Toshikoshi Soba

This was Toshikoshi Soba - "welcoming to a new year" buckwheat noodle.

It's a Japanese tradition to eat Soba on New Year's Eve. Soba's long noodle shape represents longevity. We wish our long lives by eating long Soba. It is also said that because of its tender texture, Soba is easier to cut/chew than other noodles, which means you can cut off misfortune happened on you in the year so that you won't carry any of them into the new year.

I have been keeping the tradition even after I moved to the US. Luckily J likes Soba, so we can wish our happy new year over a nice hot bowl of Soba together!