Shibushi's Summer Soba Dedicated to Local Shrine! Lucky Summer Soba to Be Offered Starting This Year on Tanabata!

Just as there is an ancient Japanese custom of eating "Toshikoshi Soba" (year-end noodles) on Omisoka (December 31st) to pray for a healthy New Year, Shibushi has been proposing a new food culture of eating "new soba" made with the spring-sown variety "Haru no Ibuki" on Natsu Koshi no Obarai (June 30th) to pray for good health, through a three-way initiative involving a "producers' cooperative group," "processing businesses," and "the government."

However, in recent years, the harvesting period for summer soba has shortened due to the effects of climate change, and it takes a certain amount of time to dry, mill, and process the raw soba into noodles. This has made it difficult, schedule-wise, to hold the "Shibushi Summer Soba Giveaway" at Anrakusanmiya Shrine and to offer and sell it at restaurants on Natsu Koshi no Obarai on June 30th. Therefore, we will begin offering Shibushi's Summer Soba with a release date of July 7th, Tanabata.

Shibushi City is a town rich in specialty products produced by utilizing its warm climate, abundant groundwater, and soil accumulated from the Shirasu plateau and volcanic ash. Its eel production volume is particularly top-class in Kagoshima Prefecture.

This year, we are holding a digital stamp rally with the hope that you will enjoy Shibushi City's seasonal ingredients (such as eel and chirimen) along with Shibushi's Summer Soba. If you participate in the stamp rally, you will also have a chance to win Shibushi City's specialty products, so please take this opportunity to visit Shibushi City.

Dedication of "Shibushi Summer Soba"

On June 30th, Natsu Koshi no Obarai, a dedication ceremony for Shibushi's Summer Soba was held at Anrakusanmiya Shrine, where the Shibushi O-kusu tree, with a legend that Emperor Tenchi planted it himself, stands tall.

Representatives from the Anrakusanmiya Shrine General Council, the Shibushi Summer Soba Producers' Cooperative, local residents, manufacturers, retailers, and government officials participated in the dedication, praying for a good harvest of this year's summer soba and for good health by eating Shibushi's Summer Soba.

Despite the unfavorable weather, a Chinowa-kuguri (ring-passing) ritual was also performed after the dedication ceremony to cleanse away six months' worth of impurities and bad luck, purifying both mind and body. We then tasted Shibushi's Summer Soba, praying that it would bring good fortune again this year to consumers who will receive it, prepared solely by those involved.

In his greeting, Shibushi City Mayor Haruyuki Shimodaira expressed his gratitude for the daily efforts of everyone involved, stating that the Shibushi Summer Soba project is consistently carried out within Shibushi City from production to processing and sales, and that it will be further promoted by "All Shibushi." He asked for continued cooperation.

At the meeting, to promote Shibushi's seasonal ingredients and tourist experiences, a "tablecloth for dishes" to be used at restaurants offering Shibushi's Summer Soba was presented to Mr. Yoshikazu Gohara, General Manager of Sales, representing the restaurants. Phoenix Co., Ltd. (which operates Soba Chaya Fukiagean, etc.), the top provider of soba in the prefecture, was the recipient.

Mr. Gohara, General Manager of Sales, also gave a greeting, expressing his desire to contribute to the promotion of Shibushi's Summer Soba and Shibushi City.

Mr. Kazumae, Chairman of the Shibushi City Tourism and Specialty Products Association, the organizer, stated that this is the 16th year of the initiative. He added that Shibushi's Summer Soba is an indispensable specialty product for promoting Shibushi, and that they will strive to attract visitors to Shibushi City while promoting it effectively.

Scenes from the dedication ceremony. The Chinowa-kuguri ritual was performed in the rain.

Mayor Shimodaira's greeting. Presentation of the tablecloth for dishes: Association (Chairman Kazumae) and Mr. Gohara, General Manager of Sales, Phoenix Co., Ltd.

Greeting from Mr. Gohara, General Manager of Sales, Phoenix Co., Ltd. Greeting from Chairman Kazumae, Shibushi City Tourism and Specialty Products Association.

Commitment to "Shibushi Summer Soba"

● Shibushi Natural Underground Water

Shibushi City, Kagoshima Prefecture, is a naturally rich region surrounded by abundant seas and forests, blessed with southern sunlight. Shibushi's Summer Soba is made with Shibushi's natural water, known for its high quality. The groundwater, drawn from 80 meters below the surface, is soft water with a pH of 7.8-7.9, rich in minerals such as calcium and magnesium. This is what gives Shibushi's Summer Soba its smooth texture and unique firmness.

● Soba Flour

"Haru no Ibuki," a local variety grown under contract with local farmers, has a unique aroma reminiscent of sunlight and grass, and a sweetness. It is characterized by its flavor and smoothness. Unlike soba from regions with drastic temperature changes that results in a firm texture, this soba has a gentle flavor with a soft, chewy texture.

● Dipping Sauce

A slightly sweet sauce based on bonito flakes, blended with ingredients from Makurazaki, Kagoshima Prefecture. Its gentle flavor, with a good balance of aroma and umami, pairs well with the fluffy texture of the soba.

"Shibushi Summer Soba" Sales and Serving Period

July 7, 2026 (Tuesday) - Late August

"Shibushi Summer Soba" Retailers

[Co-op Kagoshima (All stores in Kagoshima Prefecture)] ☎︎099-286-1111

[A Co-op Kagoshima (All stores in Kagoshima Prefecture)] ☎︎099-284-8600

[Unagi no Eki (Shibushi City, Kagoshima Prefecture)] ☎︎099-478-8181

[Oidon Ichiba Yojiro Store (Kagoshima City, Kagoshima Prefecture)] ☎︎099-253-3153

[Shibushi City Specialty Products Store, Port Street] ☎099-472-1616

List of Restaurants Serving "Shibushi Summer Soba"

- [Immigration and Exchange Center Esplanade]

- [Shibushi Bay Daikoku Resort Hotel]

- [Soba Chaya Fukiagean, Shibushi Store]

- [Donburiya Waka]

- [Yomogi no Sato]

- [Agemono Ten Yosshi]

- [Izakaya Hankka / Food Truck Otemoto Kafu]

- [Marukyu]

- [Izakaya Kōra]

- [Café & Bar Locoland]

- [Unagi no Eki]

- [Chuka Shusai hiro]

- [Hotel Shibushi] *Limited to overnight guests

List of Restaurants Handling "Shibushi Summer Soba" Dishes Outside Shibushi City

[Soba Chaya Fukiagean (All stores in Kagoshima Prefecture)] http://fukiagean.jp/

[Karen Kagoshima Store] ☎︎099-223-8877 [Address] 3-12 Yamanokuchi-cho, Kagoshima City, Kagoshima Prefecture

[Karen Hakata Store] ☎︎092-725-1905 [Address] PANORAMA SQUARE HAKATA B1F, 3-11-19 Haruyoshi, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture

[Kagoshima Karen Ginza Store] ☎︎03-3572-3153 [Address] GINZA888 9F, 8-8-8 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo [Furusato Restaurant Yamakataya Shokudo] ☎︎099-227-6165 [Address] 7F, Building 1, 3-1 Kinkancho, Kagoshima City

[Sheraton Kagoshima] ☎︎099-821-1111 [Address] 43-15 Kōra-cho, Kagoshima City, Kagoshima Prefecture

"Shibushi Summer Soba" Also Available on Shibushi City Online Shop

"Shibushi Summer Soba" will also be sold on the Shibushi City Online Shop. Shibushi City has an abundant supply of groundwater originating from the Kirishima mountain range, which flows through the Shirasu plateau, creating the ideal growing environment for eel aquaculture and agricultural and livestock production, which are top-class in southern Kyushu, in its warm climate of southern Kyushu. Furthermore, the Shibushi Bay, facing the Kuroshio Current, yields abundant seafood, and Shibushi is vibrant, promoting town development through gourmet food. On the "Shibushi City Online Shop," we deliver ultimate specialty products, carefully crafted by highly motivated producers from the rich natural land blessed by the source of the Kuroshio Current, to people all over the country.

Shibushi Summer Gift Feature! Orders accepted until August 15

URL: https://shibushi.furusato-seikatsu.jp/local-government/ec