Wanko soba


Wanko Soba is a style of Japanese soba noodles originating from Iwate Prefecture in Japan, particularly Morioka and Hanamaki. It consists of a small serving of soba noodles in small bowls. In this soba experience, you quickly eat your soba noodles and get your bowl immediately refilled in repetition.

History and origins

The name wanko comes from the regional dialect of the Iwate Prefecture from which it comes, meaning "bowl", but more specifically, a small, wooden Japanese soup bowl. There are many theories about the origin of the dish itself however.
There are many stories of how the dish came to be, but these two are the most common. However, as the term "wanko" did not come about until after World War II, some repudiate the stories.
In December 1957, the Hanamaki-shi Cultural Centre was the site of the first annual contest on who could eat the most bowls of wanko soba. The event continues to this day featuring noodle fans from many countries.