Hello!
This time, we’d like to introduce you to Sobadokoro Ito, a popular restaurant located along Route 112 in Sagae City, Yamagata Prefecture.

The appeal of Sobadokoro Ito is, of course, the deliciousness of the soba noodles, but that’s not all.
This time, we’ll be introducing the other attractions of the restaurant as well!

Sobadokoro Ito: A famous restaurant where you can enjoy seasonal flavors and limited-time menu items

Sobadokoro Ito is located on the way to Gassan via National Route 112.

This time I ordered the classic “Cold Meat Soba.”

“Cold Meat Soba” is served all year round, in both summer and winter, so you can enjoy cool and delicious soba at any time.
Other popular local menu items include “Cold Chicken Chuka.”

This time I ordered the “Cold Meat Soba (large portion)” and was surprised at the amount of food.

The firm, chewy soba noodles were topped with flavorful parent chicken meat. What’s even more enjoyable is that the spring onions were served on a separate plate.

I topped mine with plenty of spring onions and a sprinkling of shichimi pepper. The sweet and salty soup had a clean aftertaste that was addictive.

It was a delicious dish that was satisfying to eat, yet easy to finish.

A full menu of standard dishes and seasonal wild vegetables

At Sobadokoro Ito, you can enjoy a wide variety of dishes, focusing on soba noodles, as well as ramen, rice dishes such as katsudon and tendon, and even a la carte dishes such as tentacle tempura and wild vegetables.

One thing worth noting in particular is the seasonal menu.

I visited in early summer, which was right in the middle of wild vegetable season. Mt. Gassan is a land filled with abundant nature, and is famous for its wild vegetables.
Soba Dokoro Ito serves the following wild vegetables, allowing you to enjoy their fresh flavors.

• Tara buds
• Koshiabura
• Kogomi
• Red kogomi
• Yamaudo

We also recommend the “Mountain Vegetable Soba,” which uses an abundance of these mountain vegetables. It’s a luxurious bowl of soba that lets you enjoy the local flavor as it is.

What is Gassan’s specialty, “Sasatake”?

One of the local specialties of the area around Mt. Gassan is “Sasatake.” This is young bamboo of the Kurile bamboo species, which is in season from late May to mid-June, and is also known as “Nemagaritake” in Yamagata.

They are thin and soft, yet when you chew them, they have a subtle sweetness and the bitter taste that is unique to wild vegetables, making them an exquisite ingredient.
They grow in the rich natural environment at the foot of Mt. Gassan, so they have an exceptional flavor.

Unfortunately, it was out of stock when I visited, but if the timing is right, it’s a seasonal specialty that is definitely worth trying.

What is “Gassan Mountain Vegetable Soba,” a favorite dish near Sobadokoro Ito?

Along the Sobadokoro Ito neighborhood, there’s a local dish called “Gassan Mountain Vegetable Soba,” beloved by locals.
Gassan Mountain Vegetable Soba originated in Nishikawa Town, at the foot of Mount Gassan in Yamagata. It’s a dish made by adding separately boiled soba noodles to a pot of simmered local mountain vegetables and mushrooms.

It is a local dish that makes use of the unique climate of the Gassan region, which is a heavy snow area, and uses wild vegetables such as Mizu, Kogoumi, Udo, and Gassan bamboo shoots that are harvested from spring to early summer. Some restaurants use meltwater from Mt. Gassan, and the food is packed with the charm of the local area.

Gassan mountain vegetable soba is becoming popular as a local gourmet dish among tourists, and is a specialty served at local inns and restaurants, as well as roadside stations and events. A bowl of soba that allows you to fully experience the blessings of nature is truly a special experience of enjoying the “taste of the mountains.”

The History of Gassan Mountain Vegetable Soba

The establishment of Gassan mountain vegetable soba in its current style was due to the close collaboration and passion between a long-established local mountain vegetable restaurant and a noodle manufacturer.

At the heart of this was the renowned restaurant “Dewaya” in Nishikawa Town.
Founded over 100 years ago, this ryokan (Japanese inn) has long served mountain vegetable dishes, and has treated guests to cuisine that makes use of the bounty of the mountains.
Dewaya wondered if they could create a dish that combined soba noodles made with water from the foot of Mt. Gassan with local wild vegetables. After much trial and error, the result was Gassan Mountain Vegetable Soba.

The Varieties and Appeal of Gassan Mountain Vegetables

At an elevation of 1,984 meters, Mt. Gassan is home to a variety of wild vegetables, including water chestnut, bracken, staghorn fern, and bamboo shoots.

Mizu, which appears with the arrival of spring, is characterized by its crunchy texture and freshness. It is a versatile ingredient that is delicious whether stir-fried or dressed, and is an essential ingredient in mountain vegetable soba. “Kogomi” (Kosasagoretsu) and “Urui” (Giboshi) have a mild flavor and a slight bitterness that brings out the unique flavor of mountain vegetables.

Another symbol of Mt. Gassan is the “Gassan bamboo shoot.” These bamboo shoots, which grow wild in the highlands, have thin, soft skin and a unique fragrance and sweetness.
Due to their rarity, with only a short harvesting period, many mountain vegetable lovers visit Mt. Gassan every year in search of this taste.

Furthermore, in autumn, wild mushrooms such as nameko, kuritake, and mukitake are harvested in the beech forests of the mountains.
Wild nameko in particular has a powerful umami flavor deep within its slime, and adding it to the dipping sauce adds depth to the flavor.

Summary

Sobadokoro Ito is a popular restaurant with excellent access, perfect for stopping by on your way to Mt. Gassan.

The classic “Cold Meat Soba” is appealing with the umami flavor of parent chicken and a sweet and salty broth with a refreshing aftertaste. It’s a satisfying dish that will have you finishing even the large portion in no time.
What’s more, from spring to early summer you can also enjoy seasonal ingredients such as “mountain vegetables” and “thin bamboo.”
This is the perfect spot for those who want to experience the “seasons” of Yamagata.

If you’re driving or sightseeing in the Gassan area and want to fully enjoy the local flavors, be sure to stop by Sobadokoro Ito.

Click here for store information on Sobadokoro Ito