Kawara Soba (Green tea soba grilled on a tile)
Crisp underneath and chewy on top, this Yamaguchi specialty is grilled on a hot roof tile.

About Kawara Soba (Green tea soba grilled on a tile)

Kawara Soba is a distinctive local dish that originated in Kawatana Onsen, Toyoura, Shimonoseki City, Yamaguchi Prefecture. Fragrant green tea soba is placed on a piping-hot roof tile and topped with shredded egg, sweet-and-savory beef, seaweed, green onions, lemon slices, and grated daikon with chili. The noodles develop two contrasting textures: crisp on the bottom and chewy on top.

To enjoy it, first savor the flavor of the tea soba on its own, then dip it in warm, mildly sweet broth. Add lemon or spicy grated daikon as you eat for a fresher, brighter taste.

The dish’s origins are said to date back to the Satsuma Rebellion, when Satsuma soldiers reportedly used roof tiles to cook meat and wild plants. Inspired by this story, the Kawatana Onsen inn Takase developed Kawara Soba in 1962. The tile retains heat, keeping the dish hot until the last bite. Today, it is popular both in and beyond Yamaguchi Prefecture, and is often made at home using a hot plate or frying pan.

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