Udon Regional Varieties
- jin
- 2015年6月4日
- 読了時間: 3分
Regional Varieties
Udon is popular all across Japan. Below is a list of some of the most common regional varieties:
Kagawa Prefecture
Named after the former province that is now Kagawa Prefecture,Sanuki Udon is the most famous udon variety in Japan. The noodles are firm and chewy, and can be eaten in a variety of ways. Udon is a very popular and cheap meal in Kagawa Prefecture. Many of the popular, nationwide udon chains serve Sanuki Udon.
Gunma Prefecture
Traditionally handmade from locally grown wheat flour and spring water from Mount Mizusawa, Mizusawa Udon has a long history of feeding pilgrims on their way to Mizusawa Temple near Ikaho Onsen. Mizusawa Udon is typically served chilled with either a soy based dipping sauce or a sesame dipping sauce, sometimes both.
Akita Prefecture
With over 300 years of history, the process of making Inaniwa Udon takes about four days as it is all done manually. After kneading the dough by hand, it is wrapped around two rods, flattened, then stretched and finally air dried. The handmade process results in Inaniwa Udon noodles that are thinner compared to conventional udon noodles and have a smooth texture.
Mie Prefecture
A feature of Ise Udon is the rich and dark sauce (tsuyu) that is poured on top of the udon noodles. This rich and dark tsuyu is made of dried kelp or smoked fish (usually bonito or small sardines) and soy sauce. The udon noodles are usually topped with green onions and katsuobushi (smoked bonito flakes). Many restaurants around the Ise Shrines serve Ise Udon.
Yamanashi Prefecture
Hoto noodles are flatter and wider compared to regular udon noodles. They are typically cooked in a cast iron hot pot with lots of vegetables in a miso based soup. The vegetables that go into Hoto are largely seasonal vegetables, including pumpkin.
Aichi Prefecture
Particular to Nagoya, Kishimen is a variant of udon noodles that are flat and thin, similar to the shape of fettuccine. The ingredients that go into making kishimen are no different from udon noodles, the main difference just being the shape and time taken to cook the noodles.
Aichi Prefecture
Misonikomi Udon is another specialty to Nagoya. It is a very rich dish and particularly popular in the winter. It uses red miso for its soup base. Other typical ingredients include chicken, green onions,mushrooms, a raw egg on top and rice cakes (mochi).
How to eat udon
Depending on how your udon are served, the way of eating differs. When udon are served with a dipping sauce, take a few strands of noodles and dip them into the sauce before eating them.
Udon served in a soup or sauce are enjoyed by using your chopsticks to lead the noodles into your mouth while making a slurping sound. The slurping enhances the flavors and helps cool down the hot noodles as they enter your mouth. If there is a broth, it is drunk directly from the bowl, eliminating the need for a spoon. It is not considered rude to leave some unfinished soup in the bowl at the end of the meal.
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