Producer: Jinmon
Prefecture: Hokkaido
Ingredients: 100% organic Dattan soba (buckwheat)
Vegan, Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Soy-free
Size: 3 x 20g (~12 servings)

Soba, the Japanese name for buckwheat, is a key ingredient in one of Japan’s most popular noodles. Not actually a type of wheat, soba is a highly nutritious seed that can also be roasted to create a traditional and aromatic nutty Japanese tea known as sobacha. 

Awarded the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Prize in 2008, this sobacha includes a new variety of whole roasted “Manten Kirari” Dattan (or Tartary) buckwheat which is organically grown in the town of Oumu in Hokkaido. Dattan soba has more rutin and polyphenols compared to regular soba and is more aromatic with less bitterness. It is also certified organic, having met the rigorous process of the Japan Agricultural Standards (JAS). The resulting tea is full-bodied and buttery with a toasted nut-like flavor.

Jinmon is located in the Kamihoronai Village in Oumu Town, which was once a rich agricultural producing region in Hokkaido. However, by 2006, most people had left the village and abandoned its fertile farmland. Jinmon began restoring the area in 2013, and by the end of 2015 had replenished ~150 hectares of farmland while helping to transform the village into Japan's northernmost Dattan soba producing region. 
 

Suggested uses: Add 1-2 Tbsp (~5-10g) (adjust to your liking) to 1L of boiling water. Can also be served chilled, enjoyed as is as a healthy snack or as a topping on salads, yogurt, ochazuke (rice with tea), when making rice, etc. You can also use the leftover soba from making the tea as a porridge or with yogurt.