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Morioka, known for its three famous noodle dishes (reimen, jajamen, and wanko soba), has a flourishing flour-based food culture that rivals Osaka's okonomiyaki and takoyaki
Morioka ramen, which I introduced previously, is also one example of Morioka's flour-based food culture
Furthermore, in recent years, restaurants serving delicious udon noodles unique to Morioka have been popping up in the city
This article introduces some of the best restaurants serving Morioka Udon, which has the potential to become a new flour-based food culture in Morioka, following in the footsteps of the three major noodle dishes and ramen
(Please note that the prices shown in this article are as of March 2026.)
Udon is gaining popularity in Morioka
Hittsumi is a representative wheat flour dish in Morioka
Akita Prefecture, which borders Iwate Prefecture, is famous for its "Inaniwa Udon," but until now, in Morioka, "Hittsumi," which is made by kneading and tearing wheat flour, has been more popular than udon
Snail with grated yam topping
However, people from Morioka who love hittsumi are sure to also love udon, which is made from the same wheat flour, and as proof of this, unique udon specialty restaurants have recently been popping up
Mentaro (Nishisenboku, Morioka City)
The parking space in front of the store, which has about 10 spaces, is always full
The handmade, flat noodles, of which only 70 servings are prepared per day, are unique. They have a firm, chewy texture on the outside, and are udon noodles that can only be tasted at this restaurant
Mentaro's menu
The shop owner's original noodles, based on the Sanuki udon method but with a lot of ingenuity, truly deserve the title of "Morioka udon."
Supakara Noodles: 950 yen
The restaurant's signature dish: Spaghetti noodles topped with a sour and spicy sauce
Originally introduced as "Mentaro's original udon," the "Supakara Noodles," with their wonderful balance of umami, sourness, and spiciness, have now become the restaurant's signature dish
The combination of the sesame-flavored soup, reminiscent of tantanmen, and the tangy sauce with plenty of green onions and fluffy eggs is exquisite, and it warms you to the core on a cold day
This is the restaurant's signature udon dish, and it's said that many customers are drawn to its taste, become addicted to it, and return again and again
Enjoy the chewy texture of cold udon noodles in "Spicy Tsukemen"
They also have "Supakara Tsukemen," which features cold noodles and offers a different flavor experience, so I recommend trying that as well
Chilled Tsukimi (moon viewing): 860 yen
"Chilled Jugoya" with plenty of tempura batter bits and green onions
There are both "hot udon" and "cold udon," but I personally prefer cold udon because I can enjoy the chewy texture of the noodles
Among Mentaro's offerings such as Tanuki, Kitsune, and Jugoya, "Chilled Jugoya" is topped with plenty of green onions, seaweed, tempura flakes, and a raw egg yolk, allowing you to enjoy a variety of flavors
Homemade chili oil served with udon noodles (left) and grated ginger placed on the table (right)
Furthermore, you can enjoy changing the flavor with the homemade chili oil that comes with it and the grated ginger placed on the table, making it a udon dish you'll never get tired of, no matter how many times you eat it
In addition to the regular portion size, you can also choose 1.5 or 2 servings of noodles, and various toppings such as egg, natto (fermented soybeans), and fried garlic are available
In addition to the individual items, there is also a set that comes with a small portion of two-color minced meat rice and pickles
Garlic Jajangmyeon: 900 yen
Mentaro's original Jajamen, which looks like bukkake udon
It's considered a Morioka specialty called "Jajamen," but the noodles are simply topped with shredded cucumber, seaweed, pickled ginger, and fried garlic chips
The chicken broth-flavored Chitantan has no flavor
The vinegar that comes with the Jajangmyeon to change the flavor, and the refreshing pickles that soothe the palate
Unlike "Jajamen," it comes with a chicken broth sauce from the start, and a small amount of chicken stock is placed under the noodles. Also, the meat sauce that is essential for Jajamen is nowhere to be found
However, it turned out to be an "original Jajangmyeon" with meat miso secretly placed under the cucumber, and a raw egg yolk hidden inside
Remove the cucumber and udon noodles to reveal the meat miso and egg yolk
The scattered fried garlic chips add a fragrant touch, and you can also enjoy it by breaking the egg yolk from the start and pouring the fish broth (chitan) over it
Just like with "Jajamen," you can enjoy various flavor variations by adding vinegar, homemade chili oil, or grated ginger
We recommend the "One-Bite Two-Color Ground Meat Rice," a side dish that can be ordered as part of a set or as a single item!
A compact bowl with just the right amount of two-color minced meat rice
This two-color minced pork rice dish, topped with sweet minced pork and scrambled eggs, also contains shredded pickled ginger and is the perfect palate cleanser after eating udon noodles
The two-color minced meat rice goes well with any udon, but I personally recommend the value set with the chilled Tsukimi udon
Mentaro <Information>
Facility name: Mentaro
Location: 1-27-24 Nishisenboku, Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture
Phone number: 0196356178
Opening hours: Wednesday to Friday 11:00-15:00, Saturday and Sunday 11:30-15:00
Without the shop curtain, the storefront looks like an ordinary house. There's a large parking area, but it can get full at certain times of the day
The store, which at first glance looks like an ordinary house, is surrounded by a large parking lot
While firm, chewy udon noodles are currently all the rage, udon noodles that are soft yet chewy, with a fluffy texture, are gaining popularity and are called "Hinatama Udon."
I have never tried curry before
The udon noodles are made with eggs from Hinai chickens, and served in a broth flavored with dried sardines, creating a unique taste that was not available in Morioka until this restaurant opened
The restaurant is self-service. When your udon is ready, you'll be called by the number tag you received in exchange for your meal ticket. After you finish eating, you return the bowl to the counter
Although it's located in a somewhat hard-to-find spot, it has become a popular style of "Morioka Udon," and even on weekdays, there's a constant stream of customers during lunchtime
Spicy Udon: 900
It's packed with vegetables, and I'm happy to see the naruto (fish cake) casually placed on top
It's located at the top left of the ticket vending machine at the entrance of the shop, so it's probably the shop's most recommended menu item
There are so many recommended udon dishes to choose from, it's hard to decide!
The broth, generously filled with minced meat and perfectly balanced with umami and spiciness, is exquisite and has an addictive flavor that leaves you wanting more
A hearty and flavorful spicy udon noodle dish packed with vegetables
With a wide variety of ingredients including cabbage, carrots, chives, shiitake mushrooms, bean sprouts, wood ear mushrooms, and seaweed, it's a very satisfying meal
Thank you udon: 900
A thank-you udon dish overflowing with burdock tempura, making a huge impact
The udon noodles are topped with a freshly fried, extra-large, crispy burdock tempura, a large, crispy burdock vegetable fritter, and, on top of that, a chikuwa (fish cake) tempura
The ingredients hidden beneath the tempura are pork seasoned with sweet soy sauce, along with cabbage, bean sprouts, and fried tofu
Koizumi Udon Restaurant <Information>
Facility name: Koizumi Udon Restaurant
Location: 55-16 Higashikuroishino, Ueda, Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture
Phone number: 019-661-1077
Opening hours: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and public holidays 11:00-15:30 (last order 15:00), 18:00-19:30 (last order 19:00)
Even on weekdays, the parking lot can get full and long lines can form before noon
The marriage of Sanuki udon noodles and Osaka-style broth has made this restaurant a popular choice among noodle lovers in Morioka, rivaling the two restaurants mentioned above in popularity
Our noodles, a blend of wheat flour from Iwate Prefecture and other domestic wheat, are "freshly made, freshly cut, and freshly boiled" udon, so you can always enjoy freshly made udon
The shop has an atmosphere that's just like your grandmother's house in the countryside
Actually, I previously featured this restaurant in an article introducing the Morioka Observation Deck, where I mentioned their "Chicken Tempura Curry Udon" and "Greedy Udon."
"Chicken Tempura Curry Udon" - Enjoy both chicken tempura and curry
The monthly special udon from a little while ago was creamy carbonara udon
In addition to the regular menu, they also have a limited-time udon menu that changes monthly, and it's so popular that it sometimes sells out within an hour of opening until lunchtime
Kake Udon: 700 yen
The basic "kake udon" is simple yet has a profound flavor
The tempura, including the chicken tempura, and the curry here are both delicious, so I always end up ordering the "greedy bukkake" or "curry udon."
So this time, I decided to try the basic kake udon, which I had never ordered before and which I thought best represented the restaurant's concept
Here's the menu; the "Greedy" set comes with all three types of tempura, making it a very satisfying meal
Unlike cold udon, where you enjoy the firmness of the noodles, hot kake udon allows you to enjoy the fluffy and chewy texture of noodles that have been aged for over 27 hours
The broth, a concentrated blend of the umami flavors of Hokkaido kelp, Kagawa dried sardines, Kumamoto mackerel flakes and round herring, and Kochi frigate mackerel flakes, boasts an unparalleled deliciousness
Udon Workshop Katatsumuri <Information>
Facility name: Udon Factory Katatsumuri
Address: 2-17-15 Kado, Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture
Compared to the three famous Morioka noodle dishes that are now known throughout Japan, "Morioka Udon" is still relatively unknown and is treated as a hidden gem
However, even though there are national chain restaurants specializing in Sanuki udon in Morioka City, the three restaurants I've introduced are extremely popular and always have long lines during lunchtime
For those who have conquered the three major noodle dishes, we recommend "Morioka Udon," which has the potential to become the next major Morioka gourmet dish alongside ramen
I'm a former Edokko man who loves Morioka and the six Tohoku prefectures, and I also love history, food, travel, sports, alcohol, and singing. I'll be introducing you to the interesting, delicious, and great things about Tohoku!
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