Tanimachi Furusato

Tanimachi Furusato is located a short walk east along Sennichimae-dori from Nipponbashi in Osaka. This udon shop is famous for being open 24 hours a day and for being a favorite among Yoshimoto comedians. The other night, I happened to be passing through Nipponbashi late at night when I remembered this place, so I decided to stop by for a quick bite before heading home. Well then…

Tanimachi Furusato, a long-established udon restaurant with over 70 years of history, relocated from Tanimachi 9-chome on June 8, 2025, due to the aging of its facilities… Here’s what the new location looks like…

Tanimachi Furusato is a long-established udon restaurant that began operations from a food stall in 1948 and has been in business for over 70 years. It used to be located in Tanimachi 9-chome, but closed on May 28, 2025, due to the building’s deterioration. About 10 days later, on June 8, it reopened in Nipponbashi. A huge lantern bearing the words “Tanimachi Furusato” hung above the entrance to the new store. I suppose this massive lantern serves as the shop’s landmark.

As expected, since it had only recently moved, the new shop was sparkling clean. It’s quite spacious for a udon shop; according to Tabelog, it has 66 seats. Even when I visited just after 10 p.m., the seats were almost all filled. The walls were lined with autographed posters from celebrities, and just stepping inside made it clear how popular this place is.

So it was actually a restaurant known for huge portions… How was the katsudon I ordered at Tanimachi Furusato?

Well then, let me tell you about the katsudon (a deep-fried pork cutlet rice bowl) I ordered at Tanimachi Furusato that day. I ordered it thinking, “Come to think of it, I haven’t had katsudon in ages…” but when I saw what was actually brought to my table, I was shocked…

To my surprise, along with the katsudon, they served me a bowl of udon that I hadn’t even ordered. I suppose I should say, “That’s what you’d expect from an udon shop!” but if this came out when I wasn’t planning on eating much, it would actually put me off. Looking at the orders of the other customers, the a la carte udon was served in bowls of ridiculous size. “Wait, so this is actually a ‘super-sized portion’ kind of place…” That’s what I thought at that moment.

Well, putting that aside, let’s get to the food… The katsudon looks and tastes simple and down-to-earth. The pork cutlet, simmered in a light soy sauce broth and topped with egg, is about 1 cm thick and quite filling. The flavor evokes that cozy, comforting feeling you get from eating at a local diner near home, but the new location after the move is so brand-new and shiny that it feels a bit out of sync with the atmosphere…

As for the udon, it’s made with a light, Osaka-style broth, and while simple, it goes down smoothly. I feel like if you had this as a late-night meal after drinking, you’d definitely end the day on a high note.

So, I finished the Tanimachi Furusato Katsudon (with udon) in just under 10 minutes and left the restaurant. Both the katsudon and the udon were substantial, and I was satisfied that they really filled me up. However, 1,400 yen (tax included) for this is definitely a bit pricey… I think there are times when I wouldn’t feel like ordering the udon as a side, so I wish there were an option to eat it without the udon for a slightly lower price…

Other Menu Items at Tanimachi Furusato (Prices include tax)

• Clear Udon Soup: 730 yen
• Conger Eel Bowl: 1,600 yen
• Tempura Bowl: 1,500 yen
• Tuna Bowl: 1,400 yen
• Keiran Udon: 930 yen
• Udon with Thick Sauce: 900 yen
• Tsukimi Udon: 830 yen

Actually, sushi is also available… Tanimachi Furusato is a 5-minute walk from Nipponbashi Station on the Kintetsu Line (Osaka Metro Sakaisuji Line), the nearest station.

Speaking of Tanimachi Furusato, aside from udon and rice bowls, sushi is also available. I forgot to take a picture, but there’s actually quite a wide variety to choose from. For big eaters who can’t get full on just a large bowl of udon, this seems like the perfect side dish. Or, if you’d rather not go for a large bowl of udon or a rice bowl and want to keep your portion smaller, choosing sushi is definitely an option.

Now, here are the restaurant details…