Shippoku Udon: Where to Eat, Prices & Hours (Kagawa)

Shippoku udon is a Kagawa winter dish in which autumn and winter vegetables such as daikon, carrot, taro, and fried tofu are simmered in sardine broth and ladled generously over boiled udon. The sweetness of the vegetables and the richness of the tofu melt together, and with the chew of Sanuki udon it warms you to the core.

Highlights

Because several ingredients simmer in one pot, their umami seeps deeply into the broth. The colorful toppings make the bowl festive, a treat on a cold day. That each home varies the ingredients slightly adds to the charm.

Enjoying the Seasons

The peak is late autumn into winter when vegetables turn sweet. Many families make a big pot over the new year and gather around it, and the colder it gets, the more you crave a bowl.

Access and Basic Information

Udon shops across the prefecture, especially in Takamatsu, offer it mainly as a winter only menu item. Because it is a seasonal dish that appears roughly from late autumn into early spring, note that many shops do not serve it in summer. You may also find it at roadside stations and local cuisine restaurants, and a bowl starts from a few hundred yen.

Practical Travel Notes

• It is served mainly in winter, so if you visit in a warm season it is likely off the menu, and checking with the shop beforehand is the sure way.
• Loaded with ingredients, one bowl is very satisfying, so it also makes a good finishing bowl on an udon tour.
• As a warm soup dish, it suits warming up between winter sightseeing spent walking outdoors.
• Being a home dish too, roadside stations and direct sales shops sometimes carry cooking sets or frozen noodles.

A Quick Tip

It is hearty with all those ingredients. A little shichimi pepper makes it warm you even more. Since many shops offer it only in winter, if your timing is off, a year round kake udon is a fine substitute.

Practical Information for Your Visit

• When it is served: Many shops offer it only in winter, from around November to the end of February, and at some shops until around the end of March. Some households eat it at the end of the year in place of toshikoshi soba.
• Main areas where it is traditionally made: The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries lists the whole prefecture, while Sanuki no Shoku, Kagawa Prefecture's portal for local products, lists the Tosan (eastern Kagawa) area and part of the Chusan (central Kagawa) area.
• Prices and example shops: Sanuki Mengyo Matsunami branch (235-1 Nishihaze-cho, Takamatsu / 8:00-18:00, open year-round) serves it for 700 yen from around November to the end of February. Udon-tei Miki (Miki Town, Kita District / 9:30-14:00, closed on Mondays), which serves it all year round, charges 360 yen (price as of December 2023).
• Points to note: The broth is basically made from dried sardines (iriko), so anyone with a seafood allergy should check in advance. Some shops add chicken or pork for extra richness.

* Opening hours and prices vary from restaurant to restaurant.

(Sources: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, "Our Local Cuisine: Shippoku Udon, Kagawa Prefecture"; Kagawa Prefecture agricultural, livestock and marine products support portal site, "Local Cuisine of Sanuki"; Waga Kagawa Tourism Promotion Council, "TRAVEL KAGAWA winter")

Information Sources

This article is compiled from tourism information for Kagawa Prefecture together with information published by each shop. Prices, menus and seasons are subject to change, so please check the official information of each shop for details.

Sightseeing Checklist

• Budget guide: A few hundred yen a bowl, so it is easy on the wallet
• Where to eat it: Udon restaurants across Kagawa Prefecture (mainly in winter)
• Best time of day: Mainly at lunchtime. Especially popular in the cold season
• Avoiding the crowds: It gets busy at lunchtime, so shift your timing
• Enjoy it with: Comparing different Sanuki udon shops, local root vegetables, and other Kagawa regional dishes