Besides being known for Kotohira’s Konpira shrine and being the last prefecture on the Shikoku Henro trail, Kagawa is most of all famous for its Sanuki-style udon noodles. It’s therefore no surprise that restaurants serving these firm, chewy strands of noodly goodness can be found all over this province. In fact, there are so many places and ways to try this local speciality that you might not even know where to begin! Luckily, the Udon Taxi service is here to help you explore the best Sanuki udon restaurants the region has to offer.

The morning sun shone bright overhead as I waited for my ride on the side of the road. My stomach seemed to be growling at the cars driving past, protesting this unusual break from my morning routine. I was told to skip breakfast to prevent ruining my appetite for a special trip I would be going on: I was going to ride the Udon Taxi and stuff myself with Sanuki udon noodles all day!

But before we dive into this culinary adventure, let’s talk about what makes Sanuki udon noodles so special.

What are Sanuki udon noodles?

Sanuki udon noodles are a style of Japanese udon from Kagawa, known for their chewyness and simple, comforting flavor. They’re made with just wheat flour, water, and salt, but don’t let that simplicity fool you! The dough is kneaded, rested, and rolled in a way that gives the noodles their typical firmness and smooth surface. Sanuki udon is usually thick with squared edges, and it’s often served in a light, soy-based broth that lets the texture really shine rather than drowning it in heavy seasoning.

In the old days, Kagawa used to be called Sanuki Province, which is where the name “Sanuki udon” comes from. The region’s climate played a big role in making udon such a local staple. Because Kagawa has relatively low rainfall and wasn’t ideal for large-scale rice farming, wheat became an important crop instead. Over time, wheat-based foods, especially udon, naturally became part of everyday meals.

A taxi ride to udon heaven

When the taxi turned the corner, I knew right away that this was my ride. The beautiful, classic Toyota Crown would grab anyone’s attention, but this bright yellow car sported a big bowl of udon noodles on its roof to announce its true calling to the world. Today, I would be riding in style! After a brief introduction to our two drivers, I seated myself on its comfortable leather back seat as the car started moving and our udon adventure was underway.

As we drove to our first destination, I was told a bit more about this noodle-centric taxi service that has been operating for over 22 years, starting in 2003. When booking this service, you can choose what your day of udon exploration will look like. The pickup point, pickup time, dropoff point, the number of restaurants visited; it’s all up to you. For example, you could book an Udon Taxi to pick you up in the morning to eat udon in an iconic restaurant before being dropped off at Takamatsu airport in the afternoon, if you need to catch a flight. Or you can choose to be picked up in Kotohira to combine visits to udon restaurants in the morning with a dropoff in Takamatsu city for afternoon city shopping.

After a pleasant drive through the Kagawa countryside we stopped in Hayukakami to visit Yamagoe Udon, the first of two restaurants we’d be visiting for the day. This famous udon restaurant is actually known for being the first to serve udon noodles with a raw egg mixed in. These brothless “egg-udon” quickly became very popular throughout Japan, making Yamagoe Udon a national destination for noodle lovers –a fact that was made very clear by the line of people outside the entrance.

Our wait was rewarded with an authentic peek into the open kitchen as soon as we entered the building. From here, you have several delicious options to choose from, ranging from brothless noodles with egg to udon in broth and with different meat toppings. I went with the raw egg udon topped with yam paste, for a smooth finish to this classic dish. Of course, no udon meal is complete without some hearty tempura. I picked a particularly juicy-looking piece of battered octopus, settled the bill at the register, and moved down the hall for some condiments before taking a seat in the leafy garden area out back.

While I was enjoying my noodles, one of the drivers told me all about the background of the restaurant and the history of Sanuki udon in the region. The company currently employs five drivers, who are all well-trained udon specialists. In addition to their driving skills, Udon Taxi drivers are also tested on their knowledge of Sanuki udon dishes, their knowledge of udon restaurants in Kagawa, and even on their skills at making Sanuki udon themselves. This ensures your driver is not only a good navigator, but a great tour guide as well! 

Ready for round two

We finished our bowls of udon deliciousness, reluctantly left Yamagoe’s comfy, leafy garden area and got back in the car. It was time to visit Oka, the second udon shop of the day. This restaurant is a Seimenjo, a noodle factory where the noodles are freshly made by hand in the shop itself. Usually, these Seimenjo produce wholesale for other restaurants, but Oka decided long ago that they would serve them directly to customers as well. As a result, this somewhat out-of-the-way udon diner can be hard to find, but serves up some of the freshest hand-made Sanuki udon in Kagawa.

Run almost entirely by women, Oka Udon welcomed us with cosy charm as we sat down to look at the menu. The lovely staff wasted no time in pointing out their specialities: a beef udon soup with a rich onion broth, and a seasonally fruity Yuzu udon served with a remarkable lemon vinegar. I chose the onion broth –with a small side of tasty fried tempura, of course.

When I was finished wiping the last drops of broth from my mouth, the owner showed us some of their home-made udon packages that visitors can buy to take home. Being a complete novice when it comes to cooking udon myself, I decided not to take anything home with me; there was no way I could cook anything close to the delicious bowls that we had today!

All in all, a day trip with the Udon Taxi is a must for anyone looking to explore local food culture and Kagawa’s signature Sanuki udon. The drivers are expert tour guides that will show you exactly what you are looking for, whether it’s obscure, hidden udon gems or big, nationally famous restaurants. 

One thing is for sure: skip breakfast, because you will not leave this taxi on an empty stomach!

Practical information

Udon Taxi bookings: To book an Udon Taxi, you can book through their website or call 050-3537-5678 (between 10 AM – 6 PM).

Price: ¥10.800 for a 2-hour ride (approx. 2-3 restaurants, depending on driving/waiting time), or ¥16.200 for a 3-hour ride (at least 3 restaurants). Prices are fixed per booking, so the price per person will be lower if you bring more friends along (up to 4 people per car). Prices are subject to change, so check the website for the latest updates!

Choice of pickup/dropoff points: You choose the pickup and dropoff points yourself! Do a roundtrip and get dropped off at the place you started from, or combine your udon adventure with sightseeing in another part of the province. The Udon Taxi can function as a regular taxi and drop you off wherever you need to be.
Choice of restaurants: Have a particular restaurant in mind? Or would you rather have the driver pick for you based on your preferences? No problem! With so many good Sanuki udon restaurants in Kagawa, the options are plentiful enough to cater to anyone’s needs.

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