I discovered a slightly suspicious udon restaurant when I was feeling a bit hungry. I parked in the back parking lot and entered the restaurant. There were other customers already inside, so I was relieved that it wasn't a shady place. The menu was not extensive, but it seemed they offered udon dishes based on the season. As a fan of mochi, I was very interested in the winter udon (udon in a soup similar to zoni), but I ended up ordering the spring udon because I was drawn to the bamboo shoot tempura. The broth and the udon texture were to my liking. It was not too soft, but it also had a different feel compared to Sanuki udon, more like Kyushu style udon. While enjoying my meal, I noticed a topping called "nose-cha-zuke" on the menu which caught my attention. I decided to order it as an additional dish, and it was absolutely delicious. It only cost 100 yen, so I highly recommend trying it out.

Simply put, I like very soft udon noodles. I prefer udon noodles with a firm texture like Sanuki udon, but these are delicious in their own way. And what stands out is the price - it's quite a good deal. The udon broth was also delicious, and I was captivated by the seasonal menu options.

As you can see in the photo, "Shunkashuutou" has pictures of the owner of the nearby "Ito Denemon" residence and his former wife, "Yanagihara Hakuren", printed on the tent roof. NHK's morning drama "Hanako to Anne" featured Denemon played by Koutaro Yoshida and Hakuren played by Yukie Nakama, which became very popular. Prior to the show, there were hardly any visitors to the "Ito Denemon" residence, but after the broadcast, tourists from all over flocked to the area. I happened to visit the residence about a year before the show started, and there were almost no visitors at that time. The volunteer guides were so bored that they talked endlessly, making my visit longer than expected. Later, during the peak of its popularity, a volunteer guide who had previously struggled with the lack of visitors appeared on a local TV show and talked about how overwhelmed they were with the sudden influx of tourist buses. It was quite amusing to hear. On one occasion, I saw groups of people walking near the shop, and it turned out that a second parking lot had been newly established near the park across from the old Route 200. When I visited, I had parked in a spot with no signs, but the lady at the entrance assured me that it was okay to park anywhere on the premises. The shop itself is located on a corner lot just off the old Route 200, and it has a fairly spacious parking lot. Upon entering, you are greeted by the owner and a younger woman who may be a part-time employee, and despite the slightly dim lighting, their cheerful greetings make you feel welcome. The interior of the shop resembles a snack or coffee shop with a slightly dim lighting, which may be a downside for some but perfect for those who prefer a cozy atmosphere. The menu includes regular items and affordable udon set meals, but the seasonal dishes based on the shop's name are the main attraction. When I visited in August, the winter menu was not available, so I chose the "Summer: Cold Udon 600 yen". The tempura was served in about 5-6 minutes, and I first tried the unique Gobo tempura. The crispy fried parts provided a crunchy texture like a snack, while the softer parts soaked up the broth quickly and became tender. The white lump in the middle was tartar sauce, which added a creamy richness and gave the dish a Western twist. The noodles were the most unique part, soft and flat with a surprising elasticity. It was unlike any noodles I had tried before and seemed to be homemade. The slight wheat aroma and unique texture made it a special experience.

I've been curious about this place along a well-traveled road for a few years now. The entrance doesn't look like a typical udon shop, so I hesitated to go in... Perhaps their specialty is seasonal variations of udon. There was a lot of parking available behind the shop, probably shared with other businesses. Inside, there was a counter, tables, and a tatami room in the back. The owner was working alone that day. I ordered kake udon with burdock and meat. The broth had a strong dashi flavor that I hadn't experienced before. The thinly sliced crispy burdock tempura was piping hot and delicious. The sweetness of the meat was just right. The noodles were cooked with a satisfying firmness that I really liked. I felt like I needed a bit more, so I tried the ochazuke option. I could hear the sound of rice balls being fried. A few minutes later, they were served to me on a small plate. The texture made sense, and I understood the reason for frying them before serving. I mixed in some wasabi halfway through. Thank you for the meal.

Before I knew it, my favorite genre had become udon. It used to be ramen about two years ago, but since retiring and becoming poor, I often use udon because it's cheaper. This time, I decided to try a udon restaurant in Iizuka City, Fukuoka Prefecture, which had only one review on Tabelog. The staff consisted of only two people, a male owner around 60 years old and a woman around 40 years old. Maybe they are a couple with a significant age difference? I ordered the basic kake udon and toppings - kake udon for 350 yen, gobou tempura for 100 yen, and one piece of inari sushi for 70 yen. The tempura was thinly sliced and had a good color, crispy and delicious. The noodles were thick and soft, not what I expected. The soup was light and easy to drink, with a good kelp flavor. There was a small shiitake mushroom hidden under the bowl, a nice surprise. The vinegar rice in the inari sushi was mild, and the frying was lightly seasoned, which was good for the price. Overall, I felt that the homemade noodles should have been served immediately after boiling to fully enjoy them. The owner was humble and the service provided by the woman was excellent. The soup alone is worth trying.

"Udon tea pickles. You get a topping for your udon, and just when you finish eating, a grilled rice ball comes out. You can enjoy it by dipping the udon in the broth, adding green onions, and making ochazuke. And all of this for just one coin. Fantastic."

Cheap! The post-ride ochazuke set meal for 500 yen. Choose the udon toppings, then after eating, put the fried onigiri in the broth, sprinkle with seaweed, and it's done! This might be even tastier!

I personally thought the broth was just right in terms of richness, and I enjoyed it.

I revisited at the end of March. This time, I ordered a set of katsudon and mini udon. The udon broth was a bit watery and light in flavor, not as refined as expected. The katsudon had a well-cooked egg on top, and the flavor was also on the light side. The sweet and savory sauce and the semi-cooked egg didn't really match my taste. I had been curious about this place for a while, and I found out that there was a parking lot next to the restaurant, so I decided to visit by car. The menu seems to change with the seasons, with options like autumn ankake udon or winter zoni udon. I tried the autumn ankake udon this time. The thick ankake sauce was not evenly mixed in the broth, giving it a unique texture. It was sweet and flavorful with a nice dashi base. The noodles were soft on the surface but not too soft, complementing the ankake sauce well. However, the toppings were a bit lacking, so adding something extra might be a good idea to avoid getting tired of the dish. They also suggested turning the leftover udon into ochazuke by adding fried rice balls, so I might try that next time.

Spring udon for 500 yen.