When I visited Ishikiri Shrine, I stopped by this restaurant. It seemed popular as there was a line during lunchtime, but there were plenty of seats so we were seated quickly. The seating included tatami mats and chair options, making it comfortable for all, including elderly guests. It was hot, so I didn't try the oden, but it looked delicious.

Yamato-ya is famous for its stone-cutting work. The most popular dish is the mugwort udon, but since I like soba, I decided to order the mugwort soba instead! The soba has a subtle mugwort flavor, and the tempura is crispy with a rich mugwort aroma. For some reason, the oden here is also delicious, so be sure to try it!

Visited the approach shopping street of Ishikiri-san to eat the famous mugwort udon. The set meal for ¥1300 includes mugwort udon, oden, side dishes, inari sushi, and mugwort mochi. It has a lot of dishes and is very filling, making it a good deal. Overall, the taste is on the sweeter side, which was not to my liking, unfortunately.

I wanted to find out how strong the mugwort flavor was, so I decided to try it for lunch on the 12th. Among several udon shops, this one was recommended for mugwort udon. The broth was similar to kitsune udon. The noodles didn't have a strong flavor, but it was enjoyable. If you don't like mint chocolate flavor, you may want to avoid it. The combination of mugwort tempura and noodles enhances the mint flavor. If you're bothered by the chanting of the "hostess" near the entrance, I recommend sitting towards the back of the restaurant.

This is a blog post about Oowoya in Higashiishikicho, Higashiosaka City. The restaurant is located about an 11-minute walk from Ishikiri Station on the Kintetsu Nara Line. It is known for its Yomogi udon, which is made with mugwort from Mount Ikoma. The menu also includes regular udon, soba, rice bowls, and set meals. The atmosphere is cozy, with many photos of celebrities who have visited the restaurant. The food is simple and delicious, with options like Yomogi zaru udon, Oden, and Yomogi tempura. The Oden is particularly tasty, with a variety of ingredients like thick fried tofu, daikon radish, konjac, potatoes, and fish cakes. Overall, it's a great spot for a casual meal.

The oden is seriously delicious. Especially the daikon radish is so juicy and tender! The potatoes are bright yellow and fluffy. They are sweet on their own, but soaking them in the sweet broth makes them even better! The yomogi udon has thin noodles. They are slippery and slurpable. So comforting on a cold day. Delicious! *No wait or line around 11 am on weekdays. Payment method: PayPay. Thank you for the meal!

Today I bought some side dishes at Coco Tei. Just like last time, I purchased them as souvenirs. Since it's hard to find chrysanthemum tempura, I settled for mugwort tempura this time. The slightly bitter mugwort tempura seemed to be popular among other customers as well, as it was selling out quickly. If I were to be picky, I would prefer the mugwort leaves to be thicker when fried. Thank you for the meal!

After visiting Ishikiri-san, we stopped by this shop that also appears on TV and YouTube. There are a few similar shops nearby, so it's hard to decide which one to go to. The shopkeepers are trying hard to attract customers! We wanted to see all the shops, so we passed by and then came back. As we walked a bit further from the shops, we saw a row of fortune-telling houses. We were surprised by how many people seem to be struggling with decisions. We made a U-turn and went back to Daikokuya. This shop is famous for mugwort tempura and mugwort udon. I ordered the set meal with mugwort udon (cold) and extra noodles, while my wife ordered the set meal with cold mugwort udon. As mentioned during the call-in, oden and coffee after the meal are included! After a while, our food was served. There were various items on the plate. I ordered extra noodles, so there was quite a lot of udon. The mugwort udon had a smooth texture, almost like tapioca flour was added. The mugwort tempura had a subtle flavor. It was easy to eat but small. The mixed rice and inari sushi were delicious. The inari sushi had a rich shiitake mushroom flavor. The oden was a bit too sweet for my liking. Overall, the food had a strong sweetness to it. Since this was our second lunch of the day, we were satisfied. Thank you for the meal!

Today I bought some side dishes here. While walking along the approach, I came across mugwort tempura! Well, actually it was "mugwort tempura" instead. I hesitated for a moment, but I was captivated by the atmosphere of the souvenir shop on the approach and ended up buying it. It was a bit pricey at 500 yen for 4 pieces because they were thin and crispy. I cooked some Sanuki Kagawa's hidden gem Kazura bridge soba at home as a side dish. I was surprised that even though some time had passed, it was still crispy. When I dipped it in the soba broth and ate it, I could faintly taste the mugwort fragrance. Just like with spring chrysanthemum, if you fry it too much, the fragrance disappears, which is a shame. Thank you for the meal.

After visiting the shrine, I took a stroll along the approach and noticed a nice aroma of oden coming from various shops. I was attracted to this shop because the potatoes in their oden looked well-cooked. The shop turned out to be quite spacious with a large number of seats. I ordered oden a la carte with daikon radish, egg, and potatoes, while my companion ordered mugwort udon and a set of potatoes. The potatoes were indeed well-cooked and deliciously fluffy, and the daikon radish had a great dashi flavor. The mugwort udon had thin noodles with a gentle taste, although I expected a stronger mugwort scent. Despite being busy with customers from the New Year's visit, the staff were friendly and it was a nice shop overall.

In Ishikiri, Higashi-Osaka City, we took part in a historical real-life mystery solving game and stopped for lunch midway. The mystery kit came with a coupon for a shop along the approach. Around Ishikiri, mugwort seems to be a specialty, with many shops offering mugwort udon. By chance, we came across Yamato-ya for lunch. This shop also specializes in mugwort udon. Inside, there were many photos of celebrities hanging on the walls. Although the entrance seemed narrow, the interior was spacious, with tatami seating at the back. In front of the shop, there were many food samples displayed, including mugwort udon and oden. I was curious about the mugwort tempura, but I also wanted to try the mixed rice with toppings, so I decided on the udon set meal (950 yen). You could choose from mixed rice, chirashi sushi, or inari sushi, so I chose mixed rice. However, I couldn't resist trying the mugwort tempura, so I added it as a side dish. It was 300 yen for 2 pieces. My son had curry udon (800 yen). The prices were a bit high due to the touristy location. The mixed rice had a delicious flavor, just as I had hoped. The udon had thin noodles and a gentle broth, typical of Kansai-style udon. It also came with 1/4 piece of mugwort mochi. The mugwort tempura was crispy and tasted better on its own rather than in the udon. Although a bit pricey, we enjoyed the touristy atmosphere. On our way back from the mystery solving game, we passed by the shop again and this time, we bought 2 pieces of mugwort mochi (240 yen) for a snack. They weren't freshly baked, but they were not overly sweet and tasted good. It had the nostalgic vibe of a traditional udon shop in a tourist spot.

On my day off, I took a stroll to the Ishikiri Sando shopping street. The narrow, gentle slope is lined with shops. It's not a tourist spot, but there is a good flow of people centered around the shrine. I was surprised by the large number of people doing the Ohyakudo pilgrimage at the shrine. It was like a whirlpool. The shopping street, rooted in the local community, is known for its mugwort udon shops. The smell of oden from many shops caught my attention due to the season. One of today's purposes was to try the mugwort udon and oden (5 items). The oden had a slightly sweet broth, and the potatoes and thick fried tofu were particularly tasty. As for the mugwort udon, the noodles had a faint mugwort aroma and were thin. It was easy to eat without a strong mugwort flavor. The tempura had mugwort in it, so if you're not a fan of its unique taste, you might not like it. Personally, I would have preferred the tempura to be crispy on a separate plate. It also had fried fish cakes, bamboo shoots, and mountain vegetables, which were light yet delicious. Personally, the oden left a lasting impression!

It looks like udon, doesn't it? Oh yeah. And when my sister and I looked at the menu, it was actually udon! I was thinking of getting soba, so it's a bit disappointing. I remember the time when my father fell ill, my mother would go to Ishikiri-san early in the morning to pray. Ishikiri-san is the guardian deity of our house, protecting us from illnesses and cancer. Whenever someone in the family falls ill, we visit Ishikiri-san. It's a memorable shrine for us. On this day, my sister and I came to offer our amulets to Ishikiri-san. We didn't do the traditional hundred steps, but we had lunch at a restaurant we used to visit often with our mother. The udon tasted like soba, and the dipping sauce was surprisingly sweet. The taste of the zaru udon broth was nostalgic and delicious. The quail eggs were a rare find. We reminisced about our childhood as we walked through the narrow streets. It's a bit scary going back, but we made it safely. We wondered if we would ever come back to Ishikiri-san again. It was a bittersweet moment with my sister.

When visiting Ishikiri Shrine, I always stop by here. They serve mugwort udon, both warm and cold. The warm one has a slightly rich broth. The cold one has smooth noodles and is delicious. The mugwort tempura is crispy too.

■Potato ¥150■Yomogi Tempura ¥350 I had lunch and my stomach was full, but I couldn't resist the hot and delicious-looking potatoes and yomogi tempura lined up in front of the shop, so I decided to go in. Just eating this was worth it. The potatoes were fluffy, moist, and sweet, very very delicious! The yomogi tempura was crispy and had a unique flavor that was addictive. It's light, so you can eat it even when you're not hungry, which is great. I'm determined to eat a lot next time I come! *Visited on a weekday around 2pm, no waiting time, no line. Payment method: PayPay. Thank you for the meal!

Osaka is a restaurant called Yamatoya in Higashi-Osaka City, Ishikiri. It's been a while since I visited Ishikiri, probably about 5 years. The approach from Ishikiri Station on the Kintetsu line is still as shady as ever, but the Chinese medicine shop with signs like "Ear Naru" and "Kabe Tsuchi o Otaberu" is no longer there. The local eateries around here seem to be known for mugwort udon and oden. I ordered the mugwort udon. It's a thin udon with mugwort kneaded into it, topped with mugwort tempura. It definitely has a grassy flavor. It's not overpowering, but leaves a refreshing aftertaste. Thank you for the meal.

I arrived at Ishikiri around 4 pm and walked around, but only a few places were open, so I should have come earlier. However, I was glad that this shop was open because it is famous. The specialty here is mugwort udon, so I had mugwort zaru and mugwort bukkake. The noodles were green and slightly thin. They came with crispy mugwort tempura! Since I arrived towards closing time, they even gave me shaved ice as a service. I'm glad I got to try the mugwort udon that I came for. I wish it was a little warmer so I could have also tried the oden.

At the so-called approach to Ishikiri Shrine, there are many souvenir shops, fortune-telling booths, condiment stores, prepared food stalls, sweets shops, clothing stores, toy shops, and eateries crowded along the narrow steep slope. It is a popular resting place for elderly visitors. Among them, the restaurant called Yamatoya, which mainly serves tempura, caught my attention with its strong invitation. I thought they served mugwort soba at first, but it turned out to be thin udon noodles with mugwort mixed in. I ordered the set meal which included a large potato and thick tofu oden, mugwort tempura, a little bit of mixed rice, inari sushi, and a quarter of mugwort mochi. The taste was okay. The price was 1200 yen. After the meal, they offered coffee as a service, but I declined and left. However, the owner lady chased after me and gave me a piece of mugwort mochi. Even though it was just one piece for two people, it was a nice gesture. This street has a lot of friendly shops, so it's worth checking out.

Daikichiya @ Higashi-Ishikiri-cho, Higashi-Osaka City, a 10-minute walk from Shin-Ishikiri Station on the Kintetsu and Keihan lines. Along the approach to Ishikiri Tsurugiya Shrine, which has been revered as the god of denbo (swelling), you will find the original yomogi udon shop, Daikichiya. After the New Year's decorations like shimenawa are used, how do you usually dispose of them? It is said that it is okay to throw them away as regular garbage, but it may feel a bit disrespectful, so in our house, we bring them to a local Ishikiri-san to have them burned in a traditional ceremony called dondo yaki. If you bring them by the 15th of the month, they will be happy to perform the ceremony for you. On this day, we brought the decorations that had finished their role and decided to have lunch here. The restaurant is spacious, with a table seating area at the front and a raised tatami seating area at the back, as well as a courtyard with a waterwheel. The menu is limited, with only yomogi udon priced at 800 yen. The tempura made from yomogi was surprisingly mild, lacking a strong taste. The broth, made with kombu stock, was clear and flavorful, with a slightly salty taste. The udon noodles, made with yomogi, were smooth and soft, lacking in firmness. Overall, the flavor of yomogi was subtle, and I personally would have preferred a stronger taste. The restaurant was established in 1952, a year when Japan and the United States finally signed a peace treaty, officially ending World War II. With over 65 years of history, the restaurant exudes a sense of tradition and warmth, making it a pleasant place to enjoy a meal. The friendly and cheerful staff added to the nostalgic atmosphere. Sometimes, it's nice to spend time in a traditional restaurant like this and enjoy a relaxing meal. Thank you for the delicious meal.

I was drawn in by the scent of oden, but the noodles with mugwort in them caught my attention... Mugwort udon! Mugwort soba also sounds interesting, but during this season, I prefer warm noodles. The noodles were a bit thicker than soba, which made me feel a bit conflicted, but I couldn't resist the scent of mugwort. It would be great if they offered a set with oden, udon, and mugwort tempura! I'm curious about the mugwort manju (steamed bun) they have at the store. If they were baking them at the storefront, I would definitely buy some. I enjoyed some mugwort on the day of the Seven Herbs Festival and felt purified.