MONZEN - Enjoy soba noodles while feeling nature in Musashino



The tradition and history of Jindaiji soba have been passed down by MONZEN.

MONZEN is a soba restaurant situated in front of the temple gate of Jindaiji Temple, around which nature in Musashino remains intact.
One of the attractive points of Jindaiji soba is that you can enjoy soba noodles in abundant nature. Especially, its outside seating gives customers an open feeling thanks to its excellent location!
It is said that Seicho Matsumoto, a great writer of social literature, used to visit MONZEN frequently.
“Arabiki soba,” the restaurant’s specialty, is a menu that was born through a connection with Seicho, who loved Musashino.
Adequate ventilation is ensured so that customers can enjoy soba noodles with a sense of safety and security. Enjoy the meals served only in Jindaiji sitting at the tables that provide an open feeling.


MONZEN: Recommended soba menus

MONZEN uses only carefully selected domestic buckwheat flour.
It features a strong flavor of soba, sweet taste, moderate elasticity, and chewy texture.

○ Arabiki soba (mori) 850 yen
○ Tororo soba 1,050 yen
“Arabiki soba” is made of uniquely blended buckwheat grits grown in the Shirakami Mountain Range.
Soba noodles made from freshly ground buckwheat have a superior smell.
It has been said from long ago that “tsuyu (dipping sauce)” is most important for any soba restaurant. “Tsuyu” served at MONZEN has an Edo-style taste, which keeps the same taste no matter much soba-yu (hot buckwheat water) is put in, and the dipping sauce has been preserved from generation to generation with utmost care.
Enjoy the flavor and sweetness of “Arabiki soba,” together with grated hot daikon radish as a seasoning.
Any menu of soba noodles can be changed to “Arabiki soba” at an extra charge of 150 yen.


Thoughts and passion infused into the restaurant’s name, Soba Gochiso MONZEN

【A Message from MONZEN】

Here is an interview with the 5th-generation restaurant owner of MONZEN, who studies Jindaiji soba earnestly, about the restaurant name and the restaurant’s specialty, “Arabiki soba.”
“When I interviewed old people to conduct a survey about Jindaiji soba in 1987, all of them, without exception, concluded their talk by saying, “Soba was gochiso (feast).”
According to them, it was “udon” that was daily eaten by people around Jindaiji, and “soba” was an important feast only served in celebrations or on special days.
For the people of those years, eating soba was literally “gochiso.” I was so impressed by the story that I added “Soba Gochiso” to the name of the restaurant. (Japanese name: Soba Gochiso Monzen)
At that time, when I had a chance to see how soba was made at a farm that had locally cultivated buckwheat for generations, from the grinding of buckwheat berries with a hand mill to making soba noodles, I found that the buckwheat flour contained much black chaff, and their appearance was just like “inaka soba (country soba).”
I imagined that Jindaiji soba, which has been popular since the Edo period, might have been black-colored country soba in the past.
Our restaurant’s specialty, “Arabiki soba,” was born from such an image. Please try Jindaiji soba that has inherited such tradition.


Information

【Tel】
042-487-1815

【Opening hours】
11:00～16:00 (We close when the soba runs out)

【Regular holidays】
Monday and Thursday * Except for national holidays.
We are open if Monday or Thursday falls on a national holiday and are closed on the following Tuesday or Friday as a substitute holiday.

【Address】
5-13-5 Jindaijimotomachi, Chofu, Tokyo

【Payment methods】
Cash only

【Pets】
Allowed at outside seats only

【Wheelchair】
Accessible restaurant

【Website】
https://chofu.com/units/36243/skyo0342/


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