by Soba-Fuku literally means “Soba brings you good luck!” Chichibu is well known as one of Japan’s famous soba villages, and you’ll find countless soba restaurants scattered throughout the area.
Among them, Soba-Fuku is a hidden gem—loved mainly by locals and known only to a limited number of residents. Tucked deep in the Chichibu mountains, the restaurant itself feels like part of the adventure. Just getting there is half the fun, and enjoying a bowl of their soba in such a remote, peaceful setting makes the experience even more special.
In Back of Mountain
At Soba-Fuku, the word “Fuku” means luck. Locals say you might receive a bit of good fortune just by enjoying a bowl of soba here!
Reaching Soba-Fuku isn’t the easiest—some might even call it inconvenient—but that’s exactly what makes the journey feel like an adventure. This kind of “pleasant difficulty” is one of the charms of traveling in rural Japan.
Even if you’re driving, you may feel a mix of excitement and a little nervousness as the mountain roads become narrower the deeper you go.
Alternatively, you can take a taxi from Mitsumineguchi Station, which is less than 10 minutes away. Public transport is also an option, though services are limited and not frequent.
But that’s the essence of a Chichibu trip: embracing the inconvenience, slowing down, and enjoying the nature that surrounds you. Overcoming the challenge of getting there only makes the experience that much more memorable and rewarding.
Great Atmosphere for Soba Eating
Here is the gate to Soba-Fuku! (From Google Map) When you see the sign そば福, that is the way to enter the Soba-Fuku!
Then once you enter the way at the そば福 sign, you can see the restaurant. It’s surrounded in mountain!
Walnut Soba is My Favorite
My favorite is Walnut Soba (Kurumiwari-soba). If you see the menu from the website, that is くるみざるそば or くるみ天ざるそば.
くるみざるそば(Kurumizaru-soba) is just like normal cold soba. くるみ天ざるそば(Kurumi-tenzaru-soba) is that Tempura is added to the Kurumizaru-soba.
Have a look at the below Youtube Channel created by 秩父おもてなしTV (Chichibu Omotenashi TV from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMI1XWcJYEE)
