A bowl of plain noodles hot noodles a countertop. It is a comfort food for many Japanese people. There are a variety of ways it is prepared and served. It is usually topped with thinly chopped scallions.

This section does not cite any sources. There are many stories explaining the origin of udon. One story says that in AD 1241, Enni, a Rinzai monk, introduced flour milling technology from Song China to Japan. Floured crops were then made into noodles such as udon, soba, and pancakes in Japan which were eaten by locals. Milling techniques were spread around the country.

Another story states that during the Nara period, a Japanese envoy to Tang Dynasty China was introduced to 14 different kinds of food. Yet another story says that a Buddhist priest called Kūkai introduced udon noodles to Shikoku during the Heian Era. Udon noodles are boiled in a pot of hot water. Depending on the type of udon, the way it is served is different as well. Udon noodles are usually served chilled in the summer and hot in the winter. Cold udon, or udon salad, is usually mixed with egg omelette slices, shredded chicken and fresh vegetables, such as cucumber and radish.

Toppings of udon soup are chosen to reflect the seasons. Nanban trade which had influenced Japanese culture for a century before being banned in 1639 by the Edo Shogunate. The most common ingredients are tempura shrimp with mushrooms and an egg cracked on top. It has a sweet savory flavor.

Accompanied by a chilled dipping sauce, usually a strong mixture of dashi, mirin, and soy sauce. Eaten with wasabi or grated ginger. There are wide variations in both thickness and shape for udon noodles. Nominally a “dumpling soup”, it resembles very thick, flat udon. Literally “heavy snow udon”, made from the starch of potatoes. The texture is different from normal udon which is made from flour.

One of the significant differences between usual udon and Hōtō udon is salt. When Hōtō udon is made, salt is not added to the noodle dough. In Kansai region, a soft and medium thickness type is popular. Miso-nikomi udon: a local dish of Nagoya, a hard udon simmered in red miso soup. The soup generally contains chicken, a floating cracked raw egg that is stirred in by the eater, kamaboko, vegetables and tubers. Saitama Prefecture has several varieties of udon.

Kazo, Saitama, a place of active wheat production. Its very orthodox hand-kneading process characterizes Kazo udon noodles. Boiled noodles using plenty of Fukaya green onions characterize Fuyaya Niboto udon. The noodles are kneaded with carrot and are characterized by their vivid orange color. Literally “plate udon,” consisting of thinner udon that are deep fried and served with any of a number of toppings.