Udon to Osake to Irodori siki (Shiki) — an izakaya where you can enjoy carefully crafted dashi and seasonal ingredients. It also offers two appealing varieties of house-made udon: medium-thick and thin.

Interview with Fujita Shinji, representative of siki

Located inside Kurashiki Department Store, “Udon to Osake to Irodori siki” serves carefully crafted dishes, udon, sake, and more.

We spoke with its representative, Fujita Shinji, about what led him to open the restaurant and the care he puts into the restaurant and its food.

Opened the restaurant to pursue dishes that make the most of dashi and seasonal ingredients

What was your career like before opening the restaurant?

Fujita (honorific omitted)

In the past, I worked as a chef at restaurants and hotels in Australia and Canada. In Canada, I gained experience across a wide range of cuisines, from Japanese to Thai and Chinese.

Then, on Friday, October 10, 2025, I opened a new restaurant, “Udon to Osake to Irodori siki,” inside Kurashiki Department Store.

Why did you open siki?

Fujita

I wanted it to be an upgraded version of the udon izakaya I used to run, Fuji Kokoro. Even at my previous restaurant, I was particular about the dashi for the udon and also served dishes that made the most of it.

So I decided to make it a restaurant that focused more on a la carte dishes that make the most of dashi.

I included the words “Irodori” and “siki” (four seasons) in the name alongside udon and sake because I aim to create dishes that make the most of seasonal ingredients and evoke the changing seasons.

I hope people will enjoy sake alongside the flavors of seasonal ingredients, then finish with our carefully crafted udon.

Why serve udon?

Fujita

I began making udon because I felt that it is simple yet profound. I had no experience making udon before opening my previous restaurant, so I learned through trial and error.

It takes time to make udon with the care we put into it. The izakaya style has the advantage of letting us prepare the udon while customers enjoy seasonal a la carte dishes and drinks.

Its strengths are carefully crafted dashi and dishes that let you enjoy the seasons

What makes the restaurant special?

Fujita

Our strength is the dashi used in dishes such as udon and oden.

We take great care with our dashi, making it from seven additive-free ingredients in total, including two types of kelp from Rishiri and southern Hokkaido, as well as mackerel and sardines. We use it as the base for our dishes.

These ingredients also produce a rich second extraction, which we use in dishes such as oden.

Another thing we care about is serving dishes that let you savor the “changing seasons,” as I mentioned earlier. We use ingredients that are in season at different times of the year.

We source seasonal ingredients from all over Japan, not just from Kurashiki and the surrounding area. That’s why the menu of a la carte dishes changes every day.

One of the charms of our restaurant is that you can enjoy seasonal flavors available only on the day you visit. We value a sense of “live” freshness in our food.

Two types of house-made noodles for its carefully crafted udon

What makes your udon special?

Fujita

One thing is the dashi I mentioned earlier. Another is that we offer two types of noodles: medium-thick and thin.

The medium-thick noodles meet the needs of those who want a hearty meal, while the thin noodles are for those who want something light and easy to enjoy at the end of a meal.

By the way, all our noodles are made in-house. To bring out the aroma of the wheat, we use Hokkaido wheat flour as the base and blend it with several other types.

Do you also take care in selecting sake and other drinks?

Fujita

For alcoholic drinks, as with our ingredients, we keep a sense of “live” freshness in mind.
We especially focus on sake, changing the selections on the menu twice a week.

We actively source seasonal limited-edition sake, carefully selecting local sake from across Japan, not just from Okayama and the surrounding area.

What else do you pay special attention to?

Fujita

Aside from the food and ingredients, we also care about our tableware. We use a lot of Bizen ware in particular. We also have Kutani ware dishes.

When creating the restaurant, we also try to strike a balance: we care about using good ingredients, but don’t want to become too upscale.

We want to be a restaurant where people can enjoy delicious, carefully crafted dishes in all kinds of situations, whether at a company get-together, a gathering with friends, or stopping by alone for a quick drink.

At the same time, we don’t want a rowdy atmosphere. We hope to create a place where the food and sake spark conversation.

Let the care and craftsmanship of the people who make the food come through in every dish

What are your hopes for the future?

Fujita

I believe that customers are exchanging money for the care a restaurant puts into its work.

That’s why I try to make dishes that convey the care and craftsmanship of the people who make them when customers take a bite. I want to continue pursuing that belief.

I also want to work hard so that people from outside the region and overseas will come here specifically to visit our restaurant. That could have a ripple effect on the surrounding area and help energize Kurashiki as a whole.

We want to be a restaurant that changes day by day in many ways, not just in its menu. This applies not only to the food, but also to how we operate and manage the business.

We want to keep taking on new challenges.

siki, where you can savor the seasons through carefully crafted dashi and seasonal ingredients

Inside the Showa-retro “Kurashiki Department Store,” “Udon to Osake to Irodori siki” stands out with its refined presence. Centered around exceptional dashi made from seven carefully selected additive-free ingredients, the restaurant offers seasonal fresh fish delivered from across Japan and inventive a la carte dishes.

Udon with a “live” feel, where the owner’s attention to detail means you’ll discover new flavors with every visit. Enjoy two kinds of house-made udon: medium-thick noodles with a satisfying chew, and thin noodles that make a perfect finish to the meal.

siki is truly like a hideaway for adults. Why not stop by and enjoy a night out in Kurashiki?

Udon to Osake to Irodori siki Information

Name	Udon to Osake to Irodori siki
Address	1-4-4 Tsurugata, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture (inside Kurashiki Department Store)
Contact	086-441-1868
Parking	None
Business hours	6:00 p.m.–11:00 p.m. On the last Sunday of the month, 6:00 p.m.–9:30 p.m. *Closes when ingredients run out
Closed	Monday Sunday, except the last Sunday of the month
Payment methods	Cash Credit cards Transit IC cards such as Suica, iD, QUICPay, nanaco, WAON, PayPay, LINE Pay, Rakuten Pay, Merpay, d Payment, au PAY, Rakuten Edy
Reservations	Accepted Reservations available until 7:30 p.m.
Seating	43 seats in total ・1st floor: 5 tables seating 4 ・1st floor: 3 counter seats ・2nd floor: 5 tables seating 4
Smoking	Entirely non-smoking
Restroom	Western-style toilet
Website	Official Instagram

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