A note on the words: juwari soba refers to Japanese buckwheat noodles made from 100% buckwheat flour without wheat binder, and hikigurumi means buckwheat milled together with the husk, so the flour keeps more of the grain. Seiro is chilled soba served on a bamboo latticed tray alongside dipping broth, tororo is grated mountain yam, itawasa is sliced kamaboko fish cake eaten with wasabi and soy sauce, and negitoro is finely minced fatty tuna mixed with scallions.
Shitensha on Tabelog (English) — opening hours, payment details and the Japanese address are kept up to date there, not here.
To all hot-spring lovers, thank you for waiting! It is time for Hangover Meshi!
This time I headed out to Saya no Yudokoro, a hot-spring bathhouse in Shimura-sakaue! A place where you can relax across several types of baths and an adjoining dining space. Someone told me it comes highly recommended, so I went over to try it out.
Upon entering, you are handed a contactless wristband key, and inside you basically pay for everything with this. The baths themselves didn’t feel overly huge, but you can soak in many different varieties of hot water. Outside in particular is somewhat spacious and feels wonderfully relaxing.
And having finished my bath, on to the dining room.
Since I wanted to take it easy, I had already reserved a private room in advance! (You can reserve private rooms, so I definitely recommend it!)
The garden visible from the private room is also beautiful and wonderful.
Now then, after a bath a bottle of milk has to come first!
Or so they say…
Slyly getting a beer too. After a bath, this is so much better!
First, a bite of soba alone without dipping it into the tsuyu broth. The aroma characteristic of hikigurumi, buckwheat milled with the husk, wafts gently through your nose, and the more you chew, the more sweetness gradually emerges. Even though it is 100% buckwheat juwari soba, it isn’t crumbly or dry at all; it combines a smooth slide down the throat with a firm chew — really delicious! It seems like quite a proper soba. Thoroughly chilled, it is perfect after a hot bath.
The tempura has a thin batter, crisp and light. Eating it with the accompanied green salt brings out the sweetness of the vegetables. The soba itself is refreshing, and having tempura alongside adds heft and bumps up the satisfaction!
And here is the assorted sashimi platter set ordered as a drinking snack!
A lineup of tuna, salmon, scallop, and octopus. Tucked in the back are two small side dishes: one with negitoro (minced fatty tuna and scallion), the other with crab and grated daikon — a wonderfully indulgent lineup.
The tuna was lean yet reminiscent of medium-fatty chutoro, with a luscious, melting texture. The scallop was thick, offering a plump bounce upon chewing followed by a slow spread of sweetness. The octopus had a pleasant snap, while the rich fat of the salmon tied everything together. All of them were moist, succulent, and delicious sashimi. This is truly good!
This is the ume-oroshi soba. I had just a small taste of it: breaking up the pickled plum and stirring it in dissolves the sour tang into the broth for a crisp, tart refreshment. With the chill of the grated daikon and the fragrant aroma of myoga ginger, I can see how you wouldn’t be able to stop slurping it down. After all, for a body glowing warm after a bath, cold soba is truly the way to go.
Now, while the bath was certainly great, the satisfaction from this private room is exceptionally high, so I recommend reserving one before you go! (You can do it online.) The soba is much more proper than expected, and they serve surprisingly high-grade sashimi, so it is delightful to be thoroughly satisfied with the meal too! For anyone looking to soak in a bath and unwind in the Tokyo area, this comes warmly recommended!
Here’s hoping for another encounter with great food today!
Shitensha (Saya no Yudokoro) menu
Juwari soba (can be changed to udon)
100% domestic buckwheat juwari soba. Main selections from the summer menu.
Here is what I had this time. The classic tag-team of freshly fried tempura and juwari soba.
Large portion +300 yen / Extra soba tsuyu dipping sauce 60 yen / Extra condiments 30 yen
Quick dishes (for a drink after the bath)
Sashimi
*Excerpted from the storefront menu during an August 2026 visit. Prices include tax; offerings change seasonally. Rice bowls, udon, rice sets, and kaiseki course meals are also available. Please check the official website or storefront for the latest details.
Shitensha (Soba / Shimura-sakaue Station, Moto-hasunuma Station, Shimura-sanchome Station)
Tabelog lunch rating ★★★☆☆ 3.6
I ate here and paid for it myself. Nothing on this site is a comped meal.
One more for the road?
