I was taken there after a long time. The family-run restaurant had young girls helping out, around elementary school age. It was bustling with families with small children, solo customers, and couples. It seems like they reduced the amount of meat a bit?! But the sweet soup with chewy mugwort udon was delicious, and adding lots of freshly grated ginger warmed me up.

I visited the restaurant the morning after drinking too much cheap wine the day before. I ordered mugwort udon with burdock tempura topping. Due to my hangover, I couldn't handle oily food well, so I ended up passing most of the tempura to my husband. I managed to finish the udon though! I've heard that mugwort is effective for hangovers, so I wonder if mugwort udon has the same effect? I also bought some marinated mackerel to take home. It had a sweet flavor with a spicy kick from the red pepper, making it a good match for shochu.

The udon broth is slightly stronger in flavor compared to regular udon broth, but it's not as thick as it looks. The noodles are smooth, chewy, and firm, which I personally love. The mugwort-infused noodles release a nice aroma when you chew on them. Since they open early in the morning, eating here the morning after drinking really warms you up from the inside out, haha. The meat udon gets richer in flavor as you eat, so if you want to finish the broth, I recommend getting it without meat. The kimura bowl with chunks of meat is also delicious. I usually order the mugwort udon and kimura bowl, and sometimes I put a little bit of the meat from the bowl into the udon. On cold days, adding extra ginger to your meal will warm you up nicely. Enjoy!

I arrived around 1 o'clock. The place is small and a bit old. I like the style of grating ginger by yourself. The Yomogi Udon costs around 680 yen. The pickles? Nukazuke of dried daikon radish? It was my first time trying it, and it was spicy and red, but it tasted delicious when I poured soy sauce over it. The udon noodles were chewy and had a good texture, and the soy sauce soup was rich and just to my liking. The meat was tender and not too soft or too tough, and it was delicious. They had a sold out sign up by the time it was past 1 o'clock. I want to visit this restaurant again, but it seems impossible without a car.

Visited on a Sunday after 12 o'clock. Was worried about parking, but there were three spots next to the store. There was exactly one spot open. Ordered the Yomogi Niku Niku Udon for 950 yen with an additional 130 yen for onion tempura. Didn't really smell the scent of the yomogi in the noodles, but the broth with the meat was delicious. Since the meat had some fat, I added plenty of ginger. The onion tempura was a crispy type with plenty of volume. Eating the udon while snacking on the onion tempura was delicious. Lastly, adding rice to the broth was also delicious.

◉Genre: Exciting Udon, Local Cuisine ◉Area: Izumidai, Kokurakita-ku, Kitakyushu City ◉Access: 15 minutes by car from JR Minami-Kokura Station ◉Parking: Available ◉Credit Card Payment: Not available ◉Frequency of Use: First time ◉Number of Reviews: 1st visit On this day, I decided to visit "Kimuraya" on a whim. ◇Exterior and Interior: The building is located slightly higher than the street level, with a noticeable black and red sign. Inside, the floor is bare concrete. The tables and counter are all in black with red accents, giving off a somewhat wild atmosphere. There is a TV, and the place is completely non-smoking. ◇Seating: There are counter seats, low tables, and a large communal table in the center for shared seating. The capacity is around 15 people. ◇Menu: They offer both regular udon and mugwort udon, as well as rice bowls, which is somewhat rare for this type of establishment. I ordered the following: - Mugwort Meat Udon (Regular - 650 yen) * Large size is 700 yen. I opted for the regular size due to certain circumstances. On the table, there are the usual ginger and red chili peppers available. You can grate the ginger yourself and use it as a topping, which is a nice touch. The udon was quite dark in color and had a rich flavor. The noodles were made with mugwort, and they were a hit for me that day! The texture of the noodles was smooth and slightly chewy, with just the right amount of firmness. The quality of the noodles was surprisingly good for a local eatery. The meat was tasty as expected, and I enjoyed adding ginger and red chili peppers for some flavor variation. ◆Strong Points: You can choose between white and mugwort udon, and there are pickles and other condiments available on the right side of the counter. ◆Service: Average. ◆Summary: It's great to be able to enjoy local cuisine originating from Minami Ward in Kokura in the border area of Kita and Higashi Wards. Next time, I want to try their pepper miso flavor with white rice. Also, I couldn't help but notice the woman working there carrying a child on her back. It made me realize how tough it can be to work while taking care of children. I hope for a future where people don't have to work so hard... I am a strong supporter of basic income, by the way. (laughs) Thank you for the meal! (Note: The review has been translated and paraphrased for better understanding.)

I had the Mugwort Meat Udon in a small size, Mackerel Nukadaki, and a small bowl of white rice at the Mugwort Udon shop from the morning. The reason I really wanted to try this dish from the menu is because this shop is known for its mugwort and meat, especially the combination of meat with ginger and chili is irresistible. Another reason is because it is a specialty of Kokura, and lastly, pickles and rice are a must-have combination. It was delicious to have in the morning, but now that I think about it, it's Monday so it would have been fine to have it at night (laughs).

The following three restaurants all serve "yomogi udon" and are part of the "dokidoki udon" series. I visited these places without knowing the connection, but after reading other reviewers' posts, I was surprised to find out that they are related. First up is the representative of the "yomogi dokidoki" series, Kimura-ya. The restaurant is located in Kitakyushu, and it is known that the predecessor, Rusan Udon, started serving yomogi udon. The location is along Route 51, which runs along the mountain side from Aratake towards Sone, and is easily accessible from the intersection near the Totsu no Mori Park. The restaurant has a cozy atmosphere with a few counter seats and tables. I ordered the "shiro niku udon" and was initially confused if it was related to horumon (offal), but it actually refers to white meat udon. The yomogi udon served here was delicious with a strong flavor and a good texture. The meat was tender, and the dish was well-rounded with a hint of sweetness. Overall, Kimura-ya is a high-quality restaurant serving yomogi udon, maintaining the pride of being the original in Kitakyushu. Personal rating on Tabelog: 4.2.

This time I ordered the Meat Meat Udon (white)‼ It comes with mugwort noodles and regular white noodles. The white noodles are soft, while the mugwort noodles have a firm texture. Personally, I prefer the firm texture, so I recommend the mugwort noodles✴ The amount of meat in the dish is a bit on the small side for the price of 900 yen. The broth is on the sweeter side. The meat is very flavorful and tender. Thank you for the meal!

The green color is vibrant. The udon noodles are not soft, but have a chewy and springy texture, providing a satisfying bite. Although the green color is vivid, I couldn't really taste the mugwort flavor. The meat in the mugwort beef udon is in chunks and there's quite a lot of it. The meat is tender and melts in your mouth. The flavor is on the sweeter side. The broth doesn't have a strong soy sauce taste. The spicy kick from the table condiments like chili pepper miso and grated ginger goes well with it. There aren't many places in the Kokura area where you can have a meal early in the morning, but this one opens at 6:30 am, which must be quite convenient. Thank you for the meal.

Even after a hangover, it's delicious, but it's still delicious after a liver rest day lol My precious breakfast♬

Tender beef cheek meat without any unpleasant smell, mixed with strong dashi flavor and chewy udon noodles. The addition of plenty of mugwort, ginger, and chili peppers makes it incredibly delicious and addictive.

I ordered the Yomogi Udon Large and received self-service pickled dried radish. Thank you for the meal.

The original-style udon noodles at Kimuraya are delicious.

I eat Yomogi Udon every time. It's delicious.

At the end of July, I took a certain exam, and the day before that, I visited a udon restaurant for the first time in a while. I can't eat udon anywhere else in the morning because I start preparing for work around 4:30, just like at the udon restaurant. When I visited the restaurant at 6:40 in the morning, there were already two customers there. I was planning to order regular udon, but I decided to try the Yomogi Zaru Udon for ¥550, which is a summer limited edition, to get through the training with a fresh and cold taste. The emerald green noodles had a subtle scent of yomogi, and when I slurped a strand of the cold noodles, I felt a firm texture and a refreshing sensation in my throat. It has a different charm from hot udon, and I personally hope it becomes a regular menu item like Zaru Udon. I wonder when I can come again next time.

The udon culture in Kokura is truly interesting, with unique cultures like mugwort udon alongside meat udon. There are also cultures of burdock tempura and meat udon. While mugwort udon shops are becoming rare, there are still some remaining. During this visit, I chose mugwort meat udon. The noodles are slightly thick and a vibrant green color. The aroma is almost undetectable. The mugwort udon has a smooth texture, and the broth is dark and sweet. The meat, advertised as 100% beef cheek meat, is well-cooked and tender. The restaurant is located in a residential area, but it is conveniently situated on a slightly elevated spot with parking available next to it.