A cold wave has arrived, and the weather has turned so chilly that the warmth of just a few days ago feels like a lie. Winter is finally in full swing.
We heard that an event perfect for the season, when warm foods taste especially good, was being held at Kurashiki Mirai Park, so we went to check it out.
The star of the event is “noodles.”
Udon, ramen, yakisoba… What kind of “noodles” did you imagine? We’ll report on this event, which had plenty of delicious foods besides noodles, too.
The information presented here is accurate as of when this article was published in December 2023. Please note that it may differ from current information.
Overview of the “Winter Noodle Festival”
The “Winter Noodle Festival” was held on Saturday, December 23, and Sunday, December 24, 2023, at Kurashiki Mirai Park and a special venue inside MITSUI OUTLET PARK Kurashiki.
Around 30 food stalls reportedly gathered, serving a variety of noodle dishes, including ramen, udon, soba, pasta, yakisoba, and pho.
A visit to the venue
After checking the website in advance, I went to the venue at Kurashiki Mirai Park shortly after 10 a.m. on Sunday, December 24.
Although it was not long after opening, the venue was already bustling with people, and some booths had long lines.
▼ This line was for Onomichi Ramen Daidai and Nidaime Mendokoro Kururi, which were only there on the 24th. Ramen really is popular.
There were also stalls selling food other than noodle dishes.
▼ This is the food truck for Nico churros, which sells churros made with rice flour in front of JR Kurashiki Station.
They fry them after you place your order.
They were crisp on the outside and had a distinctive chewy texture inside. The kinako flavor went well with them, and they were delicious.
Now, let me introduce the dishes I tried.
Janmen, a local noodle dish from Kochi
The name alone doesn’t give you much of a clue, but simply put, it’s “Chinese noodles in a thick sauce with offal.”
Janmen originated at Manshu-ken, a yakiniku restaurant in Shimanto Town, Kochi Prefecture, and is so popular in Kochi that it is even served at the AEON MALL food court.
The thick, starchy soup is also perfect for cold weather.
It is mildly spicy, with a gentle heat similar to yakiniku sauce, so even people who don’t like spicy food and children should be able to enjoy it.
They say an Okayama branch will open near AEON MALL Okayama in March 2024.
If you’d like to try it, be sure to check it out.
“Fujinomiya Yakisoba Society MMP”
A local noodle dish from Fujinomiya City, Shizuoka Prefecture, also famous as a B-grade gourmet specialty.
They were skillfully cooking a large quantity of yakisoba. The delicious aroma made it even more appetizing.
“I’ve heard of Fujinomiya yakisoba, but I wonder what it tastes like?”
Some of you may be wondering that, and its most distinctive feature is probably the dried fish powder sprinkled on top.
The noodles are firm, and they’re stir-fried in lard, giving them a rich flavor.
Like Shizuoka oden, Shizuoka’s B-grade gourmet dishes seem to make frequent use of dried fish powder.
Hanamaruko, a doughnut and general goods shop
As well as noodle dishes, I also bought some treats to take home.
Hanamaruko is a doughnut and general goods shop located right near Uno Station.
A variety of handmade doughnuts with a Christmas theme.
I bought a snowman doughnut and a reindeer doughnut to take home.
These doughnuts are fried in rice oil, so they’re lighter than regular doughnuts.
The shop is also near Uno Station, so you could buy some doughnuts here and then explore the art islands.
From the Writer
The “Winter Noodle Festival” featured many food stalls from inside and outside Okayama Prefecture, offering a variety of menu items, including treats and drinks as well as noodle dishes.
The cold spell of recent days also eased somewhat, making it just the right weather to enjoy something warm outdoors.
I couldn’t cover everything in this article, but there was also a stall serving dishes made with game meat, where I bought and tried some fried wild boar.
Unlike pork, it had a satisfying chew and a rich, rustic flavor that felt characteristic of wild boar.
I’ve heard that crop damage to fields caused by wild boar has been increasing in recent years. It made me think about how important it is to make good use of satoyama resources in this way.
I’m looking forward to the next event like this.
Winter Noodle Festival Information
| Name | Winter Noodle Festival |
|---|---|
| Dates | December 23 and 24, 2023 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. |
| Location | Kurashiki Mirai Park, MITSUI OUTLET PARK Kurashiki Special Event Venue |
| Admission (tax included) | Free admission |
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