I entered the restaurant as soon as it opened. I sat at the counter just like last time. I ordered the Miso Nikomi Udon for 950 yen (tax included) and asked for it to be made spicy for an additional 50 yen (tax included). The udon noodles were served in a hot iron pot. They were thick and long, hand-made noodles with a good chewy texture and a strong wheat flavor. The dish included pork, wakame seaweed, fried tofu, carrots, onions, green onions, enoki mushrooms, and watercress. The carrots, onions, and fried tofu that had become tender and soaked in the broth were particularly delicious. The broth was based on red miso, with a balanced saltiness and easy-to-eat noodles and broth throughout. The spiciness from the additional 50 yen turned out to be much spicier than expected. As I continued eating, the spiciness seemed to increase gradually, and I discovered two whole yellow chili peppers in the broth. However, the spiciness was unbearable. Additionally, there was a notice in the restaurant that they would be closed on March 13th (Monday), 14th (Tuesday), and 15th (Wednesday), but open on the 18th (Saturday) and 21st (Tuesday).

Hokkaido Wandering Travel 133 In the evening, a popular udon restaurant in Sapporo City moved to Chitose-cho in the evening. Google Maps showed that it was temporarily closed, so I called and was told that they would reopen today. The restaurant is located in a rural area surrounded by windbreak forests, and I think you wouldn't be able to find it without navigation like the udon restaurants in Kagawa Prefecture. It's the first day of reopening, but it's already full! I wait while looking at the potted plants and small items for sale at the storefront. After about 10 minutes, I was shown to my seat. There is no air conditioning, only natural breeze. I thought about getting the cold tanuki udon, but the thick and firm noodles seemed more suitable for the warm option. I decided to try the pot-cooked udon for ¥950, which is the restaurant's recommended menu item. Everyone is sweating just sitting there, eating their cold udon. The bubbling hot pot-cooked udon arrives! It looks like it will warm me up. As expected, the noodles show their true value when warm: a soft surface, firm layers, and al dente center. It's udon with three layers to enjoy. The broth is light in flavor, but the deliciousness lingers with each bite. The dish is generously filled with ingredients. I finish all the soup, truly satisfying. I leave the restaurant in a sweaty, sauna-like state, saying "Thank you for the meal!"

This hand-made udon has a satisfying chewiness. Located in the midst of nature, the outdoor scenery is breathtaking, impressing visitors from outside the region. However, it can get too hot in Hokkaido currently, as there is no air conditioning in the restaurant. Even on weekdays, there is often a wait. It's best to have some extra time when visiting. If you wait in your car, they will come get you when your table is ready.

Hokuhoku-an in Nagano Town. Chilled Inani for 800 yen, with natto topping for an extra 100 yen and a medium serving for an additional 100 yen. The Gon's Sanuki udon is chewy and has a firm texture. It's best to have something cold in this hot weather. It's always very popular, and today there were a lot of young people. They sold out and closed before 1 o'clock.

Today, let's look back on udon noodles (lol). When it comes to udon in Sapporo, there are famous shops like Teraya, which moved from Higashi Ward, and in the past, there was Sanzakuyama Goemon in Miyanomori (now the person who trained there has opened a udon shop called URANIWA, but it seems to be closed on Google?), and there was Goemon in Nishi 18-chome (now relocated to Yuni-cho), and there was also Hokuhoku-an in Chuo Ward. I remember the first time I visited, and we went there many times with my family. The last time I visited, the owner said they were moving. When we visited after the relocation, the place was crowded, the interior was not spacious, and it seemed difficult to go with children. So, I couldn't go for a while. I wanted to eat there again after a long time, and when I checked Instagram, I found out that they are only open on weekdays. So, I went for a solo lunch. When I arrived, there was only one group of customers, but it was full after I entered. Recently, many of the restaurants I visit have a door with a mesh style. Is it a trend? (lol) I momentarily froze trying to figure out how to open it, but Hokuhoku-an had instructions written, and it opened quickly. Now, I ordered the cold noodles. Despite the ongoing egg shortage, there was a raw egg on top ⭐︎ The noodles had a nostalgic firmness, and the broth was gentle with a nice aroma of bonito flakes. Suddenly, I noticed that the person making the noodles was not the old man. I wondered if he had retired. His son? Son-in-law? Apprentice? As I pondered, a cute cat appeared outside. The atmosphere in the shop was heartwarming. After paying, when I stepped outside, I saw the cat and the old man! It turned out the cat was a pet. The old man seemed healthy. He thanked me and said goodbye. I will visit again.

Finally, finally!! Tempura has made its appearance!! Hokuhoku-an has been reopened for over half a year now. The tempura that had been on hiatus is now back on the menu ♡ I had thought that fried foods might be difficult for them to make, so I didn't dare to request it. But since it's on the menu, I will definitely eat it!! Due to the egg issue, there are some days when they can't make it, but today it's available - "Tempura and Egg Udon" ♡♡ Tempura and Egg Udon 1,100 yen. The Gon-ten udon noodles are soft and chewy, soaking up the gentle broth. The fluffy egg and tender tempura are a delight. Could this mean that the day to enjoy their special nabeyaki udon is also approaching?

I visited during my lunch break from work. This place serves Sanuki-style udon with a firm texture. I used to come here often, but it closed down last year due to the effects of the pandemic and the owner's circumstances. I always order the cold noodles here. The udon here has a high level of firmness, flavor, and portion size.

I have been eagerly waiting for the return of the Kitsune Udon at "Hokuhoku-an" and it finally appeared on the menu today! I couldn't resist getting the large size. Previously, when you ordered a large size, you would get two pieces of fried tofu, but this time, you get one piece and the udon noodles are just made larger. The price was 1,100 yen. I think before, the large size for Kitsune Udon was an additional charge, so being able to choose is a good thing. I'm sorry to those who were eagerly waiting, but I couldn't resist and ended up eating two pieces. The udon noodles were thick and chewy, the broth was lightly flavored, and the fried tofu was cooked just right. It seems like the fried tofu is thicker than before. Grated ginger on top of the fried tofu can be mixed into the broth for a different flavor, so having two pieces of fried tofu is better.

I landed for the second time this year and rented a car at the usual rental car shop, quickly heading out into the wild. First stop was for brunch and lunch. I aimed for a place in Nagano Town, not very familiar with it, but recently there have been some good-looking restaurants around Nagano and Kurayama in my opinion. There was a restaurant that I had been interested in for a while, but I couldn't visit because of their business days, COVID shortened hours, or days off. It's tough for tourists when they are closed on weekends. I arrived at the restaurant around 11:30, thinking they opened at 11:30, but when I got there, the parking lot was full. Luckily, I was able to park as soon as one car left, but some people gave up and went home because it was so crowded. Before entering the restaurant, I wrote my name and the location where I parked my car roughly, and waited in the car until I was called by the staff. When I finally entered the restaurant, I sat at the counter by the large window where I could see outside, and checked the menu. Maybe because it was the end of March, the menu had a different item for "nabe-yaki udon". Since it was my first time at an udon restaurant, I wanted to keep it simple, but due to the cold weather, I ordered the nabe-yaki udon and takikomi gohan. With plenty of time to spare, I leisurely waited, watching the withered outside. It was a luxurious experience to relax during the day on a weekday while traveling. Before I knew it, the udon arrived. Oh!? Do they put carrots in Hokkaido's nabe-yaki udon? Haha, is it just this restaurant? Haha. Although it didn't have luxurious ingredients like shrimp tempura, it had plenty of toppings. Fried tofu, mizuna, carrots, green onions, and wakame, with sweet and delicious meat underneath. The broth was soft and gentle, allowing me to slurp it endlessly. The atmosphere of the restaurant and the town, as well as the gentle passage of time, made the simple udon taste delicious. The menu also had cold udon, and I was debating whether to order it as well while eating, but I decided against it this time. It would be tough to fill up here and continue the journey. However, the delicious and gentle atmosphere and broth were undeniable. I think the udon itself is more robust than gentle. I would like to revisit someday and try their delicious udon again.

I love the wakame udon with meat topping at this udon restaurant I have been to several times. I love the flavorful broth and chewy noodles. The atmosphere inside the restaurant is great, and the view is amazing as it changes with the seasons. The staff are friendly and provide excellent service. It's a udon restaurant that makes me want to come back again and again.

Cold udon noodles topped with natto♡ The thick udon noodles are firm and hearty, perfect for a cold dish. As the weather gets warmer, cold udon noodles become even more delicious. Topped with crispy tempura crumbs, raw egg, finely chopped natto, and grated daikon radish. Mixing finely chopped natto with grated daikon radish and adding some green onions is a guaranteed way to make it delicious.

This time, I visited an udon restaurant in Nagayama that is only open on weekdays. I arrived at the restaurant, parked my car in the front parking lot, and entered the shop. I was guided to a vacant counter seat by the waitress. I looked at the menu and decided to try the "Ume Udon," a warm udon dish. The dish arrived in about 4-5 minutes, with a gentle aroma of fish broth and plum. I first tasted the soup, which was hot with a strong fish broth flavor and a gentle saltiness. The subtle plum flavor was also nice. The hand-made noodles were firm and had a good texture even when hot. The dish also had large, tangy plums, shiso leaves, chopped seaweed, and green onions as toppings. It was my first time trying warm "Ume Udon," and it made me feel like spring was in the air.

I had a large serving of meat udon with tempura topping at Hokuhoku-an in Nagano Town. The cold weather made me crave for warm udon. Unlike cold dishes, warm udon has a soft and smooth texture. The crispy tempura eventually turned soft and gooey, which was delightful.

This is a place in Nagano Town, located between National Route 274 and the Sapporo-Yubari Line, off Nishi 4 Sen Minami 5 Go. It's best to check the exact location on the map on the food review website. I heard that they are open during the winter this year, so I was curious and decided to visit the restaurant. Upon arrival, I parked my car in the front parking lot and entered the restaurant, but it was full. I wrote my name and car location on a list and waited in my car for a table. After 5-6 minutes, I was seated at a table for four. I ordered the winter classic "nabe yaki udon" and waited for it to arrive. It came out in 6-7 minutes, steaming hot. The soup had a light bonito dashi flavor with umami from the ingredients, and was gently seasoned. The udon noodles were hot and had a good chewy texture. The ingredients included fried tofu, green onions, seaweed, watercress, enoki mushrooms, carrots, beef, and egg. I cracked the egg into the soup halfway through and enjoyed it. In the harsh winter season, nabe yaki udon warms both the body and soul, making it the best udon dish in my opinion.

"Hokuhoku-an's miso simmered udon. And cooked rice. This week, miso simmered udon has been added to the menu starting from the beginning of the week. It's not a thick miso simmered dish, but a gentle udon with a miso flavor like a hot pot udon. It includes seaweed, enoki mushrooms, carrots, green onions, fried tofu, mizuna, onions, a little bit of meat."

I rushed over thinking they had started serving chilled inaka udon with plum topping and miso simmered udon, but they said it's starting next week. However, since it has been warm the past few days, I had the chilled inaka udon with plum topping instead. It was refreshing with the pickled plum on top. 😊

I warm up with a hot pot udon at Hokuhoku-an in Nagano Town. It's delicious with plenty of toppings and the broth soaking into the chewy udon noodles. Although they no longer offer fried foods like shrimp tempura or mochi in the hot pot, you can still add tenkasu for 50 yen. I hope they continue running the shop for a long time without overdoing it. The relaxed atmosphere of the shop and the view of the fields from the window are part of the charm. I recommend going alone or with a friend and sitting at the counter seat facing the window.

Tanuki and egg udon with meat. Today the sun is shining a bit, but it's still quite cold and warm food is comforting. I had the Tanuki and egg udon with meat at Hokuhoku-an. I ordered a large portion for a luxurious meal. The thick and chewy Sanuki udon noodles have a firm texture and are served in a warm broth. The crispy tempura absorbs the broth and is delicious. It seems like they will be open for business this winter as well.

Hokuhoku-an, which had been taking a break from serving chilled udon and takikomi gohan, has reopened this week, so I went to visit right away. They are known for their thick Sanuki udon noodles. While I usually prefer softer noodles, I was excited to have their familiar taste back. They have limited their menu to "nabe-yaki" for now, but they also have a monthly special menu starting with "tanuki" udon this month. I decided to have the chilled udon before winter sets in. They have also started serving cooked rice dishes. By the way, in Japanese, we often add "o" before certain words like "o-udon" and "o-soba." It's a cultural thing.

This is a place, isn't it? Longuma-cho is located between National Route 274 and Sapporo-Yubari Line, on Nishi 4 Sen Minami 5-go. As always, please check the exact location on the map on Tabelog. I heard that "Hokuhoku-an," which had been closed for a long time, reopened on November 14th, so I was curious and decided to visit the restaurant. I parked my car in the front parking lot and entered the restaurant. I sat at the available counter seat and looked at the menu, which only had "nabeyaki menu." I opened Instagram's menu and ordered the "Tanekitamago Toji Udon," then waited for it to be served. It arrived in about 10 minutes, with the bowl covered in tenkasu. First, I tried the soup, which had a light fish broth flavor and just the right amount of salt for my taste. Next, I tried the noodles, which were firm and had a good texture, but I had to be careful as they were piping hot. Lastly, the toppings included tenkasu, wakame, and chopped green onions on the surface, with a hot tamago toji inside. As the season gets colder, I feel like having a hot noodle dish, so I think I'll try the "nabeyaki udon" next time.

On this day off, I went to my favorite udon restaurant, Hokuhoku-an in Nagano, for lunch. The view from my seat was peaceful and serene. I ordered the following items: my wife had the Tanuki Tamago Toji (udon with tempura bits and egg), and I had the cold Tanuki udon with a side of Osumashi (clear soup with bonito, kelp, and dried bonito flakes). The Osumashi had a rich and flavorful broth, while the udon was chewy and delicious. I also finished my wife's Tanuki Tamago Toji, which had a comforting broth with a gentle flavor. I left Hokuhoku-an feeling full and satisfied!