Ise Udon in Ise City: Local Food Guide (Mie)

Ise udon is a signature regional dish of Ise City in Mie Prefecture. Its defining features are plump, very thick noodles boiled until soft, and a dark, rich sauce based on tamari soy. There is little broth, so the noodles are tossed in the sauce rather than served in soup. Despite the dark appearance, the taste is mellow and gentle. In the Edo period, the noodles are said to have been made soft and easy to digest to comfort the many travelers visiting the Ise shrines.

Highlights

Throughout central Ise you will find specialty shops and eateries serving Ise udon. The soft noodles need almost no chewing and slip smoothly down, a uniquely pleasing texture. Topped with chopped green onion and a sprinkle of chili, or with an egg cracked over them for extra richness, they shine. The sauce blends tamari soy with dashi from bonito flakes and kombu, and since each shop mixes it differently, comparing them is part of the fun.

Enjoying the Seasons

A warm bowl heats you from within during the cold months. In summer, some shops offer a chilled version, so it can be enjoyed all year. Pairing a bowl with a stroll through Okage Yokocho after visiting the shrine makes for a richer travel memory. It has also long been eaten as breakfast locally, and visiting a shop that opens early is a connoisseurs pleasure.

Access and Basic Information

Ise City centers on Iseshi Station on the Kintetsu and JR lines and Ujiyamada Station on the Kintetsu line, with good access to Ise Jingu. From the Nagoya direction, reach Ise by Kintetsu limited express or JR, and from the Osaka direction by Kintetsu limited express. Ise udon shops line Oharaimachi and Okage Yokocho in front of the Inner Shrine, making them easy to visit alongside your worship, and specialty shops can also be found around the Outer Shrine and near the stations.

Practical Travel Notes

• A bowl is reasonable at a few hundred yen, so comparing several shops is easy to enjoy. Many shops let you add toppings such as egg or fish cake.
• The area around Oharaimachi tends to be crowded at lunchtime, so just after opening or off the midday peak is more relaxed for a meal.
• The dark sauce shows clearly if it splashes onto clothing, so take care when walking and eating or wearing white. Because the noodles are soft, toss them well in the sauce and eat soon after they are served.
• Half-cooked take-home noodles and sauce sets keep relatively well and let you recreate Ise udon at home. They are available at souvenir shops in Okage Yokocho and at the stations.

A Quick Tip

The soft noodles change texture as they cool, so toss them well in the sauce and eat soon after they are served. Customizing to taste with toppings such as green onion, egg, or fish cake is fun, and half cooked take home noodles are also a popular souvenir.