Yoshida no Udon

With the pure spring water from Mt. Fuji and the severe cold of the winter, Fujiyoshida City has fostered an udon culture all its own.People who try it for the first time are often surprised by the firmness and thickness of the noodles.The broth is flavored either with miso or a blend of miso and soy sauce. A typical dish is served with cabbage.Each restaurant has its original "suridane" consisting of spices like sesame seeds, Sichuan pepper and chili pepper. How spicy the seasoning is also varies with each shop.There are about 60 udon shops throughout the city. They are always full since they are only open for lunch.The individual shops serve a unique variation of udon. Some are:"Niku udon" cooked with horse meat"Chilled tanuki udon" topped with grated daikon radish and deep-fried flour dough"Yumori udon," which customers season according to their taste"Nabeyaki udon" served in a hot vegetable stew