Toshikoshi Soba (年越しそば) – Japanese New Year's Eve Noodles

In Japan many families eat a bowl of hot soba on December 31, Ōmisoka. The name toshikoshi soba translates as year-crossing soba. Two explanations circulate for the custom. The length of the noodles stands for a long life, and because buckwheat noodles break easily, you symbolically cut off the old year with them. There is no fixed recipe. Most households serve kake soba, that is, noodles in hot broth with few toppings.

By Laura Chen· November 4, 2026

35 Mintotal

4servings

400kcal

JapaneseCuisine ›

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The broth is called kakejiru. You cook a dashi from kombu and bonito flakes and season it with soy sauce and mirin. Buy dried soba with a high buckwheat content; the package gives the percentage. Rinse the cooked noodles cold, and they stay firm and lose the starch on the surface. Before serving, dip them briefly in hot water.

The broth works with the instructions for Awase dashi. For a festive topping, put a shrimp from the recipe for Ebi tempura on the noodles. In summer you eat the same noodles cold as Zaru soba.

Image: AI-generated.

Toshikoshi Soba (年越しそば) – Japanese New Year's Eve Noodles

Name: Toshikoshi Soba (年越しそば) – Japanese New Year's Eve Noodles
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 1.3 l water; 10 g kombu (dried kelp); 20 g katsuobushi (bonito flakes); 80 ml soy sauce; 80 ml mirin (sweet rice wine); 1 tsp sugar; 1/2 tsp salt; 360 g dried soba noodles; 120 g kamaboko (Japanese fish cake), in 8 slices; 3 scallions, in fine rings; Shichimi togarashi (Japanese spice blend), as desired

Laura Chen

Servings

Prep time

10 minutes

Cook time

25 minutes

Calories

400

Cuisine

Japanese

Ingredients

For the dashi:

1.3 l water
10 g kombu (dried kelp)
20 g katsuobushi (bonito flakes)

For the broth:

80 ml soy sauce
80 ml mirin (sweet rice wine)
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt

For the bowls:

360 g dried soba noodles
120 g kamaboko (Japanese fish cake), in 8 slices
3 scallions, in fine rings
Shichimi togarashi (Japanese spice blend), as desired

Instructions

Put the kombu in the cold water for 20 minutes. Heat it slowly and take out the kombu just before the water boils.
Bring the water to a boil, sprinkle in the bonito flakes and take the pot off the heat. Let the flakes steep for 3 minutes and pour the dashi through a strainer lined with paper towel.
Bring 1.2 l dashi to a boil with the soy sauce, mirin, sugar and salt. Simmer the broth for 2 minutes and keep it hot.
Cook the soba in plenty of water as the package says, usually 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the first minute so they don't stick together.
Drain the noodles and rinse them under cold water until they feel smooth. Dip them in a strainer in boiling water for 30 seconds.
Divide the noodles among four warmed bowls and pour the hot broth over them.
Lay two slices of kamaboko on each and scatter scallions over them. Put shichimi togarashi on the table for extra seasoning.

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Toshikoshi Soba (年越しそば) – Japanese New Year's Eve Noodles

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