In a corner of the field, there was a sign for soba noodles. The tables were separated by acrylic panels, ensuring thorough COVID-19 measures. Visiting near closing time, I was told they couldn't fry anything, but that was not a problem as I had no intention of ordering fried food. There was only one elderly couple dining before me. Since the menu boasted about it, I ordered the "tsukekamo" (dipping duck). The warm duck soup arrived with the soba noodles in a rectangular box. I thought the portion might be a bit small, but it turned out to be just right. The duck soup had a rich flavor and was delicious. The soba noodles had a nice chewy texture and were tasty. It was so good that I couldn't help but slurp it all up quickly. Before I knew it, I had finished everything. I poured the soba broth into the duck soup and it was delicious. I almost finished it all. I found a delicious soba restaurant in Oki-machi. I would love to visit again if I have the chance. Thank you for the meal.

I went to Fudo-san! It was my first visit, recommended by an acquaintance. I went to Taiju-cho on a holiday, thanks to the high-grade road making it easy. I arrived before the opening time and waited in the car for a while. The owner came out and said, "We don't have udon, but..." I asked if they had soba, and he nodded and went back inside. The owner reminded me of the sub-leader of the terrorist in the movie "Shinkansen Daibakuha" - a quiet and stern father figure. The atmosphere inside the restaurant was cozy with a touch of nostalgia. I chose the zaru soba for 680 yen, and it arrived in about 8 minutes. The soba was thin and slightly chewy, with a strong flavor. The broth was spicy and flavorful, making it a delicious meal. When I asked the owner's wife if udon was popular, she apologized and explained that her husband had a shoulder injury and couldn't lift his arm. I thanked her and said I was glad to have come for the delicious soba. Fudo-san served delicious soba, thank you for the meal.

Today, I finally visited a soba restaurant that I had been curious about but couldn't go to because it was far away. I went on a drive with my friends to Fudo restaurant for the first time. The location is a bit out of the way in Oki-machi on National Route 236. The exterior of the restaurant is a renovated house with a welcoming Shisa at the entrance and a beautifully maintained garden. Inside, there are several large table seats. I ordered the duck dipping soba for 1,280 yen with a large size option for an additional 180 yen, while my friend ordered the assorted tempura soba for 1,500 yen. The soba noodles were hand-cut and had a good texture, and the duck dipping broth was flavorful with plenty of duck and green onions. The tempura consisted of shrimp, shiitake mushrooms, enoki mushrooms, sweet potatoes, eggplant, and sasage (a type of vegetable). The service was very friendly and attentive, and the overall experience was great. I will definitely come back again. Thank you for the meal!

I visited a soba restaurant located across the street from a gardening shop called Kudopark in Oki Machi, which offers flowers for flower beds at very reasonable prices. I ordered the "Kizami Kitsune" for 780 yen as soon as the restaurant opened. The sliced fried tofu was sweet and delicious. The interior of the restaurant has a traditional Japanese house style, giving it a calm atmosphere. There was a sign at the entrance saying "Today we do not have hand-made udon and tempura menu", so I wonder if they usually have it? I'm curious about their udon as well.

While driving, I had the chance to stop by a soba restaurant that I had always been curious about. It opened at 11 o'clock, but I arrived early. I waited in the parking lot in front of the shop. The owner approached me and said the hot water wasn't ready yet, but I could wait inside. He seemed kind, so I went inside as he suggested. The interior had a nice old-fashioned atmosphere. I could see cows through the window, giving it a Hokkaido vibe. The water was self-serve, and it seemed like the couple running the place, so there was a note saying to be patient as it may take some time. As more customers came in, I ordered the mountain vegetable grated soba as it was a hot day. I was quite hungry, so the portion felt a bit small, but the taste was good and I left satisfied.

I have been passing by this place many times, but it always seems closed! Upon researching, I found out that they only open during lunchtime. No wonder. Finally, I managed to get in! I was torn between the tororo soba and the classic kashiwa soba... There are no set meals, but you can add a mini tendon for an extra 580 yen, which is quite pricey... I wanted to try the duck soba too, but I'm not such a big fan of soba to pay 1200 yen for it. The kashiwa soba was delicious in a normal way. The atmosphere of the restaurant is very nice with its old-fashioned Japanese house style. However, since they only open for lunch, I wonder when I can visit next... It's a noticeable place along the national highway. Soba lovers should definitely check it out!

- 4/19 Long-awaited visit - Today, on my way from Obihiro to Erimo, I stopped by after a long time. It was a little past 1 pm, with 3 groups of 5 customers already there. I sat at a large table and ordered the dipping toro soba. It arrived in about 10 minutes, with a sieve on a plate. The soba today was from Kurosato, which is rare for Tokachi. The tororo was locally sourced. First, I tried the soba as it is. The slightly dark, thin-cut soba had decent firmness and a good texture. The tororo, already in a small bowl, should have been served separately (wry smile). I poured in the dipping sauce, mixed it up, and enjoyed it. The local tororo was delicious! I finished it quickly and took a breather with soba-yu (hot soba water) before heading to Erimo. When I first visited this place was last year, on my way from Erimo to Nakasatsunai Village. It was past 11 am, and I thought the soba shop in Nakasatsunai might be crowded by the time I arrived, so I decided to stop by this place that had caught my eye. The parking lot in front of the charming shop surrounded by trees was more than half full, a sign of its popularity. Inside, the interior was designed like an old folk house, creating a calm atmosphere. I ordered the rare toro kombu soba from the menu. I remembered how they always had tororo kombu at the counter when I ordered soba at Date Service Area (laughs). The soba that arrived after a while had plenty of tororo. The thin noodles were slightly black, with a coarse texture and a strong firmness. The broth was flavorful with bonito flavor, balancing well with the soba, and the flavor of the tororo kombu soaked in more and more, truly delicious! It was a quick meal and drink (●＾o＾●). Afterwards, I also tried the cold soba, which was very refreshing for the throat.

When I went back to my hometown, I heard that a new soba restaurant had opened, so I went to check it out. I am currently obsessed with soba, and I only eat duck soba wherever I go. The reason I got hooked on soba and duck soba was because of this restaurant. I went with my family, and even my picky brother was surprised by the taste of the dipping sauce for the duck soba! To be honest, I didn't have high expectations when I walked in, so I was really surprised too! The dipping sauce has a strong flavor, but it's really delicious. I'm still far from being a soba connoisseur, but in my opinion, the duck soba dipping sauce at Fudo is my type and deserves a high score. I never thought that a new restaurant in my hometown would make me want to go back every time. If you ever go to Oki, I highly recommend trying it out!

I rarely have the opportunity to visit Oki-machi in Tokachi, but this time I had some business there and decided to stop by for lunch. After finishing my errands, I was heading back to Obihiro city when I noticed a restaurant on the right side, away from the town center of Oki-machi. Surrounded by lush greenery, the place had a charming atmosphere. As shown in the picture, the parking lot was divided by embedded stones. Inside the restaurant, the interior had a traditional Japanese house style, creating a calm atmosphere. I looked at the menu and was intrigued by the Tamago-don set. Since I heard the owner was from Kyoto, I decided to give it a try. What arrived was a richly colored Tamago-don with a side of soba. The portion of soba was a bit small and delicate. The soba was countryside-style and being quite hungry, I quickly finished it. The Tamago-don was thick and creamy, perhaps thickened with potato starch, giving it a gooey texture. I was expecting a Kansai-style taste, but it was rather strong in flavor, maybe catering to the locals' preferences. Personally, I found it a bit too spicy. Nevertheless, the fluffy and gooey texture was enjoyable. As I was leaving, I chatted with the owner and learned that he had trained at a traditional Japanese restaurant in Nara. Hearing that, I felt a sense of familiarity and left the restaurant with fond memories. I wonder when I'll be able to visit again.

The soba and udon with a chewy texture and the gentle flavor of the egg rice bowl were delicious.

Recently, I've been thinking a lot about the balance between the broth and noodles in a dish. Even though both are delicious on their own, sometimes they just don't seem to complement each other well. However, here at Koto, the balance between the hearty noodles and flavorful broth is just right. They also pay attention to the toppings, which adds to the overall experience. I tried both the hot and cold soba noodles, and both were delicious with the broth. The restaurant is located on the left side as you enter the town of Taiki from Obihiro on the national highway. It's a peaceful setting surrounded by trees. It could be a perfect destination for a drive from the Obihiro area.

Just before entering Oki-machi, the triangular roof hidden in the trees on the left is the landmark. I had heard beforehand that a craftsman from Kyoto was running the place, so I had the image of tea soba and herring soba in mind. However, the soba that came out was black, coarse, firm, thin noodles, which was quite impressive. I ordered the zaru soba for 650 yen. It was served in a zaru without nori, known as Mori soba, with a side of dipping sauce, condiments including real wasabi, green onions, grated daikon, and soba-yu also served. The unique soba I had in this quaint location was unlike anything I had tasted before.

Along National Route 236. As you head south from Obihiro towards the town of Taiiku, you'll find this quaint little shop just before a downhill slope. The shop is nestled among the trees on the side of the road, making it a convenient stop for business trips. Inside, there are large, medium, and small tables, with the large table seating up to 10 people in a counter-like setup, making it easy for solo diners to enter. Although the menu doesn't list "morisoba," the "zarusoba" for 650 yen is essentially the same, without the seaweed topping. They use stone-ground soba from Kuro-Matsunai, which is slightly greenish and thin. The portion size is small, with a large serving costing an additional 150 yen. The soba broth is on the lighter side. Other menu items like the duck seiro for 1250 yen and tempura seiro for 1300 yen are a bit on the pricey side. They also serve udon, and the fact that the restaurant is non-smoking is a plus.