Rakuichi Soba
Annupuri, Japan
Rakuichi turns a bowl of soba into a meal worth planning around. Local buckwheat is worked by hand, and the noodles sit within a seasonal kaiseki sequence rather than an à la carte menu. The small, family-run restaurant has a counter where the preparation becomes part of the experience. Lunch and dinner follow the same two-hour course. Book well ahead and arrive ready to slow down; this is a reservation meal, not a quick noodle stop.