WHAT IS SOBA - Soba buckwheat" are thin Japanese noodles made from buckwheat. The noodles are served either chilled with a dipping sauce, or hot in a noodle soup. In Japan, soba noodles can be found in a variety of settings, from "fast food" venues to expensive specialty restaurants. Markets sell dried noodles and men-tsuyu, or instant noodle broth, to make home preparation easy. A wide variety of dishes, both hot for winter and cold for summer, use these noodles.