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Imagine you are seated in a Japanese traditional-style dining area, holding a small bowl in one hand, filled with soba noodles steeped in a flavorful broth. The serving size is small, just a mouthful’s worth. As soon as you slurp it using chopsticks, the smiling server refills your bowl, encouraging you to eat more. This series of movement continues till you finally cover your bowl.
Curious and excited to try it out? Come and give it a go at Azumaya in Iwate Prefecture which offers the Muslim-Friendly version of the challenge. Wanko Soba is a noodle dish where noodles are added to your bowl one serving after another, alongside the rhythmic chanting of your server. The wanko soba challenge costs 3,240 yen ($31.80) and comes with nine side dishes, such as tuna sashimi, mushrooms with grated radish and other local specialties.
Founded in 1907, Azumaya is a long-established buckwheat noodle restaurant in Iwate Prefecture that offers a Muslim-Friendly version of Wanko Soba without mirin. Up until now, Muslims were unable to try this challenge as Wanko Soba has mirin (which contains alcohol) that is used to make the sauce.
Upon ordering Wanko Soba, a small bowl and spices are placed on your table. When you open the lid of the bowl in front of you, Wanko Soba begins. As soon as your bowl is empty, the next serving of noodles is rhythmically added, along with the server chanting, “Hai, Janjan!” “Sore, mou ippai (OK, one more serving)”. When you are finally full, you must place the lid back on your bowl before the next serving of noodles can be added. This is the signal to stop.
If you’re able to down more than 100 bowls, you’ll be awarded with a certificate, a little prize and your name on a plaque will be added to wall stating the number of bowls you ate. The current record of bowls consumed within one sitting is over 500 servings. Can you compete this and beat the score? Visit Iwate and give it a try!
