Did you know that the Bitchu region of Okayama Prefecture has been a noodle-making area since ancient times?
Wheat was once widely grown here, and the region’s favorable weather made it a center for noodle production.
Its history dates back to around the 9th century, and records show that noodles were presented to the imperial court.
Hand-stretched noodles are still widely produced in southwestern Okayama Prefecture, and the area is home to distinctive noodle dishes such as Kurashiki’s bukkake udon and Kasaoka ramen.
Yakage Town(Yakage Town), which retains the atmosphere of an Edo-period post town, has also grown wheat for centuries and has a long history as a noodle-making area.
Even today, the town has many udon shops.
There is a shop in Yakage Town that makes udon with great care.
It is called “Oudon Iori.”
Tatsuro Seno, who runs Oudon Iori, became an apprentice to Mr. Moriya, an udon craftsman renowned locally as a master, after making a heartfelt plea to him.
He learned the craft as Moriya’s final apprentice.
However, the shop was damaged in the “July 2018 Heavy Rains.”
After the disaster, the shop reopened with support from friends and through crowdfunding.
We introduce Oudon Iori, which continues to preserve the udon flavor passed down by its master in Yakage, a town with a long udon-making tradition.
The information presented here was accurate when this article was published in November 2022. Please note that it may differ from current information.
What is Oudon Iori? An udon shop inside the Kirari JA farm produce market along National Route 486
Oudon Iori (hereafter, Iori) is located near the center of Yakage Town.
It is inside “Yakage-juku Aozora Market Kirari,” a farm produce market operated by JA (agricultural cooperative) Kurashiki Kasaya, along National Route 486, which runs east to west through Yakage.
About 300 meters to the east is Shokukobo Tuo.
▼Iori is on the right-hand side of the building as you face it.
▼A banner bearing the shop’s name stands in front, so use it as a landmark.
Iori is run by a sushi restaurant called Oda Zushi, located in the Oda district about 2 km west of Kirari.
Iori opened in 2010.
Since then, it has become a popular udon shop visited by many customers, especially local residents.
▼The interior is very spacious.
▼There are counter and table seats, with plenty of space between the tables. It seemed convenient for both solo diners and families. Child-sized chairs are also available.
Iori is a self-service udon shop. Buy a meal ticket from the vending machine before ordering. The machine is near the entrance.
After buying your ticket, show it to a staff member.
When you have finished eating, return your dishes to the dish-return counter.
Iori shares its parking lot with Kirari.
The spacious lot has plenty of parking spaces and is right along the national highway, making it an easy place to stop by.
Popular and recommended dishes at Oudon Iori
Prices include consumption tax. As of November 2022
Iori has a wide-ranging menu.
Here are some of its popular and recommended dishes.
Udon dishes can be upsized to a large serving (two portions) for an additional 100 yen (tax included), or an extra-large serving (three portions) for an additional 150 yen (tax included).
Iori’s signature kitsune udon
The kitsune udon is Iori’s signature dish.
There was even a photo of it on the banner at the entrance.
Kitsune udon costs 600 yen (tax included).
▼The fried tofu on top of the udon is large enough to cover the entire bowl and is thick, making a striking impression.
Naturally, the first thing to try is this impressively thick, enormous piece of fried tofu.
It is not only large but also thoroughly infused with flavor, giving it a satisfying heft.
As I eagerly stuffed a big piece of fried tofu into my mouth and bit down, sweet juices seeped out and spread across my mouth.
The sweet flavor has soaked in beautifully, making the fried tofu delicious on its own.
Dip the tofu thoroughly in the udon broth before taking a bite, and you get a combination of sweet juices and dashi.
That’s the joy of kitsune udon!
Iori takes care in choosing its fried tofu, too.
It was originally made to order by a long-established tofu shop in Yakage, but that shop closed.
There were few shops able to make tofu thick enough, but eventually they found the current supplier.
▼The noodles are thick and have a pleasant firmness.
Slurping and chewing the noodles, I found them wonderfully chewy.
They feel a little different from smooth Sanuki udon.
They taste even better when coated in broth.
▼The broth lets you enjoy the dashi recipe passed down by Iori’s master, Mr. Moriya.
When I tasted the broth, it was surprisingly not very soy-sauce-like.
A very gentle flavor spread across my palate.
The broth’s appeal lies in its distinctive flavor, with a hint of sweetness.
Three kinds of bukkake udon
According to the shop, bukkake udon is available hot or cold, and the chilled version is a popular summer dish.
Iori offers three kinds of bukkake udon:
| Dish | Price (tax included) |
|---|---|
| Tororo bukkake (cold/hot) | 700 yen |
| Oroshi bukkake (cold/hot) | 700 yen |
| Meat bukkake (cold/hot) | 800 yen |
▼During my visit, I ordered a large serving of meat bukkake (cold).
The many toppings are arranged beautifully and look appetizing.
▼There are lots of toppings, but my eyes are inevitably drawn to the meat piled in the center.
The meat tastes sweet at first.
As you chew, its savory flavor gradually comes through.
▼At Iori, you pour the broth over the bukkake udon yourself before eating.
Even the little step of pouring the broth over it is an enjoyable moment.
▼Like the kitsune udon, the noodles are thick and chewy, but have a slightly firmer feel than the hot kitsune udon.
When you taste the broth of the cold meat bukkake udon, you notice a hint of tartness alongside the sweetness.
It has a very refreshing taste.
It’s an easy-to-eat udon dish for hot summer days.
The large serving is two portions, and it was very filling—I was completely full.
The meat bukkake was easy to eat and delicious, so I finished even the large serving in no time.
“Chachamen,” original noodles kneaded with green tea
“Chachamen” are Iori’s original noodles.
The noodles are made with tea leaves from Kaita, Mimasaka City, Okayama Prefecture, and have the natural green color of the tea leaves.
These carefully made noodles use Bokkee flour from Okayama Prefecture and high-quality groundwater from Yakage for the dough.
Enjoy the refreshing flavor of green tea and the smooth texture as the noodles go down.
▼The following menu items are made with chachamen.
| Menu | Price (tax included) |
|---|---|
| Zaru chachamen | 600 yen |
| Tempura zaru chachamen | 1,100 yen |
Popular in summer: “zaru udon”; popular in winter: “kamaage udon”
According to the restaurant, in hot summer weather, “zaru udon” is also popular, in addition to cold bukkake udon.
In cold winter weather, “kamaage udon” is often ordered.
Many customers order zaru udon and kamaage udon as sets with tempura: “tempura zaru udon” and “kamaage udon with tempura.”
| Menu | Price (tax included) |
|---|---|
| Zaru udon | 500 yen |
| Small zaru udon | 400 yen |
| Tempura zaru udon | 1,000 yen |
| Kamaage udon | 500 yen |
| Small kamaage udon | 400 yen |
| Kamaage udon with tempura | 1,000 yen |
One nice thing is that both zaru udon and kamaage udon are available in small sizes.
Side dishes such as inari sushi and tempura, with the flavor of a sushi restaurant
For side dishes, we recommend “Oda Sushi’s inari sushi” and tempura.
The inari sushi and tempura are packed with the appeal of Oda Sushi, the sushi restaurant that runs Iori.
They’re popular because you can enjoy the taste of a sushi restaurant.
In addition to the “assorted tempura,” there were also “kakiage” and “tendon.”
| Menu | Price (tax included) |
|---|---|
| Oda Sushi’s inari sushi | 90 yen |
| Assorted tempura | 600 yen |
| Chikuwa tempura | 100 yen |
| Tendon | 800 yen |
Since the restaurant is run by Oda Sushi, a sushi restaurant, it’s hard to resist ordering tempura and inari sushi, too.
The inari sushi had sold out when I visited, so I’ll definitely try it next time.
Hands-on Japanese cooking classes where you make and enjoy udon, sushi, and tempura
Iori also offers hands-on classes where you make and eat three kinds of Japanese food: udon, sushi, and tempura.
As of November 2022, classes are suspended as a measure to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
The experience lasts between an hour and a half and two hours.
Reservations are required, so please book by phone in advance.
▼Prices are as follows.
| Per adult | 3,500 yen (tax included) |
| Per child (elementary school age and younger) | 2,500 yen (tax included) |
Udon and sushi are both foods children love.
Tempura can also be difficult to fry well when making it yourself.
I think the class would be useful for adults, too.
This is a unique experience offered by Oudon Iori, which serves not only udon but also sushi and catered meals.
Why not try the class with your children?
Iori has many appealing udon dishes.
We interviewed Tatsuro Seno, president of Oda Sushi Co., Ltd., which runs Iori.
Oudon Iori (formerly Teuchi Udon Iori) details
| Name | Oudon Iori (formerly Teuchi Udon Iori) |
|---|---|
| Address | 1109-1 Motobori, Yakage Town, Oda District, Okayama Prefecture (inside Kirari, the open-air market at Yakage-juku, Kurashiki Kasaya Agricultural Cooperative) |
| Contact | 0866-82-1221 |
| Parking | Available Shared with Kirari |
| Hours | 11:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. |
| Closed | Open daily Closed over the New Year holidays |
| Payment methods |
|
| Reservations | Not accepted Reservations accepted for cooking classes only |
| Seating | 36 seats ・10 counter seats along the wall ・6 counter seats by the window ・3 tables seating 4 people ・1 table seating 8 people |
| Smoking | Entire premises non-smoking |
| Restrooms | Western-style restroom, accessible restroom |
| Child-friendly facilities | Diaper-changing table Shared with Kirari |
| Accessibility | Accessible restroom Restroom shared with Kirari No steps inside, so wheelchair access is possible |
| Website | Oudon Iori official Facebook page |
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