🍜 Banshu Hand-pulled Somen (thin wheat noodles)

Ibo No Ito, a Banshu soumen characterized by its firm, crisp texture and resistance to boil-through, is a specialty of the Harima region. The history of soumen in Japan dates back to the Nara period when Japanese envoys to the Tang Dynasty brought back from China a sweet called sakubei, from which soumen was derived. The connection with soumen in the Banshu area of Hyogo Prefecture can be seen in an ancient document from Ikaruga Temple (Taishi Town, Ibo-gun), which mentions soumen in a clause dated 1418 (Oei 25). It was during the Edo period that soumen production came into full swing, and was encouraged as a permitted industry by the Tatsuno clan during the Anei era (1771-1780). During the Bunka era (1804-1818), the Tatsuno clan began to protect and foster the product. Ibo No Ito flourished as a traditional industry in the Banshu region, thanks to the availability of wheat (wheat harvested in the Banshu Plain), water (the clear waters of the Ibo River), and salt (salt from Ako), which were important conditions for making soumen, and also as it became a side business during the winter farm-closing season. Ibo No Ito is classified into seven grades according to the season when it is made, the type of flour used, and the fineness of the noodles, and is widely used for everything from everyday household items to luxury gifts.