Visited "Kuroudon Yamanaga" for the first time. A wonderful restaurant I stumbled upon while walking from Harajuku Station towards Sendagaya Station. Had miso stewed udon after a long time. You can choose your toppings, and if you don't like miso flavor, you can choose soy sauce flavor. It felt like ramen in a way? Waited eagerly and in about 10 minutes, a boiling hot pot arrived in front of me. My phone camera and glasses fogged up instantly. The lid of the pot served as a plate. I chose shiitake mushrooms and pork as toppings. Miso stewed udon is so delicious, it was truly moving. Before I knew it, the place was packed, with even waiting customers. Foreigners also said "It was delicious" as they left. I feel like I missed out not knowing about this place for so long. But I'm glad I discovered it today. Next time, I want to try the all-inclusive option.

I visited the restaurant on Sunday, matching their opening hours. I was able to enter without waiting in line. The cozy interior had a counter in the shape of a "C", and a lovely old lady welcomed me. I ordered miso-flavored udon with toppings of egg and thick fried tofu. The thick fried tofu absorbed the miso soup well, and it was very delicious. I also ordered a small serving of chicken rice, which was satisfying in terms of both taste and portion size.

Black Udon Yamanaga Harajuku A retro Showa-era restaurant that is far from the trendy shops in Harajuku and Omotesando. Established 45 years ago, it seems like nothing has changed for the owners. They use whole grain flour and buckwheat for their udon, which is not commonly seen with udon flour. The color is similar to whole grain pasta. - Miso simmered udon for 1000 yen A bubbling hot pot of stewed udon was brought to the table. It's impressive that the udon doesn't turn mushy even when kept at such a high temperature. Despite the scorching heat, there are no cold menu options. The udon has a wheat aroma and a chewy texture, but lacks elasticity, almost like eating water dumplings. The soup is a sweet red miso typical of Nagoya, simple with no animal-based broth, and the generous amount of fried tofu is just right. Adding pork or chicken toppings may be popular now, but it was the right choice to enjoy the simple broth. It gives the impression of a black version of meat juice udon, and it's interesting how the udon here tastes similar to the ones in Musashino Plateau and Nagoya despite the distance between them. The sign mentions purchasing a waterwheel, and it reminds me of my grandmother grinding wheat with a waterwheel in Chikawa. The attentive female owner made us forget about the hustle and bustle of Harajuku. Thank you! It was a delicious meal!

After a business meeting on July 5, 2023, I had lunch here. It was crowded around 12:30 pm, but I was seated within 2-3 minutes. I ordered the miso simmered udon for ¥1,000 and added a boiled egg for ¥50 and chicken for ¥150, bringing the total to ¥1,200. It came with green onions and fried tofu. The dish was prepared after ordering and arrived in about 15 minutes. I flipped the lid and divided it to eat. The broth was delicious - not too strong, with a clean aftertaste and rich flavor. The noodles had a good balance of firmness and softness, making it easy to eat. Sometimes miso-based dishes can become too heavy as you eat, but this one maintained a perfect balance of dashi and miso flavors. It also comes with rice, which I think would be great to pour the broth over and eat together.

I visited the restaurant for lunch on a weekday. The restaurant is located underground and the entrance is a bit hard to find. You go down the stairs and the door on the left is the entrance to the restaurant. When I visited, the owner was running the place alone, so even though there were empty seats inside, it was a bit difficult to get a table. It's better to go when you have time. It was a weekday, but the restaurant was quite crowded, so it seems to be popular! The restaurant has a nice atmosphere with a counter in a U shape. I sat down and ordered. The menu only had miso stew udon and soy sauce-based udon. I noticed that people around me were adding their own toppings. I added an egg topping to my miso stew udon. It was very delicious! It seems like the way to eat here is to use the lid as a plate. Interesting! Despite its appearance, the flavor was not too strong, just right. It warms you up! If I go again, I might add shiitake mushrooms as a topping!

I finally tried the simmered udon restaurant in the Sendagaya area that is always crowded. I ordered the classic miso simmered udon and it was delicious. It comes in a hot pot so it's piping hot! You use the lid as a plate to eat. Adding egg and chicken topping was the right choice.

Black Udon Yamanaga Harajuku Branch: Braised Udon (Miso) ¥1100- Egg +50- Small rice +150 Braised miso udon is famous in Nagoya, but this one uses flat noodles, giving it a Kanto-style twist! The large surface area of the thick noodles absorbs the miso flavor perfectly. Adding rice was a great choice! It goes really well with the rich miso broth. It's located a bit away from the station, but definitely recommended! ⏰ 11:30-15:00, open on Saturdays 6 minutes walk from Kitasando. 8 minutes walk from Harajuku Station and Meiji-jingumae Station.

It's a shop located underground, a short walk from Harajuku Station. I happened to come across the same chain's Yamachou Sengokuhara branch in Hakone last year and was impressed by their miso stewed udon. So I decided to visit their Harajuku branch. The shop is a bit hard to find, but it's always busy with customers. It seems like they have been around for a long time, giving off a slightly musty vibe. The pickled daikon appetizer is delicious. I ordered miso stewed udon with chicken, thick fried tofu, and egg. This is it, the taste I was looking for! The gentle flavor of miso is just right. When it comes to Nagoya's specialty miso stewed udon, some people think it's just about strong and salty Haccho miso, but that's not the case with miso stewed dishes. If you want to try it in the Kanto region, Yamachou is the way to go.

I had a meeting on Kitasando and decided to take a stroll during lunchtime. While searching the area on Google maps, I noticed a flag indicating Yamachan, so I decided to visit. There were only two customers when I arrived, but it quickly filled up within 10 minutes. I had miso stewed udon with egg and a small bowl of rice for 1,200 yen. I realized that I had never eaten miso stewed udon at a restaurant before. The flavor was rich but not overwhelming, and very delicious. The noodles were thick and firm, but as I kept eating, I found the firmness to be quite nice. I topped the rice with a firm-boiled egg to finish my meal. The staff, although somewhat brusque, were attentive and it was a very enjoyable lunch. Thank you for the meal.

Normal miso flavor. The udon is simmering and has a taste similar to old-fashioned sukiyaki. It includes green onions and fried tofu. Everyone customizes their toppings. As I age, I find myself enjoying simmered udon more and more. Currently priced at ¥950, but will soon be ¥1000. Is it a bit expensive? Despite being busy, the service from the older lady is good. The restaurant is popular, with customers coming in one after another.

"Yamanaga," a black udon restaurant that has been in business for 40 years, is located near the Sendagaya Elementary School intersection. The interior of the restaurant has a counter in the shape of a "C," where the female owner operates the business alone. The menu starts with a choice between miso or soy sauce flavor, and I have only tried the miso flavor before. I have never seen anyone around me eating the soy sauce flavor. This time, I ordered the simmered udon (miso flavor) for 950 yen, with an additional egg for 50 yen and chicken topping for 150 yen, as well as a small portion of chicken rice for 200 yen. About 10 minutes after ordering, a boiling hot pot arrived. When I opened the lid, the udon was indeed black. The simmered udon looked delicious. The way to eat this udon is unique. You open the lid of the pot and place it on a plate. It is incredibly delicious. The flavor is as rich as it looks, so I recommend eating it with the chicken rice. This restaurant, quietly located in the basement of a building, is a recommended lunch spot in the area."

A hidden udon restaurant located underground next to the Sendagaya intersection. They only serve simmered udon, which is quite rare. It seems like they have been operating here for a long time. Famous miso simmered udon places like Yamamotoya Sohonten or Yamamotoya Honke in Aichi are not present in Tokyo now, and miso simmered udon is not something you can easily find in Tokyo. I had been aware of this restaurant for a while but had never visited. I went on a slightly chilly Sunday afternoon (they are closed on Saturdays and open on Sundays, which is unusual). It takes about 20 minutes to walk to Shibuya, and there were a few people dressed up for Halloween in Sendagaya. They must be planning to parade in Shibuya at night. Inside the restaurant, there is only a "L"-shaped counter, and the space between the back wall and the counter is very narrow. Since it's an underground restaurant, there are no windows, giving it a cramped feeling, but perhaps due to the long history of the place, it has a distinct atmosphere. I was lucky to get the last seat and ordered miso simmered udon with a topping of egg. The udon alone costs 950 yen. The toppings include fried food, green onions, and fish cakes only. Meat toppings need to be ordered separately. You can also add toppings like seaweed, cheese, rice cakes, kimchi, pumpkin, and shiitake mushrooms for an additional cost. I wanted to add rice cakes, pumpkin, and chicken as well, which would bring the total to 1,450 yen. It's not cheap. It's understandable given the location, but it's not easy to accept and understand the price of the food based on the location. There is a natural intersection between the price of the food and the location. Just like the miso simmered udon in Nagoya, you eat it with a lid as a plate, so it's not particularly inconvenient. I enjoyed the meal, but I still felt it was expensive.

On a regular weekday lunch around 12:00, I visited a restaurant in a building with many other dining options, so the customers were spread out. The interior had only two groups of customers, so we were able to be seated quickly. I ordered the simmered udon with miso flavor and added an egg topping for ¥1,000. It arrived in about 10 minutes. The soup had a rich miso flavor that was perfect for the sudden cold weather. If you have room in your stomach, ordering white rice as well would make it a satisfying meal. The thick noodles had a good chewiness and paired well with the flavorful miso broth. Served piping hot, it was a delicious dish to enjoy during a leisurely lunchtime.

Mountain Nagasaan offers strong and chewy "black udon" made with unbleached flour similar to whole grain flour. Located a 7-minute walk from Kitasando Station. Established in Harajuku for 44 years. The website mentions that their family used to engage in rice and wheat farming near Nagoya until the end of the war, so it might be miso stewed udon. 【Stewed Udon: Miso Flavor】¥950 tax included 【Egg】¥50 tax included 【Thick Fried Tofu】¥100 tax included 【Rice Cake】¥150 tax included 【Shiitake Mushroom】¥150 tax included (extra noodles +¥200 tax included) Made with Nagoya's Haccho miso and soy sauce. Rich in flavor but not overwhelming. Thick noodles. Shiitake mushrooms resemble abalone. 【Chicken Rice: Small】¥200 tax included It's delicious on its own, but pouring plenty of udon broth over it and turning it into a porridge creates an exquisite taste. The historic and atmospheric interior is filled with warmth. Only counter seats in a horseshoe shape. The service is friendly and welcoming. Yesterday, the temperature dropped by 10°C, making today much colder. It warms you up from the core, creating a relaxing and wonderful time. In conclusion, it's a place where you can warm both your body and soul.

The narrow staircase leading down to the basement means that this restaurant is often unknown even to locals (I was the same), but it is actually a longstanding establishment that has been in business for over 40 years. The menu offers a wide variety of toppings, making it fun to choose. Regular customers, known as "parent and child," order a combination of chicken and egg. I recommend the thickly sliced shiitake mushrooms, they are delicious. The udon noodles maintain their firmness even when simmered, and the bubbling sound when the lid is lifted is enjoyable. The elderly couple who run the place are very welcoming, and the warm yet calm service from the lady who manages the seating area is comforting. This kind of traditional and honest establishment is what makes the Chitagaoka and Kitasando area charming. Highly recommended (brave the stairs down!). Thank you for the delicious meal every time.

I used to frequent a black udon restaurant near Shinjuku Suehiro-tei run by an old man, but unfortunately it closed due to circumstances. During work, I would go there for a late-night meal and the old man who ran the place would quietly add extra eggs and chicken for me. I still remember the cat and the foreign woman who worked there. The black udon had a great texture and paired well with the miso broth, making it very delicious. The chicken rice bowl also had a satisfying taste. The Harajuku branch of the restaurant has the same delicious taste and nostalgic atmosphere.

This day was probably the coldest day in March, so we decided to warm up here. This is my fourth time here. As I declared in my previous review, last time I tried the "miso flavor" with shiitake mushrooms as toppings, but it felt like the miso and mushrooms were fighting, so this time I decided to try kimchi instead. The waiting time was over 15 minutes. It's a bit of a wait, but that's okay. When the lid of the boiling pot was removed, by some strange coincidence, the baritone solo of Funiculì, Funiculà started playing, and I couldn't help but burst out laughing with a blank expression. But now, onto the tasting. First, I took a sip of the soup. The bitterness of the miso hit me right away, and it was great. The black udon noodles, without thinking about why they are black, were delicious with good chewiness. This bitterness was like reliving the excitement I felt when I ate at Yamamotoya Sōhonke, or to put it more simply, I finally understood bitterness and could even claim to have grasped the essence of bitterness. And the kimchi. On its own, it's nothing special, but on top of the miso-flavored soup, it can really shine. It pairs very well. The raw egg is swimming contently, regardless of the flavor. When it's miso flavor, raw egg and kimchi are a must.

This is a shop located in the basement and first floor of an old building, with only a menu at the entrance. When we entered, we were the only customers as it had just opened, but soon more customers arrived and before we knew it, the place was full. You can enjoy piping hot miso stewed udon at the counter seats. There are various toppings available, but adding them can make the total cost quite high.

It was quite chilly around 12 o'clock near Sendagaya Elementary School, and it had been a while since my last visit to this place. The counter seats in the shape of the letter "コ" were occupied by two groups of customers. I ordered the miso stewed udon for 950 yen, with an additional egg for 50 yen and a small bowl of rice for 150 yen. The order was taken and the udon was stewed, so the wait time was around 10 minutes. The miso stewed udon, served on a wooden frame, arrived bubbling hot. Instead of a lid, there was a hole in the earthenware pot, and I dug in. The udon here is made from whole wheat flour, so it has a dark color and a deliciously firm texture. It's not as chewy as the hard noodles from Yamamoto-ya Honten, but it has a strong resilience that adheres well to the soup. The red miso has a balanced flavor profile, with just the right amount of saltiness and sweetness. Even without rice, it's still satisfying, but for me, adding the miso soup and half-boiled egg on top of the rice is pure bliss. I finished every last drop of the soup, feeling warm and content. This miso stewed udon, unique to this place, is quite delightful compared to the one I had in Nagoya the other day.

I visited this place in January this year. I heard from the owner that the Kuro Miso Nikomi Udon at Yamacho used to be a chain store. The deliciousness of the miso nikomi udon comes from the original miso and black udon. I will confirm next time if there is something original in the udon. I topped it with egg and half rice as the finishing touch. How about trying it when you come to Harajuku? I enjoyed it very much. Thank you. I will try it again in the summer!