Cross over into the New Year with a piping hot bowl of soba noodle soup – a tradition called Toshikoshi Soba. It’s a simple Japanese noodle dish to melt away the hardship of the past year and welcome the journey ahead.
On New Year’s Eve, or Ōmisoka (大晦日), it is a custom for Japanese to reflect on the past year and usher in the coming year, all while enjoying a bowl of hot soba noodles, called Toshikoshi Soba (年越し蕎麦), or year-crossing noodle. What better way to cross over a symbolic bridge than slurping up soba noodles!
What is Toshikoshi Soba (New Year’s Eve Noodles)?
The New Year in Japan is about beginning with a fresh, clean slate. That’s the essence of Toshikoshi Soba – starting out simple with a hot soba noodle dish that is healthy and easy to make, and just happens to be a bowl full of symbolism. More on that later.
The soba noodle dish served on New Year’s Eve is usually in its simplest form – buckwheat soba noodles served in a hot dashi broth with finely chopped scallions. But the basic tradition of Toshikoshi Soba can be taken to the next level by adding in tempura, fish cakes, or raw egg. I believe the New Year should also start out deliciously!
The Toshikoshi Soba recipe I am sharing today is featured on the popular Japanese TV drama called “Shinya Shokudo (深夜食堂)” or “Midnight Diner: Tokyo Stories” on Netflix.
Midnight Diner features dishes that are more representative of Japanese home-cooked recipes that you might not have seen in your local Japanese restaurants. “New Year’s Eve Noodles” episode is Season 1, Episode 10 on Netflix.
History & Culture of Eating Soba Noodles on New Year’s Eve
The custom and its name differ by region in Japan, but the tradition of eating soba noodles on New Year’s Eve started as early as the 13th or 14th century. However, not until the more recent Edo Period – when the common class developed customary religious and superstitious rituals – did Toshikoshi Soba become more established as an annual tradition on New Year’s Eve for most Japanese people.
With the hope of good fortune in each bowl, it’s easy to imagine the custom being adopted quickly from family to family, slurping in the symbolism of soba noodles:
• To enjoy a fulfilling, peaceful life with every slurp of the long soba noodles.
• To break free from the past like the soba noodle so easily breaks with each bite.
• To gather strength and resilience like the tough buckwheat crop.
• To grow your fortune just as buckwheat flour was once used by goldsmiths to gather up leftover gold dust.
Superstitious or not, enjoying toshikoshi soba has become one of the most enduring traditions observed by the Japanese people in the New Year.
Make Good Dashi for Toshikoshi Soba (New Year’s Eve Noodles)
For a simple noodle soup dish, a good tasty broth is elemental. After all, you want to taste the broth that’s so good that you want to drink up all the soup.
This dashi based soup broth is light, yet savory and umami-rich from all the essence from kombu and katsuobushi. Unlike chicken or vegetable stock, Japanese soup broth is fast and simple to make. I wouldn’t recommend taking any short cuts like using dashi powder unless you have absolutely no choice. The difference it makes is tremendous.
Vegan/Vegetarian Soba Noodle Soup
To make a vegan or vegetarian-friendly toshikoshi soba, it is as simple as switching out some ingredients just as below:
- Skip katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes) and make Kombu Dashi with just kombu.
- Skip kamaboko (fish cake) and add tofu or any other vegetarian/vegan-friendly toppings.
After all the hearty holiday feasts and sweets, Toshikoshi Soba is a welcoming and comforting dish this time of the year. In the company of family and friends, all warming up over steamy bowls of nutritious soba noodle soup is a tradition I hope you can adopt to ring in the New Year.
Japanese Ingredient Substitution: If you want to look for substitutes for Japanese condiments and ingredients, click here.
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- 3 cups water (720 ml)
- 1 piece kombu (dried kelp) (4" x 4” or 10 cm x 10 cm)
- 1 cup katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes) (10 g)(skip for vegetarian/vegan)
- 1 Tbsp sake
- 2 Tbsp mirin
- 2 Tbsp usukuchi (light-color) soy sauce (or regular soy sauce)
- ¼ tsp kosher/sea salt (I use Diamond Crystal; Use half for table salt)
- 7 oz dried soba noodles (buckwheat noodles) (200 g)
- 2 Tbsp dried wakame seaweed (4 g or 0.1 oz)
- 4 slices kamaboko (fish cake) (Skip for vegetarian/vegan)
- 2 green onions/scallions
- Shichimi Togarashi (Japanese seven spice)
- Gather all the ingredients. [Optional] Soak the kombu in water for overnight. If you don’t have time, start soaking the kombu as soon as you can. Bring a big pot of water to a boil for soba noodles.
- Add the kombu and kombu water (kombu dashi) in a medium saucepan. Slowly bring it to a boil over medium low heat (so kombu dashi will be more flavorful) . When almost boiling, discard the kombu (you can make Furikake rice seasoning with the leftover kombu).
- Add the katsuobushi and simmer for 30 seconds. Then turn off the heat and let katsuobushi sink to the bottom of saucepan. Let Katsuobushi steep for about 10 minutes (meanwhile you can prepare toppings).
- Drain and reserve the dashi in the measuring cup (or bowl) and discard the katsuobushi (you can make Furikake rice seasonings with the leftover katsuobushi). Put the dashi back in the saucepan.
- Add the sake, mirin, usukuchi soy sauce (or regular soy sauce), and kosher salt
- Bring it to a simmer and set aside.
- Re-hydrate wakame seaweed in 1 cup water. Then squeeze the water out and set aside.
- Thinly slice the green onion.
- Detach the bottom of the kamaboko (fish cake) from the wooden board and slice 4 pieces.
- In a boiling water, cook soba noodles according to the package instruction, but 30 seconds less. Unlike pasta, you do not need to add salt to the water.
- Drain the soba noodles and rinse the noodles under cold water to get rid of the starch. Serve the noodles in the bowl.
- Pour hot soup broth over soba noodles, top with kamaboko, wakame seaweed, and green onions. Enjoy while it’s hot.
Recipe by Namiko Chen of Just One Cookbook. All images and content on this site are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without my permission. If you’d like to share this recipe on your site, please re-write the recipe in your own words and link to this post as the original source. Thank you.
Hello Nami,
Thanks for sharing a new recipe in the middle of your vacation! This recipe reminds me of a hot Tanuki Udon. I guess the soup does taste similar?
For this Toshikoshi soba, if I am using instant dashi stock, do I still stick to 3 cups of water as stated in the recipe?
Have fun in Taiwan & wishing you & your family a Happy 2018 in advance! 😀
Hi Bernice! It’s important that I share this recipe before the year ends. 🙂 And I have one more recipe/video coming tomorrow!
Tanuki udon is just a topping, the broth is same as other soba broth. Also, 3 cups will become about 2.75 cups after cooking. So yeah, 3 cups dashi will be okay. 🙂
Happy New Year and THANK YOU for reading my blog!
Site not active and could not add my email address. Please repair so that I can receive your marvelous recipes.
Hi Richard! Your email address is listed on my newsletter list. I’ll be sending one more newsletter before the year ends. If you don’t receive it (in even spam), please let me know. Otherwise, the list says you’re subscribed. 🙂
Thank you for the recipe and insight into this tradition. I will be making this for the family and explaining why we are eating this.
Hi Karrie! Wonderful! I’ll be making this when I go back to the US too. It’s one (easy) tradition that we can pass on. 🙂 Yoi otoshi o (Have a nice new year! – as it’s not new year yet. :))
oishi mitai! Domo Arigato Gozamishita Nami san! Shinnen Akememashita Omedeto Gozamisu! Stephanie
Arigato, Stephanie! Akemashite Omedeto Gozaimasu. 🙂
Wishing Team JOC even greater successes in 2018. Thank you for enriching my life.
Thank you so much Sally! Happy New Year! xo
Shoot, I’m out of mirin! Could I substitute it with extra sake and sugar…or will that mess up the taste completely?
Hi Natasha! Sorry I couldn’t get back to you sooner… I hope your soba turned out well. Yes, you can do sake and sugar. Ratio is mentioned here: https://www.justonecookbook.com/pantry_items/mirin/
Made these last night, Happy New Year!
Hi Dustin! Yay! So happy you tried Toshikoshi Soba recipe on the New Year’s Eve! Happy New Year!
Name san can’t thank you enough for your blog
I love Japanese food but never imagined I could cook it at home here in India
You have shown me its possible
Tried the fish with teriyaki sauce for a simple start today
And can’t wait to try many more
Since I am a vegetarian I appreciate the tip about Kombu only base for soba noodle soup !
Hurrah and I will let you know how the journey goes
Hi Sujatha! I’m so happy to hear you tried the teriyaki sauce for the fish! Delicious! And yes, kombu dashi works for vegan/vegetarian. 🙂 I’m excited that you’re cooking Japanese food in India! xoxo
Thank you so much for this delicious recipe! I also LOVE the “Make it into a Meal” section at the end! So helpful! I feel so much more confident that I can serve a complete Japanese meal. Your recipes never fail! Thank you for all of your hard work!
Akemashite omedetou gozaimasu! Happy New Year!
Akemashite Omedeto Gozaimasu, Karen! I’m happy to hear that you like that section. My team is working hard to add the Ichiju Sansai recipes for all the posts now. If it’s not relevant (like dessert), we add similar recipes. 🙂 Thank you so much for your kind feedback!
This was delicious, such a simple recipe with a long history. Happy New Year to everyone at JOC, my favorite discovery of the year. Thank you for the time and effort putting these recipes together.
Happy New Year, Lord Sakana! I’m delighted that you found my site this year and thank you so much for trying out many recipes this past year!
Thank you! I tried it on New Year’s Eve and it worked great! I didn’t have sake (and did not use a substitute); I also added fish balls, it still worked out well. And now I’m not afraid to use kombu or bonito flakes (it was my first time)!
Hi Priscilla! Thank you so much for trying this recipe and I’m glad yours came out well! And you are now expert in making dashi. 🙂 Happy New Year!
Hi, I am wondering why not using the mentsuyu sauce mixed with water as the soba base instead of adding miring, soy etc to dashi? Would it be the same?
Hi Clara! Sure you can do that. I use Mentsuyu too, especially when I don’t have time and I am making quick soba/udon for lunch etc. Two reasons – many people can’t get a bottle of mentsuyu (we’re lucky to be able to get one, or even make homemade batch with ingredients). Secondly, some people don’t like to buy a condiment that you don’t use all the time. So I try to share recipes from scratch. 🙂
Yes, I meant the mentsuyu recipe from the scratch. I make it regularly and use it for soba base, yaki udon or fish marinate.
Hi Clara! It’s great that you make homemade mentsuyu. It’s one of the homemade condiments that I keep in my fridge too! I also like adding to wafu (Japanese style) pasta. 🙂
This recipe is amazing! Looked so good, I could not wait until the New Year to try it. The only disappointment was for my husband, since this recipe serves only two, he couldn’t have seconds! Thank you, Nami!
Hi RP! Hahahaha! Sorry your husband didn’t get the second! I’m happy you two enjoyed this recipe. Thank you so much for your kind words and feedback. 🙂
Hi Nami
Just some quick questions :
– do we need to cook/parboil the fishcake (kamaboko) & seaweed?
– are there other alternatives aside from adding prawn tempura? 😂
Thanks for the help! (:
& happy holidays ~~
Hi Pat! No, fishcakes are ready to eat. You can put on the noodle soup that will warm up. The seaweed (wakame) has to be rehydrated before eating, but no need to heat up. Well, you can put anything on top or keep it simple – poached egg, inari age (seasoned tofu pouch), chicken (cook separately), blanched veggies… it’s really up to you!
Happy Holidays!
Hi Nami
Thanks for the tips (: shall try to add some (easy) sides to the soba for this new year eve meal 😂
p.s. osechi ryori dishes seem really tough for me 😭🤣
Hi Pat! You’re very welcome! Yeah, Osechi Ryori can be intimidating when you think about all the dishes. However, if you follow my Osechi Cooking Timeline, it’ll be easier than you imagine. Start from a few dishes, and increase as you master each dish. 🙂
https://www.justonecookbook.com/osechi-cooking-timeline/
Happy New Year, Nami chan!!
I made this toshikoshi soba this year and it’s so good! My husband wanted to add a can of abalone like shellfish which really amped up the umami. It was delicious!!! Also made misoshiru with your recipe and everybody loved it at the New Year’s party! Soaking the konbu overnight is the key. Thank you!! 5 stars!
Hi Kuulei! Happy New Year!!! Thank you for your kind feedback. I’m so glad you two enjoyed my recipes! 🙂
Hi Nami,
I’m not a big fish lover so I’m wondering about the base of the Japanese soups. Bonito flakes. Do they have a strong flavor or are they a subtle hint in the background sorta like a pinch of nutmeg in noodles…you know theres somethings there but you can’t put your finger on it? Or like chicken stock…the more you add the stronger the flavor? I’m really excited to try and make some soup with raman or soba noodles but I haven’t pulled the trigger on the bonito yet.
A while ago I was having some tests done at a hospital in Philadelphia and I was so excited to stop in Chinatown for some dumplings at what was supposed to be the best dumpling place in all of Philly. So considering the fact that I love Chinese food I ordered things that I would normally get at my local restaurant and some dumplings. I was SO disappointed. The noodles were gummy, the rice was way beyond sticky, and the color of it all was tan. It was not pretty, and there was no flavor AND I paid over $45.00 for food that I had to turn into dog treats. Plus they used what looked like pig ears as the pork in the soup, which is fine, but there was peach fuzz on them like they didn’t clean it well. Yuck. My local shop is way better. The kicker was that as I was sitting in the car waiting for my sister to get her order I noticed the place right next door was a noodle shop – which is what I originally wanted untill I saw the reviews of the place we went to…Chinese grandmother came here to make authentic dumplings in the family business. Yada yada yada.
So I realize that that was Chinese and you cook Japanese but I would have expected flavor. So back to my original point – is the Bonito taste dependant upon how much you use? Then too can you use too much? There is a fine line between chicken flavor or over salty?
I also noticed that there was different fish as Bonito. Which would you prefer for the right taste?
I will have to wait till after the Corona shut-ins as I don’t want to go to the supermarket quite yet, especially the H-Mart as that place is tiny and always packed. But I have a whole lotta time to plan the meal. :0)
Thanks for your input.
Melissa
Hi Melissa! For udon and soba noodle soup, we use dashi. I cover the topic of dashi in this post (https://www.justonecookbook.com/how-to-make-dashi-jiru/). In there, you will find we use different types of dashi based on our preference and dishes we cook.
To us Japanese, we don’t really feel smoked and shaved bonito flakes (katsuobushi) as “fishy” compared to grilled fish, for example. So you might be asking a wrong person when it comes to fishy, but in general, more bonito flakes you add, the richer dashi is.
As I explained in the dashi guide (link above), you do not need to use the basic dashi which includes kombu and bonito flakes. You can use just kombu dashi (vegan!) and skip katsuobushi or just adjust the amount as you like.
If you have tried udon or soba noodles somewhere before, you’re likely you have tried this typical kombu and bonito flake dashi (the combination dashi). Just adjust the amount until you’re happy with it. It’s pretty simple, easy, and quick to make.
Sorry about the bad restaurant experience. 🙁
When I make kombu Dashi it smells a bit chemically when I’m heating the kombu. Is that normal? Also, I saw in some clip you wipe the kombu but specify that do not wipe the white substance. What am I supposed to wipe off the kombu exactly? Thank you!
Hi Niss! I’m not too sure about the chemical smell part as I’ve never experienced or something like that… Is this your first time cooking kombu? Wiping the dust/dirt with a damp cloth is the old/traditional process. Kombu has been dried out outside so it gets caught some stuff, which is why we are supposed to do. But I also think that these days, food is checked more thoroughly and we rarely find something dirty… so I just look around and see if there is some dust etc, and if there is, I would just blow it. 😀 I don’t use damp cloth anymore….
This is my second time. I use this brand of kombu Wel-pac Dashi Kombu Dried Seaweed (Pack 1) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ZB13JHO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_NcHQEbEX8XED3
Is this brand ok?
Hi Niss! I personally don’t recommend as they are lower quality one without any name of the kombu.
My choices online are:
https://amzn.to/2YoOTqh ($13 for 70 g)
or https://anything-from-japan.com/hidaka-kombu-for-vegetables-and-oden-150g ($17 + shipping $3-4? for 150 g).
Thank you for your recommendation!
No problem! 🙂