How to Make an Udon Costume for Halloween
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A new and creative kind of noodle costume: authentic Sanuki udon from Kagawa, Japan
Sinec I live in Kagawa Prefecture of Japan, famous for udon noodles, I decided to make an udon Halloween costume this year. If you’re not familiar with Kagawa Prefecture’s famous Sanuki udon, please check out this infographic to learn the different types of udon noodles and more. My costume was a huge hit in our kids Halloween party, so I will explain how to make this Sanuki Udon costume for anyone else who loves Sanuki udon as much as me.
There are other ways you can make this costume, but I found this method to be the most realistic. With some additional creativity, you can make other variations as well. I decided to make “atama bukkake udon” which means “head bukkake udon.” It’s sounds very similar to “ontama bukkake udon,” which is a popular type of udon with a runny boiled egg on top.
Supplies to Make a Sanuki Udon Costume
Most of the supplies you can find in Japan at a hardware store or a 100 yen shop. If you’re not in Japan, you will have to be creative and look for similar supplies. The square udon noodles are the most important part, so using round rope or string will easily be confused for ramen or pasta. I found a type of foam mat that is used for play mats and kitchen mats. Using a ruler and a knife I cut each noodle by hand. It took a little time, but it’s worth it for the realistic effect.
Supplies List
Light plywood (for the table)
Foam mat/yoga mat (white or beige, 1 meter long)
Metal strip with holes (for the shoulder rests)
Kitchen sponges (padding on the shoulder rests)
Large cloth (for the tablecloth)
A stool cover with elastic band or ski cap for the udon hat
Large plastic flower pot (for the udon bowl)
Thin white wire
Green garden hose (for green onions)
A picture frame or cork board (for the tray)
Duct tape, hot glue, 3M 77 spray adhesive, screws, staple gun, red paint
Step 1
Cut a hole in the board and mount the shoulder rests with short screws. Make sure the hole is big enough to get your head through. You can use cardboard or paper to find the right size before cutting the wood. Bend the metal strips to the size of your shoulders and attach the sponges with hot glue or 3M 77 spray adhesive.
Step 2
Attach the tablecloth with staples and cut the fabric out of the hole. If you want a tray on your table, cut out a hole the same size as in the table and attach it on the tablecloth. Finally, add the flower pot with the bottom cut out. I used hot glue for this.
Step 3
Cut the noodles. The longer you make them, the easier it is to arrange them on your hat and in the bowl.
Step 4
Make the udon hat. I used light white wire to attach bundles of udon around the hat. After you have a good foundation started, you can weave more noodles in to add volume. If you have any other garnishes for your udon, you can add them to the hat. I added green onions.
Step 5
Add bundles of noodles to the inside of the bowl on the sides and back with wire and duct tape. Make sure to leave enough space to see out of the bowl. Finally, you can add chopsticks, a sign, or any other details you want.
The Finished Sanuki Udon Costume
Let’s Eat Atama Bukkake Udon!
This costume is a lot of fun to make and wear around. If you make it well, you can expect to get a lot of reactions and people asking to take a photo with you. It’s a little bit inconvenient when wearing the table, so if I need to use my hands or move around more freely, I take off the table and simply wear the hat and put the sign on a necklace.
I hope you have fun making an udon costume and sharing the udon love! Just in case you forgot the most popular kinds of Sanuki Udon, watch this song to learn and remember them all.