Kogen Soba Isshin

All of the buckwheat flour is strictly sourced from the local Okuizumo Town, and we serve freshly milled, freshly made hand-cut soba. In addition to our signature "zaru soba" and "wariko soba," we offer tempura platters made with vegetables from our own farm and nearby fields and local maitake mushrooms, rice balls made with the local rice "Nita-mai" (Nita rice), and other dishes that highlight regional ingredients. The soba dipping sauce uses local soy sauce, and the restaurant’s commitment to local production for local consumption is evident throughout.

The shop is located on the highland Mitsuinohara at an elevation of about 700 m, and the interior is bright and open with natural light streaming in through the windows. There are about 40 seats and parking is provided, making it convenient to reach by car. Surrounded by a quiet mountain setting and local ingredients, it offers a relaxed, calming space perfect for a break during sightseeing or on a drive.

Opened on April 25, 2023. It was born from the desire to convey the traditions and blessings of nature nurtured in the local Okuizumo Town through soba. The building, originally a drive-in, was renovated, and in a “local production for local consumption” style using locally produced buckwheat flour, local soy sauce, local vegetables, and so on, it is a single establishment that brings the new appeal of soba to the region.

The owner, Mr. Tao, is a soba craftsman who trained for seven years at “Yamagata Soba” in Okuizumo Town. He is particular not only about the buckwheat flour but even about using locally produced soy sauce for the dipping sauce, and through careful handwork he continues to refine the daily flavors. He opened the shop in 2023, inheriting “Drive-in Mitsuino,” which his father ran, on Mitsui Nohara—the land his grandfather developed. While connecting the region’s history and feelings, he brings a fresh new wind to the area.