Funori soba noodles with addictive firmness and freshness | Wataya in Ojiya City
I had to go to Ojiya City, a neighbor of Nagaoka City, and even though it was after noon, lunch had not yet been served.
As I thought about what to eat, I decided that since I was in Ojiya, I wanted to eat soba.
So I went to Wataya, which I had never been to before.
The restaurant is located near downtown and has a very large space.
Apparently, it has been in business for 100 years!
Amazing...
NEMARU has only been in business for over 5 years.
NEMARU has a long way to go.
The store is also very spacious!
I wondered how the air conditioner works in winter.
Even though it was after 2:00 p.m., there was a long line outside.
I had an image that most soba noodle shops are old houses, but this is a very nice building.
After a while I was led to a table in the back.
We ate Funori Soba, of course.
Funori soba is most famous in Tokamachi and Ojiya City.
In Ojiya Prefecture, it is often referred to as "hegi soba," which refers to a wooden bowl called a hegi.
The "hegi" is a wooden vessel in which soba noodles are served with seaweed.
By the way, "funori" is seaweed used as a binder.
It is said that it was first used as a binder for soba noodles in the old days when it was used to make kimonos.
The stickiness of the seaweed makes the buckwheat noodles very firm!
I believe that basically anything you order at a hegisoba restaurant will be Funori soba!
So you can have the same Funori Soba without ordering Hegi-Soba.
It's a bit complicated!
But I still think hegi with lots of hegi on it "looks better".
I ordered the Negitoro-don set because I had a weird craving for Negitoro at the time.
Very convenient.
The menu list shows you how to enjoy it, but in short, I think it means you can eat it however you like! I guess that means you can eat it as you like.
It's very fresh and moist!
I can't get this kind of freshness even when I make it at home...why...?
It came with hot pepper as described.
It was my first experience with hot pepper, but it went so well and tasted so good!
It's a real treat!
After the meal, of course, sobayu (buckwheat water) is served.
It is amazing that they even use the hot water in which the soba is cooked.
Sobayu is said to be good for absorbing vitamins because it dissolves the nutrients in the soba!
I was so hungry I thought I was going to die, but I made a great comeback.
Thank you for the food!
There are different kinds of soba sweets!
It's like a soba theme park.
There are also souvenirs, so if you want to try some at home, go for it!
It would make a good souvenir of Niigata!
GoogleMaps: Route from NEMARU to Wataya Hirasawa
NEMARU's introductory video that I don't know how many times I had to reshoot.
We just uploaded a video introducing NEMARU to YouTube!
We hope you will watch it first.
【ゲストハウス】普段は宿泊ゲストさん以外は入れないNEMARU館内を歩いて紹介します！【セルフリノベーション】 - YouTube
Please subscribe to our channel!"
I didn't have time to put that in the video.
In fact, I forgot about it.
The reason we made the video was because a person who made a reservation came to NEMARU on the day of his stay and said it was better than the pictures.
Usually the photos are better than the videos.
I took a picture of the best part of the place.
But my way of shooting was not good enough, and the phenomenon was reversed.
I wanted the viewers to feel the real atmosphere of the facility by actually walking around it, not by taking photos that fit into a frame.
The reason I chose to shoot vertically was to get a realistic perspective from a field of view.
This was the first time I seriously edited and uploaded a video.
I had originally created a channel but neglected it.
I had uploaded live videos before.
I divided the videos into 5 parts and it was very difficult to find the right way, order and speed for each part.
I can't tell you how many times I had to reshoot just one door opening.
The Mac I was using for editing was not up to spec, and the fan kept whining...
It's amazing how many people upload videos to YouTube every day.
They put a lot of thought into subtitles and thumbnails.
It took me 3 days to finish this video.
That's the story behind the story? I was babbling.
I'm going to upload the videos one by one in the future.
I will try to upload them little by little in the future.
About Service Coffee
NEMARU has recently begun serving drip coffee.
Each person gets 10 grams of coffee beans (about one cup of coffee).
The reason we have drip coffee, which you can grind from the bean, is so that you can enjoy your time at NEMARU and the coffee itself more.
To be honest, it takes a lot of time and effort to grind the beans yourself.
We think it's fine if it's a hassle.
On the contrary, we hope our customers can enjoy the "trouble" with NEMARU time.
Coffee that takes time and effort to grind tastes great.
But I really don't want to grind coffee by hand! If you don't want to grind coffee by hand, we also have an electric coffee grinder.
You can drink it after dinner, early in the morning, outdoors, or any time and situation you like.
By the way, we have a set of CAPTAIN STAG drippers.
We also have paper drippers and French presses.
We also have a book on how to brew coffee, so beginners can enjoy it while reading!
We use coffee beans roasted by "Nakamura Coffee Roaster's" in our hometown of Yoita.
The coffee beans we carry at NEMARU are Guatemalan beans, which are well-balanced in terms of richness and acidity, and easy to drink.
If you enjoy and like these beans, or would like to try a different flavor, please visit Nakamura Coffee Roasters!
Of course, you are welcome to bring your own beans with you!
*Free service is subject to change or termination without notice. Please understand that this free service is subject to change or termination without notice.
GoogleMaps: Route from NEMARU to Nakamura Coffee Roaster's
Jiro-style Ramen in Mitsuke City | Niton's Pork Soba
Lately the owner has been into Jiro-style ramen.
Do you know what Jiro-style ramen is?
Generally speaking, it is a type of ramen with thick emulsified soup, thick noodles and lots of vegetables and thick meat.
There is a branch of the original Ramen Jiro in Niigata City.
Ramen Niton is a relatively new restaurant.
It is a Jiro-style restaurant with a distinctive yellow sign.
It used to be a Kitakata Ramen restaurant, but was replaced a few years ago.
You buy a meal ticket at the entrance.
This time I ordered the basic pork soba.
I often order it without soup when it is hot.
When you enter the restaurant and are shown to your seat, you can specify the amount of noodles, vegetables, garlic and oil.
Note that the normal amount of noodles is 270 grams! This is quite a large amount.
If this is your first time and you are unsure, reduce the amount.
On the other hand, if you are absolutely sure, you can order a large portion of noodles and vegetables.
It might be interesting to order less noodles and more vegetables.
This time I asked for a normal amount of everything and no garlic.
It's not even lunchtime yet, but the restaurant is so popular that the seats are already full.
Here comes the ramen.
The picture was taken from above, so it is hard to see the effect, but there is a pile of bean sprouts on top of the noodles.
Seasonings and chopped onions are placed on the table.
You can use them as you like.
I put a lot of onions on top.
The chashu pork is also thick.
It's almost like stewed cubes of pork.
It is soaked in flavour and quite tender.
I am satisfied with a normal amount.
Thank you for the food!
I always regret eating too much, but for some reason I always want to come back.
GoogleMaps: Directions from NEMARU to Ramen Niton
Weekday lunch at Yoita-machi | Hisanoya's two-course set meal
Nagaoka City is full of restaurants where you can enjoy lunch.
There is the ginger soy sauce ramen and the teradomari seafood set meal that I introduced in a previous blog, but to be honest, there are too many restaurants to introduce in this blog.
If I were to introduce them, it would become a ramen blog (and that would be fine).
One restaurant I personally frequent is Hisanoya, which I mentioned in my article on the dinner plan!
Not only is it delicious and close to NEMARU, but the set menus, which change daily, are just too good to pass up.
There are two entrances, one on the right and one on the left, but the dining area is on the left with the sign.
The first time the landlord entered the restaurant, he proudly walked into the banqueting hall on the right.
Like NEMARU, it is tucked behind one of the shopping streets, so you can enjoy lunch in a relaxed atmosphere.
There is a counter, so it is perfectly fine to come alone!
Today's lunch menu consists of five items.
It is wonderful to be able to choose freely.
In addition to the two-piece menus, there are many other lunch menus to choose from.
Here is the menu I ordered today!
Horse mackerel sashimi and fried horse mackerel.
How much do you love horse mackerel!
The white rice is local, of course.
Why is the miso soup in Japanese restaurants so different? Is it the dashi?
It also comes with a small bowl of cooked vegetables and pickles.
By the way, the picture below is from another day.
I think it was grilled salmon belly and boiled cod.
The menu changes every day so you never get bored.
I always look forward to seeing what they have for us today! I always get excited!
All for 750 yen including tax! (As of September 2022).
Are you sure you want to pay that much?
(It's the same or cheaper than a bowl of ramen...)
I don't mind the price increase at all if the food is this authentic.
A large portion of rice is available for +50 yen, so ask for it if you want to enjoy locally produced Koshihikari rice.
I'm stuffed!
Thank you for the food!
This is a wonderful Japanese restaurant where you can enjoy both dinner and lunch.
Be sure to stop by if you're in NEMARU!
Open for lunch from 11:30 to 13:30 (last order at 13:00).
Please note we are closed for lunch on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.
GoogleMaps: Route from NEMARU to Hisanoya
About check-out
Your time at the hostel is from the time you are greeted at check-in until the time you are dismissed at check-out.
Leaving the Inn after checking out is the start of a new day.
Our staff (innkeeper) will be present at the beginning of the day.
The reason for this is to check for lost and found items and to take souvenir photos.
Lost and found at the inn can be an unfortunate part of the trip.
However, it is one of your memories.
Therefore, when you check in, we will ask you for your planned check-out time.
Of course you can change your departure time at any time.
We have noticed that many guests forget their mobile phone chargers.
It is easy to notice if the charger is under your head, but harder to notice if it is over your head.
We will check with you on the day of the tour, but if you still find it after departure, please contact us by phone and we will send it to you by cash on delivery.
The souvenir photo is something of a tradition since the opening of NEMARU and we take pictures to make it part of our guests' memories.
From 2022 we will also be giving away a commemorative travel cheki, developed on the spot!
Uploading to social networking sites is also included but must be confirmed at check-in.
We will confirm this at check-in.
If you want to upload photos but not to social networking sites, that's fine too.
We will also be able to accommodate those who wish to upload their photos to social networking sites.
All photos uploaded to NEMARU have been checked for permission.
We upload photos to Instagram and Twitter.
The hallway is lined with photos of guests who have stayed with us in the past.
Looking at the photos with returning guests
"I remember that time..."
We like to chat with our guests.
Although we are basically a no-frills inn, we are here to support your trip to Niigata so that you not only stay with us, but also make your stay a cherished memory.
About Check-in
In this issue I would like to explain the check-in procedure!
At NEMARU, check-in is always done in the presence of the innkeeper.
This is so that we can answer any questions that first time guests may have, and so that they can enjoy their time at the Inn without any confusion.
So please give us some time to answer your questions.
By the way, repeat guests who have used NEMARU before will be able to finish the tour quickly, so you can relax relatively early.
On arrival at NEMARU, please check in in the free area just inside the entrance.
Please read the terms and conditions and ask the representative to fill in the guest list.
The guest list is handmade!
The structure has changed slightly, but the style has remained largely the same since we opened 5 years ago.
Is it more concise than before?
The fee is paid at check-in.
If there is a prefecture discount, etc., it will be processed at that time.
Once you have checked in, we will give you a tour of the hotel.
This hasn't changed since the hotel opened.
The front door is locked, so guests are free to come and go as they please, whether they want to go shopping or play.
Many people think that NEMARU only has one free living room, but there is another 6-mat room at the back.
So even if you are in a group, you can use the two living rooms separately.
The outside area has recently been extended, so you have even more freedom!
*Picture taken in winter
After the briefing our staff will leave the building and you are free to spend the rest of the time as you wish!
If you have any questions, please feel free to call us on the phone in the building!
To enjoy spending time with your children
NEMARU 2022 offers a wide range of facilities for guests with young children.
For example...
Waterproof sheets for beds
Toilet seats for young children
Bathroom step stools
Full body shampoo for children
Other items such as a children's bath.
All these items can be borrowed free of charge.
There are also board games for young children to play.
NEMARU allows you to bring your own things into the building, so of course you can bring your favourite shampoo, toys, etc!
You can stretch your legs in a Japanese tatami room without worrying about other people, as we rent out the whole apartment.
The smoothness of the tatami seems to stimulate the soles of your feet and it looks very comfortable and they seem to enjoy walking around!
You can catch insects and pick vegetables, depending on the season, as it is in an interesting environment in the city, but with mountains behind it.
In winter there's at least a metre of snow on the ground, so they can also play in the snow!
All these experiences will stimulate your children's senses.
Please note that the building is an old house, so there are some small steps.
The building is not completely accessible and there are some small objects, so please keep an eye on your children even when they are inside 😊.
Dinner plan with "Niigata-ness" (Hisanoya)
When I say Niigata, the first thing that comes to mind is rice! And sake!
I think that is what most people think of.
No doubt about it! Right down the middle!
But that's not all.
Niigata is broadly divided into Joetsu, Chuetsu, Shimoetsu and Sado, each with its own unique cuisine and specialities.
For example, Uonuma in Snow Land is one of Japan's leading rice-producing regions, Tsubame-Sanjo is metalworking, Niigata City offers fruit, Sado offers yellowtail and persimmons, Murakami in northern Niigata offers salmon and tea, Joetsu offers red snow crab, and so on... the list goes on.
There are also hegi soba (buckwheat noodles) in the Tokamachi and Ojiya areas, ramen, curry and other dishes throughout the region.
The reason for the differences in regional characteristics lies in the differences in climate and history, which cannot be summed up by the term "snow country".
But I will write about this region in another article.
NEMARU was originally a guesthouse that did not serve meals.
We thought it would be okay to leave it as it was because there was a demand for guests to cook and go out to eat freely.
It's fun, isn't it?
But what I myself sometimes feel when I leave the prefecture is the anxiety and effort of what I will (or will not) be able to eat on my journey.
Of course, there is the pleasure of searching and discovering by listening to real people on the road.
But this is not the case for everyone.
Some people, especially those who have travelled long distances, may not want to travel any more.
We began to think that if we could offer such people the best dinner in Niigata, which is unique to Niigata, in advance... and if it would become a purpose of their arrival... ....
Just a short walk from NEMARU is a Japanese restaurant called Hisanoya.
It serves lunch during the day and izakaya (Japanese pub) at night.
I have often taken guests to Hisanoya when they were wondering what to eat that day, and I suggested the idea to Hisanoya and they agreed to help us create a menu for our new dinner plan.
Thank you so much!
So the venue for the dinner will be Hisanoya.
The restaurant is not too small or spacious and has a very relaxed atmosphere.
The owner has worked in Tokyo's Ginza district.
There is a counter, a small room and a private room.
When we designed the Dinner Plan, we wanted to create a menu that could be enjoyed at a reasonable price.
We also want to offer a menu that can be enjoyed with gusto.
First of all, we could not do without Niigata rice, which is often requested.
We also think that seafood from the Sea of Japan, which stretches beyond Niigata's long, long coastline, is a must.
So Kaisen-don is the way to go.
Kaisen-don is originally on the menu at Hisanoya, but we have added other ingredients to make it even more satisfying.
Seasonal hors d'oeuvres and miso soup, which are not usually on the evening menu, are also included, making the Kaisen-don plan even more satisfying.
Another satisfying menu was called the Ajikaku Gozen Plan.
This menu is designed to offer a solid selection of regional dishes from Niigata's climate and culture, with sashimi and locally produced Koshihikari salted rice balls as the main dishes.
The content of the menu is left to the professional owner of the Hisanoya. (The innkeeper is committed to the business of the inn!)
As the seafood is mainly landed from Niigata's ports, the menu changes according to the season and climate.
So you can enjoy both Kaisen-don and Ajiwaku Gozen dishes every time you visit!
Salmon is now farmed on Sado Island!
Children's lunches are also available.
A slight difference from the inns is that you can order extra dishes if you want something different.
Of course, there is also a drinks menu, so you can enjoy a glass of local Niigata sake with your meal that day!
These special meals, which aim to be "Niigata-like", can only be enjoyed if you stay at NEMARU.
New meal plans may be created in the future.
If you prefer to travel freely, we recommend staying without meals as you have done so far!
We hope you will enjoy your own personal Niigata sightseeing experience with NEMARU and KUYONOMIYA!
Google Maps: Route from NEMARU to Hisanoya
Kind Bread | Bekko-ya
If you've been with us recently, you know that
From 2022 NEMARU offers bread as a light meal service.
You can have it for breakfast, pick it up when you get hungry, or just enjoy the outdoors with our hot sandwich maker and fire pit (for hire)!
We mainly use bread from "Bekko-ya", a bakery in the local shopping street.
(During long holidays bread from other bakeries may be available).
When we asked, we were told that Bekko-ya's bread does not contain eggs.
They have made it so that even children who cannot eat it because of an egg allergy can eat it with peace of mind.
They seem to have gone to a lot of trouble to achieve this.
The landlord himself recently found out about it.
So even children with egg allergies can eat this bread without worrying.
And yet it has this softness and flavour that is amazing!
The shop opens at around 8.30 in the morning and closes on
They are closed on Sundays and public holidays.
They have the biggest selection around midday!
If you like our bread, please visit us in the shop!
*The service may be terminated or changed without notice. Please understand that this service is subject to change without notice.
GoogleMaps:Route from NEMARU to Bekkoya
