🍜 Taishu Soba

Taishu Soba refers to a variety of soba (buckwheat noodles) that has been cultivated on Tsushima, an island with a history of soba production. The term Taishu in the name refers to the former Tsushima Province. The original species of soba is believed to have originated from southern China to the Himalayas, and it is said to have been introduced to Tsushima via the Korean Peninsula during the Jomon period. Due to Tsushima being an isolated island, there has been minimal crossbreeding with different soba varieties, allowing the cultivation of soba that still retains the characteristics of its original species. In 2018, Taishu Soba was registered under the national 'Geographical Indication (GI) Protection System,' which aims to preserve the names of regional agricultural, forestry, and fishery products and foodstuffs. This registration marked the first time for Nagasaki Prefecture and the first time for soba in Japan to be recognized under this system.