Tsutaya (つたや) is a small Ise udon shop in the old Kawasaki merchant quarter of Ise, Mie, that has been running since 1945. Ise udon is nothing like the firm udon you may know: the noodles are thick and very soft, served in a dark, rich tamari sauce. We had lunch there on a Thursday in October 2026: two bowls for ¥1,700. A plain bowl starts at ¥600.
Ise is home to Ise Jingu, Japan’s most sacred shrine. In the Edo period, millions of people walked here on pilgrimage, some of them for weeks. By the time they arrived they were exhausted, and the local udon was made for them. The noodles are boiled until they’re very soft, so they’re easy to eat and easy on a tired stomach. They’re also quick to serve, so a pilgrim could eat fast and move on.
That’s still the dish today. Ise udon is a sauce, not a soup. A few spoonfuls of thick sauce sit in the bottom of the bowl, and you toss the noodles through it. The sauce is made with tamari, a rich soy sauce, which is what makes it so dark. Every other udon I’ve had came in a soup.
We went with my son Kayne and our guide, Misae. A local friend of Misae’s recommended Tsutaya, and it was also the shop we’d found while researching with AI, so we took that as a good sign. Kayne wasn’t hungry, so it was two bowls between Misae and me.
It was busy with local business people on their lunch break, men and women, and they clearly loved the food. Mie Tourism says the shop has been a favourite of the local wholesale merchants for half a century.
What is Tsutaya known for?
Tsutaya opened in 1945 in Kawasaki (河崎), the old riverside quarter where wholesale merchants once supplied Ise’s pilgrims. Some of the neighbouring buildings still date from the Edo period. It’s a two-storey wooden building with a big つたや sign and a dark noren reading 伊勢うどん.
Two things stood out:
- The sauce. The menu calls it 自慢のたれ, their “pride and joy” sauce, slowly cooked in a kamado (wood-fired stove). It’s built on a fish broth, and you can smell it. Misae told us it’s stronger and more fishy than at other Ise udon shops, where the sauce is often sweeter. The staff told us the broth simmers for about eight hours. Every shop makes its own, so Ise udon tastes different wherever you eat it.
- The noodles. They’re boiled for about an hour, which is why they’re so soft. As far as I understood from the waitress (she spoke softly, in Japanese), the noodles are bought in but still hand-rolled.
The walls are covered in signatures from visiting Japanese comedians and musicians, some from as far back as 2017 and some from this year.
What does Ise udon taste like?
Ise udon is all about softness. The dough is much like any udon (flour, salt and water, kneaded and rolled), but the noodles are boiled for about an hour. They come out thick, soft and pillowy, with a gentle chew that reminded me of mochi, without the stickiness. It’s surprisingly light. My verdict: nice and light, and I’d happily eat it again.
Udon elsewhere in Japan is much firmer. Sanuki udon from Kagawa is the famous one, and it’s prized for its springy bite. Firm here doesn’t mean undercooked, like al dente pasta. It means chewy. We heard later that Nagoya’s udon is firmer again, and the udon we had earlier on the trip at Kawaichi in Kuwana had a good chew too. Which style is best is a long-running friendly argument in Japan. Driving through the region, it’s fun to try a few and pick a side.
What we ordered
Ise kayaku udon (伊勢かやく, ¥800). My bowl. It came loaded with toppings: fried tofu (abura-age), two kinds of kamaboko fish cake, a simmered shiitake mushroom, a boiled egg, a block of fried fish cake, a flower-shaped fish cake and a pile of spring onion. It’s the best way to try Ise udon for the first time, because you get a bit of everything.
Yakibuta Ise udon (焼豚伊勢うどん, ¥900). Misae’s bowl. The menu marks this one おススメ (recommended). It’s topped with thick slices of homemade roast pork. It started as a request from regular customers. It’s a big bowl, and I thought it would be too heavy for me.
Total for two bowls: ¥1,700 at menu prices. We drank the free water.
The full Ise udon menu runs from ¥600 to ¥1,000:
| Dish | Price | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| 伊勢うどん Ise udon | ¥600 | Plain noodles, sauce and spring onion |
| 伊勢かやく Ise kayaku | ¥800 | Fried tofu, fish cake, simmered shiitake, boiled egg |
| 伊勢きつね Ise kitsune | ¥800 | Lots of chopped fried tofu |
| 伊勢玉子うどん Ise tamago | ¥800 | Hot noodles with egg mixed through |
| 伊勢月見うどん Ise tsukimi | ¥800 | Topped with a raw egg |
| 焼豚伊勢うどん Yakibuta Ise | ¥900 | Homemade roast pork (recommended) |
| 山かけ伊勢うどん Yamakake Ise | ¥900 | Grated mountain yam |
| にしん伊勢うどん Nishin Ise | ¥1,000 | Simmered herring, sent from Kyoto |
| Large serving | +¥300 |
Chopstick manners: how to rest them
Misae discussed something new at this lunch. When you put your chopsticks down across the top of your bowl, don’t point them away from you. That aims the used ends at the person across the table, which is rude.
Lay them side to side instead, running right to left in front of you.
Good for families?
Mostly, yes. Soft noodles in a sweet, dark sauce are easy for kids, and plain Ise udon is only ¥600. The yakibuta (roast pork) and tsukimi (raw egg) bowls are good picks for a child who doesn’t like fish cake.
One catch: the sauce itself is made from fish broth, and at Tsutaya it’s stronger and fishier than most. If your child doesn’t eat seafood at all, there’s no fish-free option here.
When to go
Tsutaya is open year round. Ise udon isn’t a seasonal dish.
- Closed: Sundays
- Hours: from 11:00. Listings disagree on closing time, so go at lunch or ring ahead
Visiting Tsutaya
| Name | Tsutaya · つたや |
| Address | 三重県伊勢市河崎2丁目22-24 (2-22-24 Kawasaki, Ise, Mie) |
| Phone | 0596-28-3880 |
| Hours | From 11:00 (closing time varies between listings; ring ahead for a late visit) |
| Closed | Sundays |
| Parking | Customer car park opposite the restaurant |
| Getting there | We drove. By train, it’s about an 11-minute walk from Iseshi Station |
| Menu | Japanese only, with photos. See ordering phrases below |
| We visited | October 2026, Thursday lunch |
| We paid | ¥1,700 for two bowls (menu prices as of October 2026) |
How to order
The menu is in Japanese only, but there are photos of the main bowls. These phrases help:
- 伊勢かやくうどんをお願いします。
Ise kayaku udon o onegaishimasu.: Ise kayaku udon, please. - 焼豚伊勢うどんをお願いします。
Yakibuta Ise udon o onegaishimasu.: Roast-pork Ise udon, please. - 大盛りでお願いします。
Ōmori de onegaishimasu.: A large serving, please. (+¥300)
My Japanese is poor, and with a Japanese speaker at the table it’s easy. Without one, it helps to have our free printable ordering cards. Point at what you want, including your allergies, and the staff will understand.
FAQ
What is Ise udon?
Thick, very soft udon noodles served with a few spoonfuls of thick sauce instead of a soup. The sauce is made with tamari soy sauce, which makes it dark and rich. It’s the local dish of Ise, in Mie.
Why are Ise udon noodles so soft?
They’re boiled for a long time, about an hour at Tsutaya. The style goes back to the Edo period, when tired pilgrims to Ise Jingu needed food that was easy to eat and quick to serve.
How is Ise udon different from Sanuki udon?
Sanuki udon from Kagawa is firm and chewy (not undercooked, just springy), and like most udon it usually comes in a soup. Ise udon is boiled for about an hour, so it’s soft, with a gentle, mochi-like chew. Instead of a soup, it comes with a few spoonfuls of thick sauce made with tamari soy sauce, which gives it its dark colour.
What should I order at Tsutaya?
Try the kayaku (¥800) for a bit of everything on top, or the house-recommended yakibuta (¥900) with homemade roast pork.
Is Tsutaya good for kids?
Yes, the soft noodles are easy for kids. But the sauce is made from fish broth, so it doesn’t suit a child who eats no seafood at all.
When is Tsutaya closed?
Sundays.
Related: Mie · Autumn · Winter · Spring · Summer · Shinya, Matsusaka · Kawaichi, Kuwana · Akafuku, Ise · Ordering cards
