[:ja]県庁通りに面する大町おかめや。カウンターキッチンにしたのは「お客さんに納得して食べてもらうため」だと言う。[:en]Omachi Okameya facing the prefectural office street. He says that the reason why he made it to the counter kitchen is to "convince customers to eat".[:]

[:ja]福島市から東へ約35km。阿武隈高地の山あいに位置する相馬郡飯舘村。ブランド牛の「飯舘牛」などで知られる緑豊かな農村でしたが、東日本大震災とそれに伴う原発事故の影響を受け、一時は全村避難を余儀なくされました。その後、一部を除き2017年3月31日に避難指示は解除。村には少しずつ住民が戻り、新しく小中一貫の義務教育学校が開校するなど、日常を取り戻す取り組みが続いています。

そんな飯舘村で新たに栽培が始まったそばの品質に惚れ込み、100％飯舘産のそばを自らの店で提供するようになった「大町おかめや」の店主、佐藤和敬さん。彼は、かつて福島市大町に店を構え、現在は市内の福商通り沿いで営業を続ける大正14年創業の老舗そば屋「おか免（め）や」の4代目にあたります。

佐藤さんは高校卒業後に上京。和食の板前として5年働いた後、2軒のそば屋でそれぞれ4年と2年の経験を重ねました。この『テロワージュふくしま』にも参加している「和肴 ごとく」の店主、阿部俊光さんとは幼なじみ。その「ごとく」のオープンを手伝うために帰郷し約2年、さらに実家の「おか免や」で約2年働き、2017年9月、満を持して自身の店を開店しました。店を出すならもともと実家の店があった大町に出したかった。ここに店を構えた理由を佐藤さんはそう語ります。

「小さい頃からばあちゃんに“お前は跡取りだぞ”と言われて育ちました。両親は逆に“好きなことやればいい”と言ってくれていたんですけど、そば屋っていろんな世代の人が来るし、金持ちも庶民も食べに来る場所じゃないですか。そういう、みんなが集まる“町のそば屋”に憧れがあったので、そば屋以外の店を出すことは考えられなかったですね。」[:en]About 35km east from Fukushima City. Iitate Village, Soma-gun, located in the mountains of the Abukuma Highlands. Although it was a rural village with abundant greenery known for its brand name "Iitate beef," it was temporarily forced to evacuate all villages due to the effects of the Great East Japan Earthquake and the accompanying nuclear accident. After that, the evacuation order was canceled on March 31, 2017, except for some areas. Residents are returning to the village little by little, and new elementary and middle school compulsory education schools are being opened.

Kazutaka Sato, the owner of Omachi Okameya, who fell in love with the quality of buckwheat that was newly cultivated in Iitate Village and started offering 100% Iitate-produced soba at his own store. He was the fourth generation of "Okameya", a long-established soba restaurant founded in Taisho 14 that once opened a store in Omachi, Fukushima City and continues to operate along Fukusho Dori in the city.

Sato moved to Tokyo after graduating from high school. After working as a Japanese food maker for 5 years, I gained 4 years and 2 years experience at 2 soba restaurants. I'm a childhood friend of Toshimitsu Abe, the owner of the “Waden Gogoku” shop, who also participates in this “Terrorage Fukushima”. I returned home to help open the “Gokutoku” for about two years, and worked for my parents' family “Okameya” for about two years. In September 2017, I fully opened my own store. If I wanted to open a store, I wanted to open it in Omachi, where my family's store originally was. Mr. Sato explains the reason for setting up a store here.

"When I was little, my grandmother grew up saying" you're the one who's going to take over. "On the contrary, my parents said," You can do whatever you want. " Isn't it a place where both the rich and the ordinary people come to eat? Since I was longing for a "town soba restaurant" where everyone gathers, I couldn't think of opening a store other than a soba restaurant. . "[:]

[:ja]とはいえ、ひと口に「そば」と言ってもそのスタイルはさまざま。佐藤さんのそばは「おか免や」のそれとはずいぶん違うものだと言います。

「じいちゃんの時代はそばより小麦のほうが高級品だったから、小麦粉を多く使ったそばのほうがいいとされていましたし、小麦が安くなってそばの国産原料が少なくなると十割そばがもてはやされるようになった。同じそばでも時代によって違うんですよね。」

大町おかめやで提供されるそばは、そば粉十割につなぎ一割の「外一（そといち）」と呼ばれる配合。店の裏手にあるそば打ち部屋はガラス張りで外から見えるようなっており、道行く人は興味深そうに手打ちの様子を見ながら通り過ぎていきます。

「自分がまだ若いこともあるので、すべての行程が見えるようにしたほうが納得して食べてもらえるだろうと思って、そば打ち部屋はあえて外から見えるようにしました。毎日顔を見かける方もいますし、ガラスの前に張り付いて最後まで見ていってくれる子供さんもいます。そういう人たちにとって、自分がこうやってそばを打っている姿が町の景色の一部になれたらいいですね。毎日ここに立って、“あいつ今日も元気にやってるな”って思ってもらえたらうれしいです。」[:en]However, there are various styles even if you say "soba" in a bite. Mr. Sato's soba is very different from that of "Okameya".

"Grandpa's day was that wheat was more expensive than soba, so it was said that buckwheat made with more flour would be better, and when wheat becomes cheaper and domestic ingredients for buckwheat become less, 100% buckwheat noodles will be enjoyed. Even with the same soba, it depends on the times. "

The soba provided at Omachi Okameya is a mix called "Sotoichi", which consists of 100% buckwheat flour and 10% tied. The soba-making room at the back of the store is glass-covered so that it can be seen from the outside, and the people passing by can be interesting to watch the hand-made work.

"Because I'm still young, I thought it would be more convincing to eat so that I could see all the steps, so I dared to make the soba noodle room visible from the outside. Some people see their faces every day. However, there are some children who stick to the front of the glass and look to the end.For those people, it would be nice if the way he hit the buckwheat would be part of the view of the town. I would be happy if I could stand here every day and think, "He's doing well today."[:]

[:ja]飯舘産「信州大そば」の実。甘皮のこの緑色が佐藤さんの江戸そばの肝となる。[:en]Fruit of "Shinshu Daisoba" from Iitate. This green color of the cuticle is the heart of Mr. Sato's Edo soba.[:]

[:ja]そんな佐藤さんが惚れ込んだ飯舘のそば。「信州大そば」と呼ばれる品種で、その名の通り粒立ちのいい大きな実が特徴です。そのそばの実を、外側の黒い殻だけを取った「丸抜き」と呼ばれる状態で仕入れます。

「そばというと多くの人は黒い粒が入ったグレーの麺を想像すると思いますけど、あれはいわゆる＜更科そば＞で、殻ごと石臼で挽いたものです。僕のそばは＜江戸そば＞と呼ばれるもので、丸抜きされた原料を挽いて粉にします。そうすることで、甘皮の色と風味が生きたそば粉ができ上がります。」

そば粉に冷水を混ぜてこね始めると、たちまちそば打ち部屋にそばの香りが満ちてきます。非常に体力のいる作業ですが、そばの鮮度にもこだわる佐藤さんは、毎日欠かすことなくこのそば打ちに取り組みます。

「そばの実は、粉にしてしまうと色も風味もすぐに飛んでしまいますし、水分も抜けてしまいます。その日のそばはその日に打つ。そうすることで、できる限り風味を感じていただけるようにしています。

ただ、打ったあとにあえて少し寝かせてから出す店もありますし、配合もそれぞれの店でいろいろな考え方があります。どれが絶対ということではなく、それぞれの店が自信を持ってそばを出し、それをおいしいと言ってくれるお客さんがそれぞれの店につく。僕はそれでいいと思うんです。」

手でこね、長さの違う3本の棒を使って延ばす江戸そばならではの作法で打つこと約40分。薄いうぐいす色をまとった美しいそばがようやく出来上がりました。[:en]The side of Iitate that Mr. Sato fell in love with. It is a variety called "Shinshu Daisoba", and as its name suggests, it is characterized by its large, grainy fruits. We purchase the fruit near it in a state called "Marunuki", which is made by removing only the outer black shell.

"Most people think of soba as gray noodles with black grains, but that is the so-called" Sarashina soba ", which is ground with a stone mill. My soba is" Edo soba ". It's called "Maru-nuki" and grinds it into powder, which makes buckwheat flour with the color and flavor of cuticles alive. "

When you mix cold water with buckwheat flour and start kneading, the soba scent immediately fills the soba-making room. Although it is very physical work, Mr. Sato, who is particular about the freshness of the soba, works on this soba every day without fail.

“Soba soybeans lose their color and flavor as soon as they are ground, and they lose their water content. Soba of that day is beaten on that day. By doing so, you can feel the flavor as much as possible. I am.

However, there are shops that dare to lay it down and then put it out for a while, and each shop has its own way of thinking. Which is not the absolute thing, each store confidently puts out soba, and customers who say that it is delicious arrive at each store. I think that's fine. "

It takes about 40 minutes to knead by hand and use Edo soba's unique method of stretching with 3 sticks of different lengths. Beautiful soba with a pale yellow color has finally been completed.[:]

[:ja]粋を感じる江戸そばのせいろ[:en]The taste of Edo soba[:]

[:ja]茹で上がり、せいろに盛られた佐藤さんの江戸そば。光沢のある上品な美しさを放ちます。味もまた上品で雑味がなく、そばの香りが口いっぱいに広がります。のど越しにかすかな角を感じるのも、約1.5mmほどの正方形に麺を切っていく江戸そばならではの魅力です。そばつゆは、かつお節とサバ節で出汁を取ったシンプルなもの。これは「おか免や」として代々受け継いできた味を受け継ぎました。

このそばに合わせるのは、二本松市 大七酒造の「大七 純米生酛」です。

「大七は、そば屋で使う酒としてはこれ以上ない酒ですね。常温でも冷やしてもうまいし、燗にしたらなおよし。東京時代からずっとこれをおすすめしています。うちでは毎年、正月近くになると大七の樽酒を仕入れて、年末からの1～2ヶ月間、樽酒のうまさをお客さんに味わっていただいています。」

飯舘産の信州大そばを使ったそばが食べられるのは、県外はもちろん県内でもほぼ大町おかめやのみ。このそばを「わざわざ食べに来たくなるそば」に育てたいと言う佐藤さん。いつか、会津に劣らないそばの産地として飯舘が知られるようになる日が来るかもしれません。[:en]Sato-san's Edo soba, which was boiled up and served in the colors. It gives off a glossy and elegant beauty. The taste is also refined and has no unpleasant taste, and the scent of buckwheat spreads in the mouth. You can feel the faint corners over your throat, which is a unique feature of Edo soba that cuts noodles into squares of about 1.5 mm. Soba soup is a simple soup made from bonito flakes and mackerel flakes. This inherits the taste that has been passed down for generations as "Okameya."

Matched with this soba is the Daichi Pure Junmai Sake from Nihonmatsu City Daichi Sake Brewery.

“Daishichi is the best sake to use at a soba restaurant. It can be chilled even at room temperature, and you can't do it. I have recommended this since the days of Tokyo. Then, we purchase barrel liquor from Daishichi and have customers enjoy the taste of barrel liquor for one to two months from the end of the year. ”

You can eat soba made with Iitate Shinshu Daisoba only in Omachi Okameya outside the prefecture as well as inside the prefecture. Mr. Sato wants to grow this soba into a soba that makes you want to come to eat. The day may come when Iitate village will be known as a soba production center comparable to Aizu.[:]

[:ja]和食の修行経験も持つ佐藤さん。食通を唸らせる「酒の肴」が楽しめるのもこのお店の魅力です。旬の一皿は、木製の短冊に書かれ並びます。中でも人気なのが、会津名物の馬刺しです。会津坂下町から届く馬刺しは一人前ずつ真空でお店へ。そうすることで、鮮度の高い馬刺しをいつでも提供できるようになりました。にんにく味噌で食べるのが会津の馬刺しのスタンダードな食べ方ですが、レバ刺しが好きだったという佐藤さんがおすすめする食べ方は、ごま油と塩。そこに、同じ会津坂下町の廣木酒造「飛露喜 特別純米無ろ過生原酒」を合わせます。

こうしたメニューが人気を呼び、最近では、そば屋としてはもちろん、居酒屋感覚で店を使ってくれる地元の常連客も多くなってきたと言います。オープンキッチンのカウンターで佐藤さんの仕事ぶりを眺めながら、旬の肴と福島の酒とのマリアージュを楽しみつつ、〆に心込めて打たれた蕎麦を流し込む…そんな楽しみ方ができるお店です。

「東京で修業をしていた時から、いずれ地元に戻って商売をする、絶対に福島に帰ると思いながら働いていました。震災後は福島での商売に不安を感じた時期もありましたが、地元のことを考えるたびに、知り合いやお世話になった人、いろんな人の顔が思い浮かんで、その人たちの存在が背中を押してくれました。想いがある土地で店をやることは、僕にとっては当たり前のことだったんです。」

音楽にも造詣が深い佐藤さん。そば屋が順調に軌道に乗る中、次は店の2階に新しくミュージックバーを開き、新しい賑わいの輪を生もうとしています。かつて憧れた地位も世代も超えて愛される「町のそば屋」。その枠を超えて、大町おかめやと佐藤さんの存在は、これからの福島の町の賑わいになくてはならないものになり始めています。[:en]Mr. Sato, who also has experience training Japanese food. The charm of this restaurant is that you can enjoy the "liquor appetizer" that makes foodies growl. Seasonal dishes are written and arranged on wooden strips. The most popular dish is the Aizu specialty, horse sashimi. The horse sashimi that arrives from Aizubange Town is vacuumed one by one to the store. By doing so, we were able to provide fresh horse sashimi at any time. Aizu's standard sashimi is to eat with garlic miso, but Sato-san, who liked Leva sashimi, recommends sesame oil and salt. Then, add the same Hizuki Sake Brewery "Furukuro Special Pure Rice Unfiltered Raw Hara Sake" from Aizubange Town.

It is said that such a menu has become popular, and recently, not only soba restaurants, but also local regular customers who use the shop like an izakaya have become more popular. While watching Sato-san's work at the counter in the open kitchen, you can enjoy the marriage of the season's side dishes and Fukushima's sake, and pour the soba noodles struck with all your heart into it.

“Since I was training in Tokyo, I was working while thinking that I would return to my hometown and do business, and I would definitely return to Fukushima. There were times when I was worried about my business in Fukushima after the earthquake. However, every time I think about the locals, the faces of people I know and care for, and the faces of various people come to my mind, and their presence pushes my back. It was a matter of course for me. "

Mr. Sato who has a deep knowledge of music. While the soba shop is on track, next time we are opening a new music bar on the second floor of the store to create a new crowd. A "town soba shop" that is loved by people who have long been dreamed of and for generations. Beyond that frame, Omachi Okameya and Sato-san's existence is becoming an indispensable part of the future of Fukushima.[:]

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