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Tsuyama Horumon Udon is a local specialty of the Mimasaka region centered on Tsuyama City in Okayama Prefecture, made by stir-frying fresh mixed horumon (pork and beef offal) with vegetables and tossing it with udon noodles in a sweet-savory sauce based on miso and soy sauce. The Tsuyama area has long thrived as a hub for cattle and horse trading, and even in the era up to the Meiji period when eating meat was publicly shunned, beef was eaten there as an exception known as 'yojo-gui' (nourishing food), which allowed skills for handling fresh offal to develop. Building on this local heritage, Tsuyama Horumon Udon became a beloved way to enjoy horumon while it was still fresh. From around 2008, Tsuyama City and the 'Tsuyama Horumon Udon Kenkyukai' (Tsuyama Horumon Udon Research Group) began promoting it as a local specialty, and it won the Silver Grand Prix (2nd place) at the 2011 B-1 Grand Prix. Today more than 50 restaurants in Tsuyama City are said to serve the dish, making it a popular attraction for tourists.
Origin
The Tsuyama area has long served as a hub for cattle and horse trading, with records suggesting that a livestock market was already held in Tsuyama in the early 8th century. In Japan, eating meat was publicly shunned until the Meiji period, but in Tsuyama, beef was eaten as an exception under the name 'yojo-gui,' a kind of medicinal nourishment. This allowed meat-processing skills and a culture around handling fresh offal (horumon) to develop from early times, which is thought to have laid the foundation for Tsuyama Horumon Udon.
History
The horumon-yaki udon that had long been enjoyed locally began to be actively promoted as a local specialty from around 2008, led by Tsuyama City and the Tsuyama Horumon Udon Research Group. It won the Silver Grand Prix (2nd place) at the 2011 B-1 Grand Prix, greatly raising its national profile. Today more than 50 restaurants in Tsuyama City are said to serve the dish, and it has also been selected as one of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries' 'Our Local Cuisine' (Uchi no Kyodo Ryori) dishes.
Features
Fresh mixed horumon is stir-fried over high heat with vegetables such as cabbage, onion, and Welsh onion, then tossed with udon noodles in a sweet-savory sauce based on miso and soy sauce. Adding bean sprouts at the end is another characteristic touch. Thanks to Tsuyama's skilled meat-processing tradition, the horumon is often served fresh with little of the strong odor offal can have, and comparing how each restaurant blends its sauce and adjusts the spice level is part of the fun.
Main Ingredients
Famous Shops
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A long-established diner said to have been founded in 1884 (Meiji 17). Known for horumon udon finished with a secret miso-based sauce, with a choice of spice levels. Horumon udon costs around 830-900 yen for one serving and around 930-1,000 yen for two servings (prices may vary by season).