Hyperlocal Tokyo

I visited for lunch on a weekend and even 40 minutes before opening, there were already 10 people waiting. By opening time, the line was quite long 😳. Luckily, I was able to get in on the first round! I ordered the: * Hanayama Gozen (¥1,480): Zaru Ni-mi (two-flavor dipping noodles), Joushu Go-me (five-flavor) small Kamameshi (rice cooked in a pot) * Joushu Gozen (¥1,680): Joushu Mukoton (群馬麦豚, a type of pork) Kake (hot soup), Ebi Tenpura (shrimp tempura) small Kamameshi Apparently, the Kamameshi is a Nihonbashi branch-only menu💡. During lunch hours, large portions of noodles are free! The noodles are called "Oni" (demon) because they are so wide, which makes them a bit difficult to eat, but they are chewy and delicious! There are two types of broth, and I liked the sesame one better 😍. The Joushu Mukoton Kake Udon (hot soup udon) comes in a cute tanuki (raccoon dog) bowl! It's also the number one udon in Japan, having won the Udon Tenkaichi Ketteisen (Udon Championship) for three years in a row ✨. The warm udon also has chewy noodles, and the warm broth warmed my body after waiting in the cold. I got a large portion of noodles, and I was full beyond my expectations... The Kamameshi is cooked in the udon broth, so the rice is full of flavor 🍚. It's great that it comes with seven different ingredients, including Akagi chicken from Gunma Prefecture, shiitake mushrooms, and burdock ✨. The tempura was also crispy and delicious 😋. It's a long wait, but it's a satisfying lunch!

I had to wait in line for about an hour even though it was a weekday. I wish they would make an effort to increase the number of seats by adjusting the space in the store and improve the turnover rate. Orders are placed through a QR code. If they are going to have customers order through QR codes, they should provide free Wi-Fi. Also, since it was my first visit, I would have appreciated some explanation of the menu. The only instruction was to order through the QR code. The lack of service in this area led me to lower the star rating for service. The himokawa noodles I tried for the first time were incredibly delicious. However, the portion size was small, so a large order is a must. The broth was very flavorful and made me very thirsty, so if you don't like strong flavors, I recommend diluting it with water.

I had the "Onihimokawa" udon with grated umeboshi (pickled plum). The noodles, the broth, and the umeboshi were all to my liking. I waited in line for 30 minutes on a Friday evening around 6 pm. This place always has a line, rain or shine. The staff are all polite and refined, and the atmosphere of the restaurant is very good. Not only the udon, but the side dishes are also delicious.

I arrived at 10:50 am on a weekday, before the restaurant opened, but there were already about 30 people in line. It took 80 minutes to get my meal. I ordered the Joshu Gozen set, which includes Onihimokawa udon (thick wheat noodles) and a pot rice. This was my first time trying flat udon noodles, but they were chewy and had a great texture, and they went perfectly with the sauce! The pot rice was also delicious, packed with ingredients and flavorful broth. The staff were very attentive and frequently refilled my empty teacup. The wait was long, but it was definitely worth it!

I visited this location because it seemed less crowded than the Ginza branch. It's conveniently located, just a short walk from Nihonbashi Station's B4 exit. I arrived around 2:30 PM on a Sunday and was lucky to get in, as the receptionist closed the waiting list right after me. The udon noodles were smooth and delicious. The summer-only special was also very good. I'd say the portion size was about 300g, leaving me feeling full and satisfied.