This morning, I saw a feature on Asaichi introducing flower-shaped seaweed soba from Iwakonbu, and I got a craving for it. I rushed to be the first customer at Nagaya Chabo Tenmaan, where they serve handmade soba made with spring water from Noto and topped with plenty of seaweed from the Sea of Japan. When you open the lid, the smell of the sea wafts out, and there's no need for any garnishes like green onions. After enjoying the soba mixed with seaweed, I poured in some soba-yu (hot water used to rinse the soba bowl) and had a delicious ending with soba-yu mixed with the remaining broth.

Around 12:30 on January 3rd, I came across an old folk house cafe while taking a stroll and decided to enter. The interior of the cafe had a counter with 7 seats, 3 tables for 2 people, and 1 table for 4 people. There were already 2 customers at the counter, so we were seated at a table for 2. The cafe was run by an elderly couple and had a very retro atmosphere with its traditional Japanese house interior. Classical music was playing in the background, adding to the retro feel. The menu and a glass of water were placed on the table with a note saying no photography or use of PCs and tablets. It was a shame that we couldn't take photos of the nostalgic interior. I ordered the "Almost Brazil Coffee" for 500 yen, which was listed on the menu. They also had soba noodles on the menu, so it seemed like a cafe specializing in soba and coffee. I wanted to ask about the origin of the coffee's name, but the other customers were regulars and were chatting with the couple, so I didn't get a chance to ask. The "Almost Brazil Coffee" had a nice balance of bitterness and a good aroma, making it delicious. As we were leaving, the owner kindly greeted us and gave us the cafe's business card. The card described the cafe as "Tenshin-an: aiming for the taste of charcoal-roasted coffee," with a haiku-like phrase stating that the aftertaste lingers for an hour. Thank you for the meal.

At Tenjin-an, where photography inside the store is prohibited, I ordered a set of zaru soba and coffee (almost Brazil) for 1150 yen. My wife ordered almost Brazil coffee for 500 yen and cheesecake for 500 yen, which resulted in a 200 yen discount as a set. The zaru soba arrived, with a light aroma typical of countryside soba. The soba broth had a strong dashi flavor without the salty taste of yabu-style broth. It was delicious when sipped with soba-yu, so warm soba might be even better. The cheesecake had little sweetness and was enjoyed with a drizzle of honey. The almost Brazil coffee was easy to drink and delicious.

The appearance of this soba restaurant may seem a bit too fancy to enter at first, but they are very particular about the ingredients and do a very meticulous job. In addition to making soba noodles, they also offer classes on making miso and yuzu pepper seasoning. The owner lives in Noto and they have a selection of rare Noto sake, so I recommend trying some sake and appetizers before enjoying the soba noodles at this restaurant!

From Exit B1 of Oshiage Station on the Tokyo Metro Hanzomon Line, head back towards the Oshiage Station front intersection. A short distance away from the intersection, walk along the river in the right direction and make a left turn at the second traffic light (Tokuma Bridge intersection). The cafe, with a traditional Japanese atmosphere, is located about 200 meters down Tokuma Bridge Street. Although soba noodles seemed to be the main dish, they also offer light meals. Photography inside the cafe is prohibited, so I only took a picture of the exterior. While the classic soba noodles were tempting, I decided to try the "Herbal Curry Set," which is soba noodles served with curry. The curry was mildly spicy and went well with the thinly sliced soba noodles. They also provided a dipping sauce for the soba noodles, which added a Japanese twist to the flavor. Of course, I didn't forget to enjoy the soba noodles with just the dipping sauce first. The finishing touch was the soba broth, which was slightly cloudy and added the perfect flavor when poured into the dipping sauce. As the set included a drink, I opted for coffee at this cafe. Since the cafe is away from the station, it seems to be a peaceful place to spend some relaxing time without the crowds.

I happened to find a soba restaurant because I was craving soba. The food was delicious and the atmosphere was cozy. Even after leaving the restaurant, my companion and I could still bask in the afterglow of our meal, saying "It was delicious, and the ambiance was nice." The food and the personalities of the owner and the waitress were great, and I would love to visit again.

A place where you can enjoy both soba and coffee at the same time. The atmosphere inside the restaurant is relaxing, and the couple who run it create a cozy space. I always enjoy going there!

I found this cafe while researching online about soba cafes, a category I didn't know existed. It's located a bit far from Oshiage Station. Even in this era where Heisei is coming to an end, the entrance exudes a Showa era atmosphere. Personally, I love the nostalgic feeling of the Showa era, so I had a good feeling about this place. (The following is about the experience inside the shop, but there was a clear notice in the shop that photos were not allowed, so there are no photos.) Upon entering, wooden interior with a counter and table seats emerged. There were antique-looking coffee grinders and scales, whether they were decorations or actually used, I'm not sure, creating a mysterious atmosphere. It's an extremely calm and peaceful space, with the base being a Showa-style cafe. I was momentarily puzzled about eating soba here, but I ordered the soba and coffee set. The soba was a type with almost no binding agent, so it was quite firm with a good texture. (Personally, I prefer thin 80% buckwheat soba, so my taste rating is slightly restrained.) I enjoyed the black coffee. The aroma of the coffee was strong and satisfying. It seemed like a cafe where regular customers frequent, and I witnessed a scene where an elderly waiter was chatting amiably with the customers. In the midst of the silence, I suddenly heard a small rhythmic sound of "Tick, Tock," which I thought was something else, but it was actually the sound of a wall clock. That sound blended in so well with the cafe's atmosphere, and I truly felt a sense of peacefulness in this cafe. Although it's called a soba cafe, I simply enjoyed it as a regular cafe. If it were closer, I would love to hang out here often... I hope to visit again sometime in the future.

About 7-8 minutes walk east from Oshiage Station on the Tokyo Metro. The area around the station is bustling with many people, but as you walk towards this area, it suddenly becomes quiet. The shops are housed in long-established buildings that exude a unique charm. This area was once a burnt field after the Tokyo air raids, but the buildings here seem to have been built shortly after that. Despite being about 70 years old, the exterior and interior have been maintained with minimal renovations. This is a retro-style space where you can enjoy soba and coffee. The coffee is made with a lot of dedication, using self-roasted beans. This time, I had mori soba and cold brew iced coffee. The soba is made with a ratio of 1:9 of stone-ground buckwheat, with a slightly flat and thin cut. The aroma and flavor are surprisingly good, perfect for this season. The cold brew iced coffee was served in a small glass resembling a shot glass. It had a clean taste with a deep richness. It was a wonderful coffee with a lot of attention to detail. The store was mostly handmade by a group of artist friends, with the exception of electrical work. As a result, the whole interior has a warm and relaxing atmosphere. *Please note that photography inside the store is prohibited, so only exterior photos are available.

"Tenma-an" is a soba restaurant located on the Tenma Bridge Street that connects Oshiage and Komuraibara. They serve egg over rice on Mondays from 8:00 to 10:00. I decided to try it for the first time after noticing their signboards several times. I entered the restaurant a little after 8:00, and there were no other customers. The proprietress greeted me with a "Good morning." I sat at the counter seats. The menu only offers "egg over rice" (550 yen) and additional side dishes (each 100 yen). The side dishes include eggs, rice, pickles, miso soup, coffee, and more. The menu stated that photography inside the restaurant is prohibited, so I refrained from taking any pictures. The food was served on a tray after about 5 minutes. It included rice, egg, pickles, and miso soup. There were also two types of furikake and chopped nori that you could freely add. The rice was mixed grain rice with a purplish hue. I cracked the egg, added soy sauce, mixed it, and poured it over the rice. It was delicious. I added a little bit of furikake and chopped nori while enjoying the changing flavors. The miso soup was packed with cabbage, green beans, carrots, and other ingredients, with a light yet flavorful taste. The pickles, possibly turnips or radishes, had just the right amount of saltiness and depth of flavor. It was a good breakfast overall, but considering the price, it felt slightly expensive. If a cup of coffee was included from the start, I would definitely become a regular customer." (2016.7. Second visit on a weekday)

On a holiday around 2 o'clock in the afternoon, two of us were on our way to Spice Cafe when we stumbled upon a soba cafe. We hesitantly opened the sliding door and found ourselves in a charming old house cafe. Although the soba looked tempting, our main goal for the day was curry, so we decided to have coffee instead. We ordered a Cheesecake Set (Cheesecake and blended coffee for 650 yen) and a Almost Brazil (blended coffee for 500 yen). We both enjoyed the blended coffee, which had a mild bitterness and was easy to drink even black. The Cheesecake was a rare type, very moist and rich, which we both loved. The atmosphere of the cafe, the friendly service from the owner, and the cool interior made us forget we were in Oshiage. We definitely plan to revisit to try the soba next time.

I took a walk in the area of Oshiage, right at the foot of Tokyo Skytree. It's a mysterious place with a strong traditional downtown atmosphere. As I walked along, I noticed unique and charming buildings lining the streets, with old-fashioned shops and bone china stores. One of them had "ぶらじる" written on it. I was curious, so I decided to enter. Inside, I was greeted warmly with a cozy and inviting atmosphere. I ordered a set meal of chicken soba and coffee for 1200 yen. The food was served on beautifully crafted dishes and chopsticks, with a hand towel. The soba was served cold with a slightly sweet dipping sauce, tender chicken, and fresh green onions. It was delicious, especially when I dipped the soba in the sauce. The coffee was rich and flavorful. They also had cheesecake and soba flour galette to complement the meal, as well as a set for enjoying sake in the evening. The place had a jazz soundtrack playing, and it was clear that the owner's personal touch and style were reflected in the space. (No photography was allowed inside.)

One afternoon on a weekday, I decided to take a stroll around the Asakusa area. I was in the mood for ramen, but couldn't decide on a specific place to eat. As I wandered around, I came across a shop with a sign that said "Soba Cafe." It seemed like a soba noodle shop, so I decided to give it a try. It was around 1:30 pm and there was only one other customer in the shop. I was able to choose a table for two and looked at the menu. I noticed they had a soba and coffee set, so I ordered the soba and coffee set with iced coffee (1050 yen). While waiting, I noticed a cold brew coffee maker in the shop, which made me think they might serve cold brew coffee in the summer. The soba was served first, and it looked well-made and delicious. I dipped it in the soba broth, which was not too sweet but complemented the soba well. The soba noodles were not too long, so I slurped them up quickly. I added a bit of yuzu kosho to the broth for extra flavor. Although the portion of soba was small, I found it so tasty that I wanted to order more, but decided to stick with one serving. I enjoyed the soba water to savor the aftertaste. Then, the iced coffee was served, and I enjoyed it while relaxing after the soba. The coffee was delicious, and I found myself drinking it quickly. Maybe I should have ordered a hot coffee to savor it slowly. Overall, I had a great experience and would love to come back for more soba when I have more time to relax. Thank you for the meal.

The restaurant is located about an 8-minute walk from Oshiage Station. A cute curtain was hanging at the entrance of the old-fashioned house. Inside, the place was surprisingly clean and sophisticated, with a mix of traditional and modern vibes that provide a relaxing atmosphere for people of all ages. The menu offers a variety of soba dishes as well as set courses. The set course, priced at 2000 yen, includes soba noodles, black soybean tea, soba tofu, cheesecake for dessert, and coffee. I mentioned that I don't drink coffee, and they kindly offered to switch it to juice instead. The service started with cold water and a refreshing towel, which was a nice touch, especially during the hot summer. The homemade yuzu sauce that came with the soba tofu was delicious, and the black soybean tea had a unique flavor. The soba noodles were decent, but the highlight was the surprising combination of orange juice and cheesecake at the end. Overall, the meal was enjoyable, although the portion size might be a bit small for some. The price of 2000 yen felt a bit high, but the elegant and lovely lunch experience made it worth it!

The review describes a unique cafe with a cozy atmosphere and a variety of exotic spices in its dishes. The owner is passionate about their coffee beans and takes pride in their high quality. The cafe is bustling with customers of all ages, drawn in by the inviting ambiance. The reviewer expresses a sense of intrigue and excitement as they explore the cafe and sample its offerings.

I made a reservation at a curry restaurant in the neighborhood and had to wait for 40 minutes, so I decided to check out this other place I found while waiting. From the outside, I couldn't really tell what kind of shop it was. It had a mix of a cafe and a Japanese-style miscellaneous goods store vibe. When I looked at the menu, I saw that they had original blend coffee, daily straight coffee, and cold brew coffee. I chose the blend coffee, which had a rich flavor and was quite delicious. The atmosphere was cozy, with jazz music playing in the background. Overall, the coffee was good, but they had limited options on the menu. The combination of soba noodles and coffee was interesting, but I feel like they could improve on their menu variety. The service was decent, with friendly staff. Thank you for the meal.

I visited this cafe in December 2011 after a long time. I usually stop by when I'm on a business trip to Tokyo, but this time it had been about a year since my last visit. The traditional atmosphere of the old row house was still the same. It seems that it shook quite a bit during the Great East Japan Earthquake, but fortunately the building was not affected. On this day, I spent about an hour leisurely drinking coffee while listening to jazz music playing in the cafe. The coffee costs 500 yen per cup. In this day and age, where you can find chain stores offering coffee for around 200 yen, enjoying a cup of coffee in an authentic coffee shop like this one with a great atmosphere is a luxury treat. Photography inside the cafe is still prohibited, as the owner is quite stubborn, but the regular customers add a warm and friendly touch to the place. I will definitely visit again. This cafe is run by the former president of an IT company that I used to work for before September 2010. He has now transitioned to being a cafe owner and is working hard at it. The cafe has a nice atmosphere, so whenever I go to Tokyo, I always make a point to stop by. The cafe is located in a renovated old row house in the downtown area, and the interior has a very charming atmosphere. There was a time when some people were taking a lot of photos inside the cafe, so now photography is prohibited. I accidentally took a photo without knowing, so I apologize for that. Despite the cafe being popular among tourists visiting the Skytree, I understand why photography is not allowed due to the unique atmosphere of the place. I ordered a set of coffee and Nanban soba for 1,250 yen, which I thought was a bit pricey as a native of Kyushu, but it was delicious and definitely different from the coffee served at chain stores. The soba had a great texture and was delicious. If you just want to casually enjoy a cup of coffee, coming here and paying 500 yen for a cup is also a great option to experience the wonderful atmosphere. This spot is highly recommended for those who want to experience the atmosphere of downtown Tokyo. I will definitely visit again when I go to Tokyo. The blog post is available here: http://mokkosu.at.webry.info/201009/article_31.html

"After having curry for lunch at 'Spice Cafe,' I stopped by here with a friend's invitation. This place is a soba noodle shop, and I heard that they have delicious coffee. They also had homemade cheesecake. The cheesecake had a simple, rustic taste as if it was cooked in a frying pan. The coffee was their original blend called 'Almost Brazil.' They also served cold brew coffee, and I found myself watching the coffee slowly drip down in a corner of the shop. The coffee was served in a cup that resembled a teacup. The first cup was lukewarm, which was disappointing. But the refill was piping hot, which made me happy. The cheesecake was, well... it depends on personal preference, but for me, it was just okay. The soba noodles looked delicious, but I couldn't eat them this time since I had just finished a meal. I would like to try them after a meal next time. Photography inside the shop was prohibited. Thank you for the meal."