Teaching the soba class was the soba sensei, with Maz interpreting. What the sensei’s name was we never found out. His name tag is plainly in view: the first character is "Yama" (mountain.) Unfortunately, I’ve been unable to work out the second character, even with the aid of Nelson’s Character Dictionary.
Since I didn’t take the class myself, I can’t bring back a full report. However, from my observations, it became clear that soba-making is a fairly demanding endeavor, requiring strength and precision.
The dough had to be rolled out to precisely the right flatness, and then cut into precisely equal widths (like matchsticks) utilizing a heavy-duty specialized soba knife.
I can, however, report back that the lunch we had, using the just-made soba noodles, was delicious.
Photos: Soba Sensei—Japan, 2008; Soba Sensei Sweeping Flour—Japan, 2008; Soba Class—Japan, 2008
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