Toji Soba is a local soba dish handed down in Nagawa, Matsumoto City, Nagano Prefecture (formerly Nagawa Village), and it is also written with the characters 投汁そば. A single mouthful of soba is placed in a small 'toji-kago,' a basket woven from bamboo, then dipped in broth simmering in a pot to warm it before eating. Seasonal vegetables, mountain vegetables, mushrooms, chicken, and other ingredients are added to the broth and served into bowls together with the soba. Nagawa is a mountain area at an elevation of about 1,200 m along the Nomugi Kaido road, which runs from Matsumoto toward Hida. The large difference between day and night temperatures suits the cultivation of buckwheat, and it is said that in the past soba, rather than rice, was the staple food. It was a dish that families ate gathered around an iron pot hung over the irori (sunken hearth), and it was also indispensable for entertaining on festive occasions, such as ceremonial occasions like weddings and funerals. It is eaten mainly in Nagawa and also in parts of the Kiso region.
Origin
Toji Soba is a dish born in the mountain areas along the Nomugi Kaido road, centered on Nagawa. It is regarded as a way of eating characteristic of a cold region, in which soba is soaked in warm broth. There are two theories about the origin of the name: one that it comes from 'toji' (湯じ), meaning to dip soba in the broth, and one that it comes from 'tojiru' (投じる), meaning to throw it into the broth. The characters 投汁 are a spelling linked to the latter theory.
History
Nagawa is a high-altitude area in the western part of Matsumoto City, north of the Norikura Kogen highlands, and buckwheat has long been its main crop. People there have long lived by grinding harvested buckwheat in stone mills and eating freshly made soba. In the past, broth was poured into an iron pot hung over the irori, and the family gathered around it to dip the soba and eat. It is said to have also been served at gatherings such as weddings, funerals, and other ceremonial occasions. Nagawa Village was incorporated into Matsumoto City in 2005 (Heisei 17), and the dish is still carried on as a specialty of the district.
Features
Mountain vegetables, mushrooms, seasonal leafy greens, duck or chicken, and other ingredients are added to the broth in an iron pot and brought to a boil. The soba is served in small portions, and each person takes one portion at a time in a bamboo 'toji-kago' and dips it in the broth. After loosening it lightly, the soba is transferred to a bowl together with the broth and ingredients and eaten. The broth is usually a slightly sweet soy-sauce-based one, and making ojiya (rice porridge) with the broth left after eating is one of the pleasures of the dish.
Main Ingredients
Food Culture
The extra step of warming the soba in a toji-kago adds enjoyment to the meal. Eating together around a pot and sharing the same broth created occasions for convivial time with family and guests. October 2 has been designated 'Nagawa Toji Soba Day,' a play on words reading 10 as 'to' and 2 as 'ji,' and also tied to the season of new-crop soba.
How It Differs from Home Cooking
In households, it was common for many people to eat together around the irori or a pot. Shops in Nagawa offer handmade soba made from locally grown buckwheat flour, along with a toji-kago for each person. Some shops accept orders from one serving and others from two servings, and some shops recommend finishing with ojiya.
Famous Shops
手打ちそば 福伝
長野県松本市奈川古宿4233
A handmade soba shop in Nagawa that uses buckwheat flour from Nagano Prefecture and is particular about everything from milling the flour to boiling the noodles. It is said to be the first shop certified as a 'Shinshu Sobakiri no Mise' (Shinshu soba-kiri shop) by the prefecture. Toji Soba starts from about 1,400 yen per serving, and the shop also recommends finishing with ojiya.
そばの里 奈川
長野県松本市奈川1173-14
A handmade soba shop that uses only buckwheat flour harvested in Nagawa, where Toji Soba can be enjoyed all year round. It also serves tempura and small side dishes made with mountain vegetables and other ingredients. Toji Soba can be ordered from two servings and starts from about 2,500 yen.
FAQ
Q. Are 'とうじそば' and '投汁そば' the same dish?
A. Yes, they are the same dish. There are two theories about the origin of the word 'toji': one that it comes from 'toji' (湯じ), meaning to dip soba in the broth, and one that it comes from 'tojiru' (投じる), meaning to throw it into the broth. In Nagawa, the spelling 投汁そば is used, and it is also often written in hiragana as とうじそば.
Q. How should Toji Soba be eaten?
A. Put one mouthful of the divided soba at a time into the toji-kago and dip it in the simmering broth for a few seconds. Once warmed, transfer it from the basket to a bowl and eat it together with the broth and ingredients. You can adjust the dipping time to your liking.
Q. Can Toji Soba be eaten outside Nagawa?
A. Toji Soba is eaten mainly in Nagawa and also in parts of the Kiso region. 'Soba-dokoro Shinshu Kirishina' (そば処 信州霧しな), in the Kaida Kogen highlands of Kiso Town, serves Toji Soba as a local dish during the winter season. It is a good idea to check when it is served before visiting.