I decided to visit this highly-rated soba restaurant after seeing many of my followers go there. I managed to secure a reservation for dinner. It took less than 10 minutes to walk from Shin-Ekoda Station on the Oedo Line along a wide road in a residential area. The restaurant had a homey feel.There were three counter seats and three tables. That night, the counter was fully booked, with only one table occupied.◉ Dinner Reservation: JPY 1,900 (includes seat charge, appetizer, and one drink)- Appetizer: That night, we were served a small selection of simmered mushrooms, tofu with eggplant, egg dish, and grilled miso. The grilled miso had a delightful aroma. As someone who enjoys sake but isn't a huge enthusiast, I found it interesting to try these dishes. The other three were elegant and delicious, especially the egg dish, which stood out.- Drinks: □ Beer ✅ Seasonal Japanese Sake (glass) □ Soft Drink The sake was Seishu's "Akiagari." It had a gentle flavor, characteristic of sake, without any sharpness. I wondered how well it paired with the soba.◉ Jiyu Course: JPY 2,900- Cold: Ju-wari SeiroI don't have extensive experience eating soba at specialty shops, but this was a fine, thin noodle with a refined texture. The mouthfeel was elegant and simply delicious. Since the dinner was reservation-only and not too crowded, each dish was served with care, allowing us to savor the experience.- Hot: Small Herring SobaI’m not an expert on soba, but I could tell right away that the broth was exceptional. It was the best herring soba broth I’ve ever had. The herring and soba were, of course, delicious.- Mizu AzukiThis was a sweet dish made with soba, topped with kinako (roasted soybean flour) and had a jelly-like texture. It was a unique item for me. It was quite tasty.- Soba YuThe soba broth served at specialty soba shops is usually delicious, and this was no exception. I can only say it was delicious.I also ordered the following a la carte items:◉ Duck Roast (Sukuname): JPY 1,600This was a smaller portion designed for one person. It was tender and lightly seasoned. While some dishes can be delicious even when firm, this one was soft and tasty.◉ Tamagoyaki: JPY 900They say this is a signature dish at Jiyu, made to order in a copper pan. Even if it was seasoned, it wasn’t overpowering. I believe it was meant to highlight the natural flavor of the eggs. While I wouldn’t say it was the best I’ve ever had, it was quite delicious. Unlike the tamagoyaki I’m familiar with from Akashi in Hyogo, this one didn’t have octopus in it. (laughs)Though I’ve only been once, I can’t help but compare it to "Maruka" in Jimbocho, which serves udon rather than soba. Maruka can serve over 20 people at once, and the interaction with customers is minimal. However, the udon and tempura they serve have a captivating quality that draws diners in. Jiyu, while different in scale and style (this was a set number of guests for dinner), also has a similar ability to engage diners through its soba and dishes.On my way back, I took the bus from the stop in front of the restaurant to Nakano Station. I realized that the "Nakano" often mentioned by Kunihiro Matsumura on the radio is in this area, which, as I imagined, doesn’t have many tall buildings and feels quite similar to my neighborhood.