Interview with Yamaimo owner Yamanaka Natsumi
Tsukesoba Yamaimo is a shop with a style rarely found in Soja: it specializes in tsukesoba.
We spoke with owner Yamanaka Natsumi about how she started the business, what she is particular about, and her plans for the future.
Inspired by a TV program about a “housewife’s ramen shop,” she immersed herself in ramen research
Could you tell us how you got started?
Yamanaka (surname only)
What first made me want to work in food service was being impressed by the food and service when I visited a certain restaurant in Fukuyama.
After that, I worked at various restaurants and companies involved in the food industry.
One day, I saw a TV feature about a housewife who had opened a ramen shop.
I was impressed by the program and thought, “That’s so cool!” It made me want to make ramen.
After that, making ramen at home became my hobby.
I researched it online and experimented through trial and error.
I remember struggling because I just couldn’t get the flavor right.
A ramen hobby grew into a business
What was the turning point that led you to pursue ramen?
Yamanaka
The turning point came in January 2019.
Through my father’s introduction, I got the chance to set up a ramen stall along the approach to Saijo Inarisan Myokyoji Temple during the New Year holidays.
It was a rare opportunity, so I set up under the name “Mendokoro Sudachiya.”
It was only for three days, but I felt encouraged by the response.
More than anything, I was happy to hear customers directly say that it was delicious.
Later that same year, a friend introduced me to an opportunity to set up the “Mendokoro Sudachiya” ramen stall at the morning market held at Soja-gu Shrine.
It was very well received, and we were extremely busy.
The morning market then led to an opportunity to serve ramen once a week at Sen, a shared kitchen in a traditional house opposite Soja-gu Shrine, under the name “Mendokoro Sudachiya.”
That was on July 4, 2019.
The shop was named after its signature dish at the time, sudachi ramen, which used sudachi citrus.
From operating in a shared kitchen to opening an independent shop
When did you move from the shared kitchen to operating your own shop?
Yamanaka
The shared kitchen was very popular, and word of mouth brought in more and more customers.
About a year after I started operating there, a friend who ran a restaurant suddenly contacted me.
They said a space was becoming available and asked if I would operate there.
That space was where Yamaimo is now.
I wasn’t sure what to do, but it was such a great opportunity that I decided to take the plunge and open my own shop.
So I ended my operations at Sen in May 2020 and opened “Tsukesoba Yamaimo” at its current location on September 4.
Actually, “Yamaimo” doesn’t refer to the yam; it comes from my nickname.
I have an older sister, so people started calling me “Yamanaka’s younger sister” (laughs).
Making tsukesoba the main menu item as a new selling point after going independent
Sudachi ramen was the main item at Sen. How did tsukesoba become the main item at Yamaimo?
Yamanaka
After much trial and error at home, the ramen I felt I had finally made delicious was “sudachi ramen.”
It was also the signature dish during the stall days that followed.
When I started operating at Sen, I wanted to add more items to the menu.
I thought that if I was going to create a new menu item, it should be something I hadn’t tried before.
That’s when I came up with tsukesoba and abura soba.
Just as I had with ramen, I developed them through self-study and trial and error.
Gradually, tsukesoba and abura soba also became popular, joining sudachi ramen as customer favorites.
So when I opened my own shop, I wanted to promote something different from what I’d offered before, and made tsukesoba the main item.
I kept sudachi ramen on the menu for a while, but it has since been removed.
Committed to making everything by hand
What makes the shop distinctive, and what are you particular about?
Yamanaka
We don’t use pre-made ingredients; we make everything by hand, one item at a time.
For example, for the grated yam, I buy fresh yamaimo (nagaimo) and grate it myself every day.
For the dashi, we use mature chicken from Okayama Prefecture, iriko from the Seto Inland Sea, and flying fish from the Sanin region.
Another feature is that our tsukemen comes with two types of noodles: medium-thick flat noodles and thin noodles made with whole wheat flour.
The standard medium-thick flat noodles have a slightly high water content, giving them a chewy texture and a smooth feel and finish.
We also use the medium-thick flat noodles for abura soba.
The thin noodles have a slightly firmer bite.
We use a different type of noodle for the torotama as well.
They’re made with wheat from Hokkaido and have a pronounced wheat flavor.
I’m also particular about the bowls we use for tsukesoba.
They’re made by a company in Okinawa Prefecture called “Uruma Pottery.”
An acquaintance introduced me to them, and I fell in love at first sight with their beautiful appearance.
Considering relocation and renovation to move on to a new stage
What are your plans for the future, or things you’d like to try?
Yamanaka
So far, I’ve stepped up from stalls to a shared kitchen and then to my own shop.
As a further step, I think it might be nice to operate from a shop on a somewhat larger plot in the suburbs.
I’m currently in the city, but I’d like to run a restaurant somewhere surrounded by nature.
I’m actually planning to relocate, and I’d like to move on to a new stage.
When that happens, I’d like to consider trying a new field, without limiting myself to tsukesoba and ramen.
Yamaimo is a place to enjoy carefully crafted tsukesoba in front of Soja City Hall
Yamaimo is one of the few shops in Okayama Prefecture specializing in tsukesoba.
The smooth, chewy noodles and carefully crafted dipping broth make a perfect harmony.
You can also enjoy two types of noodles, so be sure to order a noodle refill and compare them!
Also try the abura soba, yam-topped tsukesoba, torotama, and tororo rice.
Tsukesoba Yamaimo closed in September 2024.
The information above is from when it was in operation.
Tsukesoba Yamaimo Information
| Name | Tsukesoba Yamaimo |
|---|---|
| Address | 2-2-1 Chuo, Soja City |
| Contact | 090-2861-0340 |
| Parking | None ※Parking is available in the “Shunsaibo-ya” parking lot during lunch hours only (about 300 m from Shunsaibo-ya) |
| Hours | 11:30 a.m.–2:00 p.m., 6:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m. (last order 7:30 p.m.) |
| Closed | Monday, Sunday |
| Payment methods |
|
| Reservations | Not accepted |
| Seating | 10 seats total ・Counter seats: 6 ・Two-person tables: 2 |
| Smoking | Entirely non-smoking |
| Restroom | Western-style toilet |
| Families with children | ・Strollers allowed ・Children’s tableware available |
| Accessibility | ・Wheelchair access available (restroom is not wheelchair accessible) |
| Website | Tsukesoba Yamaimo Official Instagram |
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