Local restaurants handcraft soba (thin noodles made from buckwheat flour) as part of the famous local cuisine in the Kitakata area. Despite its small size, Yamato remains one of the top 5 buckwheat planting areas in Japan. Local producers rely on the pure mountain water from Mt. Iide, the suitable climate for buckwheat, and 100% locally grown ingredients to produce fresh and delicious soba.

Buckwheat makes a darker colored noodle than the wheat used for ramen. Enjoy the exquisite aroma and subtle flavor of soba noodles in hot soup or cold with only a soy sauce based dipping sauce. Soba fans from near and far come to Yamato to enjoy its particular soba specialities, including deep-fried sweet soba manju dumplings for dessert.