Tensoba

Tensoba, also known as Tempura Soba, is a cherished Japanese dish that harmoniously blends the flavors of soba noodles with crispy tempura. There are two primary ways to enjoy tensoba: one version is served with a hot broth made from dashi and soy sauce, while the other is accompanied by a chilled or hot tsukejiru dipping sauce. The dipping variation is sometimes referred to as Tenzaru-soba or Ten-seiro, depending on the establishment.

The origins of Tensoba trace back to the mid-Edo period. During this time, it became popular to enjoy soba noodles in hot broth paired with kakiage, a type of tempura made from the adductor muscle of surf clams. Shrimp tempura soba, considered a luxurious dish, was known as "Jo-tempura soba" or "Ebiten-soba." Presently, tensoba typically features a variety of vegetable or seafood tempura, along with kakiage, which is a mix of vegetables and/or seafood bits fried in tempura batter.

Different regions in Japan have their own interpretations of tensoba, each adding unique toppings. In Kanto and Kyushu, for instance, soba shops often include satsuma-age (fried fish cake) or chikuwa as tempura toppings, which are sometimes batter-fried.