Kakke is a local dish handed down in the area around Ninohe City and Kunohe Village in northern Iwate Prefecture and into southern Aomori Prefecture, representing the grain-based food culture unique to the region once ruled by the Nanbu domain. The basic method is to knead buckwheat flour or wheat flour with water into a dough, roll it thin, cut it into triangles, and boil it in hot water; rather than simmering it in broth, the boiled dough is served with dipping sauces such as garlic miso or green onion miso. There are two types: 'soba kakke,' made with buckwheat flour, and 'mugi kakke,' made with wheat flour — soba kakke has a darker color and a fragrant aroma, while mugi kakke has a white color and a smooth, chewy texture. In the cold northern part of the prefecture, where rice cultivation was difficult, this simple, deeply flavorful dish has been passed down as a way to make full use of buckwheat and wheat.
Origin
Kakke is a local dish that developed in an area spanning what is now northern Iwate Prefecture (Ninohe City, Kunohe Village, and other areas) and southern Aomori Prefecture, territory once ruled during the Edo period by the Nanbu domain. In this cool climate, better suited to growing grains, buckwheat, and wheat than rice, the dish is said to have spread as a way to make full use of dough kneaded from buckwheat or wheat flour, and it is still enjoyed today as an everyday food in households and at direct-sale markets in the northern part of the prefecture.
History
One theory holds that kakke began when leftover scraps and irregular pieces of dough from making soba noodles were cut into triangles and eaten; another traces the name to the phrase 'kaa, kee' ('come, please eat'), used to welcome guests. Neither account is confirmed as definitive, but the dish has been passed down across generations as a home-style flavor born from life in the cold northern part of the prefecture, centered on the area around Ninohe City and Kunohe Village.
Features
The defining feature is that, rather than being simmered in broth, the boiled dough is coated with a dipping sauce such as garlic miso or green onion miso. Some households use sesame miso or walnut miso instead. 'Soba kakke,' made with buckwheat flour, has a darker color and a fragrant aroma, while 'mugi kakke,' made with wheat flour, has a smooth, white texture — preferences vary by region and household.
Main Ingredients
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岩手県九戸郡九戸村大字山屋2-28-1
Serves the local dish 'Kunohe kakke.' Lunch budget is around 1,000 yen.
| むぎかっけ・そばかっけ（戸田久） | A dried-noodle version of kakke made by Todakyu, a noodle maker in Ichinohe Town, Ninohe District, Iwate Prefecture. Comes with its own dipping sauce, making it easy to recreate the authentic flavor at home.Where to buy →PR |
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FAQ
Q. Where does the name 'kakke' come from?
A. One theory holds that the name comes from a word meaning the scraps ('kakera') left over from making soba noodles, while another traces it to the phrase 'kaa, kee' ('come, please eat'), used to welcome guests. The true origin is not clearly known.
Q. What is the difference between 'soba kakke' and 'mugi kakke'?
A. 'Soba kakke,' made with buckwheat flour, is darker in color and has a fragrant aroma, while 'mugi kakke,' made with wheat flour, has a smooth, white texture. Which one people eat varies by region and household.