Himo-kawa Udon Tateyama

Himo-kawa Udon Tateyama is a specialist udon restaurant in the Honcho district of Kiryu, Gunma, dedicated to himo-kawa udon — a regional noodle style that is arguably Kiryu's most distinctive contribution to Japanese food culture. Himo-kawa (meaning ribbon or flat cord) noodles are cut to extraordinary widths — anywhere from three to ten centimetres across, far exceeding even the already wide kishimen of Nagoya — and retain a thin cross-section that makes them simultaneously wide and delicate. The noodle texture is silky and slightly slippery, coating the tongue differently from round udon; the wide surface area also absorbs broth differently, creating a gentler flavour intake. Tateyama is one of Kiryu's most established himo-kawa establishments and is credited locally with preserving and popularising the style outside the immediate Kiryu and Ashio areas where it originated. Hot himo-kawa udon is served in a classic light soy-mirin dashi with a scattered garnish; cold himo-kawa with sesame sauce — a goma (sesame paste) blended with rice vinegar and dashi — shows the noodle's silky nature most clearly. Tempura toppings can be added to either the hot or cold version. Queues form regularly at the lunch opening, particularly on weekends when visitors from the Tokyo metropolitan area make Kiryu a day trip specifically for himo-kawa. The restaurant is closed Monday and Tuesday; afternoon hours sometimes sell out before the listed closing time.