Takamatsu Udon Guide 2026: A Culinary Pilgrimage to Kagawa's Noodle Heaven

Hello everyone!

I'm Susukkotdari, sharing my travel adventures.

Travel and delicious food are inseparable,

aren't they? Especially for me, someone who considers

gastronomic pilgrimages and cafe hopping

key highlights of any trip, I tend to

be a bit obsessed with finding the best eateries.

Takamatsu is truly the city of Udon,

so I discovered many Udon restaurants with rich traditions.

Shodoshima is famous for its olives,

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Takamatsu Udon Pilgrimage

Experience the Udon of a Lifetime in its Homeland

The Kagawa Prefecture, where Takamatsu is located, became a 'Udon

Pilgrimage Site' due to a survival strategy that overcame

harsh conditions with flavor.

Due to a climate with little rain, wheat farming

developed instead of rice farming. The area could also source

high-quality anchovies (iriko) from the nearby sea,

as well as sun-dried salt and soy sauce from Shodoshima — all

essential ingredients for Udon, locally.

For the common people suffering from drought, Udon was the most precious meal,

and this tradition has continued for hundreds of years. Today,

the number of Udon shops per capita

is the highest in the country, making it a fundamental part of life.

Sanuki Udon Ueharaya Honten (Main Branch)

Located near the main gate of Ritsurin Garden,

it's the perfect spot to visit before or after your sightseeing.

This place is a textbook example of 'self-service Udon', where

customers themselves put noodles in a strainer,

blanch them in hot water, and add broth.

Choose your tempura toppings for the Udon,

get your noodles, blanch them in boiling water for about 5-10 seconds,

then add broth and garnishes, and you're done!

Try the mild 'Kake Udon' with their signature Goya (bitter melon) tempura or sweet potato tempura.

It's fun to mingle with the locals and complete your Udon yourself.

The broth was refreshing, but a little salty.

I love rice balls so much, so I tried one,

and it was absolutely delicious!

Tsurumaru (鶴丸)

I found it fascinating that this Udon shop

opens from 8 PM.

It opens around 8 PM and operates until 2 AM.

If you arrive right at 8 PM,

the waiting line is long enough that you might not be among the first to enter,

so try to arrive about 20 minutes beforehand.

I arrived around 7:45 PM, and there was already quite a line.

Still, I managed to get in.

There were quite a few solo diners too.

Since the noodles are boiled fresh upon order,

their freshness is exceptional. Their

recommended dish is, without a doubt, the Curry Udon.

Chewy noodles are hidden within a rich, thick curry,

and the flavor of the meat topping and curry

is simply exquisite. My friend, who claimed not to like curry

and had already eaten a sushi bento,

was eating it so deliciously, saying it was the best thing ever, which totally baffled me~~

You absolutely must try the skewers too. You go

and pick them up yourself, but definitely get the daikon radish skewer and

the suji (beef tendon) skewer!!!

Sanuki Menkyo Hyogomachi Honten (Main Branch)

This traditional spot, now in its third generation, boasts the slogan, "Udon is Alive."

Located in the heart of the downtown arcade, it offers excellent accessibility and a spacious, comfortable dining experience.

I had lunch here before heading to Kotohira.

Originally, I wanted to go to a popular butter Udon spot,

but it was further than I thought, so

it would have been difficult to make my train time.

So, I chose this place as a backup, and

surprisingly, it turned out to be quite famous too.

They adhere to traditional hand-kneading methods, so the noodles are incredibly

chewy. I ordered the Washoku style, but

I later realized by looking at other tables

that I should have ordered the Bukkake Udon.

Nevertheless, I enjoyed my meal very much!

Takamatsu Airport Hayashiyaseimenjo

This is the absolute perfect way to put a delightful cap on your travels.

While airport restaurants often carry the stereotype of being merely ordinary, this place, run directly by a noodle workshop,

boasts quality that rivals even the most famous eateries in the city center.

Warm udon is wonderful, but don't miss out on the 'cold udon' varieties, where the noodles achieve their ultimate bouncy perfection!

The noodles are unbelievably springy and incredibly delicious.

And the asparagus tempura? Absolutely delightful.

I hadn't expected it, but I'm thrilled to enjoy delicious Takamatsu udon

right up until the very end of my trip!

They also offer udon souvenir kits,

making it a fantastic spot for some last-minute gift shopping.

Gyoza-ya (餃子屋)

Nestled in the charming night alleys of Takamatsu,

this renowned spot is famous for its singular, exquisite gyoza.

It's a cozy spot primarily featuring counter seating,

offering you a front-row seat to watch the owner expertly preparing and grilling gyoza right before your very eyes.

However, there's a slightly regrettable tale: we just missed getting a spot due to the waiting list...

They open at 5 PM, but the 'full' sign went up right as we arrived.

We were told it would be an hour's wait, so we reluctantly gave up on dining in.

But fear not! On our way back to the hotel, we circled back and grabbed some takeout~~

And let me tell you, once I tasted them, I completely understood why people willingly queue up for this tiny place with just one item on the menu! It all made sense~~

The succulent juices bursting forth from the thin, crispy skin are truly exquisite.

Any preconceived notion that these were 'just fried dumplings' was shattered in an instant!

You absolutely must experience these perfectly fried gyoza at Gyoza-ya.

Karefuku (焼肉くれ福)

If you're looking to savor high-quality beef at a reasonable price in Takamatsu,

look no further – this is the place!

It's even renowned among locals as the go-to spot for special occasions.

This is *the* spot to truly indulge in 'Olive Beef (オリーブ牛),' a premium local specialty you absolutely must try when in Takamatsu.

Olive Beef is renowned for its incredibly clean fat and exceptional umami flavor,

all thanks to the oleic acid components found in olives that are fed to the cattle.

Right from the start, the staff were incredibly welcoming.

Their friendly, smiling faces and earnest answers to all our questions

immediately put us in the perfect mood to savor every bite.

We indulged in a variety of cuts, including beef tongue, short ribs, tenderloin, and even a selection of mixed offal.

This is truly a yakiniku paradise where you'll experience that 'melts-in-your-mouth' sensation firsthand.

Don't miss the supreme beef tongue that simply melts away, and the exquisitely marbled short ribs.

Pair that sizzling meat, cooked perfectly over the grill, with a refreshing glass of beer!

What an absolutely perfect evening! 😉

Tosa Warayaki Ryujinmaru

We were exploring Yume Town for some shopping and decided to pop in here for lunch.

We chose it because you can rarely go wrong with a traditional pot rice (kamameshi), and it turned out to be surprisingly excellent.

Katsuo Tataki (bonito seared over straw fire) and kamameshi (pot rice) are their signature dishes.

Imagine this: a fluffy, individual portion of kamameshi, cooked fresh upon your order, topped with a piece of Katsuo Tataki infused with that incredible straw-fire aroma. The satisfaction level simply soars!

While they don't have the custom of making *nurungji* (scorched rice) like we do in Korea, we asked for some warm water and...

We even made ourselves some scorched rice.

The staff had a somewhat puzzled look on their faces, haha.

Wrapping Things Up

Our foodie tour on the first day didn't quite go as planned.

We couldn't even make it to Gyoza-ya,

nor the seafood specialty izakaya, Hamakaido,

or Danyayachojeom.

Our original plan was to fill up a bit with gyoza,

then head to Hamakaido Danyayachojeom

for a second round of delicious seafood.

But it was a Saturday evening, and the wait times were just incredible.

It felt like there were even more locals than tourists queuing up!

So, we ended up at a place called Honetsukidori Kashiwa,

and had Honetsukidori there.

Hmm... it was a bit too salty and rather rich/greasy for our taste.

But from the very next day, we got our foodie adventure back on track,

and had a fantastic foodie tour, so there are absolutely no regrets!

I highly recommend making reservations if possible.

Gyoza-ya and udon shops typically don't take reservations,

but izakayas and yakiniku restaurants almost always do! ~~

I hope you can use the foodie spots I visited as a reference,

and have an incredibly delicious trip to Takamatsu!

#TakamatsuFoodieGuide

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