Ginza Sato Yosuke

I love Inaniwa udon the most among Japanese udon varieties, but living in Kansai, opportunities to eat authentic Inaniwa udon are few and far between. Once, when I was taken to a high-end restaurant, they served Inaniwa udon, but since it’s inherently expensive for udon, it’s completely overshadowed by Sanuki udon in Kansai.

So, I’ve always been incredibly envious of Tokyo, which has three directly operated Sato Yosuke stores (as of September 2025). The other day, I suddenly remembered there’s a Sato Yosuke in Ginza. When I went to Tokyo recently, I visited Ginza Sato Yosuke to eat Inaniwa udon for the first time in about three years. This time, I was aiming for that popular menu item I unfortunately couldn’t try at the Akita Branch three years ago…

It’s a high-end restaurant, yet popular with young people too… Ginza Sato Yosuke is a restaurant like this…

I visited Ginza Sato Yosuke around 2 PM on a weekend afternoon. It was just before the lunch service ended, but as I walked down Sukiyabashi Street from Ginza Station, I saw a line of about ten people forming right in front of the restaurant. After I joined the end of the line, about five minutes later, the “Closed” sign was placed at the back of the line, right behind the person who joined after me… I made it just in time! The wait time to get in that day was about 20 minutes. Unlike more casual udon shops, the customer turnover seemed a bit slower.

One thing that surprised me about the shop. It might have just been the timing when I was there, but the ratio of young customers was quite high. Given its location, Ginza Sato Yosuke has a distinctly upscale atmosphere, which I thought might make it seem less accessible to younger people. Yet, easily over half the customers that day were young. If Inaniwa udon is this popular with young people here, its status in Tokyo seems secure. I wonder if the same wave of Inaniwa udon popularity will reach Kyoto and Osaka too…

It seems like an unusual combination at first glance… How did the Thai curry two-flavor set I ordered at Ginza Sato Yosuke actually taste?

Now, let me introduce the Thai curry two-flavor set (price: 1,800 yen including tax) that I ordered at Ginza Sato Yosuke that day. After waiting about 10 minutes after ordering, the udon noodles brought to my table looked like this…

Two beautifully braided servings of Inaniwa udon noodles came with two types of dipping sauce: red curry and green curry. A set of pure Japanese-style Inaniwa udon noodles and Thai curry seems like an unusual combination at first glance, but how did it actually taste?

So, I first tried the red curry, followed by the green curry with the Inaniwa udon noodles… Both were much easier to eat than I had imagined. Both were somewhat spicy (the red curry was spicier), which is typical of Thai curry, but the sweet flavor of coconut milk and the aroma of herbs were subtle, so they didn’t overwhelm the delicate flavor of the Inaniwa udon… yet you could still taste the herbs. I suspect it took a lot of effort to find this balance…

Apparently, this Thai curry uses Hinai chicken for the broth and shotturu (fish sauce) for seasoning. That may be one of the reasons why the combination of Inaniwa udon and Thai curry doesn’t feel strange. Also, the red curry is made with seafood ingredients such as small shrimp and clams, while the green curry is made with chicken and shimeji mushrooms, mainly Japanese ingredients, which also gives it a Japanese feel. Naturally, I finished every last drop of the curry, not to mention the noodles, but I wish they would offer two servings of Inaniwa udon like they do at Sato Yosuke Sohonten.

Other menu items at Ginza Sato Yosuke (prices include tax)

• Tempura Seiro Two Flavors (Soy Sauce Broth and Sesame Miso Broth) 2400 yen
• Udon with Warm Egg and Minced Pork Miso 1600 yen
• Red Curry Udon 1500 yen
• Green Curry Udon 1500 yen
• (Hot) Kitsune Udon: 1,500 yen
• (Hot) Raw Wakame Udon: 1,500 ye n
• Tororo Tsuke Udon: 1,400 yen

Not only do the takeout items sell well, but free Inaniwa udon noodle scraps are also available! Access to Ginza Sato Yosuke is a 2-minute walk from Tokyo Metro Ginza Station Exit C3.

Inside Ginza Sato Yosuke, there’s a takeout section selling items like the Thai curry we introduced earlier…

Separately, next to the register, you’ll find small bags containing Inaniwa udon scraps. And…

These scrap bags are limited to one per person, but they’re absolutely free! While they are scraps, the udon quality is exactly the same as the regular product. Is there a better deal than this? The staff will even kindly show you how to cook them deliciously. Isn’t this the perfect souvenir for someone who’s never tried Inaniwa udon? Definitely take some home and cook them for someone who hasn’t tried them yet.

Now, here are the shop details…

It’s an 8-minute walk from JR Yamanote Line Yurakucho Station.