Although they're thoroughly delicious year-round, soba noodles enjoy immense popularity during the warmer months in Japan. As temperatures rise and humidity increases, the noodles are a refreshing and light meal option that provides nourishment while helping to combat the summer heat.

One place you can get your noodle fix is in Shibushi City, Kagoshima, at their annual Summer Soba in Shibushi event. The climate in this region of Japan means that buckwheat can be sown in late March and harvested in late June through early July, and the noodles are made with local water which is renowned for its high quality.

The event includes over a dozen participating businesses which are listed on the official website. They are listed in Japanese, but if you use Google Translate in your browser it will translate the page to English. Please note the event dates are simply listed on the website as from June 30th until late August – it's basically on a "while stocks last" premise.