Sohonke Nishin Soba Matsuba (main shop)

総本家にしんそば 松葉 本店

Where herring soba began, just over Shijo Bridge

⚠ Closed Wednesdays

Hours

10:30–21:00 (LO 20:30); closed Wednesdays unless a holiday; seasonal changes (official)

Budget

¥1,900–2,300 pp

Address

192 Kawabata-cho, east end of Shijo Bridge, Higashiyama-ku

The shop's own history says it opened as a soba house in 1861 and that the second-generation owner put sweet-braised herring on soba in 1882, inventing nishin soba. It sits right beside the Minamiza kabuki theatre, straight ahead as you cross Shijo Bridge. A whole piece of herring rests on hot soy broth: eat some on its own, then let its richness melt into the soup.