June 7, 2026, 2:00 PMThis was the main restaurant of my trip to Hakata. I visited several places around Yakuin, and ended my day here before heading to the airport. I arrived a bit full, so I didn’t think about drinking, but it might have been more enjoyable with some sake. The owner, known for his specialties, truly lived up to his reputation as a master, yet he was also a kind old man who loves Sarashina soba. I felt a certain beauty in the whiteness of the Sarashina.Menu:⚫︎ Vegetable Tempura Seasonal wild vegetable tempura served on a zaru of 2:8 soba. The tempura was coated with soba dough and fried in a light batter, featuring a slight bitterness from the wild plants and a sweet ginger tempura. I could choose between dipping sauce or spicy Japanese radish, and I opted for the radish. The soba dipping sauce was rich, and I enjoyed it with the soba-yu (soba water) mixed with green onions and yuzu at the end. It reminded me of the deep flavors of the tempura that the sushi chef from the restaurant I visited the day before had talked about. The soba was so white that if I hadn’t known it was 2:8, I would have thought it was Sarashina. It had a firm texture.⚫︎ Kake Soba Just as I ordered the second dish, the chef smiled and said, "Today is special," as he cut some seaweed into strips and added it to the kake soba along with fresh wasabi. As I savored the broth, I found myself wanting some sake. The chef mentioned that if I continued, I could try the soba dumplings, but when I said I was already full, he seemed quite disappointed. The quality of the soba was outstanding, but there was a strong emphasis on Sarashina being the best. The chef kept talking about the color of Sarashina soba. His stories had a unique charm, and while I imagined someone like Rosanjin, he was actually a hardworking person dedicated to pursuing the whiteness of soba. He had quite a flair, but it was nice to have such character.