15,000 pieces of Japanese and Asian antique art and archaeological materials. Its symbol, the Meiji Kotokan Building, features a beautiful red brick exterior and is designated as an Important Cultural Property. It was designed by Katayama Tokuma, who studied Western-style architecture.

Currently, the Meiji Kotokan Museum is closed due to seismic retrofitting work, but the Heisei Chishinkan Museum, which opened in 2014, is hosting regular and special exhibitions. The Masterpiece Gallery displays national treasures and important cultural properties according to themes that correspond to the season and events, so you can encounter new works every time you visit. The special exhibitions held twice a year are also a highlight, making this a must-visit spot for history buffs.

How to get to Kyoto

Kyoto is an attractive city for both gourmet food and sightseeing, and there are various ways to access it. If you want to tour Kyoto City, it is convenient to use trains and buses. The "Kyoto Sightseeing Handy Map" available online has information on how to access the city and discounted tickets.

The most convenient way to get there is from Kyoto Station. If you take the train from Osaka or Nagoya, you will arrive in about 30 minutes.

We also recommend taking a leisurely drive to Kyoto. Find the best way to get there.

Location of Kyoto Prefecture

summary

Herring soba, made with filleted herring, is a traditional Kyoto dish that can be easily enjoyed all year round and is still loved by many people.

If you visit Kyoto, be sure to try the herring soba.

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