Tomikura sobaHistory and culture

Wheat cannot be harvested in the deep snows of the Tomikura district of Iiyama City, so fiber from Synurus pungens (known in Japanese as yamagobo) was used instead of flour as a binder with buckwheat in making soba noodles. This makes for firm, fresh noodles. Tomikura soba can be enjoyed at Hashiba Shokudo and Kajika-tei in Tomikura, on the border between Nagano and Niigata, and at several restaurants in Iiyama City.
More information at the Shinshu Iiyama Tourist Bureau.