Recently, one thing that catches your eye while walking around Shibuya is the proliferation of udon restaurants. In the past, when you thought of udon in Shibuya, you were limited to two choices: Marugame Seimen or Hanamaru Udon, but the situation is beginning to change. Starting with Yamashita Genki Udon, which has three locations in Namikibashi, Center Gai, and Dogenzaka, and the popular New York-based restaurant Hanon, which opened in Shinsen at the end of last year, the rush of new restaurants has continued this year.

Left) Yamashita Genki Udon has three stores in Shibuya. They offer many creative udon dishes and are popular among women. Right) Jinzo, which opened this spring on Dogenzaka Hill, is popular for its cheap and filling meat udon dishes.

Left) Exterior of "Kagawa Ichifuku ART". The main menu changes with "thin noodles" on odd-numbered days and "thick noodles" on even-numbered days, so you won't get bored even if you eat it every day. Right) "Mochimen" has opened as a change in the business format of "Tachiyoshi Gyoza Shibuya Store". The number of udon restaurants is increasing, especially along Meiji Dori (Shibuya 3-chome).

New stores are opening one after another, including "Jinzo," a popular Sanuki udon restaurant where you can enjoy udon noodles starting at 390 yen, on the first floor of the APA Hotel Shibuya Dogenzaka-kami South Building in April, "Kagawa Ichifuku ART," a new business venture by Bib Gourmand-winning "Kagawa Ichifuku" along Meiji Dori in May, and "Mochimen," which sells chewy noodles, in July. With the rise in inbound demand also providing a tailwind, the number of "udon stores" is increasing at a rate that rivals that of ramen.

In addition to the traditional Sanuki-style self-service udon, creative udon styles are also on the rise, gaining popularity among young people and visitors to Japan as a casual and enjoyable noodle dish. In addition to Instagram-worthy presentations, growing interest in noodle culture beyond ramen is likely behind this trend. Meanwhile, soba restaurants are declining, perhaps due to their lack of appeal to young people and women, and in Shibuya, where redevelopment is underway, it seems as though the scenes of long-established, Showa-era retro restaurants and stand-up soba restaurants are gradually disappearing.

The Shibuya Station area once boasted a vibrant culture of "standing soba" and "eki soba." Examples include the original Fuji Soba (closed in 2016) located along Bunkamura Street across from Shibuya 109, Kawakei (closed in 2015) under the JR tracks, Ajisai Chaya 1st and 2nd Outer and Inner Tracks (closed in 2016) on the JR platform, and Irorian Kiraku (formerly Buya) in the basement of the Hachiko Exit (closed in 2013?). Stopping by for a quick and affordable soba on your commute to work or school offered a sense of security. However, with the recent rise of cafes and international restaurants, soba restaurants have become less prominent. Udon noodle shops have emerged to fill the void, dramatically transforming Shibuya's noodle scene.

Honke Shibusoba just reopened in September. The white noren curtain stands out against the all-black facade, creating a clean, prestigious, and dignified atmosphere.

Amidst all this, the long-loved Honke Shibusoba has made a comeback. It was once located at the bottom of a grand staircase after exiting the central ticket gates of the Tokyu Line, and was beloved by many commuters and students. However, it closed in 2020 due to the redevelopment of Shibuya Station. Many expressed their regret at the time. Then, on September 14th of this month, Shibusoba opened a new store in Dogenzaka for the first time in five years.

Unfortunately, the new store is not located inside the station, but is a street-front store at the foot of Dogenzaka, but is conveniently located near the station. It consists of two floors, the first and second floors, with a U-shaped counter with 12 seats, a cash register and kitchen on the first floor, and 26 seats on the second floor. The unique ordering method of calling out "ka-ki-agee" into a microphone is a deliberate remnant of the days when it was a soba restaurant in the station. At the same time, the store has made modern innovations while preserving tradition, such as introducing an English menu and expanding its selection to cater to health-conscious customers, creating an atmosphere that is welcoming to women and foreign tourists. Immediately after its opening, it has been attracting attention on social media, with comments such as "unchanging deliciousness filling the five-year gap."

In addition to the classic "Kakiage Udon," we also recommend the "Saba Croquette." The aroma and flavor of mackerel goes well with soba soup.

The interior of the second floor. On the wall by the window is a wooden sign for "Honke Shibusoba" that once hung in front of the Shibuya Station store.

In fact, this sign is made from the back of the sign of its predecessor, "Futaba."

With udon becoming increasingly popular in Shibuya, we hope to see a resurgence in soba. Just passing by the store and the aroma of the broth will whet your appetite and instantly get you in the mood for soba. We hope that the revival of Shibusoba will not just be a nostalgia for older men, but will continue to be embraced by young people and foreigners as a part of the food culture that combines nostalgia and newness in this ever-changing city.

Shibuya is overflowing with dining options. The next time you choose noodles, will you go for udon or soba? With the number of lunches over 1,000 yen on the rise, we welcome the addition of another cost-effective lunch option.

Honke Shibusoba Shibuya Dogenzaka Branch
Address: 2-9-10 Dogenzaka, Shibuya-ku, about 3 minutes walk from Shibuya Station
Business hours: Weekdays 8:00-23:00 / Saturdays, Sundays and holidays 9:00-22:00 (Orders accepted 30 minutes before closing)

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Editorial Department: Takashi Fujii

Shibuya registrar. In addition to Shibuya of Culture information, seasonal news and topics, it will spell write that feel every day.