Taisyu Soba

Taishu Soba refers to a native variety of buckwheat ⁽¹⁾ grown in Tsushima ⁽²⁾, an isolated island of Nagasaki Prefecture, and hulled seeds and flour derived from this.
　Taishu Soba has superior taste and flavor and slight bitterness compared to varieties grown in other areas, displaying features similar to those of the ancestor of buckwheat. While its seeds are relatively small, they have high densities and are uniform in size. This is another characteristic of Taishu Soba.

Producers grow the native variety Taishu Soba on the island of Tsushima.
　In addition to unprocessed seeds for food use, hulled seeds and flour after dehulling and milling on the island are shipped out as Taishu Soba.

Tsushima is located on the route of introduction of buckwheat from China to Japan via the Korean Peninsula, and is considered the first place in which buckwheat was brought. Under the geographical conditions of an isolated island that allowed minimal crossing with varieties grown in other regions, the native variety has been preserved and managed by local producers and administration.
　Tsushima also has limited areas of flat land suited for cultivation, and it is believed that buckwheat had traditionally been grown as a subsistence crop.

The superior taste and flavor of Taishu Soba are highly appreciated and its products received publicity across the country through media coverage. Now, Taishu Soba is cultivated widely in the Tsushima Island as a local specialty.

1. Buckwheat: Although buckwheat seeds are known as an ingredient of galettes in European countries, varieties grown in Japan have different characteristics and are therefore used by kneading the flour with water to form a dough and thinly slicing it into noodles. The boiled noodles are commonly eaten by dipping into a sauce based on fish stock and soy sauce.
2. Tsushima: An island of Nagasaki Prefecture in the Genkai Sea, located north of Kyushu. Being situated near the Korean Peninsula, Tsushima has traditionally served as a contact between the Asian Continent and Japan in their cultural and economic exchanges.