The Setouchi islands, located off the coast of Kagawa Prefecture, are famous for their beautiful, landscapes and one very popular outdoor museum. But did you know that Kagawa is also known for udon? The noodle-forward dish is a local soul food and delicacy and is without a doubt a must-try when visiting the region.

As a pre-launch event of an upcoming TW project (more on that at the end of this article!) we’re partnering with Kagawa Prefecture to put together an online tour, webinar and FAM trip showcasing the best of Kagawa and udon.

1. Online Tour

Our online tour will focus on sanuki udon, a specialty in Kagawa. We’ve teamed with Kotobus to guide participants inside an “udon cab.” Viewers will see a live video feed of popular udon stores and scenic spots around the prefecture, and they will also learn about the history and culture behind udon thanks to interviews with locals. Of course, there’s no point in learning about udon if you can’t taste it yourself. This is why we will also send participants the ingredients – all locally sourced in Kagawa Prefecture – to make sanuki udon in their home kitchen.

2. Online Webinar

How did udon become the signature food of Kagawa? Let Udon House show you the charm of udon and Kagawa Prefecture. This class will walk participants through Kagawa’s most notable points including beautiful nature and interesting culture, the relationship between the prefecture and udon (Just how did Kagawa get to be known as the capital of udon in Japan?) and finally, a step-by-step of how udon noodles are made using unique kitchen tools.

3. FAM Trip

While online learning is great, there’s nothing like experiencing udon culture yourself. We’re inviting 16 readers to join us on one of two FAM trips to see Kagawa in person. Everything learned in the above-mentioned online tour and webinar will be put into the application here.

Participants will learn about udon first-hand, from riding in the udon cab to chatting with locals and bonding over your love for udon. A visit to Udon House is also part of the itinerary, where participants will attempt to make their own udon noodles from scratch and learn more about the history and culture of udon. Other notable points of the trip include a seafood feast at Urashima Village, a visit to Zentsuji Temple and a traditional nori-dyeing experience. 

Pick your course

If you’re interested in learning more about Kagawa and udon, we’re offering three different courses and welcome readers to apply to whichever fits their schedules best. See the table below for dates!

Please note that each course has a limit on the number of participants and that we will notify the winners of the lotteries for courses A and B via email.

Registration Process

Tokyo Weekender will accept applications for all three activities relating to Kagawa Prefecture from December 15, 2020 to January 11, 2021.

Online Registration

Select the course you wish to participate in from Courses A to C. Please take care to note the date and time of each activity.

Confirmation Email

Participants for courses A and C will be decided via a lottery system. Winners will receive a confirmation email confirming their registration and contact information. Applicants that have not made the cut for courses A and C are welcome to join the webinar.

Online Tour and Webinar

Both the online tour and webinar will be held via Zoom or YouTube. URL for the online tour will be sent to registered participants in advance by Kotobus. URL for the webinar will be sent to registered participants in advance by Udon House.

FAM Trip

FAM trip details will be provided by Kotobus once all participants’ registrations have been filled out and processed.

Workshop Location – Udon House is your gateway to a world of timeless food travel. Journey to the heart of udon country where you’ll meet the flavors, people and stories that have made sanuki udon the soul food of the region. In Kagawa, Japan’s birthplace of udon, the seemingly simple noodles thrive as a staple, a craft, an expression of diversity, and the fiber of the community.

Find out more about Udon House at udonhouse.jp/en/

FAM Trip Accommodation – Peninsula Inn on the Seto Inland Sea at Urashima Village is a private space with three luxury buildings on a 2,000-square-meter plot of land. Here the sunset slows down. Only the sound of waves breaks the silence of night. Walk on an empty sand beach at dawn.

Find out more about Urashima Village at urashimavillage.com

Online Tour & FAM Trip Transportation Partner – Kotobus, based in Kotohira, is known for its successive unique projects, such as the first “online bus tour” in Japan, which attracted quite a lot of national and international attention during the coronavirus pandemic. Through the online bus tour and FAM trip, Kotobus hopes to introduce new fans to sanuki udon, Kagawa Prefecture and the Setouchi area.

Kotobus

Udon House

Urashima Village

Terms and Conditions

• Plane tickets and transportation to and in Kagawa Prefecture will be arranged by the organizers. Travel costs from the participants’ home to the closest airport, however, will not be covered and will be at the expense of the participant.
• FAM trip participants will be asked to share their experience on their social media accounts and should make sure these are set to “public.”
• Please understand that the online tour and webinar as well as the FAM trip may be canceled or changed. Please also understand that the FAM trip itinerary may change without prior notice.
• This campaign is targeted at foreign residents in Japan, and those who are able to share the experience of the campaign on their SNS accounts. We will ask for SNS account information in the registration form, please understand.
• If you pick Course A or B, you will be required to participate in the Webinar or the Online Tour to be eligible for the FAM trip.

Register Now!

This project is part of TW University, a new project that hopes to provide opportunities for foreign residents to learn about the traditions, techniques and entertainment of various parts of Japan while supporting the training of local specialists. TW University is scheduled to be officially launched in 2021.