Wildcat House Yamanekoken

Wanko Soba/Restaurant Kashiya

Established in 1904, this is a long-established soba restaurant in Hanamaki, which is said to be the birthplace of Wanko soba, and is crowded with tourists as well as local regulars during lunch. It is also the birthplace of the ``Wanko Soba All-Japan Tournament'' that made Wanko Soba known throughout the country, and at Kashiya you can casually enjoy Iwate Hanamaki's specialty, ``Wanko Soba.'' At Kashiya, we value the ``spirit of hospitality'' that is the essence of Wanko Soba, ``We want our customers to enjoy delicious soba to their heart's content.'' You can enjoy freshly boiled, delicious soba noodles at your own pace, while enjoying conversations with the wait staff and friends.You can also count the number of bowls you've eaten using matchsticks, the old-fashioned way. The method is also very tasty. In addition to Wanko Soba, we offer a wide variety of soba noodles, set meals, eel, a la carte dishes, and drinks, as well as a variety of seasonal menus that make use of seasonal ingredients. *Business hours have changed. →About changes in business days

Wanko Soba (Hanamaki)

The history of Wanko Soba in Hanamaki is as old as Hanamaki Castle, dating back over 400 years. Lord Toshinao, the 27th head of the Nanbu family, stopped by Hanamaki on his way to Edo, and to soothe him on his journey, he gave him some local specialty soba, and Toshinao was very impressed with the flavor. It is said that he was invited to the restaurant and was given a replacement many times. It is said that the name ``Wanko Soba'' came from the fact that the noodles were served in a bowl at that time. Hanamaki's Wanko Soba does not engage in provocative chants, carefully preserving the culture of hospitality given to the lords. The ``Wanko Soba All Japan Tournament'' is held on February 11th every year, where participants compete to see how many bowls of Wanko Soba they can eat within a limited time.

Yabuya Hanamaki main store

Established in 1923, this is a ``famous wanko soba'' restaurant. For Wanko Soba, the waitstaff serves you one bowl at a time and stacks the bowls in front of you. If you reach 100 cups, you will be certified as a ``Yokozuna.'' (A certificate and souvenir were given to him, as well as a commemorative notebook.) Kenji Miyazawa was also a patron of this restaurant, and it is said that he liked to order ``tempura soba and cider.''