Udon Travel Guide

Thick and chewy, typical Japanese udon are versatile noodles made from wheat flour. Rich in vitamins, this simple yet essential carbohydrate is a favorite in Japan, and despite being the fattest noodle available it’s still considered to be healthy. Applying flour milling techniques introduced from China, udon is said to have been born in Japan during the Nara period. Sleek and slippery, udon can be eaten hot in a soup or cold with a dipping sauce, while they can also become yaki-udon when grilled on a teppanyaki hot plate, or even served in a hearty Japanese curry.

This classic Japanese noodle is a versatile and tasty ingredient, which sees each prefecture flaunting its own signature make and style. Alongside the local miso nikomi udon, a style of wide and flat udon named kishimen are popular in Nagoya, but a thin type called inaniwa udon are eaten in the northern Akita Prefecture. The light soup of kitsune udon with a slice of fried tofu originated from Osaka, where in contrast, Tokyoites prefer a more intense flavored broth. Learn how to make udon from scratch during a cooking class, or add it to a nabe hot pot with wagyu beef and local vegetables. Check out our delicious udon experiences, ranging from the fanciest udon of your life, right down to a food tour that’ll have you slurping udon with locals.