Among the regional specialties of Niigata, hegi soba noodles intrigue with their ubiquity. Why "hegi"? It's a long story...
Tokamachi is a city in the south of Niigata Prefecture, long renowned for its sericulture and – since silk is readily available – its kimono textile industry. To give a certain patina and enhance the colors of kimonos, funori seaweed, a perfectly edible panacea, is also used in the paper industry for its adhesive properties. Who had the idea one day to add this fabric glue to buckwheat flour for soba? It's unknown, but the result is firm and supple noodles that naturally slide into the mouth.
As for the hegi, it refers to a wooden box used in the same kimono industry to place weaving tools. A sort of sewing box. Thus, hegi soba are this dish of noodles made with funori seaweed and served in bite-sized portions in a sewing box!
Bon appétit!