Fukui

This is a specialty from my hometown. It’s served in a slightly smaller dish with cold soba noodles and a dipping sauce made with grated daikon radish. However, you don’t dip the noodles into the sauce—instead, you pour the sauce directly over the noodles. Most soba shops in town have this on the menu, but the flavor varies from place to place. I especially love the oroshi soba from a shop near my house that’s been around for ages. The soba has a strong, fragrant flavor, and the daikon has a sharp kick. The oroshi soba made with freshly harvested buckwheat is particularly exquisite! I’m already excited just thinking about it.

（Pero）

My mother’s hometown is in Fukui Prefecture, so I’ve been familiar with this soba since I was a child. Echizen soba portions are a bit small and served cold with grated daikon, bonito flakes, and scallions on top, mixed with a slightly sweet dipping sauce. My father can eat several plates of it. I love the Echizen soba we have at my family’s New Year’s celebrations.

（Suu）

At “Echizen Mendokoro Edoya” in Takase, Echizen City, their oroshi soba is served on a tray with the noodles plated separately and a small bowl of sauce containing grated spicy daikon. The spicy flavor of the daikon is mellowed by being soaked in the sauce, making it delicious to the last bite.

（Hassaku）

Cold inaka (rustic) soba topped with grated daikon. It’s strongly spicy and leaves a refreshing aftertaste.

（pino）

As soon as you step off the train, the gentle aroma of dashi wafts through the air. I recommend Echizen Oroshi Soba, the pride of our soba-loving Fukui Prefecture. It’s simple soba topped with grated daikon—but not just any grated daikon. Its spiciness is neither like wasabi nor mustard; it hits the back of your nose, then pierces through sharply with a punch. The flavor of the soba combined with the sting of the daikon creates a profound taste experience. The dashi mixes with the daikon’s juice to create the perfect flavor, so pour it over the noodles before eating. A sprinkle of shichimi pepper makes it even more delicious. If you’re up for it, finish the meal by drinking the leftover dashi straight from the bowl—don’t leave any behind! The spiciness of the grated daikon varies widely between shops, from mildly sweet to tear-jerkingly hot, so trying different places can be fun. The portions aren’t too big, so feel free to order with ease. If you’re heading toward Eiheiji Temple or the Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum, I recommend “Kenzou Soba.” If you’re visiting Ichijodani Asakura Clan Historic Ruins, try “Shukununoya.”

（Hokunojyo）

In Fukui Prefecture, cold soba is enjoyed year-round. I like the cold soba from “Kamekura,” particularly their Oroshi Soba and Sudachi Soba.

（Fukume Nyan）

This is a quintessential soba dish in Fukui Prefecture. Served cold, Echizen soba is arranged on a deep flat plate (often Echizen pottery), with the noodles already topped with soba dipping sauce and grated daikon. Additional toppings like bonito flakes and scallions are common. It’s a refreshing and delicious dish, especially in the summer. For those who like it spicy, try adding juice from the fiery karami daikon. Since I don’t enjoy overly spicy food, I prefer the milder, regular grated daikon. Choosing a smaller portion lets you pair it with local specialties like sauce katsudon or fresh seafood.

（Sobayu Mo Oishii）

The Echizen Oroshi Soba from “Kenzou Soba,” which I had at an event in Tokyo, was absolutely delicious. After walking around and feeling a little warm, the cold soba with a sharp, refreshing kick from the grated daikon was perfect. The noodles had just the right amount of chewiness. Every year, I look forward to eating it at the same event, and I hope to visit the restaurant itself one day.

（Shimashima）

Rather than using grated daikon directly, we only add its juice. Toppings are kept simple with bonito flakes and scallions. The spiciness of the daikon is unbeatable.

（mamimami）

Many shops make their own noodles, so the flavor varies greatly between locations. Finding your favorite spot is part of the fun!

（Karukichi）

In Fukui, soba means oroshi soba, with grated daikon mixed into the dashi sauce. It’s also eaten as New Year’s soba. The spicy daikon at “Yuukian Kameya” is famously intense.

（Miyumiyu-chan）

It’s not even a question—this is Fukui’s soul food! It’s one of the few things Fukui can proudly claim nationwide. I’m sure no one from Fukui would even consider anything else! (Laughs) The soba, milled with the husk intact, has a rich and fragrant flavor. Personally, I recommend “Oomori Soba.” Pour the slightly spicy sauce with grated daikon over the noodles and slurp it all up in one go—it’s the best way to enjoy it!

（Kaizaki Keiko）

In Fukui, soba has a distinctively strong flavor, and the spicy daikon is incredibly addictive.

（KATARI）

For locals in Fukui, soba automatically means oroshi soba. The soba noodles are thick and rustic, made from 80–100% buckwheat flour, and are typically dark in color. The default preparation is cold oroshi soba topped with spicy grated daikon, a generous amount of bonito flakes, and a pour of sauce. There are many famous shops, and everyone has their favorite. My recommendation is “Towarisoba Daikonya,” located in Miyazaki Village’s Echizen Pottery Village.

（Hiyo）

The grated daikon sauce is served separately from the soba, so you pour it yourself. Some places even let you grate the daikon yourself. Don’t be shy—pour on a generous amount!

（Ri）

In Fukui, soba refers to oroshi soba, made with boiled noodles chilled in water, topped with grated daikon, scallions, and bonito flakes, and finished with a simple pour of sauce. Even in the cold winter, this dish is enjoyed for New Year’s. Since native buckwheat varieties are widely cultivated in the region, you can savor the natural, rustic flavor of the noodles.

（Toranyan）

I’ve grown up with oroshi soba since I was a child. I prefer the spiciness of karami daikon. Even in winter, I find myself craving cold oroshi soba. Fukui boasts a wealth of native buckwheat varieties, and each shop uses different types, making it fun to explore and compare.

（zuzuu）

Echizen soba, with its simple trio of grated daikon, dashi sauce, and bonito flakes, is a masterpiece. Nothing else is needed. Please give it a try!

（Himitan）

Spicy daikon juice mixed into the tsuyu sauce makes this a Fukui soul food. I also recommend the “agedashi oroshi soba,” topped with a local specialty akin to thick fried tofu.

（Cranberry）

In Eiheiji, surrounded by buckwheat fields, every shop serves delicious soba. At home, we mix grated daikon, scallions, and bonito flakes with tsuyu sauce for a refreshing dish. For a richer flavor, we sometimes add tempura crumbs.

（Konamon）

Oroshi soba paired with Fukui’s famous sauce katsudon is my favorite combination.

（Menma）

Whenever I’m on a business trip to Fukui, I always make sure to eat oroshi soba! Cold noodles with slightly spicy grated daikon, dashi, and bonito flakes. I was initially surprised by its appearance, but it’s refreshing, easy to eat, and addictive. Shops here offer unique toppings like fried tofu, seaweed, and even pickled plums, so I explore a new place on every trip to Fukui.

（Mori Harua）

I once visited a friend living in Fukui, who took me to a soba shop. The noodles, paired with spicy daikon sauce, had such a robust flavor that it held its own against the daikon’s heat. It was unforgettable.

（Kinoppy）

Once upon a time, roadside ramen stalls lined the streets, and people wandered around sniffing the air, wondering which one smelled the best. Those scenes are mostly a thing of the past, but Tsuruga is still home to many shops serving pork-based ramen rooted in that history. I recommend “Chuka Soba Ichiriki,” but there are still a few old-fashioned stalls around, so be sure to give them a try.

（Hokunojyo）