Experience making soba noodles at Michi-no-eki Iidaka Station! Let's try out an experience perfect for food education with your family and friends!

Michi-no-eki is Michi-no-eki located along National Route 166 in Iidaka-cho, MatsusakaCity, which is rich in greenery.

It opened in 1990 as a local specialty product store and is the first registered Michi-no-eki in Mie Prefecture.
On the day I visited, it was crowded with people, serving as a relaxing place for drivers, touring riders, and runners running in the area!

"Iidaka Station" has many ways to enjoy it, including hot springs, direct sales shops, and restaurants, but today we will try our hand at making soba noodles at the "Miraku Kobo" inside the facility! We want to make and eat cold soba by ourselves, which is perfect for hot days!
Full of enthusiasm, I went to experience it with my family!

First time making soba! A mother and two elementary school children.
When you think of making soba noodles, it sounds like something deep and difficult, right? I was a little worried...it might seem like a lot of work with so many steps, but it's not like that!

A kind teacher will first explain the entire process.

The experience involves making Nihachi soba using buckwheat flour from Matsusaka.
At our workshop, we grind buckwheat seeds once a week and use them as buckwheat flour. By doing this, the good aroma of the soba will not be lost and the soba will be rich in flavor! I'm looking forward to seeing it completed.

First, put the powdered ingredients and a little water in a bowl and stir with your hands so that the powder and water are mixed together.
It has a smooth feel and feels great! And the kids look like they're having fun too. Soba noodle is a delicate dish that is easily affected by the amount of water and the humidity of the day.
The key is to mix it quickly before it dries.

By adding water in batches and repeating the mixing process, the smooth flour becomes moist and clumped together into dumplings, and the color becomes slightly reminiscent of soba.
The children are also very interested.

Next, let's put this together. The clumps of soba are soggy!

Next, turn the mass little by little in the bowl and knead it evenly. By doing this, the dough gradually becomes shaped like a chrysanthemum flower...That's why this process is called "kikuneri".
It is interesting!

It takes a little bit of strength, but I put my weight on it and my sister does her best. Finally, shape the dough into a neat mountain shape, press the dough flat with your hands, and transfer it to a rolling board.

It took about 30 minutes so far. It's about half of the total working time. Just one more breath!
After dusting the rolling board with flour and pressing it down a little with your hands, it's time to roll out the soba noodles with a rolling pin!

The key is to spread the force evenly between the left and right sides while maintaining a nice circular shape. Rolling the rolling pin is a task that is easy for children to do.
The children also help out, and the three of them work together to make it grow. The circle was about 20cm at first, but gradually grew to about 30-40cm.

Next, roll out the dough by wrapping it around a rolling pin so that the circular soba becomes a square. It requires the perfect amount of force, so I'll leave this to mom.
The dough gradually becomes a diamond shape...

At the end, it becomes a perfectly beautiful square! The size is about 60cm. Even if you look at it over the size sample frame, the size matches perfectly.

Gently fold the dough into three parts, being careful not to tear them.

Finally, use a noodle cutting knife to cut the noodles into thin pieces.
This noodle knife has a longer blade and is heavier than the knives you use at home.
Even if you are using it for the first time, there is no need to worry as the teacher will teach you how to hold it.

``The key to making soba that tastes good in your throat is to cut it into thin pieces with a uniform thickness,'' says the teacher.
It's a job that requires a lot of concentration, keeping in mind that it's as thin as a matchstick.

However, even though the noodles are thick in some places, they still make you excited, saying, ``It's like kishimen!''
It's fun to see who can cut the cut best among friends.

I finished cutting the dough with my mom! The noodles are now ready!

The teacher did the boiling work.
If you wish, you can even try your hand at boiling. The soba noodles are put into plenty of hot water.
Finally, rinse with cold water, and everyone is working together to make soba noodles!

The first time I made soba by myself, it had a special taste! Even the children who said, "I want to eat quickly!" moved forward with their chopsticks. The thick noodles were also delicious.
There seem to be many participants from outside the prefecture, such as Osaka and Kyoto, as well as foreigners who want to experience the food culture unique to Japan.

Soba making experience
Start time/10:00-15:00 (reservation priority)
Closed days: Every Wednesday (however, if it falls on a public holiday, we will be open and closed on the following weekday) 12/31, 1/1, temporary cancellations may occur
Number of people / 1 person ~
*If you wish to experience it on the day, please bring up to 3 bowls.
*Reservations required for groups (up to 6 bowls)
Price: 1 pot (up to 3 people per pot) 2,160 yen for 1 person, 3,240 yen for 2 people, 4,320 yen for 3 people
Time: Approximately 2 hours (1 hour for making soba, 1 hour for boiling and tasting)
*It is OK to just make soba noodles (you can take the soba noodles home), but the price will not change.
Things to prepare: apron, bandana, hand towel
Reservations: 0598-46-1111 (Information Office) We accept same-day reservations, but if you have a reservation in advance, we will not be able to accept reservations, so please call us in advance.
*If you would like to experience 4 or more bowls, please make a reservation at least 7 days in advance. If you are a group, please arrive early.

Iidaka Station has lots of fun things to do besides making soba noodles! "kahadavalley Onsen Iitaka no Yu" is a day-trip natural hot spring where you can enjoy 11 different types of yubune with great views.
You can also rent towels, so it's nice to be able to come back empty-handed after a day out.

At Iitakano Store, you can purchase freshly harvested local produce, regional specialties, and boxed lunches.
This day is also very crowded with customers!

Facility name/ Michi-no-eki Iidaka station
Address: 177 Miyamae, Iidaka-cho, MatsusakaCity Mie Prefecture 515-1502
Phone: 0598-46-1111
business hours/
Iitaka store 9:00-18:00
Iitaka no Yu/Reception 10:00-20:00
Restaurant Iitaka 11:00-19:00 (LO.18:30) *Noodles only menu available from 14:00-17:00.
Iidaka Chaya 7:30-14:00 (LO.13:30)
Information office 10:00-18:00 *However, parking lot and toilets are available 24 hours a day.
Regular holiday/Wednesday
Access by car: From Matsusaka IC on the Ise Expressway, take Prefectural Route 59, then take National Route 166 towards Iinan/Sakurai for 40 minutes.
Access by public transportation: Approximately 60 minutes by Mie Kotsu bus bound for Michi-no-eki Iidaka Station from Kintetsu/JR Matsusaka Station. Immediately after getting off at the final stop, “Michi-no-eki Iidaka Station”
Parking lot/(free) Regular cars: 116 spaces, large vehicles: 8 spaces, motorcycles: 28 spaces
HP/ http://www.iitakaeki.com

Iidaka Station also has a lawn park, and the playground equipment in the park was renewed in 2018!
There is the popular Tarzan rope and complex play equipment that even small children can enjoy.

A new deck has also been built that overlooks the Kushida River that flows behind Iidaka Station.

You can rent a sled for free at Iitaka's store, and it's fun to slide on the grass!

There is also a spot behind Iidaka Station where you can enjoy playing in the water, where you can look for creatures such as killifish, crabs, and newts.
Since it is groundwater, it flows slowly, like a river. Recommended for small children too!

This was my first soba making experience at Iidaka Station, Michi-no-eki in Iidaka town surrounded by nature!
Enjoying the soba you made yourself is very elegant! Please try this food experience that is perfect for summer♪

Facility name/ Michi-no-eki Iidaka station
Address: 177 Miyamae, Iidaka-cho, MatsusakaCity Mie Prefecture 515-1502
Phone: 0598-46-1111
Business hours/Iitaka store 9:00-18:00
Iitaka no Yu/Reception 10:00-20:00
Restaurant Iitaka 11:00-19:00 (LO.18:30) *Noodles only menu available from 14:00-17:00.
Iidaka Chaya 7:30-14:00 (LO.13:30)
Information office 10:00-18:00 *However, parking lot and toilets are available 24 hours a day.
Regular holiday/Wednesday
Access by car: From Matsusaka IC on the Ise Expressway, take Prefectural Route 59, then take National Route 166 towards Iinan/Sakurai for 40 minutes.
Access by public transportation: Approximately 60 minutes by Mie Kotsu bus bound for Michi-no-eki Iidaka Station from Kintetsu/JR Matsusaka Station. Immediately after getting off at the final stop, “Michi-no-eki Iidaka Station”
Parking lot/(free) Regular cars: 116 spaces, large vehicles: 8 spaces, motorcycles: 28 spaces
HP/ http://www.iitakaeki.com