Having guided many tourists from abroad, I have become aware that Udon, a traditional Japanese noodle made from wheat, is growing increasingly popular among visitors to Japan. In particular, children seem to love eating Udon. Many cities and towns have their own unique local Udon tastes and textures.Inaniwa Udon in Akita, Mizusawa Udon in Guma, Kishimen in Aichi, and Goto Udon in Nagasaki, among others, are considered the best by locals.
I am from Ehime, Shikoku Island, so my recommendation is Sanuki Udon, which has a smooth texture. It is relatively soft on the outside but slightly firm in the core of the Udon noodle, similar to Italian pasta cooked until al dente. Uhmm, my mouth is watering now.
In this blog post, I would like to show you Tachigui Udon restaurant, a standing-style Udon stall. Udon was once the fast food of the samurai era. There were many Udon sellers carrying their facilities on their shoulders, cooking Udon on the street, and serving it. The citizens in the samurai era devoured it.
So nowadays, we drop in at Tachigui Udon / Soba (another traditional Japanese noodle) shop to finish a quick lunch before rushing out to the meeting.
You may be busy exploring Tokyo and want to have a quick lunch. To satisfy your demand for a fast and yummy lunch while exploring Tokyo, I recommend visiting the Udon Tachigui restaurant located inside Ueno Station, near the central ticket gate, on the JR Line. It is operated by JR Shikoku, the JR line operator in Shikoku, offering authentic Sanuki Udon. Unfortunately, the restaurant does not have an English menu, but you need not worry. The ordering procedure is quite simple.
First, you need to choose the type of Udon: Kake or Bukkake. Kake Udon is served in clear soup, while Bukkake features Udon with a soy sauce-based cold dressing (without oil). Next, proceed to the food counter to select and pick up fried items on a dish. Then, proceed to the end of the counter to place your Udon order by saying ‘Kake sho’, ‘Kake chu’, or ‘Kake dai ‘, which means ‘Kake style’ with sizes available in small, medium, or large. If you prefer Bukkake, likewise, please say “Bukkake sho”, “Bukkake chu”, or “Bukkake dai.” Then the shop staff shows the price on the display on the cash register. Very easy and systematic, isn’t it?
On that day, I selected fried chicken and ordered “Kake sho.” It’s pretty yummy and reasonably priced, costing less than 500 yen!! I think the size ‘sho’ has enough amount of Udon in a bowl. If you are eager to experience other Udon, please order Bukkake for the second round.
The other day, I enjoyed the seasonal limited Shirasu Shoga-ten Bukkae udon, which features boiled small fish and ginger tempura on top of the Bukkae udon. It’s super yummy!! I am sure that I’ll be back soon to taste it again.
Thank you for reading my blog post.
During my tour, I would like you to experience something very local, such as the Udon tachigui stall. Please don’t hesitate to ask me, “Hey, Toru. Do you have any good ideas that we can enjoy something unique in Japanese daily life?” I am willing to show you some options, including Udon at the standing bar. Anyway, please book your private tour with me by clicking the “Contact me!” link below. I will craft the best itinerary based on your requests.
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