Toshikoshi soba is the Japanese New Year's Eve meal traditionally made with buckwheat noodles.
The name means “year-crossing soba,” and the dish is eaten on Ōmisoka, Japan's final day of the year. The long noodles are commonly associated with longevity, while their ease of cutting is sometimes interpreted as symbolizing leaving behind the hardships of the old year.
Recipes vary by region and household. The noodles may be served in a hot broth with toppings such as scallions, tempura, kamaboko, or other ingredients. There is no single nationally required topping or preparation.
Toshikoshi soba is sometimes confused with osechi ryōri, the elaborate assortment of foods prepared for the first days of the new year. Osechi is mainly associated with New Year's Day and the days following it, whereas toshikoshi soba is specifically a year-end noodle dish.