Mizusawa udon
水沢うどんNoodle
Mizusawa udon is a firm, glossy white udon served cold at the old udon houses by Mizusawa Kannon near Ikaho, and the shops on the udon road close in mid-afternoon.
Where to eat Mizusawa udon · 1 place
- Osawaya
Two shops on the Mizusawa udon road and one on the Ikaho stone steps; the first shop closes on Thursdays and the second on Tuesdays.
The Shibukawa-Ikaho tourism association traces the noodle to the temple. Tradition says a monk from Goguryeo who helped found Mizusawa-dera taught the method in the Asuka period, and around Tensho 4 (1576) the houses at the gate began serving pilgrims and bathers udon made with local wheat and Mizusawa spring water. Tamaruya, which has kept a shop at the temple gate since Tensho 10 (1582), calls itself the original house.
The noodle is a little thinner than most udon, springy and partly translucent, and it usually comes cold with a soy or sesame dip. Osawaya, which opened in 1970, uses only flour and salt and puts the dough through 27 steps over two days. Mizusawa is often counted among Japan's three great udon with Sanuki and Inaniwa, though accounts of the three differ.
Worth knowing
- Go before noon at weekends; the busy houses close when the day's noodles are gone.
- Buses from Shibukawa Station toward Ikaho stop at Mizusawa in about 20 minutes.
Quick answers about Mizusawa udonよくある質問
Where is Mizusawa udon from?
Mizusawa udon comes from Mizusawa in Ikaho-machi, Shibukawa, in Gunma, where udon houses line the road by Mizusawa Kannon.
Is Mizusawa udon served hot or cold?
Mostly cold. The usual order is zaru udon on a tray with a soy or sesame dipping sauce.
How do you order Mizusawa udon?
Ask for zaru udon, the cold noodles on a tray, and choose a soy or sesame dipping sauce where the shop offers both.
When is Mizusawa udon in season?
Mizusawa udon: Year-round. Most shops serve it cold on a bamboo tray, and they close by mid-afternoon or when the noodles run out.
Where can you eat Mizusawa udon in Japan?
Places we list for Mizusawa udon include Tamaruya.