Are you familiar with Tsuyama horumon udon, the local noodle specialty of Okayama?

The Must-Try Local Dish Of Tsuyama

Since days of old, Tsuyama City, Okayama Prefecture has been a distribution base for horses and cattle, and cow and pig entrails (horumon) have always been a local staple.

The entrails take only 10 minutes to prepare, so this is not something you need proper butchering facilities to do. Highly advanced cutting techniques leave fresh, top-class entrails without any kind of foul odor.

What do you think about the beautiful cherry-pink piece of horumon above? In Tsuyama you can find small intestine, reticulum, rumen, omasum, large intestine, and much more!

If you want to have a go at Tsuyama horumon, you should try Tsuyama entrails udon. Promoted by Tsuyama Horumon Udon Society, a local volunteer group, this dish is among the best of the best, and previously won the top prize at the B-1 Grand Prix.

Located about 10 minutes drive from JR Tsuyama Station, the restaurant the Udon Society recommends is called Okonomiyaki Mie. While at the same time it promoting the local community, Mie serves delicious, fresh entrails. Mie hold exhibitions all over Japan and also abroad. In today’s article I’m going to introduce a dish that can only be eaten here in Tsuyama.

Salty Horumon Udon

That is Mie’s amazingly delicious salty horumon udon.

Usually, a slightly spicy miso is used in horumon udon, but Mie manages to create a simple, fresh salty flavor with its first rate entrails. The dish normally comes with plenty of noodles, so those of you who don’t eat a lot (like yours truly) should maybe order a half serving.

Watch as the dish is artfully prepared on an iron hot plate right in front of your eyes.

It’s almost impossible to wait until it’s ready.

This is the steaming hot, first-rate horumon.

You can practically taste the tenderness of the horumon with your eyes. A bit chewy, but quite succulent, it’s exciting that the various parts taste different and offer differing sensations to the palate. The fatty intestine is simply amazing!

The second half of the dish is the udon and onion. The onion makes it a bit sweeter and gives it an accent. Truly a plate of happiness.

Tsuyama Railroad Educational Museum

Though her son runs the establishment nowadays, Okonomiyaki Mie was opened in around 1980 by Mieko Kamiyama. All the staff are lovely and make everyone – regulars and tourists alike – feel at home. Local food is best enjoyed in a local, warm environment, don’t you think?

In addition to great horumon, Tsuyama city also offers other popular sights, one of which is brand new.

In April this year, the Tsuyama Railroad Educational Museum opened right next to JR Tsuyama Station. This is Japan’s second fan-shaped locomotive shed and it’s very impressive!

For horumon and trains, please come to visit Tsuyama!

Okonomiyaki Mie
Address: 441-5 Kamigawara, Tsuyama City, Okayama Prefecture
Business hours: Tuesday – Saturday 11:30 – 14:00, 17:00 – 21:00. Sunday 11:30 – 15:00
Closed: Mondays (Closed the next day if Monday is a public holiday)
Tel: 0868-23-3972

Setouchi Finder Photo-writer: Eri Hatano