Japanese people (especially those living in the eastern part of the country) often eat soba, and there are two main ways to enjoy it.
One way is to have soba served in a bowl with hot broth, while the other way is to rinse boiled soba in cold water and serve it chilled, allowing you to dip it into a sauce while eating.
Eating at Home
When eating at home, it is common to boil pre-cut soba noodles. There are two types of pre-cut soba: dried and fresh noodles.
Soba made by hand from soba flour, whether at a restaurant or at home, is referred to as “handmade soba.”
Generally, handmade soba is considered to have better flavor and taste compared to the soba bought at supermarkets, but it may be rare for individuals to make their own soba at home.
What I am introducing here is the handmade soba that Second Son made for his parents and son at his family home. The soba served on a plate is topped with chopped nori (seaweed), and tempura is also provided to enjoy alongside the soba.
People have different preferences for tempura; some like to dip it in the soba broth, while others prefer to sprinkle salt on it.