Yasubé Soba

Established in 1991, just a short walk from Kachidoki Station, Yasubé Soba has been serving traditional Japanese soba for over three decades.

From hand-prepared buckwheat noodles and freshly made tempura to sake and soba shochu, the restaurant has remained true to its roots.

What began as a modest eight-seat establishment has grown into a neighbourhood favourite under the watchful eye of its owner, Kotaro Kawamoto, a self-described Edokko with a history that extends well beyond the kitchen.

With the help of Toshifumi from the LAIDBUG crew, we sat down with Kotaro to talk about the early days of Yasubé Soba, the growing number of international visitors finding their way through its doors and his unexpected connection to Tokyo's rave scene.

Q. When was Yasube founded?

A. It was founded in 1991. It started out as a milk shop, and my parents turned it into a soba restaurant. At the time, it was a small shop with about eight seats, but over the past 26 years, it has grown to its current size, with 12 counter seats and 10 table seats. Actually, before we opened the soba restaurant, we’d considered opening a bento shop. But since soba appeals to people of all ages and there weren’t any soba restaurants in the area at the time, it might have been the easiest option. I started working here full-time around the year 2000.

Q. I’ve heard that back then, while working at the restaurant, you also used to go to clubs and raves, mainly in Tokyo. What got you into that?

A. Back then, I used to go to a lot of psychedelic parties. I’d always liked house and techno, so when I tried to go to “WIRE”, a large indoor rave held at Yokohama Arena, I just couldn’t get tickets. That’s what led me to a psychedelic party run by an acquaintance. I became really close with the people I met there, and from there I got more and more into it. My musical tastes broadened to include tech house and progressive house, among other genres.

Q. I heard you used to gather with your club friends at the restaurant quite often.

A. Back in the day, there was a club in Tamachi called “Studio Cube 326,” where they often held psychedelic and trance parties. After the parties ended, we’d head over to the restaurant and hang out there until the evening, lol.

Although we don’t do it as often as we used to, we still gather at the restaurant to hang out after going to clubs. It’s not just for hanging out though, sometimes friends will just drop by to grab a bowl of soba.

Since it’s both my workplace and a place to gather with friends, the restaurant means a lot to me.

Q. What do you find most rewarding about running a soba restaurant?

A. The best part is when customers try a dish I’ve created myself and give me a positive reaction. We don’t just serve traditional soba, we also offer seasonal specialities.

I love coming up with new menu items, and seeing how happy our customers are really makes it all worthwhile. All of our staff get a real energy boost from interacting with customers.

It feels less like work and more like we’re being entertained. That’s the best part, isn’t it?

Q. Do you get many foreign customers?

A. We actually get quite a few visitors from overseas. Since Tsukiji and Ginza are nearby, they often stop by while sightseeing.

Q. How do you hope to develop “Yasube” in the future?

A. I’d like to maintain the restaurant as it is now and keep it going for as long as possible. Rather than expanding the business, I want to preserve our signature flavour. And I want to continue working while enjoying meeting new people. I think that suits my personality better.

The restaurant also serves as the inspiration for the latest Neighbourhood Service capsule, featuring a selection of T-shirts, sweatshirts and hoodies celebrating a small piece of Tokyo's everyday culture.

Available now at selected retailers, EDWIN Stores and online.

Neighbourhood Service returns in 2027.

Direction: Toshifumi Kiuchi, Production: LAID BUG, Photographer: Models: