When Kaa-chan was little and running a fever, too tired to eat anything, the one thing that always helped was udon. Soft, gently simmered noodles that slipped down without effort — warm in a way that reached further than just the stomach. Easy to digest, easy to love. The kind of food that makes you feel looked after.

Udon has always been there, as natural and constant as rice. Here's Kaa-chan's guide to its world.

Udon in Tokyo — A City That Got Converted

Kaa-chan grew up in Tokyo, where udon meant soft, yielding noodles — the kind you could almost dissolve with your tongue. That was just what udon was.

Then, in the early 2000s, Hanamaru Udon (はなまるうどん) arrived from Kagawa Prefecture, bringing authentic Sanuki-style udon to Tokyo at prices that made no sense. The noodles had real chew and bounce — something completely different from what Kaa-chan had grown up eating. "Udon can be like this?" was the genuine reaction. The city went immediately and completely obsessed.

But trends keep moving. Recently, Suke-san Udon (資さんうどん), a beloved Fukuoka chain, expanded into the Kanto region and promptly created long queues — proof that the soft, broth-soaked udon of the south has its own devoted following. Kaa-chan hasn't made it there yet, but it's the top target right now. 😄

Kaa-chan's Pre-Flight Ritual: Tsurutontan at Haneda Airport

During the years of international business travel, Kaa-chan's Haneda morning routine was always the same: skip breakfast at home, head straight to Tsurutontan (つるとんたん) on the 4th floor of the international terminal's Edo Koji section. Open from 6am, which makes it reliable even for early departures.

A large bowl of udon before boarding. Warm, settled, ready. It just made every trip feel like it was going to go well.

Udon Memories in Kaa-chan's Family

A Baby's First Restaurant Meal

The first time Kaa-chan's son ate at a restaurant was at a highway service plaza (SA / サービスエリア) — one of those large rest stops along Japan's expressways. Kaa-chan will cover those properly in a separate article.

Udon noodles were snipped into small pieces with baby scissors and transferred to a little dish. The reaction — both cheeks patted enthusiastically, clear delight — is still vivid. That baby is now much bigger, which is wonderful and quietly sad at the same time. 😄

Kaa-chan's Lazy-Night Beef Udon

Here's a weeknight staple: boiled udon packs from the refrigerated section of a Japanese supermarket, simmered in a simple broth of mentsuyu and mirin, topped with onion and thinly sliced beef stir-fried in soy sauce, mirin, and cooking sake. Filling, fast, and genuinely delicious.

If you have access to a kitchen in Japan, the chilled udon section of any supermarket is worth a look. Dried udon works as a substitute if the fresh packs aren't available.

How to Order at Marugame Seimen

At self-service udon chains like Marugame Seimen (丸亀製麺), the flow goes like this:

  1. Pick up a tray at the entrance and join the counter queue.
  2. Choose your noodle style, size, and temperature — hot kake udon (かけうどん) in broth, or cold bukkake (ぶっかけ) with sauce poured over.
  3. Collect your bowl, then move along to