Iya Soba at Momiji-tei: Part 1 | Sharing Local Tastes and Traditions
2022.04.06
At the “RiverStation West-West” along Rt 32 within the Oboke Gorge area of Miyoshi City in Tokushima Prefecture sits a beautiful restaurant named “Momiji-tei”. Based in a stately thatched-roof farmhouse and serving authentic Iya Soba noodles as well as other local delights, it is a place for lovers of both food and architecture.
A Thatched-Roof Farmhouse along the National Highway
National Rt 32 is one of the main roads bisecting the center of Shikoku Island. As it goes through the Oboke Gorge section of Miyoshi City along the Yoshino River, one should be on the lookout for a fantastically restored thatched-roof farmhouse.
With an adjacent waterwheel and nestled within a small forest of maple trees, this historic building is located just next to a modern-style rest area known as “West-West”.
RiverStation West-West & “Momiji-tei”
At the RiverStation West-West rest area there are several shops and restaurants, including a convenience store and an outdoors shop, but off to the side of this complex is a lovely Japanese garden.
Here, within the shade of dozens of maple trees, sits a charming traditional house that has been converted into an elegant restaurant called “Momiji-tei”, which is a fitting name that translates as the “House of Maples”.
As I approached the large old home I immediately felt the presence of this imposing structure and its vast roof above, and momentarily forgot that it was a restaurant.
The building itself was built in the late Edo Period nearly 200 years ago, and was originally located deep within the adjacent Iya Valley. It was painstakingly moved and rebuilt at this location in the early 1970s and operated as a museum, but it eventually closed and sat unused for several years.
Preserving the Traditions of the Iya Valley
While here I met with Ms Yoko Nishimura, who is President and CEO of the West-West complex which includes this thatched-roof house. In the early 2000s when construction began for the rest area, this thatched-roof house that is now Momiji-tei was pretty badly damaged, so it was slated to be demolished in the original plan.
But upon considering the house’s impending fate, Ms Nishimura stepped inside and touched one of its thick pillars. She felt as if she was connecting to her roots and heard the house say “Save me” through her touch. Realizing her destiny, she began the arduous task of brining this derelict ancient building back to life.
Being that her father is from the eastern part of the Iya Valley (Higashi-Iya) and she still has family connections there, Ms Nishimura had a strong passion for creating a place which shares the culture of her hometown with not just the architecture but also with serving the delicious “Iya Soba” noodles for which the valley is famed.
Therefore Momiji-tei has become a place of pride for her in not just being a robust business, but also for introducing the wider world to both her family’s and her hometown’s heritage.
In Part 2 we will sample some of the wonderful food on offer at Momiji-tei.
Momiji-tei
Momiji-tei is open daily for lunch. Closed Wednesdays in winter, but exact hours vary depending on season.
Tel: 0883-84-1117
For more info, check their website (in English):
http://west-west.com/en/momiji/
(Text by: Shaun Lamzy, Photos by: RiverStation West-West & Shaun Lamzy)
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