Edosoba Hosokawa

※ Please note that Edosoba Hosokawa is cash-only. Guests are requested to ensure that they have sufficient cash before entering. ——— Near Ryogoku Station and the Sumida Hokusai Museum sits the family-owned soba restaurant Edosoba Hosokawa. A 30-seat spacious interior blends modernity with a trademark Japanese atmosphere. Owner-chef Hosokawa Takahashi, affectionately dubbed the God of Soba, mills and cuts the noodles himself. Purity is key. To make his renowned juwari soba, Chef Hosokawa only uses 100 percent buckwheat seeds with no thickening additives. The buckwheat doesn’t come from a single area, either: Chef Hosokawa has ventured all over the country to find the best buckwheat producers, ranging from Ibaraki to Hokkaido to even remote Shikoku, paying particular attention to the grains that will give him the most satisfying combinations of flavor and texture. Chef Hosokawa’s seiro — soba served on a square wicker tray — comes with a thick homemade dipping sauce, and guests ordering a second serving can taste noodles from a different region than the first. Seasonal exclusives include cold soba with Hokkaido oysters in the summer, while soba with nameko mushrooms is a hot favorite — literally — in the winter. Tempura sides, like conger eel, add a light crispy counterpart to the meal. Edosoba Hosokawa held a Michelin star for almost 15 consecutive years before its reasonable prices led inspectors to give it a Bib Gourmand award in 2023. Michelin Guide: 2009 - 1 Michelin Star 2023 - Bib Gourmand