Language:Japanese
Ukiya is a soba restaurant serving authentic hand-made soba noodles that was founded in Pontocho, Kyoto in 1929 (Showa 4). The main store is located north of the Pontocho Kaburenjo Theater, and there are four other stores: Shimizu Yoshiharuan, Kyoto Takashimaya store, and Hotel Okura Kyoto store.
All of the stores have the relaxed atmosphere that is characteristic of Ukiya, but this time we will be introducing the store at the Hotel Okura Kyoto.
The entrance to the store is reminiscent of the main store in Pontocho, with its Japanese-style roof tiles, lattice windows, and a noren curtain that reads “Ukiya.” Inside the store there are tables and a Japanese-style room with tables set in a tatami room.
Today I wanted to have a relaxing meal with my family, so I decided to sit in the tatami room.
Today’s Menu
There were three of us today, so I ordered the “Shrimp Tenju Set” and my sons ordered the “100% Premium Temzaru” and “Seasonal Temzaru” respectively.
Personally, I think Ukiya’s soba is highly rated and ranks quite high among the famous soba restaurants in Kyoto. The flavor of Kaeshi is just right, and the grated wasabi goes well with it. I also have the impression that the crispy texture of tempura is very delicious.
The finest dish “Shrimp Tenju Set”
The Shrimp Tenju set consists of a lunch box with three large shrimp tempuras as the main dish, and comes with nihachi-seiro soba noodles, soup, and small bowl (which change depending on the day).
I wanted to order 100% buckwheat noodles, but this set only came with nihachi-seiro soba (80% buckwheat seiro soba).
100% Premium Temzaru
The Premium Tenzaru is a “limited item only available when in stock,” and the set comes with one extra-large skewer of shrimp tempura, the equivalent of four regular skewered tempura, as well as Kyoto vegetable tempura that changes with the season, and you can choose between a nihachi (80% buckwheat) or juwari (100% buckwheat) strainer.
This is an excellent set of 100% buckwheat noodles and extra-large shrimp tempura.
Seasonal Temzaru
The Seasonal Tenzaru may change depending on the ingredients available, but the set comes with Tamba chicken tempura and Kyoto vegetable tempura, and you can choose between a nihachi (80% buckwheat) or juwari (100% buckwheat) strainer.
The 100% buckwheat noodles and the tempura, which changes with the seasons, are also quite good, and it seems they are trying to provide ingredients that they are confident in depending on their availability.
Ukiya’s handmade soba
When Ukiya was founded in 1929 (Showa 4), it was an udon restaurant, but the third-generation owner, Mishima Yoshiharu, wanted to “master the art of making authentic hand-made soba,” so he trained at a soba restaurant in Tokyo and returned to Kyoto in 1980, which is when Ukiya’s hand-made soba began.
In Kyoto, where there are many long-established soba restaurants with over 100 years of history, Ukiya is a relatively new soba restaurant. However, the third-generation owner’s soba-making skills are excellent, and the restaurant serves some of the most delicious soba in Kyoto.
The third-generation owner, Yoshiharu Mishima, has started a hand-made soba school called “Ariyoshi Soba Shinryu Soba Making School,” where he serves as the principal and teaches how to make soba noodles.
The purpose of the hand-made soba classes is apparently “to popularize hand-made soba in Kyoto,” but it also seems to have the effect of ensuring that each Ukiya store offers consistent, high-quality hand-made soba.
The soba making school also offers a trial experience for the general public, so if you are interested, please check it out ⇒ “Yuki Soba Shinryu Soba Making School” (website in Japanese)
It seems that you can receive instruction from Yoshiharu Mishima, who received the “Oujuhosho (Medal with Yellow Ribbon)” from His Majesty the Emperor as a soba noodle craftsman.
Conclusion
This time we introduced Ukiya (at the Hotel Okura Kyoto branch), a restaurant in Kyoto that serves authentic hand-made soba noodles.
The ingredients for the tempura and side dishes may change depending on the supply situation, but we believe this is because they aim to serve the food in the best possible condition.
The juwari new soba (made from buckwheat flour produced in Kyoto) and nihachi soba (made from buckwheat flour produced in Hokkaido), made by the only soba chef recognized in Japan, are exquisite.