Osaka udon warms the heart, while the historic Maisen Udon offers an extraordinary culinary experience.

Udon is one of Japan's traditional noodle dishes. With its smooth and slippery texture, the noodles become a delicious home-style meal when paired with a good broth and simple ingredients. The saying “udon in the Kansai region, soba in the Kanto region” perfectly illustrates how the two regions have their own distinct strengths in noodle culture. The people of Kansai are particularly meticulous about broth preparation, which further solidifies the irreplaceable status of Kansai udon.

Osaka has long been a hub for goods distribution, so the ingredients used for making broth are selected from the finest producing regions across the country. Among them, the kelp comes from Hokkaido, measuring over a meter in length, with thick leaves and a rich flavor, making it perfect for broth. Kansai udon is made from wheat flour with fine grains, repeatedly pounded and kneaded to achieve high elasticity. During the dough-making process, the ratio of water to salt is adjusted according to the temperature. Only after the dough is well-kneaded does it develop a glossy surface, and it also becomes less prone to breaking during cutting.

Located in Chuo Ward, Osaka, Maisen is a widely known long-established restaurant famous for its “Udon Sukiyaki.” Udon hot pot isn't just a unique dish in Osaka—even its name is a registered trademark in Japan. Udon hot pot originates from another iconic Osaka dish, “sukiyaki.” The founder of Maisen, Mosaburo Heitaro, used the leftover broth from sukiyaki to cook udon and discovered that the combination was simply divine, leading to the creation of this dish.

Maisen uses a specially made iron pot to cook the dish, adding a variety of seafood and meat such as conger eel, clams, shrimp, and chicken, as well as premium Kyoto ingredients like yuba (tofu skin) and kamaboko (fish cake). It also includes a selection of vegetables like daikon radish and carrot, totaling around 15 to 16 different ingredients. The care and attention to detail put into this dish have made it highly popular among the people of Osaka, attracting many celebrities and refined diners. While Maisen now has branches all over Japan, to fully appreciate the refined nature of this dish, it is recommended to visit the original Osaka location to experience the authentic atmosphere of this historic establishment.

Maisen
Address: 4-6-4 Honmachi, Chuo Ward, Osaka City
Website: http://www.mimiu.co.jp
Phone: (06)6261-7241
Hours: 11:30–21:30 (last order at 20:30)
Price: Starting from ¥4,000
Access: 5 minutes on foot from Exit 2 of Hommachi Station on the Osaka Metro Midosuji Line

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