Yamanashi

An udon noodle dish for celebrations in Yoshida Town, cooked with water from Mr. Fuji

Yoshida Udon

A noodle dish with hard and chewy udon noodles with carrots, boiled cabbages, gobou, aburaage and horse meats in soup which is seasoned with miso, or shoyu, or mixture of both. Barley has been one of the biggest crops along with millet around Yoshida Town since the climate of the area is not ideal for growing rice. In the area, barley is hydroponically-cultivated and it is called mizukake mugi. Yoshida udon is made with more barley and has been eaten for special occasions (called “hare”) such as festivals, compared to Houtou with lots of vegetables, which has been eaten as a daily food. There are still more than 60 udon restaurants in Fujiyoshida Town, and many tourists come and enjoy Yoshida udon.