It’s hard not to like noodles. Their quick, tasty and cheap. I mean, who can complain about that? Japan is a country with several noodle options. First, there’s everyone’s favorite, ramen and then there’s soba, which is gaining popularity among healthy eaters. But today we’ll be focusing on udon. Compared to its counterparts udon may often get the reputation for having a neutral flavor, but trust me, these thick pale-wheat noodles are chewy, taste amazing hot and cold, and are ridiculously satisfying. While Tokyo offers a plethora of amazing udon venues, everyone knows that Kagawa is the destination for the best udon in the world. Famous for their “Sanuki udon”, a type of udon that is characterized by having a chewy, flat and thick texture. Praised for being the “udon prefecture” of Japan, if you have a soft spot for noodles, this place should be a must-stop for you.

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How to Enjoy Sanuki Udon


The joy of eating Sanuki udon comes with the fact that there are several ways to enjoy the famous noodles. We rounded up 4 of the most famous ways to eat the Sanuki udon.

Kijoyu Udon

Kijoyu udon is a freshly boiled udon that is served chilled with a blend of Japanese broth and soy sauce poured over it. Only using simple ingredients such as grated radish, scallions and a sudachi (a Japanese citrus fruit), eating udon in the KIjoyu-style brings out the true flavor of the udon. This is considered as one of the most basic ways to eat udon in Kagawa.

Kake Udon


Perhaps the most basic way to eat a Sanuki, Kake udon is a warm bowl of udon served in a soup broth. It doesn’t include any toppings and is garnished with some fresh scallions. If it’s your first time trying the Sanuki udon, I highly recommend you to try eating it as a Kake udon as it’s the best way to savor the authentic flavor of the noodles.

Bukkake Udon


Bukkake udon is cold udon noodles that come with chilled dashi poured over them. The Bukkake udon is usually garnished with scallions, grated ginger, some type of meat and sometimes with an egg. Packed with umami, I highly recommend you to try this udon on a boiling hot day.

Zaru Udon


With over 600 udon restaurants in Kagawa, navigating through the udon scene in Kagawa can be a little overwhelming. If you have enough time and some extra cash, why not take the udon taxi? The udon taxi is a service that will take you to various udon restaurants. Have questions on udon? Just ask the drivers. These taxi drivers are well-immersed in the history and culture of udon and will give you a crash course on everything you need to know about udon.

Top Image @saitowitz