Tochigi Prefecture’s Local Cuisine: Mimi Udon

Have you ever seen noodles shaped like ears? Well, in Tochigi Prefecture, specifically in the Kuzu area of Sano City and the Shiroyama area of Utsunomiya City, there’s a local specialty called Mimi Udon, which literally translates to “ear udon.” These unique, ear-shaped noodles are not only interesting to look at but also carry some heartwarming traditions.

Dish Name: Mimi Udon

• Region / Location: Tochigi Prefecture
• Primary Area of Tradition: Kuzu area of Sano City, Shiroyama area of Utsunomiya City
• Main Ingredients: Wheat flour (medium strength), taro, shiitake mushrooms, green onions, carrots

How It’s Eaten / Served

Mimi Udon is prepared by boiling water with bonito flakes to make a dashi broth. Then, chopped vegetables like taro, daikon radish, carrot, and burdock are added, and the broth is seasoned with soy sauce and mirin. Finally, the ear-shaped udon noodles are added to cook. Just like regular udon, you can also add other ingredients like meat if you like. The noodles themselves are made by kneading wheat flour with lukewarm water and salt, rolling it out thinly, cutting it into matchbox-sized rectangles, folding them in half, and pinching the inner edges together to create the ear shape.

Cultural Background and Preservation

In Sano City, there’s a charming custom of holding the ear-shaped udon to your ear and praying for good luck in the coming year, hoping to “hear good things.” In Utsunomiya City, it was a special dish enjoyed by the parishioners of Hoshino-miya Shrine during New Year’s festivities. Because preparing elaborate meals for New Year’s guests could be time-consuming, families in the Kuzu area of Sano City would make Mimi Udon ahead of time, store it in cold water, and then serve it to their visitors. Similarly, in Utsunomiya, it was made and dried in advance for the shrine’s festival gatherings. While traditionally eaten during the New Year, Mimi Udon is now enjoyed year-round. Tochigi Prefecture highlights Mimi Udon as one of its representative local dishes on its official website, and local citizen groups in Utsunomiya are working to preserve and pass on this and other traditional regional dishes to children through cooking classes.

Additional information:

• Udon (うどん): Thick Japanese noodles made from wheat flour. They are typically white and chewy.
• Dashi (だし): A Japanese soup stock that forms the base for many dishes. It is often made from kombu (kelp), katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes), shiitake mushrooms, or niboshi (dried sardines). In this case, it’s made with katsuobushi.
• Mirin (みりん): A sweet rice wine used for seasoning in Japanese cooking. It has a lower alcohol content than sake.
• Bonito flakes (鰹節 – katsuobushi): Dried, fermented, and smoked skipjack tuna. Thin shavings are used to make dashi and as a topping for various dishes.