Roan Matsuda Sasayama ten (ろあん松田 篠山店) Sasayama

Lunch: JPY 7,700 + JPY 780*Parking available *Cash only *By reservation onlyI had been wanting to visit for a long time, and this time my mother treated me for my birthday! We enjoyed a two-hour course, with each dish carefully explained, starting with dokudami tea. Everything looked amazing, and the flavors were refined and rich. I was excited just hearing about the wild vegetables I had never seen before! The soba came in three varieties—thin, medium, and thick—and each had a distinctly different taste! The soba made with delicious water was truly delightful! We even had soba sushi! Instead of vinegared rice, it was vinegared soba, with anago (conger eel) inside, offering a unique texture that was delicious! Since I planned to have kakigori (shaved ice) on my way back from Tanba, I was pleasantly surprised to find it as the final dessert. The soba shiratama (sweet rice dumplings) in it, paired with matcha, was incredibly tasty!Roan Matsuda is nestled quietly in the mountains. Despite the heat outside, the air here was fresh, and the sound of cicadas was soothing. It was a place where I could truly relax, away from the hustle and bustle, as my phone barely got a signal. Thank you for a wonderful experience! Less

I visited Roan Matsuda for the second time this year. It’s a soba restaurant located in Tanba Sasayama, and they only offer set courses.Restaurants like this change their menu with the seasons, so I never get bored even after multiple visits. The assorted wild vegetables in the appetizers always include the incredibly delicious dried enoki mushrooms. I wonder if the variety of wild vegetables is unique to Tanba Sasayama.As for the soba, there are three types served, and I always find myself wanting more... However, since it’s a course meal, I end up feeling quite full by the time I finish everything. In recent years, if I visit in the summer, the final dessert is shaved ice, which is delicious enough to rival specialty shops.I plan to visit again in the fall this year. Less

This was a wonderful restaurant. It was my first experience at a soba kaiseki, and I’m so glad I came. The chef's personality was fantastic, and I’m definitely coming back!Please note that they only accept cash! (Also, there’s no cell service!)The vegetables were all delicious and truly impressive. Especially the small onions, myoga, and asparagus on the second plate were amazing... it’s incredible how such simple ingredients can have so much flavor.The venison was rich in taste but had zero gamey smell. It was moist and incredibly delicious.There are three types of soba, but the standout was the last one, the spicy thin soba, which paired perfectly with the sakura shrimp tempura. I wanted to order more...!Additionally, the hand-rolled soba and the corn rice to finish off were also delicious! (In fact, every dish was tasty.)The final dessert was a seriously authentic kakigori (shaved ice) that made me think, "Is this a kakigori shop?!" I was so happy.I had about 2-3 drinks, and the total came to just under JPY 14,000 for one person. The course itself was just under JPY 11,000. It wouldn’t be surprising if the three types of authentic soba and the kakigori alone cost around JPY 8,000, so I was thrilled at how reasonably priced the course was.I left feeling very full. If you love soba, you must visit! Less

I finally visited Roan Matsuda, which I had been looking forward to. Since it’s reservation only, I made my booking two weeks in advance. From the moment I called to reserve, I felt a great vibe and was truly excited to go. We started with dokudami tea, followed by sweet and gentle pickled melon, and two plates of appetizers featuring vegetables and venison. The vegetables were absolutely delicious! Three types of soba were served, along with soba sushi in between. Everything was meticulously prepared, and it had been a long time since I encountered such wonderful dishes. I was so engrossed in savoring the food that I didn’t even realize two and a half hours had flown by. Driving an hour and a half from Kyoto just for this restaurant is definitely worth it, and I will absolutely return. Less

I had been wanting to visit this place for a long time!I made a reservation a month in advance, and finally, here I am!It was a lovely old house surrounded by mountains.We started with soba tea, and I was surprised to learn that we could eat the buckwheat kernels!Next, we had cucumbers, each with a different flavor.The assorted vegetable platter was impressive; the dried enoki mushrooms were incredibly concentrated in flavor and tasted so rich.The soba was absolutely delicious, and the homemade yuzu miso for the duck broth was simply amazing!While the soba was, of course, delightful, I was truly grateful for the wonderful dishes that accompanied it and for the beauty of nature. Less

I finally got to visit the soba restaurant I had been wanting to go to for a long time! First of all, the owner’s excellent phone etiquette and warm hospitality made me feel truly welcomed from the moment I arrived until I left. I was really glad I came. The dishes were all beautifully prepared, starting with an appetizer made from wild herbs that I had never tried before, and everything had a delicate and deep flavor that was simply delicious. The main soba dish also offered three different types: one made with the buckwheat husk removed and another with the husk intact, showcasing some creative variations. The restaurant is located in a picturesque area surrounded by mountains, allowing you to enjoy nature as well. I definitely want to visit again! Less

Today, I had lunch here. I traveled all the way to Tamba Sasayama. After making a reservation a few weeks ago, I arrived after navigating a narrow, winding road. Since it was a weekday, there was only one other group besides us. The restaurant offers only a course menu, creating a serene atmosphere.◆ Lunch Course: JPY 7,700, tax Included + 10% service charge- Kuromame Tea- Cucumber Tasting (3 varieties)- Wild Vegetable Salad- Roasted Venison, Uwabami Greens, Sasayama Asparagus, Dashimaki Tamago (Japanese rolled omelet), Zucchini, and Pickled Onion Leaves- Soba ①- Sweetened Onion with Nanko Plum- Soba ②- Hand-Rolled Soba- Tororo Soba (grated yam)- Pickled Cucumbers, Pickled Red Onions, and Ume (plum)- Soba Yu (hot water used to rinse soba)- Minazuki (sweet rice cake)- Matcha (green tea)◆ Ordered Drink- Homemade Drink (Ginger Ale): JPY 770, tax IncludedDuration of Stay: 2 hours 10 minutesTotal Amount: JPY 9,300, tax & service charge Included*Payment is cash only.------- Details -------First, I started with the Kuromame Tea. This tea features large Tamba black beans floating in it, releasing a delightful aroma. The black beans are also delicious to eat.Next was the cucumber tasting. To my surprise, there were three different types of sliced cucumbers with varying seasonings… without any explanation of the flavors! The one on the right was plain, the middle one had a sweetness reminiscent of watermelon, and the left one tasted like sesame oil? I’m not quite sure what they were trying to convey here.Next up was the wild vegetable salad. It included marshmallow, sorrel, dandelion leaves, zucchini, carrots, dried enoki mushrooms, and sansho oil. This dish showcased the unique flavors of the mountains, without any strange aftertaste, harmonizing beautifully with the sansho oil and enoki.The fourth dish was an assorted platter. It featured roasted venison, Uwabami greens, Sasayama asparagus, dashimaki tamago, zucchini, and pickled onion leaves, served with sansho miso and soy sauce. Each ingredient was seasoned to highlight its natural flavors, and adding a bit of sansho miso or soy sauce enhanced the taste. The roasted venison was tender and moist, while the Sasayama asparagus was fresh and delightful.For the fifth dish, I had the first type of soba. This soba was a blend from four regions, including Fukui. It had a refreshing aroma, was finely cut, and had a firm texture. The dipping sauce was based on honkarebushi (dried bonito), rich and flavorful, just to my liking.The sixth dish was sweetened onion with Nanko plum. Small onions were cooked with Nanko plums, resulting in a soft and sweet onion that paired well with the tartness of the plum and the dashi broth, bridging the flavors between the soba dishes.The seventh dish featured the second type of soba. This soba was from Takachiho, coarsely ground. It was slightly softer, thick-cut, and had a robust flavor with a sweet note that lingered in the nose. The dipping sauce used yakibushi (grilled bonito), which complemented the soba perfectly.The eighth dish was hand-rolled soba. This was like sushi, with soba, kinshi tamago (shredded egg), anago (conger eel), and nori (seaweed). It had a slight vinegar flavor, truly resembling hand-rolled sushi! This combination was quite enjoyable.For the ninth dish, the third type of soba was tororo. Here, you could choose from duck broth, grated daikon, or sakura ebi tempura. The tororo was sticky, served with freshly grated wasabi and a rich dipping sauce, making for a delightful experience.After enjoying the soba, I had the rich soba yu, which was creamy. Each dipping sauce used was different, so I first enjoyed the variations… then I recommend dissolving the ume for added flavor. The pickled cucumbers and red onions provided a refreshing contrast.Finally, I concluded the course with Minazuki, featuring well-textured adzuki beans, and matcha. It was a great meal. Experiencing soba kaiseki in the mountains of Sasayama was a rare treat. Although it’s a bit difficult to access, if you love soba, I highly recommend visiting at least once.*Rating at the time of visit: 4.01 Less

We visited as a party of two.It was easy to get in.Reservation only.We made a reservation for 2 PM on a weekday.Lunch is served in two sessions, starting at 11:30 AM and 2 PM.Since the 11:30 AM slot was fully booked on the day we wanted to go, we opted for the 2 PM reservation.The restaurant is located in a remote area.I think it would be difficult to get there without a car.There are narrow paths to drive on, so I recommend a smaller vehicle.It was a bit nerve-wracking when we encountered oncoming cars.The restaurant is situated at the foot of a mountain, where you can hear various birds singing.There was no music; only the sounds of birds filled the air.We were the only ones who made a reservation.You take off your shoes before entering.The lunch course, including extras, was JPY 12,000 per person.We chose plum juice and grape juice for our drinks.We started with Tamba black soybean tea.The appetizer was kogomi (fiddlehead fern), which had a crunchy texture similar to that of a Japanese radish.I was delighted to try ingredients I had never tasted before.Next, we had seasonal vegetables, dried enoki mushrooms, and Japanese dandelion as a starter.For the hassun (seasonal platter), we enjoyed venison served with a miso-like sauce, along with asparagus and dashimaki tamago (Japanese rolled omelet).The venison had no gamey taste and was elegant and tender.The first serving of soba was made from the center of the buckwheat, without the husk.It had a soft texture and a refreshing soba aroma.The soba dipping sauce was well-balanced with a rich bonito flavor, not sweet at all.We took a short break with a dish of simmered pickled plum and butterbur.Then, the second serving of soba was made from coarsely ground buckwheat.This thicker soba had a rich buckwheat fragrance.We enjoyed it with the soba dipping sauce and the duck broth we ordered as an extra.The broth was rich and flavorful, with both duck and duck meatballs.The soba sushi was a refreshing sushi made with soba, anago (conger eel), and kinshi tamago (shredded egg).The third serving of soba included the outer husk of the buckwheat.We crumbled the shrimp tempura we ordered as an extra and enjoyed it together with the thin soba.To finish, we had pickles and a dessert of mugwort rice cake dusted with buckwheat flour.The rice cake was lightly sweetened and refreshing, paired with matcha to conclude the meal.We added duck broth and shrimp tempura this time.Since the portions are quite generous, I think it’s sufficient to add just one of the extras.The soba kaiseki (multi-course meal) that captures the essence of the current season was truly impressive!The two-hour course left us completely satisfied.I will definitely come back!It was a great meal! Less

I heard about this place on TV, and made a reservation for 2 PM a few days ago.I rarely have the chance to come this way, and as I got closer, the road turned into a mountain path, which made me worry if I was really heading to a restaurant in such a rural area! ᔪ(°ᐤ°)ᔭI discovered it deep in the mountains! The atmosphere is incredibly nice, and it feels so peaceful, like returning to my grandmother's house or my own home! Since there’s no cell service, I didn’t find myself mindlessly scrolling on my phone, allowing for a digital detox!This was my first time trying a soba course, and I was excited. They served a dish first, followed by about four different small servings. You can choose how you want to eat them. The homemade drinks were also very delicious! The soba can be enjoyed with salt or various dipping sauces, so there were plenty of exciting variations. The soba sushi roll was especially tasty!Everything was truly delicious, but what stood out the most was the amazing atmosphere. It was definitely worth the long trip just for that. I felt so rejuvenated! Less