Wanko soba

Wanko Soba (わんこそば) is a style of Japanese soba noodles originating from Iwate Prefecture in Japan, particularly Morioka and Hanamaki. It consists of a small serving of soba noodles in a small bowl.

History and origins

The name Wanko comes from the regional dialect of the Iwate Prefecture from which it comes, meaning "bowl", but more specifically, a small, wooden Japanese soup bowl. There are many theories about the origin of the dish itself however.

• One such origin is of a landowner who was having a festival on his land. There was a crowd of over 100 villagers and guests who customarily ate soba at festivals. However, there were so many people to feed but the pots in which the soba were to be made were very small. The soba noodles were spread around in reduced quantities so that there would be enough for everyone.
• Nanbu Toshinao (a powerful territorial lord) of the Toshinao family came and stopped at a house in a blacksmith town asking for a meal. The house, in Hanamaki, happened to be facing Edo. The owner of the house, timidly, served Nanbu Toshinao soba noodles in a small soup bowl. The owner of the house, thinking he served the Nanbu Toshinao something without much flavor, let him eat it. But Nanbu Toshinao thought it was delicious, establishing the dish, as the story goes.

There are many stories of how the dish came to be, but these two are the most common. However, the term "Wanko" did not come about until after World War II, some repudiate the stories.

In December 1957 in Hanamaki, the Wanko Winter Sumo Place put on an exhibit in which participants from many countries contested to see who could eat the most bowls of wanko soba. The modern way of eating wanko soba was born.

Modern wanko soba

In some wanko soba restaurants, diners sit in a large room with other customers. Ingredients may include preserved tuna, salted salmon roe, and grated yam.