In the Tsurugata district, southeast of JR Kurashiki Station, there is a place called “Kurashiki Department Store.”
A variety of shops line the inside of a building resembling a row of traditional townhouses, and they are all down-to-earth establishments.
The atmosphere is evocative of the red-lantern district of the postwar years.
In one corner of Kurashiki Department Store is “Udon Sakaba Fujishin.”
This is a popular spot where you can enjoy udon, drinks, and small dishes, and it is loved by everyone from local regulars to tourists and business travelers.
The owner of Udon Sakaba Fujishin has strong convictions and a deep commitment to cooking and food, and his passion can be felt in every dish.
We introduce Udon Sakaba Fujishin and interview its owner, Fujita Shinji.
Udon Sakaba Fujishin closed at the end of April 2025 and reopened after renovations on October 10, 2025, as “Udon to Osake to Irodori siki.”
The information presented was current when this article was published in October 2023. Please note that it may differ from current information.
Fujishin has counter and table seating on the first floor, with tatami seating on the second floor
As soon as you enter Fujishin, the kitchen is directly in front of you, and the staff greet you cheerfully.
Inside, there are three counter seats in front of the kitchen, one table for two, and four tables for four.
▼Fujishin also has a second floor, with four tatami rooms, each seating four.
The second-floor tatami area can also accommodate banquets for up to 20 people.
Fujishin is known for its udon, izakaya dishes, and drinks
Fujishin is not just an udon restaurant; it is an “udon tavern.”
In other words, it is a place where you can enjoy udon, drinks, and izakaya dishes (small dishes).
It was also featured in the “Michelin Guide Kyoto, Osaka + Okayama 2021.”
Udon is not simply the main attraction, with drinks and izakaya dishes playing supporting roles.
Everything—the udon, drinks, and izakaya dishes—is a star.
Opening hours are 6 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. (last order at 11:30 p.m.).
On Sundays, it is open from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m.
- Enjoy food and drinks at Fujishin, then finish with udon
- Have drinks at another restaurant, then finish with udon at Fujishin
- Stop by Fujishin for a quick drink
One of Fujishin’s charms is the many ways to enjoy it.
Fujishin also pays close attention to its tableware.
▼The restaurant had tableware such as Tobe ware, Hagi ware, and Bizen ware.
The restaurant’s attention to detail is evident in these things as well.
Fujishin welcomes international visitors. Free Wi-Fi and code payments available
The owner of Fujishin has experience living abroad, so he can communicate with customers from overseas.
The facilities were also well-equipped, with free Wi-Fi and payment accepted via PayPay, Rakuten Pay, Merpay, au PAY, d Payment, and credit cards.
Fujishin’s carefully crafted menu
Fujishin’s menu can be broadly divided into three categories.
- Udon
- Small dishes (izakaya dishes)
- Alcoholic beverages, soft drinks, and other drinks
The udon is cut and boiled after an order is placed
▼As of October 2023, Fujishin offered 14 types of udon.
▼For every type of udon, the noodles are cut and boiled after an order is placed.
▼The noodle dough is, of course, made in-house.
▼The owner, Fujita, cuts and boils the noodles after an order is placed because he wants customers to enjoy freshly made udon that brings out the best of the wheat.
▼Fujishin also takes the time and effort to prepare its dashi.
The owner Fujita’s dedication and convictions seem to come through in the dashi.
Kake udon
The basic menu item, “kake udon.”
Its simplicity lets the flavor of the dashi and noodles come through directly.
▼The thick noodles were chewy and had a firm bite.
▼The broth is remarkably clear.
Even before eating, the broth had a wonderful aroma.
As I sipped the broth, its rich dashi flavor spread through my mouth, and its fragrant aroma wafted up through my nose.
It made me reflect on the virtues of Japan’s dashi culture.
Beef and Egg Curry Udon
Next was the “Beef and Egg Curry Udon.”
▼The aroma of Japanese-style dashi comes through the curry flavor.
It pairs perfectly with the beef, too.
▼The noodles have a strong presence, too.
▼The egg yolk has a rich flavor, and mixing it in makes the curry udon milder.
The eggs are apparently sourced from a specialty egg shop near the restaurant.
Grated Daikon Bukkake
Grated Daikon Bukkake is available hot or cold.
During the interview, I tried the cold version.
▼The huge mound of grated daikon was a real surprise. What’s more, it was “oni-oroshi”—daikon grated very coarsely.
The distinctive crunchy texture of the oni-oroshi is irresistible.
It pairs perfectly with the chewy noodles.
▼In fact, this oni-oroshi is made using a bamboo grater from Mabi, Kurashiki City.
▼The bukkake’s rich, sweet broth has the flavor of Kurashiki’s famous Bukkake udon.
▼The broth coats the noodles well.
▼Using wasabi instead of ginger as a condiment is also the Kurashiki style.
▼The tempura bits are served on a separate plate, so you add them to the udon yourself.
The tempura bits are freshly fried, so they’re piping hot and crispy.
Meat and Grated Daikon Bukkake
There is also a “Meat and Grated Daikon Bukkake” among the bukkake udon options.
This is also available hot or cold; during the interview, I tried the hot version.
▼The lavish mountain of beef makes a striking impression.
▼The beef is thoroughly simmered, and when you eat it, its savory flavor gradually spreads through your mouth.
▼The sweet bukkake broth, the savory beef, and the noodles come together in harmony, creating a flavor different from the grated daikon bukkake.
▼The meat bukkake also comes with wasabi as a condiment, and freshly fried tempura bits served on a separate plate.
A la carte dishes made with carefully prepared dashi
Another distinctive feature of Fujishin is that it serves a la carte dishes (izakaya fare).
The a la carte menu changes from day to day.
At Udon Sakaba Fujishin, they are particular about the dashi and put a lot of effort into it.
That’s why we recommend all of their à la carte dishes.
Fried and marinated eggplant
Of the many items on the menu, “fried and marinated eggplant” is one you’ll especially want to order.
▼The eggplant has a wonderfully chewy texture.
They adjust how they fry the eggplant to give it a chewy texture.
▼And the dashi is clear and delicate.
Their carefully prepared dashi makes you keep going back for more.
With Udon Sakaba Fujishin’s fried and marinated eggplant, you’ll drink every last drop of the dashi, too.
Salt-seared Spanish mackerel
One of Okayama Prefecture’s most popular seafoods is Spanish mackerel.
▼The slices are thick, so you can enjoy their chewy texture.
▼We enjoyed the Spanish mackerel with a little salt.
Sweet potato tempura with cream cheese
A slightly unusual menu item is “sweet potato tempura with cream cheese.”
It’s tempura made by sandwiching cream cheese between slices of sweet potato and deep-frying them.
▼A curious combination: creamy cheese between the crispy batter and the fluffy sweet potato.
▼The sweet potato tempura is served with either matcha salt or black sugar syrup.
▼With the black sugar syrup, it felt almost like a dessert—a curious experience.
Marinated octopus tempura
Udon Sakaba Fujishin also serves “marinated octopus tempura,” made by seasoning locally caught octopus before frying it.
▼Enjoy the springy octopus and the crisp batter.
I thought it would be perfect as a snack with drinks.
Udon Sakaba Fujishin also offers some alcoholic drinks rarely found around Kurashiki
Udon Sakaba Fujishin has an extensive selection of alcoholic drinks.
There were a variety of brands, mainly sake, shochu, liqueurs, and sours.
▼For example, “Satsuma Shimamusume” is difficult to find outside Nagashima Island in Kagoshima Prefecture.
The owner, Fujita, can get it because his mother’s family is from Kyushu.
The food and drink selection at Udon Sakaba Fujishin reflects how much care and thought they put into their offerings.
Although it’s in the somewhat hard-to-find Kurashiki Department Store, Udon Sakaba Fujishin attracts everyone from regulars to first-time visitors.
We interviewed the owner of Udon Sakaba Fujishin, Fujita Shinji.
Udon Sakaba Fujishin details
| Name | Udon Sakaba Fujishin |
|---|---|
| Address | 1-4-4 Tsurugata, Kurashiki City, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Contact | 086-434-2389 |
| Parking | None |
| Hours | Tuesday–Saturday: 6:00 p.m.–12:30 a.m. (last order 11:30 p.m.) Sunday: 6:00 p.m.–11:00 p.m. (last order 10:00 p.m.) |
| Closed | Monday Also closed on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of the month |
| Payment methods |
|
| Reservations | Accepted |
| Seating | 1st floor: Counter, 3 seats; tables, 18 seats 2nd floor: Tatami room, up to 20 seats |
| Smoking | Entire premises non-smoking |
| Restroom | Western-style toilet |
| Website | Udon Sakaba Fujishin (Facebook page) |
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