The Award For Best Sanuki Udon Shop For English Speakers Goes To…
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Shinpei Udon!
Shinpei Udon: The Best Udon Shop in Takamatsu with English Menus and English Speaking Staff
Everyone knows that Sanuki udon in Kagawa Prefecture is the best udon in the world. With over 600 udon shops to choose from, it’s exciting to go on an “udon tour” for a day and eat as much Sanuki udon as possible. There’s only one problem. Kagawa is deep in the countryside of Japan, so most udon shops don’t have English menus or an English speaking staff. If you don’t speak Japanese, it can be a difficult challenge just to understand how to order udon since many shops have different styles of ordering. In addition, the menus are in Japanese and most of the famous shops don’t have any pictures of the different types of udon.
At Step by Step Eikaiwa, we created an English guide to Sanuki udon. It was such a hit that even the Japan Times wrote an article about it. It’s in many shops around Kagawa and makes ordering udon much easier. But if you want to enjoy Sanuki udon in the heart of Takamatsu with an English menu at a shop with an English speaking owner, Shinpei udon can’t be beat. Not only does Shinpei, the shop owner, speak English and Chinese, but his shop has some of the best udon with fresh order made tempura we’ve ever tried! Lucky for us, it’s just a three-minute walk from Step by Step Eikaiwa to Shinpei udon.
Traditional Sanuki Udon And Original Udon Dishes
Excellent Atmosphere, Taste, and Location
Many Sanuki udon shops are called “self udon shops,” meaning that you go in, order and pick up your udon and tempura from the order counter and take it back to your seats. It’s customary for Kagawans to eat udon very quickly, sometime slurping their noodles down in minutes. Shinpei udon, however, is similar to a restaurant where a waiter comes and takes your order. This atmosphere is great for people who want to take their time and enjoy the Sanuki udon experience. Whether you order the most basic (and most popular) kake udon, or one of Shinpei’s original udon creations such as green curry udon or Taiwanese fusion udon, you will appreciate the great atmosphere that matches the amazing taste.
In addition to having a variety of interesting types of udon and an English speaking staff, Shinpei udon is in a convenient location for people visiting Takamatsu. It’s about a 10-minute walk from Kawaramachi Station (Kotoden Line). Since Shinpei udon is located in the shotengai (shopping arcade), many tourists like to walk from the Takamatsu Castle Ruins and enjoy a pleasant stroll through the many old and new shops. Sanuki udon is perfect for lunch after window shopping and exploring the heart of Takamatsu City.
Location and Hours
087-834-6334
Hours: 11AM–3PM, 5:30–9PM
Closed: Mondays
Learn More About Kagawa and Sanuki Udon From the Udon Song!
How fast can you name all the popular types of Sanuki udon?
As part of Step by Step Eikaiwa’s effort to promote Kagawa and Sanuki udon to the international audience around the world, we wrote, recorded and produced “The Sanuki Udon Song.” This song teaches people fun facts about Kagawa and Sanuki udon, but most importantly, it teaches all the kinds of popular Sanuki udon with a catchy, country feel. If you want to teach someone about Kagawa and Sanuki udon in a fun way, we recommend “The Sanuki Udon Song.” But be careful! You might just find yourself singing the catchy tune for the rest of the day.
Need A Couple More Sanuki Udon Recommendations in English?
After trying Shinpei Udon, why not explore a few more great Sanuki udon shops?
After you go to Shinpei Udon, you will have a better idea of how to eat and order Sanuki udon in English. After that if you want to try even more wonderful Sanuki udon, which is hard to find in any other place outside of Kagawa Prefecture, hop over to the Bonjour Sanuki Takamatsu website’s list of recommended Sanuki udon shops in English and start planning your next udon tour!