Please let me tell you about the reason why Gennendo was founded. The reason for founding Gennendo was an encounter with a person who wanted to pass on the traditional Japanese buckwheat noodle called “100% buckwheat noodle” to the next generation. He was a doctor from the Tohoku region, and he strongly believed that buckwheat noodles were very suitable for the Japanese body.
He told us that he wanted to make buckwheat flour, not wheat flour, the basis of soba in Japan, and then there was a machine that anyone could use to make buckwheat flour, not by hand.
The hardest part of founding the company was developing the equipment to produce 100% buckwheat noodles and conducting extensive research. We visited various buckwheat noodle shops and studied what everyone liked about soba.
The most difficult of all was buckwheat flour. It is not enough just to use expensive buckwheat flour, but there are various ways to grind and blend buckwheat flour.
After talking with many buckwheat flour producers, we eventually settled on buckwheat flour that we are currently using at Gennendo.
The most important thing about Gennendo’s buckwheat noodles is the buckwheat flour. We carefully select the best buckwheat flour available at the time. Mainly, we use buckwheat flour produced in Hokkaido. Since buckwheat flour is sensitive to heat, we are very particular about the way it is grounded. We also have a commercial millstone made small enough to be used by hand. This is to prevent the aroma from being lost due to the heat generated during the grinding process. However, this method is not common because it can only be used for small quantities, which increases the cost. With the cooperation of the flour milling company, we managed to realize this point. We are always conscious of the “three freshnesses”.
We have realized this by using a delivery method that minimizes the time it takes for the buckwheat flour to arrive at the store. We use only the amount of buckwheat flour needed for that day’s preparation and knead it into dough. Process of measuring, before putting dough into the cylinder, ensuring that the noodles are freshly made and freshly boiled. The quality of the buckwheat flour is of the highest quality, and the buckwheat noodles made with this method have a strong aroma and a smooth texture, two qualities that make it possible to enjoy the true taste of soba to the fullest. We also use a large amount of our own blend of bonito broth for the sauce, and carefully select marine products and seasonal vegetables to enhance the soba.
The best dish on the menu at Gennendo is mori-soba, made with 100% buckwheat flour, which is the best choice. If you have room in your stomach, you should also try Tempura Soba. In addition to Mori-Soba, we have been researching and developing our Tempura for a year to improve it. We have been thoroughly educating our staff on how to control the batter solution and oil temperature so that everyone can make the best tempura. We do not leave the batter to be deep-fried because we want our customers to enjoy the delicious taste of the batter as soon as it is made. We boil the noodles only after receiving your order, so it may take some time for you to wait for your order.
We are most particular about the water used to make soba noodles. We use delicious water that has been thoroughly polished using a special triple filtration system. While we use plenty of this delicious water, we strictly control the proper amount, temperature, and speed of boiling as a chef. When making the dough, we delicately adjust the amount of water according to the humidity of the day. By focusing on the speed from the time of making the dough to the time of serving, we are able to serve delicious 100% buckwheat noodles. We are also particular about how we cool the noodles, first taking it off the rough heat and then putting them into the cold water to finish them. If the noodles are cooled too much, the aroma will be lost, so delicate cooking is required, and we always pay close attention to this.
The secret to the deliciousness of our food is the variety of ingredients we use. In tempura, in particular, we use a wide variety of ingredients, including vegetables, seafood, and meat, to bring out the best of their flavors and give the dish a rich expression. In addition, we strive to provide special dishes by using ingredients that are of a higher grade than those commonly used. However, using high-grade ingredients alone is not enough to achieve exquisite tempura. We believe that the most important thing is to carefully assess the quality and freshness of the ingredients themselves and always select the best ingredients.
In selecting ingredients, it is essential to take into account the different characteristics of each region. When purchasing ingredients, our staff members rely on their own palates and experience to find the best ingredients from each region. In addition, we listen to the voices of the producers and directly feel their passion and commitment to the ingredients that they have grown with great care, and we incorporate their thoughts and feelings into our cuisine. We also put a lot of effort into improving our preservation techniques to ensure that our ingredients are in the best condition when they reach our customers. This ensures that every ingredient is always fresh, and we devise ways to maximize the natural flavor of our tempura ingredients.