Soba Noodle Making Class in Gifu

One of Japan's healthiest noodle options, buckwheat soba noodles are popular all over Japan for their simplicity and freshness. Kirira Sakashita of Gifu’s Nakatsugawa region is well-known for buckwheat production. During a visit to this beautiful area in the central Japanese countryside, you can get into the 100% local soba production and learn to make them yourself by hand by joining this Soba Noodle Making Class in Gifu! The region is known for its local buckwheat fields from which Kirira Sakashita is able to produce its authentic soba. Each year, the buckwheat fields are sown around the middle of August. Their crops flower in the latter part of September and are ready to harvest in early November. The buckwheat is then harvested and dried to become “gensoba” which is then stored in a low-temperature warehouse. People in the region can enjoy freshly ground buckwheat which is particularly high quality once milled approximately 5 times. If you are traveling in the Gifu area, this experience offers a great opportunity to meet some locals and other travelers while you learn how to make soba noodles from scratch. Have fun with the help of your friendly instructor who will guide you through each of the steps of making handmade soba. Using professional tools, you will learn step-by-step how to mix the dough using locally-grown and milled buckwheat flour, roll it out, and cut it into noodles using a special knife, before boiling them. Using high-quality buckwheat flour that's fresh, this experience is held at a roadside station in Gifu. These rest stops are a type of community-enriching and informational service station known as a “michi no eki” in Japanese. This michi no eki is located right by the beautiful waters of Kiso River, where you can commune with nature while enjoying the wonderful taste of your very own soba noodles made from local ingredients! Or, take it with you to your next destination.