Minato

Minato is known for embassies and towers, but Azabu-Juban holds a soba story unrelated to either. Three Sarashina-lineage soba houses lie within a few minutes' walk of each other, with confusingly similar names — the result of one family splitting.

So in this neighbourhood, saying "let's go to Sarashina" means nothing. You have to say which one. Locals pronounce the full shop name to the last syllable, or add the street to distinguish them. Travellers navigating by map alone regularly walk into the wrong one.

Sarashina soba is milled from the core of the buckwheat groat only, which makes the noodles white. Pale colour does not mean pale flavour: this is a style that suppresses aroma to foreground texture. It is why some houses serve both a dark and a light dipping broth. On a first visit, try the noodles in both and decide which suits you — that is how this style is meant to be used.