Warm soba noodles for 300 yen, kakiage tempura for 80 yen, gobou tempura for 80 yen, total 460 yen. Noodles are soft, soup is slightly thick. Be careful not to miss the entrance of the shop. Tempura is all priced at 80 yen each. Cold soba or udon is an additional 20 yen.

There is a notice that prices have been raised since May 2023, but even with that, a warm soba (300 yen) and two tempura items (each 80 yen) come to a total of 460 yen! (Tempura with soba large serving was 510 yen, so large serving is +50 yen). The burdock tempura has a satisfying texture, and I like the onion-based vegetable tempura, but unfortunately, the broth (dipping sauce) is not tasty at all!! First of all, there is no hint of dashi flavor in the broth, but if you mix commercial noodle soup base with water and add granulated dashi, you can make it better. I'm not sure if the soba is made from dried noodles or from a noodle factory, but it's a bit powdery and chewy, but compared to other soba places, it's not as bad. If only the broth (dipping sauce) tasted better, I would come back to eat again!

After leaving Hoten-chan in Ueno, I took a train to Uguisudani station, one stop away, to visit the desired shop. I made my way through a street where couples were being affectionate, and into a quiet residential area. The bakery I wanted to visit was closed and sold out, but luckily this place was open and I breathed a sigh of relief. I opened the door, the owner was looking at the tempura case, I placed my order, filled up my water myself, and sat down. The freshly cut green onions were quickly prepared and served. I ordered the Gobo Tempura Soba (350 yen). The soba had a good balance of flavor with a broth that wasn't too sweet and tempura that was generous with thick burdock root pieces neatly arranged. The broth blended well, enhancing the flavor even more. Choosing burdock root was the right decision! Sprinkling some shichimi pepper added a nice aroma. It was a delicious meal. There was a notice about a slight price increase for the soba, but the tempura prices remained the same. This affordable and tasty soba shop, I hope they continue to thrive without overdoing it. I will visit again.

For lunch, I had kakesoba at "Hamadaya" for 220 yen, with ebi tempura and beni shoga tempura for 80 yen each, making it a total of 380 yen. I also asked for some fried egg topping, which used to be on the table before COVID. I filled the gaps between the tempura with the fried egg topping, making the beni shoga tempura delicious as it soaked up the broth. The ebi tempura looked impressive and tasted great too. The flavor of the broth was enhanced by the oil from the fried egg topping, so I couldn't help but finish every drop of it. With a satisfied stomach, I can't wait to go home and lie down.

I went to double-check! As soon as you enter through the glass sliding door, you'll see a tempura showcase on your right. When you're deciding what to eat, the mother will ask if you want udon or soba. "Ah... I'll have the large hot soba!" I said, and it came out within a minute, so it's best to choose quickly! This time I had chikuwa and tempura! The chikuwa is large, but they cut it finely before serving. They are kind, but I think it's okay not to cut it... Also, the tempura! The quality can vary, but this time the vegetables were crunchy! The coating was crispy, and they were large, it was great! The burdock tempura seemed like it had a lot of volume, so I'd like to try it next time! Also, the spring vegetable tempura! Hmm... I want to try various things! There are about 6 seats at the counter, the water is at the very back (self-service), there are plenty of tissues on the back, and the trash can is under the water server! You can pay before or after eating, but it seems smarter to pay without receiving change first. I haven't tried the cold soba or udon yet, so maybe next time! This time, I had the large hot soba, chikuwa tempura, and tempura for 430 yen.

Soba + Gobo Tempura + Squid Tempura + Raw Egg for 420 yen. After living in the neighborhood for nearly a quarter of a century, I finally made my first visit. The store's appearance is so unique that it's hard to enter... It's not just unique, but rather inconspicuous, making you wonder, "Is this place really a restaurant?" I've never seen any customers inside. However, with good reviews from fellow reviewers, I decided to give it a try. It was a weekday just after opening time. A regular customer entered before me, followed by me. The regular customer didn't even need to order, that's how much of a regular they were. The lady at the store casually made soba while chatting with the customers. In the meantime, I helped myself to water from the self-service water dispenser installed at the back of the store. Once the regular customer's order was ready, the lady asked me in a curt manner, "Soba or udon?" Since I already knew from previous reviews that they would ask this, I quickly replied, "Soba, do you have squid tempura?" The lady replied, "Yes." I then ordered squid tempura, gobo tempura, and raw egg. The meal was ready in about 2 minutes. Let's dig in! The soba had a good firmness. The broth had a balanced mix of soy sauce and dashi flavors. It didn't have any particular standout features, but it was a comforting taste. The gobo tempura had a nice crispy texture, and the sliced gobo was easy to eat. The tempura of the squid was soft, but I liked it that way. The chewiness and flavor of the squid blended well with the soba. I cracked the raw egg towards the end to enjoy the sweet and savory taste. After finishing, I said, "Thank you for the meal." The lady replied, "That will be 420 yen." That's definitely cheap! At the famous "Ichiyoshi Soba," the same order would cost a total of 610 yen. I paid the exact amount, returned the bowl and cup to the counter, wiped the table with the provided cloth, and said, "Thank you." The lady responded with a somewhat brighter tone, "Thank you." I'll definitely come back.

The other day, I visited the super famous standing soba shop, Hamadaya, located a 10-minute walk from Uguisudani Station on the JR Yamanote Line and Keihin-Tohoku Line, where the standing soba master, Tomohiro Hamada, reigns supreme. Tomohiro Hamada, also known as Hamada 47 in the standing soba world, is a left-handed pitcher from Miyazaki City, Miyazaki Prefecture. After a successful high school baseball career, he went on to play college baseball at Kyushu Sangyo University, where he excelled as a pitcher. He was eventually drafted by the Chunichi Dragons in 2014 but struggled to make an impact in the professional league. After spending some time in the minors, he was eventually released by the team in 2016. He later played for the Kagawa Olive Guyners in the Shikoku Island League Plus and made significant contributions to the team. Despite facing setbacks in his professional baseball career, Hamada 47 has found success in the standing soba world at Hamadaya. The shop is located near Uguisudani Station, which was a new area for me to explore. The soba at Hamadaya is like a perfect fastball - with great flavor, texture, and freshness.

Since the price increase on April 11th, I visited "Hamadaya" for the first time. I found out about it from an online article. There is no price list here, but every time I go, I remember it being very cheap. Just to give you an idea, the kakesoba is 220 yen, hiyashi soba is 240 yen, and it's an extra 50 yen for 1.5 servings and 100 yen for 2 servings. Tempura items are all 80 yen. "Very cheap!" By the way, there is still no price list. Today, I had kakesoba (220 yen) with beni shoga ten (80 yen) and shungiku ten (80 yen), totaling 380 yen. When I asked, "Do you have tempura bits?" they brought out a separate plate of crispy tempura bits (more like tempura flakes?) in abundance, so I topped them generously on the three-color soba (I made that name up, haha). The beni shoga ten and shungiku ten were big, thin, and crispy. Even after soaking in the broth and becoming soft and tender, they were still delicious! The soba had a gentle broth and was very filling. Just eating this made me feel satisfied for the day. I'll definitely come back again!

Today I had an appointment in Negishi area. I finished early and came back here around 11:30. There were two customers before me. As usual, the mother asked if I wanted soba or udon. I ordered soba with extra noodles, squid tempura, and pickled ginger. I sprinkled plenty of shichimi pepper and finished it in no time. Ah, it was delicious. I was very satisfied.

Today, I had an appointment in the Higashi-Nippori area again. I decided to eat here for the second time in a row. I arrived a little after 12 o'clock and there were three customers already there. I ordered soba noodles with extra noodles and squid for 320 yen. I also felt like having some pickled ginger tempura, so I added that for a total of 380 yen. It's so cheap... I'm starting to understand the prices here. I'm very satisfied.

On February 28, 2022, at 13:04, I dined at this restaurant. The operating hours for this day were from 11:00 to 15:00. The seating was counter style with proper partitions, and even the chopsticks were behind a film. There were no menus or price lists displayed. Self-service water was available at the back of the restaurant. I finally managed to try the "Geso Tempura Soba" on my fourth visit. It was not very noticeable and I had overlooked it before. When I entered through the small curtain, a showcase of tempura awaited me. Due to the late hour, there were only a few options left, so I settled for the Gobo Tempura Soba. Despite not being able to find the price list or menu anywhere, I decided to ask for the "Geso Tempura." It turned out they had it, hidden away. I ordered it and the bowl was filled with tempura. The Gobo tempura was delicious, with a rich aroma and perfectly cooked. The "Geso Tempura" consisted of about 6 pieces of 5-6cm squid, fried individually. The batter was soft, and the broth, slightly sweet, complemented the tempura well. I ended up finishing the soba as well, which was unusual for me. I will definitely visit again, although the price remains a mystery. I paid a thousand yen and received change without knowing how much. The neighboring customers paid around 280 yen for a tempura soba. This restaurant may be difficult for the average person to visit due to its remote location and short operating hours, but I will return as long as I have a car.

Today I had an appointment in the area around Higashi-Nippori. I finished early and visited the restaurant around 11:30. There were no other customers. As soon as I entered, the owner asked me, "Soba? Udon?" in the usual style. In the showcase, there were toppings like mackerel, fish cake, burdock root, tempura, and pickled ginger. I ordered soba with a large serving and tempura. I was surprised that it only cost 350 yen. The taste was also very satisfying.

Red pickled ginger and burdock tempura soba (340 yen). Located in a quiet residential area with almost no foot traffic, "Hamadaya" quietly operates. They have partitioned seating for each person, ensuring excellent COVID-19 measures. I chose red pickled ginger tempura and burdock tempura from the display case. Since they don't have a menu, I was nervous until the bill came (especially because I only had coins and no bills today...), but it was only 340 yen! Well, that was expected. I've been here many times, but I still don't know the prices of soba and tempura separately. The only thing I'm sure of is that it's cheap. The tempura bits that used to be on the table are gone now due to COVID-19 measures, but when I asked, they kindly brought them in a small dish. The gentle soup from the owner gains more flavor as the oil from the tempura seeps out. The soft and voluminous thin noodles make you feel satisfied. Of course, I finished everything, including the soup! Now, let's enjoy the start of the weekend!

Today I had a meeting near Nishi-Nippori Station. It was past 12:30. I tried going to Ichigen and Rokumon, but both had long lines. I decided to come here after a long time. There were two customers ahead of me. I ordered soba with extra noodles, spring onions, and eggplant. The food arrived quickly. The bill came out to only 390 yen, as always with unclear pricing (laughs). I was very satisfied.

Today I had an appointment in the area around Higashi-Nippori. It was past 12:30. I was in the mood for soba noodles. Rokumon was closed, and Ichiyoshi had a long line. So I decided to come here after a long time. There were two customers ahead of me. I ordered soba noodles with extra noodles and a side of tempura with spring vegetables. It was served quickly. The tempura with spring vegetables was also quite delicious. The bill came to a surprising 330 yen. A very satisfying meal with great value for money. (Unclear billing, haha)

I read the reviewer's article and got interested, so I decided to check it out. The tent had the name of the restaurant, but there wasn't a clear sign. Inside, there was only a counter, and no menu in sight. There were some fried tempura near the entrance. I sat down and after a short wait, I was asked if I wanted soba or udon. I ordered cold soba and checked if the green tempura was shungiku. The noodles were slightly soft, and the broth had a sweet taste. I didn't know the price, but it turned out to be only 300 yen. Great value for the money!

Today I had an appointment in Higashi-Nippori. I searched for a soba restaurant and found this place. It was past 12:30 with no other customers. There was no menu anywhere. I looked at the tempura in the showcase by the entrance, then ordered a large soba with onion tempura. The atmosphere inside the restaurant was cozy, and the taste felt like eating at home. It was satisfying. The bill came out to only 350 yen. Very pleased.

Today is December 23rd, so I had the day off. I went to the barber for a fresh haircut. For lunch, I went to Hamadaya in Uguisudani, a little walk from the station. It was just right. Due to COVID, they are open from 11 am to 3 pm. The interior has counter seats, but there are also chairs. On the counter, there are delicious-looking tempura lined up. I ordered the spring chrysanthemum tempura with raw egg soba. The tempura looks big. Let's dig in. First, I tried the soba broth. Hmm, it's not very sweet and a bit spicy. As I ate more, the tempura started to dissolve in the broth, and the sweetness gradually increased. The noodles are a bit firm, which I like. Next time, I'll definitely go for the pickled ginger tempura.

In a quiet residential area far from Nippori Station, Uguisudani Station, Mikawashima Station, and Iriya Station, a small udon and soba shop with a red sign is quietly tucked away. The shop may seem like a tobacco shop or a parcel delivery counter if the sign is not visible. Inside, there is only a long counter along the kitchen, with the back area filled with miscellaneous items. There are no menus in sight. When you enter, the owner asks, "Soba? Udon?" I choose soba and notice the large tempura options like kakiage, spring onion tempura, and eggplant tempura. Next to them, I spot a beautifully red pickled ginger tempura, which I decide to order. The owner quickly adds some chopped leeks on top. The noodles are like those from a famous noodle shop, smoothly passing through the throat. The broth, though dark in color, is not too salty and has a light sweetness to it. The tempura is freshly fried in front of me, giving it a homemade touch. The standout red tempura adds a unique touch to the dish. This simple yet delicious meal feels like a taste of everyday happiness. The bill comes to 280 yen, which means a plain soba would cost around 200 yen. Quite affordable. Outside, there are pots of lilies and tomatoes on display, adding to the charm of the shop. There are no bad experiences in places like this. Thank you for the meal.

I had kakiage soba at a standing soba shop in Higashi-Nippori. It's actually a standing soba shop, but there are chairs. It only costs 300 yen, and the taste is decent. Thank you for the meal!