Hamamatsu's Nakajima offers the finest soba noodles, using buckwheat flour selected from all over Japan, with the type of flour used changing weekly.Soba Restaurant Oomori」にて、久しぶりに年越しそばを頂き、2023年を締めくくります。
大晦日の営業は通常より時間を早めて朝10:15〜14:00の営業時間となり、蕎麦が売り切れ次第終了となります。開店と同時に並ぶものの、外での待ち時間は約1時間ほど。大晦日にも関わらず、外気15℃程度と異例の暖かさで、心配していた雨も止み晴れ間を覗かせていたため、外待ちも苦にならずに済みました。
ようやく順番が回ってきたところで名前を呼ばれ店内へ。大晦日に縁起をかついで蕎麦を食べる習慣は江戸時代から始まり、日本の文化として「年越しそば」と言われ定着しています。年越しそばを食べることには意味があり、諸説ああるようですが、特に有力な5つの話を紹介致しましょう。
1. Exorcism
The most famous explanation for eating soba noodles on New Year's Eve is that they break more easily than other types of noodles, symbolizing the wish to "cut off the misfortunes and hardships of the past year and not carry them over to the next." From this, it is said that the soba noodles came to be known as "relationship-cutting soba," signifying the desire to sever ties with bad things and welcome the new year with a fresh start.
2. Prayer for longevity
Because soba noodles are thin and long, eating them on New Year's Eve is said to symbolize a wish for longevity and good health. The custom of giving soba noodles as a gift when moving also carries this meaning.
3. Prayer for good health
The story goes that buckwheat, the raw material for soba noodles, is eaten as a symbol of good health because it quickly recovers even after being subjected to heavy rain and wind, as long as it is exposed to sunlight in the following sunny weather.
4. Increased financial luck
In the past, goldsmiths would form buckwheat flour into balls, attach gold or silver powder to them, and then dissolve the flour in water to collect the gold or silver powder. Buckwheat flour was also used when rolling out gold leaf, which is said to be how the idea arose that buckwheat is a lucky food that brings good fortune and wealth.
5. Improved luck
In the old Kamakura period, at Jotenji Temple in Hakata, they would serve soba rice cakes called "Yonoshi Soba" (world-reforming soba) to the poor as a way to celebrate the New Year.
It is said that those who ate the "world-reforming soba" experienced good fortune from the following year, and from then on, soba came to be considered a lucky charm, which led to the custom of eating soba on New Year's Eve.
こちらは、現店主である大森正人さんが丹精込めて作られる手挽きの打ち立て蕎麦と、奥様の三枝子さんが丹念に揚げられる天ぷらがいただけ、御夫婦で切り盛りしているお店。ここ数年の間に、御年75歳のOmoriさんが引退を考え始めていたことをキッカケに、娘さんが跡継ぎとして手伝われるようになり、今も家族で協力し合いながら営業を続けられています。
本日のそば粉は、せいろには「新そば 福井大野産」、田舎二八には「茨城 常陸秋そば」、十割田舎には「北海道 牡丹種」となっています。
The menu has also changed from the previous, more traditional vertically written menu to a charming, hand-drawn horizontally written one.
The restaurant is small and cozy, with a tatami room that seats about 10 people and a counter that seats about 4. The ceiling is high, and the space is filled with the warmth of wood. Opposite seats seem to have been discontinued, and single-slab tables are placed on either side, with customers seated in a single row.
「もりせいろ」¥900
福井大野産で新そばならではの香りと甘みが楽しめる「せいろそば」。丸抜きし電動石臼で挽いたそば粉を二八で打ったそばで喉越しの良さが楽しめます。先ずは香りを楽しむためにも、卓上にある塩を少し付けていただくことをお勧めします。その後に蕎麦汁でも楽しみましょう。
Tempura ¥900
野菜が茄子に南瓜、隠元豆、舞茸、にんじんと5種類入り、海老天1本付いてくる天ぷらは抹茶塩でいただきます。
「鴨南蛮」¥1,700
温かいお蕎麦に鴨と焼いた白葱が入ってくる「鴨南蛮」。鴨の脂が汁に溶け出し旨みとなり、冬の御馳走として楽しめます。
It's been a while since I've had "Oomori" handmade soba noodles. I savored the aroma of the new buckwheat and the skill of the experienced noodle maker.
The soba broth, after being swirled around three times, has become thick and creamy, making for a comforting final sip.
Just the other day, he was unwell and confined to bed.Omoriさんも「暇な時にまた寄ってよ！」と元気に挨拶を交わしてくれたので、元気そうな姿を見れて一安心はしましたが、暫くお見かけしない内に随分とおじいちゃんになりました（笑）そんなやりとりをしていると、奥様の三枝子さんからは「だって、おじいちゃんだもん」と、相変わらずの三枝子節が聞けて嬉しくなりました♪
Despite the restaurant being extremely busy, we were able to enjoy delicious New Year's Eve soba noodles while feeling the strong bond of the Omori family, making it a very satisfying New Year's Eve. We were able to see many smiles from people who have helped us this year, and we are grateful that we were able to safely ring in the new year. We look forward to your continued support next year.
Soba restaurant Oomori
Address: 1-31-1 Nakajima, Naka-ku, Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Prefecture
TEL: 053-463-2879
Opening hours: 11:30 - 14:00
定休日：月、火曜日、金曜日、第一日曜（公式サイトのカレンダーで御確認ください）
正月休み：2024年1月1日〜1月5日まで（1月6日から通常営業）
http://www12.plala.or.jp/sobaya/
