Sato Yoske Head Shop

Inaniwa udon is flat, thin, translucent and unusually smooth, and it is made by hand in a process that takes four days: the dough is rested, hand-twisted between rods, stretched, pressed flat and air-dried. It was a domain product of the Satake lords and for two centuries the method was held by a single family. Sato Yoske was permitted to learn it and opened in 1860 in the village of Inaniwa, where the head shop still stands.

The factory beside it can be toured, and the more interesting option is the hands-on course, where you do the tenai — the hand-twisting stage that produces the noodle's characteristic springiness — and then, on the longer version, cook and plate the result. The restaurant serves it cold with two dipping sauces, soy and sesame, which is the standard way here. Tours and courses need booking.