Waraya

Waraya is an udon shop in Takamatsu City and a long-established restaurant located next to Yashima Shrine. It is adjacent to Shikoku Mura Museum, and the building is a thatched-roof old folk-house style from the late Edo period. In the front garden, a waterwheel is still in operation, giving the place a time-slip atmosphere. Inside, the shop enshrines “inyo stones,” treated as a lucky charm said to improve marital harmony. Waraya’s signature dish is kamaage udon. Its side-menu inari sushi is also said to be uniquely delicious compared with other udon shops, and is especially popular among women. Next door, Shikoku Mura—the museum of traditional houses and architecture from the Edo to Meiji periods—includes the Shikoku Mura Gallery designed by Tadao Ando. Most visitors tour Waraya together with Shikoku Mura. Although it feels like a tourist-spot udon shop, locals also visit frequently—its udon is reputed to be that good. Access is about a 5-minute walk from Kotoden Yashima Station.