Ureshino Onsen Yudofu: Local Food Guide (Saga)

Ureshino onsen yudofu is a specialty unique to Ureshino, made by simmering tofu in the hot-spring water of these famed springs. The exquisite components of the spring act on the tofu, melting its surface until the broth clouds white like soy milk. The finished tofu is as smooth as bavarois, with a mellow mouthfeel. Utterly different from ordinary boiled tofu, it is an almost miraculous pot you can taste only in Ureshino.

Ureshino Onsen is a sodium bicarbonate and chloride spring, a so-called baking-soda spring, and because the skin feels smooth after a soak it is counted among the three great springs of Japan for beautiful skin. It is precisely this hot-spring water containing baking soda that is the key to turning tofu silky. Made by a method said to date to the Edo period, it is now registered as a trademark under the name Ureshino Onsen Yudofu and is carefully handed down as a flavor representing Ureshino.

Highlights

Ureshino is a leading hot-spring resort of Saga Prefecture, known also as a spring for beautiful skin. Watching that spring water transform tofu into something silky is a genuine surprise when you see it in the pot. Several tofu makers in town each produce their own tofu, and specialty restaurants and inns let you taste the yudofu. Tofu made from local soybeans, simmered in famed spring water, is a luxurious dish where fine ingredients meet the blessing of the spring.

Enjoying the Seasons

Yudofu is especially fine tasted in the hot-spring town during the cold season. A warm pot heats a chilled body to the core, enriching a moment between springs. That said, the silky tofu is a specialty to enjoy in any season, and even in hot weather you can savor it slowly in an air-conditioned shop. Combined with a soak in the springs, it makes for a fulfilling time unique to Ureshino.

Access and Basic Information

Ureshino Onsen is a hot-spring resort in the southwest of Saga Prefecture. It is easy to reach from the expressway interchange, and the hot-spring town gathers specialty restaurants and inns serving yudofu. Some shops sell tofu or sets for yudofu to take away or as a gift, letting you recreate the taste of Ureshino at home.

A Quick Tip

Yudofu is ready to eat around the time the tofu begins to melt. Enjoy the silky texture before it dissolves too far. A dedicated sauce and condiments are often provided, so savoring the shifts in flavor is recommended. Stopping by before or after a soak in the springs lets you enjoy the charms of Ureshino to the fullest.

Practical Travel Notes

• Ureshino Onsen is a sodium bicarbonate and chloride spring containing baking soda, one of the three great springs of Japan for beautiful skin. The components of this spring water melt the tofu until it is silky, creating the smoothness unique to yudofu, so you can enjoy the blessing of the spring in both bathing and dining.
• Ureshino Onsen Yudofu is a specialty registered as a trademark by the city of Ureshino and is said to date to the Edo period. Several tofu makers in town produce it, and specialty restaurants and inns let you taste it.
• It is easy to reach from the expressway interchange, and some shops sell take-home tofu and sets. The tofu is ready to eat around the time it begins to melt, so enjoying the silky texture before it dissolves too far is the trick.