A soba shop on the premises of a sake brewery. The location is Shimizu-cho, meaning ‘pure water town’, named for the clear streams that flow down from Mt. Kasuga and gush out in springs. Using water fetched for sake brewing, the owner-chef prepares exceptionally fine 100% buckwheat noodles. Soba grains carefully selected for their aroma are ground by hand in a stone mortar. Pure flavour is best conveyed in the ‘mizusoba’, soba dipped in nothing but cold water – the same way farmers would gauge the quality of their harvests.