Ganso Miura Udon

Yamanashi Prefecture’s Fujiyoshida City is known for its “hardest udon in Japan,” celebrated alongside Houtou as one of Yamanashi’s proud local dishes. What exactly is this “hardest udon in Japan”? I was so eager to try it myself that during my 2025 visit to Yamanashi, I decided to eat “Yoshida Udon” instead of Houtou.

My debut with “Yoshida udon” was at the popular shop, Ganso Miura Udon, also selected for the Tabelog Udon EAST Top 100 Shops 2024. Excited for my first taste of Japan’s hardest udon, I walked toward the shop…

Don’t get complacent thinking, “It’s a weekday, so it should be fine, right?” On a certain weekday lunchtime, the line and wait time at the Ganso Miura Udon looked like this…

I arrived at the Ganso Miura Udon around 11 a.m. on a certain weekday. I knew it was quite popular, but I figured it wouldn’t be like Tokyo where crowds are huge, and besides, it was just before weekday lunchtime, so surely there wouldn’t be a line… I was being overconfident. But when I actually arrived, it was surprisingly busy even at that hour. It wasn’t a huge line, but there were nearly 10 people waiting in the indoor waiting area. The main customers at that time were a group of middle-aged guys touring on motorcycles. Ah, I see. You really can’t let your guard down just because it’s a weekday…

Now, this Ganso Miura Udon has all tatami seating on raised platforms. Tabelog lists 45 seats total. It has this dormitory-like atmosphere where everyone gathers in a big hall to slurp udon. Sharing tables is the norm, so you end up slurping udon knee-to-knee with some random guy. I really love this rustic simplicity you just don’t find in udon shops downtown…

Ramen Jiro-esque thick, chewy noodles… How did the most popular menu item at Ganso Miura Udon, the Meat Udon (Large), actually taste?

So, let me introduce the most popular menu item I ordered that day at Ganso Miura Udon: the Meat Udon. It comes in two sizes, Medium and Large. The Large size I ordered this time costs 800 yen including tax…

After waiting about 10 minutes after ordering, the large Meat Udon arrived looking like this. True to its reputation, the noodles are extremely thick—at first glance, they easily look over 1cm thick! Plus, seeing the bent parts of the noodles, they look kinda firm, giving off that stiff, chewy noodle vibe reminiscent of Ramen Jiro‘s thick noodles!

Pulling up the noodles with chopsticks, I could feel their substantial weight through the utensils. The thickness is uneven, and the surface has a slightly powdery texture, giving it a handmade feel. And the chewiness… it’s definitely firm. But maybe not as much as I imagined. About as firm as Sanuki udon properly chilled in cold water. Well, since they achieve this firmness with warm noodles, I can’t say for sure if it’s truly Japan’s firmest, but it’s definitely firmer than Sanuki udon. Compared to Sanuki udon noodles, the wheat feels coarser, giving it the texture of freshly made, uncooked noodles boiled immediately after kneading. In that sense, I think these noodles offer a completely different flavor profile from Sanuki udon.

As for the broth, I hear it’s made by blending soy sauce and miso after simmering dried sardines. It’s just a tiny bit on the salty side, but overall, it has a mild flavor. If you feel the impact is weak compared to the noodles’ presence…

I recommend adjusting the flavor by adding a little bit at a time of the traditional seasoning from Fujiyoshida City, Suridane, which is provided on the table. The heat of the chili peppers combines with the nutty aroma of sesame and the refreshing kick of sansho pepper to create a deeper, more complex flavor.

The toppings are a combination of ground meat and cabbage. This is the first time I’ve ever had udon topped with cabbage. And this ground meat isn’t beef, it’s horse meat, giving it a lighter flavor than beef mince. While unusual for udon, this cabbage and horse meat combo is apparently the standard topping for Yoshida udon.

So, the most popular menu item at the Ganso Miura Udon, the large Meat Udon, was a stimulating bowl (not in the spicy sense) that overturned my preconceived notions of udon. This is addictive. Plus, getting a large bowl for just 800 yen is incredibly generous. Next time I go to Yamanashi, I’m already agonizing over whether to choose Hoto or Yoshida udon…

Other menu items at Ganso Miura Udon (Medium size, prices include tax)

• Meat Tsukimi Udon: ¥700
• Meat Wakame Udon: ¥600
• Meat Tsuke Udon: ¥600
• Tsukimi Udon: ¥600
• Kake Udon: ¥500
• Tsuke Udon: ¥500
• Plain Udon: ¥400

Note: Large size is an additional ¥200

Homemade hand-made noodles available for takeout… Access to the Ganso Miura Udon is a 10-minute walk from the nearest station, Shimo-Yoshida Station on the Fujisanroku Electric Railway.

At Ganso Miura Udon, homemade hand-made noodles are also available for takeout…

Udon balls are sold for 200 yen, and udon scraps for 100 yen. The scraps can apparently be used as ingredients in miso soup or in houtou noodle soup. With its reputation as “Japan’s firmest udon,” it’s definitely worth buying as a souvenir. Treat family or friends who haven’t tried it yet to authentic “Yoshida udon.”

Now, here are the shop details…