Definition of Soba
The word soba in Japanese means "buckwheat," but Okinawa soba noodles contain no buckwheat—they are made entirely from wheat. After Okinawa was returned to Japan in 1972, Japan's soba-growers' association tried to make Okinawa drop the name "soba," since according to regulations on the naming of noodles, a noodle must contain at least 30% buckwheat in order to bear the name "soba." In the end, the Okinawan soba makers won an exception based on the argument that "Okinawa soba" was a vital part of Okinawan culture, and that soba can occasionally mean noodles in general. (Ramen, also made from wheat flour, is sometimes called Shina Soba or Chuka Soba, both meaning "Chinese soba". Yakisoba (stir-fried Chinese noodles) also contain no buckwheat.)
Today, if one wants to eat buckwheat noodles in Okinawa, one must generally look for "Japanese soba" (日本そば, nihon soba?) on the menu.
Read more about this topic: Okinawa Soba
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