An "Udon School" That Creates Travel Memories

An "Udon School" That Creates Travel Memories

When it comes to Kagawa, it's all about Sanuki udon.
Through the hands-on experience of making noodles, Nakano Udon School offers travelers an unforgettable time.

It is operated by Nakano-ya Co., Ltd., a company with shops along the approach to Kotohira-gu Shrine.
With a long-established udon restaurant, souvenir shop, and cafe, they have become one of the faces of this lively town.
The fourth-generation president, Yuko Hato, is the person we introduce here.

What is the charm of Kotohira?

"I think what's great about this town is how the old and the new, and people and people, are all compactly woven together. Long-time residents, travelers passing through, people who have moved here, and visitors from overseas — so many different people naturally blend into the town, and that balance feels comfortable."

Ms. Hato says that this "diversity packed into a small space" is Kotohira's greatest charm.

Creating a place loved by younger generations

When the shop was renovated in 2020, they focused on making it "a place younger people would also want to stop by."

"In the past, most of our customers were older people on tours or group trips, but in recent years, more young people have been visiting independently, drawn by Kotohira as a spiritual power spot. The renovation happened during the pandemic, and that made me want to create a shop that people could drop into casually."

The shop along the shrine approach is easy to access.
Among their favorites, the Oiri Soft—soft-serve topped with Kagawa's lucky sweet "oiri" — is a classic treat in the warmer seasons.

The story behind the birth of "Oiri Soft"

"When I returned home, the first idea I came up with was Oiri Soft. People said they wanted more people across Japan to know about oiri, a traditional sweet. It looks cute, and it's perfect after climbing the steps when you're tired. I wanted people to feel happy just by seeing something auspicious, and happy again by eating it."

The Oiri Soft created by Ms. Hato has now become one of Kotohira's signature sweets.

What made you glad you took over the family business?

Around 2006, when I returned to Kotohira, Japan was just beginning to move under the banner of becoming a 'tourism-oriented nation'.
The Japan Tourism Agency was established, and regional tourism started receiving more attention.

In that period, what made me happiest was realizing that our work and our involvement in the community connect directly to creating 'fun travel memories' for our guests.
When I heard visitors say, 'Kotohira has changed since I last came. Next time I'll bring my family', I truly felt it was worth it.

What do you value most in your work?

When I have to decide something, I try to choose what I can feel confident about, rather than thinking only in terms of profit and loss.
If I think of customers as my own family, the right decision comes naturally.
And I make sure I can explain why I made that decision.
I believe that builds trust.

What is difficult in your work?

It's the things related to people.
Especially at the udon school, we deal in an 'invisible product'—memories.
To create a better experience, staff training and building the right environment are essential.

At other shops, you can eat udon for just a few hundred yen, but an experience program costs many times that.
That's why we always stay conscious of delivering value that feels greater than the price.

For overseas visitors to enjoy it too, we don't just translate into multiple languages.
We also intentionally use simple Japanese, so guests can 'feel Japan' through the experience.

Goals for the future

To ensure the udon school my father started can be properly passed on to the next generation, I want to strengthen our organization — moving from a small family shop to a solid company structure.

And under our philosophy, 'Welcome to Shikoku — helping you create a journey that stays in your heart', we want to continue creating places where people can experience Sanuki's food culture and enjoy new kinds of experiences.

Your feelings for Kotohira

Kotohira today is being revitalized as local people take the lead in town development, while also welcoming the power and ideas of people from outside.
While inheriting the liveliness of the past, people are sharing challenges and moving toward solutions.
I hope this positive cycle continues and Kotohira becomes an even more energetic town.

What Writer Haruto Learned

Listening to Ms. Hato, I felt how difficult it is to balance "taking on something new" and "protecting what has been handed down."
And I realized that her wish to make Kotohira better connects directly to the smiles at the udon school.

It also reminded me that in tourism, the main character is not "things" or "places," but people.

To be honest, I still haven't "graduated" from the udon school (laughs).
Next time, I want to enroll properly and make my own "memory udon" with my own hands.

Why not create an unforgettable experience in Kotohira too?

Nakano Udon School / Nakano-ya Co., Ltd.

Kotohira Town, Nakatado District, Kagawa Prefecture
Official website: https://www.nakanoya.net