A vintage Japanese mechanical folk toy (民芸玩具, mingei gangu) known as そば打ち (soba-uchi) meaning “soba noodle making.” The toy features a wooden figure of a person in the act of rolling or cutting soba noodles, a beloved and culturally rich Japanese culinary craft.
When the string at the back is pulled, the figure leans forward repeatedly in a rhythmic motion — mimicking the real-life action of cutting soba noodles on a slanted board using a soba kiri knife. This charming movement makes it both an interactive toy and a miniature homage to Japanese food culture.
Hand-carved natural wood with hand-painted details. The figure wears a white tenugui-style head wrap, often associated with traditional chefs or soba artisans. The slanted platform represents a soba cutting board, with a flat noodle sheet and knife. The calligraphy on the base reads: そば打ち = Soba-making and 民芸玩具 = Folk art toy. Soba (buckwheat noodles) is a deeply traditional food in Japan, especially eaten on New Year’s Eve as 年越しそば (toshikoshi soba) to symbolize long life and letting go of hardship.
