おかめそば

お

か

め

そ

ば

Meanings

noun

okame soba; soba with fish cake, mushrooms, and greens

usually written using kana alone

A traditional Japanese noodle dish: hot soba in broth topped with slices of kamaboko (boiled fish paste), shiitake mushrooms, greens, and often nori seaweed. The name comes from the arrangement of toppings resembling the face of Otafuku (Okame), a traditional comical woman's mask.

寒さむい日ひには、温あたたかいおかめそばが食たべたくなる。
On a cold day, I crave a hot bowl of okame soba.
おかめそばには、かまぼこやしいたけ、青あお菜ながのっている。
Okame soba comes with kamaboko, shiitake mushrooms, and greens on top.

Kanji

亀tortoise, turtle
蕎buckwheat
麦barley, wheat
阿Africa, flatter, fawn upon

Related words

きつねそば
Kitsune soba is topped with sweet fried tofu (aburaage), while okame soba features a variety of toppings including kamaboko and vegetables.
たぬきそば
Tanuki soba is topped with tempura batter bits (tenkasu), giving it a different texture and flavor profile compared to okame soba.

Built from

おかめ+そば

Written forms

お亀かめ蕎麦そば
Kanji spelling using 亀 (turtle) and 蕎麦 (soba). Rarely used; the kana form is strongly preferred.
阿お亀かめ蕎麦そば
Alternate kanji spelling using 阿亀. Extremely rare; the kana form is the practical choice.

Etymology

The name comes from the resemblance of the arranged toppings to the face of Okame (also called Otafuku), a traditional Japanese mask representing a plain, cheerful woman. The exact origin of the dish name is uncertain, but it is a well-known soba variety in Japan.