Soba (そば or 蕎麦?) is a type of thin Japanese noodle made from buckwheat flour. It is
served either chilled with a dipping sauce, or in
hot broth as a noodle soup. Moreover, it is common in Japan to refer to any thin noodle as soba in contrast to udon (
thick wheat
noodles). It takes three months for buckwheat to be ready for harvest, so it can be harvested four times a year, mainly in spring, summer, and autumn. In Japan, buckwheat is produced mainly in Hokkaido.1 Soba that is made with newly-harvested buckwheat is called "shin-soba". It is sweeter and more flavorful than regular soba.