[Japan 2020] Udon-making experience in UDON HOUSE, Kagawa
Hand-on experience of making udon from scratch in the Udon prefecture Kagawa!
During my last week of internship, I was given
a chance to join a business trip to Kagawa -
the “udon prefecture” located on Shikoku Island. During my descent to
Takamatsu Airport, I was amazed by the view of mountains and valleys that are
rarely seen in the concrete jungle Tokyo!
After a one-hour trip with
scenic views of nature, we finally arrived at our destination - UDON HOUSE. Located in a peaceful quiet town, the exterior of UDON HOUSE is a typical Japanese traditional house
with walls made from wood and paper, although the blue roof tiles and banner
make it stand out amongst all the similar style buildings in this old town of
Kagawa. After parking our vehicle, the owner and staff greeted us warmly and
led us to our rooms.
UDON HOUSE is a 2-floor building, with
udon-making space and common area on the first floor, and 3 guest rooms on the
second floor. The guest rooms are named after the types of UDON - TEMPURA,
KAMATAMA, and ZARU. The first two rooms are
dormitory-style rooms that can accommodate 4 people each, while Zaru is a
Japanese-style room that can fit 3 people and makes you feel like you’re living
in history!
The itinerary for day 1 was full from 12 pm to
7 pm, consisting of an udon-making class and a farm tour. That day, there were
3 guests with us: Amelia, a local high school exchange student from America;
Jen, a university student from Russia; and lastly, Hidayaka from Tokyo. Our sensei was Sena, a Filipino-Japanese
staff living in Kagawa who speaks fluent Japanese and English. It seems like the charm of udon has spread
across the world!
The class started with the introduction and
history of Japanese food and udon. Throughout the informational learning
session, Sena would always interact with everyone, such as asking
about our experiences with Japanese food and sharing the food culture in our
countries. The classroom was full of laughter.
In this session, I also learned that the
people of Kagawa are really obsessed with and proud of their udon - they even
decided to nickname the prefecture after the noodle! Also, Kagawa is the birthplace of udon and the best place to get
the ingredients for both udon noodles (it is an ideal place for wheat crops as
it does not rain often) and the dashi broth (the best iriko, Japanese anchovy, is from Ibuki Island).
Time for some hands-on experiences--
Step 1: The Kneading of Udon
Firstly, we make a dough for the noodles from three ingredients: wheat flour, water, and salt. It’s very easy - just mix everything in a bowl but using some special techniques. Sena would first demonstrate every step and students would follow after. Then, we put the dough in a plastic bag provided and brought them to the lounge area for the second step.
Step 1: The Kneading of Udon
Firstly, we make a dough for the noodles from three ingredients: wheat flour, water, and salt. It’s very easy - just mix everything in a bowl but using some special techniques. Sena would first demonstrate every step and students would follow after. Then, we put the dough in a plastic bag provided and brought them to the lounge area for the second step.
Step 2: Stepping on the Dough
Yes, we literally stepped on the dough with our feet!
Don’t worry about the hygiene issue - the dough was protected by plastic and we were all asked to put on a pair of clean tabi, special Japanese socks.
Yes, we literally stepped on the dough with our feet!
Don’t worry about the hygiene issue - the dough was protected by plastic and we were all asked to put on a pair of clean tabi, special Japanese socks.
It’s definitely the most energetic
part!
We hesitated at the beginning but it was very fun after we got used to it. First, we stepped on our own dough three times. Each time the touch felt different as you could feel the dough turn softer, but it also tightened up at the same time. Eventually, by the third round, you could feel the gluten - the dough bounced back when you moved your foot away. Then, we got to try stepping on everyone’s dough in rotation. Everyone’s dough gave a different touch but of course, I still like my own baby the most!
We hesitated at the beginning but it was very fun after we got used to it. First, we stepped on our own dough three times. Each time the touch felt different as you could feel the dough turn softer, but it also tightened up at the same time. Eventually, by the third round, you could feel the gluten - the dough bounced back when you moved your foot away. Then, we got to try stepping on everyone’s dough in rotation. Everyone’s dough gave a different touch but of course, I still like my own baby the most!
After the light exercise, we were given a
short 5 minutes break, while the dough had a longer 40-min resting time. Sena
explained that it was like going through muscle training - even though the
dough is strong now, after resting it will get more "powerful" in
terms of its texture, which is the most significant feature of udon.
During the waiting time, we learned more about
udon, such as the four "BOOM" periods of udon that made it famous
across Japan. There were some interactive games throughout the class, such as
trying different versions of dashi (traditional soup stock) and guessing which
ingredients are used for it. We got to discover the fifth sense of taste that
originated in Japan - “UMAMI” from tasting dashi.
After learning so much about udon, we were
tempted to try the delicious noodle and it was the perfect timing for lunch!
Everyone was given a bowl of kake
udon, which is the most simple type of udon with hot soup broth. We could add
toppings according to our preference such as green onions, ginger paste, and kamaboko. The udon noodles were made the
night before and it tasted awesome! Later on in the evening, we would have the
fresh noodles we made earlier that day, and I was sure it would taste amazing!
Step 3: Roll the dough
After the filling meal, we had to make the flat dough into a ball before they rest again. It was quite tricky but luckily Sena and other skillful staff always came to help. In spite of our clumsy performance, Sena kept complimenting and encouraging us!
After the filling meal, we had to make the flat dough into a ball before they rest again. It was quite tricky but luckily Sena and other skillful staff always came to help. In spite of our clumsy performance, Sena kept complimenting and encouraging us!
After the dough went into slumber, we're ready to get some fresh air outside, starting the farm tour at 3 pm.
Before departure, we put on the working boots to prevent our clothing and shoes
from getting soiled in the muddy field. We hopped aboard a cozy and spacious
car for the 15-minute journey.
Once we arrived at the farm, the amiable
farmer greeted us enthusiastically. Surprisingly, there were still some
greenery views despite the chilly climate. According to the farm owener, the crop will usually die out in this period of the year - looks like it's one of the global warming effects...
Nonetheless, it was good news for us as we could have more ingredients for our
tempura udon!
The winter seasonal vegetables are carrot, daikon (radish), and others. We got to reap them from the soil with provided gloves - I was so proud of myself for pulling out a fat juicy radish!
After the tiring (not really) harvest, the
friendly farmer offered us homemade multigrain onigiri, butterfly pea tea, wagashi (sweets), and pumpkin soup to
warm up. Everything tasted exceptionally good, I guess it’s probably because
they were all made from the freshest ingredients from the farm!
It was a fresh and interesting experience for
me (and I believe for most visitors) as it was my first time visiting a farm in
Japan and the kinds of crops offered are very different from my country. Even
some of them could only be found in Japan, so the locals found it difficult to
translate the names.
It was
time to get back to UDON HOUSE and harvest our baby
udon!
Step 4: Flatten the Dough
We learned the rolling technique to flatten the dough, which seemed easy while Sena did it but actually challenging for us! Rolling the dough could be boring due to the repetitive movements, but Sena managed to make it fun by asking us to say “one, two, three” in different languages.
Step 4: Flatten the Dough
We learned the rolling technique to flatten the dough, which seemed easy while Sena did it but actually challenging for us! Rolling the dough could be boring due to the repetitive movements, but Sena managed to make it fun by asking us to say “one, two, three” in different languages.
Step 5: Dough Cutting
Finally the last step - use a machine to slice the flat dough in specific thickness and rhythm. Since everyone’s motion and speed were slightly different, the creations would vary from person to person - which makes everyone’s udon noodles uniquely their own! Check out this gorgeous udon curtain!
Finally the last step - use a machine to slice the flat dough in specific thickness and rhythm. Since everyone’s motion and speed were slightly different, the creations would vary from person to person - which makes everyone’s udon noodles uniquely their own! Check out this gorgeous udon curtain!
 |
| My big face and udon curtain XD |
Finally, it's the udon party! After the 6-hour
painstaking (but very enjoyable) udon-making class, we could finally enjoy the
fruits of our labor! We made so much udon so that we could try different styles
of udon dishes - you’ll be surprised by the amount! My favourite is the tempura udon!
The tempura was so good - not only because of
the competent chef but also the fresh ingredients! Not to mention the udon
noodle - everyone said it was the best udon they’ve ever had - well, we made it
with our own effort, so of course it was the best!
Before ending the day, we were awarded a
certificate for completion of the “udon master course”! I was pretty proud of
being an udon master...it wasn’t easy, you know! Thanks to my skillful sensei Sena, the real master of udon, I
really learned a lot about Japanese food and udon!
It was the end of the udon-making class. The
leftovers of our raw udon were packed nicely and stored in the fridge, so we
could bring back as souvenirs. That night I fell asleep very quickly not only because of the
long and rewarding day, but also the comfy room that made me feel like at home!
It was truly an amazing food experience as I learned how to make udon from scratch and handpick the ingredients fresh from the
farm. Throughout the experience, I could witness and hand on the whole
process, from a handful of flour to the steamy bouncy udon noodles inside your
bowl.
For me, the best way to experience Japanese culture is to enjoy the food, and it’s even better to make it by myself!
For me, the best way to experience Japanese culture is to enjoy the food, and it’s even better to make it by myself!
【UDON HOUSE】
Official website
Price
29,800 Yen (tax excluded)
(including Udon Master Class, 1-night lodging & 1 Udon Breakfast Tour)
Time
12:00 - 19:00
Phone:
+81 (0)875-89-1362
Address:
1651-3 Okamoto, Toyonaka-cho Mitoyo City, Kagawa 769-1507E-mail Address:
info@udonhouse.jp
🌸
~Check out my other posts on Japan Travel~
SAKE 101: A Beginner Guide to Japanese Drinks
https://travellingwithjustechoo.blogspot.com/2020/04/japan-2020-beginner-guide-to-japanese.html
Food Review: Cafe Ron Ron in Harajuku
https://travellingwithjustechoo.blogspot.com/2020/02/japan-2020-cafe-ron-ron-review-all-you.html
Food Review: Monjayaki in Tsukishima
https://travellingwithjustechoo.blogspot.com/2020/04/japan-2020-taste-of-tokyo-monjayaki.html
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https://travellingwithjustechoo.blogspot.com/2020/03/japan-2020-things-to-do-in-tokyo-japan.html
Kimono Rental Experience in Tokyo
https://travellingwithjustechoo.blogspot.com/2020/02/japan-2020-kimono-dressing-up.html
Kimono Rental Experience in Kyoto
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