The specialty "hiyashi tanuki" is a perfect combination of firm soba noodles, deep-fried tofu soaked in sweet sauce, and crispy tempura flakes. This standard menu item at Sarashina, which is ordered by approximately 80% of customers, was actually created in response to a customer request. "At first, the soba noodles only contained tempura flakes, but a customer asked for deep-fried tofu, so we added deep-fried tofu, and that's how tanuki soba, which combines tempura flakes and deep-fried tofu, was created," says Mizuno Asako, the eldest daughter of the third-generation owner.

Sarashina, a long-established soba restaurant celebrating its 96th anniversary this year, was originally established in 1928 by the first owner, Mizuno Kamajiro, in Yanagase Shopping Street, Gifu's most popular shopping district. The restaurant started out serving Shina soba and later added tempura soba, becoming popular as a cheap and delicious soba restaurant. However, in the Gifu air raid of 1945, Yanagase and the rest of the city center were almost completely burned down, and Sarashina was burned down as well.

Afterwards, the restaurant reopened in Kyomachi near the city hall, and while the second-generation owner was training in various places, including Osaka, he learned about cold, sweet and spicy broths, and created chilled tanuki by incorporating customer requests. It can be said to be the beginning of "toppings" that are now commonplace, and are made to meet customer requests. Incidentally, the basic chilled tanuki comes with four pieces of fried tofu, and customers can add as many as they want. There is no special receipt, and the number of extra pieces of fried tofu can be declared at the time of payment.

Committed to Gifu water

One of the things they are particular about is the well water they pump up from the well on-site. Gifu water is used not only for boiling and cooling the noodles, but also for the shop's original sweet and spicy broth.

The second floor of the shop is where they make their own noodles.

Another thing they are particular about is that everything is handmade.

"The noodles are homemade and made from flour on the second floor of the shop, the soup stock is made without any seasonings by shaving dried bonito flakes to make the best stock, and the tempura scraps are not made from tempura scraps but are made specifically for chilled tanuki," says Mizuno Satoru, the eldest son.

The second floor of the shop is a small but functional noodle factory where buckwheat flour is kneaded with well water, pressed in a press, rolled out with two rollers, dusted with flour, and finally cut into noodles. The process is carried out as a "cottage industry" just as it was in the old days.

The shop is run by Asako Mizuno, the beloved daughter of the third-generation owner, Shin Mizuno. While many shops struggle with succession due to lack of successors, Asako and her younger brother Satoru are preparing to take over the business in the next generation.

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Sarashina

Phone: 058-265-9594

Address: 3-4 Kyomachi, Gifu City, Gifu Prefecture

Access: 1 minute walk from Gifu Bus "Citizens' Hall/Court House"

Website: https://www.tanuki-soba.com/