Yamamotoya Honten: Nagoya’s famous miso-nikomi udon specialists!

Last update : 5 Jun 2022

Written by draftbeerman

Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture is well known for its unique cuisine known as Nagoya meshi. My favourite dish is, hands down, their miso-nikomi udon (thick udon noodles stewed in miso broth)! I couldn’t wait to head to one of the area’s most recommended miso-nikomi udon shops: Yamamotoya Honten. They have a number of locations, but I decided to visit their Esca shop which is situated under Nagoya Station.

Their standard miso-nikomi udon goes for 1,296 yen—indeed, a bit costly for an udon dish. But it’s well worth it! With recipes that have been perfected through years of careful fine-tuning, these specialists certainly know what they’re doing. And their long-time customers can attest to this.

Seasonal Kitsune Kyujo-negi Miso-nikomi Udon (1,600 yen)

This time, I tried the seasonal Kitsune Kyujo-negi Miso-nikomi Udon (1,600 yen). “Kitsune Udon,” literally “Fox Udon,” features sweetened thinly sliced tofu that’s been deep-fried. Kyujo-negi are green onions from Kyoto that are known for their sweetness; they’re extremely popular as toppings for ramen.

The broth was richly flavoured with high-quality bonito flakes and a blend of special 3-year fermented red and white miso.

The way to eat miso-nikomi udon is slightly different than what you may be accustomed to. As the dish is served piping hot, you place a small amount of noodles in the upside down lid to cool before eating. The firm noodles are super tasty!

A dash of red pepper flakes added some kick, and changed up the flavour a bit.

Every udon dish comes with a raw egg.
Mix it in to enjoy a boost of flavor and texture!

Enjoy free bottomless pickled vegetables!
Includes cucumber, Chinese cabbage, and spring onions.

Man, was that satisfying.
Nagoya meshi encompasses so much more than miso-nikomi udon! Nagoya's original food culture is something I urge you to explore if you're ever in the area. There's hitsumabushi (an eel dish), misokatsu (breaded pork cutlet in miso sauce), coffee shops' special "morning service" breakfasts, and more!

Basic information on Yamamotoya Honten

Yamamotoya Honten – Esca

Address: Esca Underground Shopping Center, 6-9 Tsubaki-cho, Nakamura-ku, Nagoya City, Aichi
Access: 5-minute walk from JR Nagoya Station
Tel: 052-452-1889
Business Hours: 10:00-22:00（L.O. 21:30）

Yamamotoya Honten – In front of Nagoya Station

Address: Daiichi Horiuchi Bldg. B1F, 3-25-9 Meieki, Nakamura-ku, Nagoya City, Aichi
Access: 5-minute walk from Nagoya Station’s Sakura-dori Exit
Tel: 052-565-0278
Business Hours: 11:00-22:00 (L.O. 21:30）