When you think of Kushiro in Hokkaido, you might first think of seafood, but actually, the people of Kushiro love soba noodles, and it's a city with many soba restaurants.
And the dominant color of soba noodles is green.

So this time, we visited "Chikuroen Azumaya Main Store," a famous soba restaurant in Kushiro that was founded in 1874 and is a must-visit for soba lovers.

Table of Contents:
1. Takeroen Higashiya Main Store, established in the Meiji era.
2. Are soba noodles green?
3. The soba noodles that Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress ate.
4. A must-see for soba lovers! Popular menu items
5. Souvenir from Zhu Lao Yuan: "Dong Jia Soup Base"
6. The tatami room and the Japanese garden on the premises
7. Access to "Chikuroen Higashiya Main Store"
Final thoughts

The history of "Chikuroen Azumaya Main Store," which spans over 140 years, dates back to 1874. The first generation, Bunpei Ito, founded the business in Otaru. In 1912, the second generation, Takejiro Ito, opened Azumaya in Masago-cho, Kushiro-machi (present-day Omachi, Kushiro City), as a unique "Japanese soba specialty restaurant" for the time.

Takejiroen, located on the shores of Lake Harutori, a lake inhabited by the natural monument "hibuna" (a type of carp), was originally a mansion built in 1927 by Takejiro as his retirement home. He loved the scenic beauty of the place, and because of the excellent water quality, he began operating it as Higashiya Sohonten in 1927, and it continues to do so to this day.

Image provided by: Takeiroen Higashiya Main Store

Higashiya's signature soba noodles are green. Green is the color of new soba noodles.

Apparently, they started serving green soba noodles so that customers could feel like they were eating freshly harvested soba all year round.
It is said that it originated at "Kanda Yabusoba" in Tokyo.

Azumaya's original "Yabu Soba," made with white sarashina flour and green chlorella, has a smooth texture and is a popular menu item at Azumaya.

The photo above shows buckwheat grains. After about a year, they gradually wither and turn brown. Apparently, if you make soba noodles using flour ground from these brown buckwheat grains, you'll get brown soba noodles.

This is the "Ran-kiri Soba" that Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress enjoyed.

The "Ran-kiri Soba" (Egg-Cut Soba) uses the character for "orchid" (蘭) to represent the "orchid flower," in keeping with the atmosphere of Chikuroen Higashiya Sohonten. This soba uses egg yolk as a binder. The pure white Sarashina flour is enhanced by the color and flavor of the egg yolk, creating an exceptional dish, and the more you chew, the more the sweetness spreads in your mouth.

In 1954, when His Majesty the Emperor stayed at Rokuenso in Kushiro, he was so pleased with the "Ran-kiri Soba" that he asked for a second helping. It is said that Mr. Tokuji Ito was so overjoyed that he shed tears. This anecdote is still told today.

At lunchtime, "Chikuroen Higashiya Main Store" is bustling with locals.
We asked about their most popular menu items.

The photo shows the "Special Course" for ¥2,780.
This course allows you to enjoy four dishes: kashiwanuki (chicken broth), rankiri soba (buckwheat noodles with orchid-shaped buckwheat flour), cha soba (green tea buckwheat noodles), and soba sushi.

[Kashiwa-nuki (Soup)]... One of our à la carte dishes. It's like "Kashiwa Soba" but without the noodles. The rich broth comes from mature chicken. You can enjoy it as a snack with drinks or as a soup. Please enjoy it while it's hot.

[Ran-kiri Soba]... Soba noodles bound with egg yolk. A specialty of Takeroen Higashiya Main Store.
It's also delicious to add Ran-kiri soba noodles to kashiwanuki (soup).

[Tea Soba]... This is soba noodles with high-quality matcha added. The elegant matcha flavor that gently fills your mouth and the firm texture are exceptional.

[Soba Sushi]... Created in 1950 (Showa 25) by the third-generation owner, Tokuji Ito, after two years of development. Soba noodles seasoned with sweet vinegar are wrapped in seaweed, and the subtle ginger flavor makes it exquisite. A dish loved by many famous people.

The "Special Course" is a course meal entirely dedicated to soba noodles, a must-try for soba lovers.
*The above four items can also be ordered individually.

Next, we'll introduce Higashiya's original green "Yabu Soba" and its popular menu items.

Image provided by: Takeiroen Higashiya Main Store

For hot soba noodles, the "Kashiwa Soba" (chicken soba) for ¥800 and the "Ebi Tempura Soba" (shrimp tempura soba) (with 2 pieces) for ¥1,350 are popular choices.

 Image provided by: Takeiroen Higashiya Main Store

For cold soba noodles, there's "Tenzaru" (tempura soba) for ¥1,780 and "Morizaru" (plain soba) for ¥680.
Apparently, many people order this.

Let's introduce some souvenirs that will allow you to recreate the taste of Higashiya's cuisine at home.

"Higashiya Soup Base" is very convenient for making noodles or other dishes at home. It's concentrated, so it has a long shelf life. 300ml ¥540

Image provided by: Takeiroen Higashiya Main Store

"Higashiya Soup Base (12 bottles in a cardboard box)" ¥5,400

Use it straight: as soy sauce
4x concentrated (3 parts water, 1 part broth): For use as a broth for cold noodles.
8x concentrated (7 parts water, 1 part broth): For use as a broth for hot noodles.

It can be used to season rice bowls such as oyakodon (chicken and egg rice bowl) and zangi (fried chicken seasoned with soy sauce, ginger, and garlic, then coated in potato starch or wheat flour and deep-fried). It also makes a great gift.

"Chikuroen Higashiya Main Store" has many private rooms.
Private room charge (within 1 hour): 300 yen and up

While we do have table seating, we recommend our tatami room for those who want to relax and enjoy their meal at a leisurely pace. It's a charming Japanese-style room with a sense of history.

The Japanese garden on the premises is also beautiful.

You can also enjoy the seasonal beauty of the garden.

○ Access
From JR Kushiro Station, take bus number 18 or 53 and get off at "Chiyonoura" bus stop. It's about a 7-minute walk from there.

Equipment outline
"Chikuroen Higashiya Main Store"
HP)http://chikurouen.com
Address: 3-19 Kashiwagi-cho, Kushiro City, Hokkaido
Business hours: 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Closed every Tuesday
Phone) 0154-41-6291

Final thoughts

Many prominent figures, including members of the Imperial family, have enjoyed the soba noodles at "Chikuroen Higashiya Main Store." Some even visited the restaurant every day during their stay.

"Chikuroen Higashiya Main Store" is located facing the lush natural surroundings of Lake Harutori and Chiyonoura Beach.
Why not enjoy a soba noodle meal while taking in the beautiful scenery and experiencing history and tradition?

Please also check out these related articles.

• 

  Highlights and attractions of Sapporo White Illumination [2018-19 Edition]!

• 

  [Popular, Classic, and Hidden Hot Springs] 5 Recommended Hot Springs in Niseko You'll Want to Visit Now!

• 

  Okhotsk Chipmunk Park is a squirrel paradise that's perfect for relaxation! Plus, 4 other relaxing spots in nearby Abashiri.

• 

  Learn about Hokkaido's history while having fun at the Hokkaido Museum!

• 

  If you're looking for popular sweet potato treats in Obihiro, this is the place! I went to Cranberry's main store♪

• 

  [Highlights, Seasons, Hotels] Let us introduce you to the charms of Asahidake Onsen!

• 

  Top 10 souvenirs to buy at New Chitose Airport! Highly recommended for yourself too!

• 

  What should you actually do when sightseeing in Shiretoko? We'll tell you all about the sights and how to enjoy yourself!

Introducing our sister site (please check it out if you're interested)