evening noodle vendor; nighttime noodle cart; noodles sold by a nighttime vendor
Refers to a traditional ambulatory vendor who sold soba or other noodles in the evening or at night, often from a cart with a distinctive whistle or call. The term can also refer to the noodles themselves. This is a historical/cultural term; such vendors are rare in modern Japan.
In the old days, nighttime noodle carts would go around town in the evening.
When they heard the whistle of the nighttime noodle vendor, children would grab some coins and run outside.
屋台 is a general term for a food stall or cart, while 夜鳴きそば specifically refers to the nighttime noodle vendor tradition.
立ち食いそば refers to standing soba eateries, a different modern fast-food style, whereas 夜鳴きそば is a historical mobile vendor.
Common mixed kanji-kana spelling.
Full kanji spelling; 蕎麦 is the kanji for soba noodles.
Formed from 夜鳴き, referring to the calls or sounds made by an itinerant nighttime vendor, and そば “buckwheat noodles.”