[Yamanashi/Fujiyoshida] It's not just Houtou! A female college student tries Yoshida Udon at 'Udon Houtou Amano'

When you think of Yamanashi, you think of Houtou.

…or so I thought, but while driving through Yamanashi, I kept seeing signs for 'Yoshida Udon' everywhere.

“Don't you kind of want to eat udon?”

So, after our club training camp, while I was on a sightseeing drive with my classmates, we found a place with good reviews and decided to go!

The place we went to this time is 'Udon Houtou Amano' in Fujiyoshida City.

🚗 Decided on a whim: 'I want to eat Yoshida Udon!'

This day was during the Obon holiday period in August.

After our club training camp ended, I was driving around Yamanashi sightseeing with my classmates.

As we drove, we saw signs for 'Yoshida Udon' everywhere.

“Since we're here, we should eat something typical of Yamanashi!”

That led us to 'Udon Houtou Amano,' which was close to our current location and had good reviews.

The restaurant has a parking lot, so it was easy to get to by car.

👀 Even at 1 PM during Obon, almost no wait!

We arrived around 1 PM.

Since it was the Obon season, I thought,

“I wonder if there's a huge line…”

but although the restaurant was full, maybe we had good timing, because we were able to get in without waiting.

When we entered, there didn't seem to be any other customers waiting to get in either.

Plus, it only took about 5 minutes from ordering until the food arrived!

I was surprised at how fast it was served even though it was busy.

The staff had a cheerful, motherly vibe; they came right over when called, and they were incredibly fast at clearing the table after we finished.

I got the impression that it's a restaurant with a high turnover rate.

🍜 I ordered the 'Special Udon'

What I ordered this time was:

Special Udon 1,000 yen
*This is the price as of August 2026 when I visited.

The toppings were:
・Tororo kombu (shredded kelp)
・Wakame seaweed
・Kakiage (mixed vegetable tempura)
・Cabbage
・Pork

It was quite generous.

And this tororo kombu.

Looking at the photo, it looked like the size of a 500-yen coin, so I thought,

“Well, maybe it's not that much?”

but...

Actually, this was just the tip of the iceberg. lol

As I kept eating, I found there was surprisingly more buried underneath what I could see, and it was packed in more than I expected.

🥢 The most memorable part was the 'texture of the noodles'

The thing that left the biggest impression after eating was definitely the texture of the noodles.

They were a bit firm and had a solid chewiness.

It felt quite different from the udon I usually eat at chain restaurants.

“I didn't know udon could have this kind of texture!”

was my honest reaction.

The Fujiyoshida City Tourism Guide also introduces Yoshida Udon as having noodles characterized by their firmness and strong chewiness. The noodles at this restaurant are also rated as 'firmness 3, chewiness 3'. ([Official] Fujiyoshida City Tourism Guide)

And all the toppings were delicious too!

The pork was good, and the kakiage was good.

Since there was plenty of tororo kombu, it was also nice how the flavor and texture changed as I kept eating.

🍚 The portion size is quite substantial

The portion felt a little large to me!

However, I'm a light eater, so I think it's just the right amount for a normal-eating girl.

Since it has plenty of kakiage and tororo kombu, it's more filling than it looks.

So, it doesn't feel like it's too much for women, but rather,

“It's just right for someone who wants to eat a hearty meal!”

I think.

🏠 The atmosphere of the restaurant is 'homey'

The interior doesn't have the vibe of a so-called 'stylish cafe'.

But it doesn't feel super old either; it has a somewhat homey and relaxing feel.

We sat at a table.

The customers were quite diverse, including:

・Families
・Foreign tourists
・Student groups
・Couples

and many others.

There were a few groups of foreign tourists, and there was a lot of English signage in the restaurant.

I got the impression that it's not just a restaurant for tourists, but a place where all kinds of people can easily drop in.

💰 For a college student, it's 'great value!'

What I personally liked a lot was the value for money.

When I went, the Special Udon was 1,000 yen.

Plus, it was packed with kakiage, pork, tororo kombu, etc., and the portion was sufficient.

College students want to keep expenses down as much as possible while traveling, right?

So, a restaurant where you can eat local gourmet food for around 1,000 yen like this is very much appreciated.

Above all, unlike udon you eat at a chain, it was nice to really feel the local vibe of 'I've come to Yamanashi!'

⭐️ My impressions after actually going

My rating this time is...

★★★★☆ 4.0 / 5

◎ What was good

・You can eat a hearty meal for 1,000 yen
・You can enjoy the firm noodles typical of Yoshida Udon
・Lots of toppings and very filling
・We were able to get in with almost no wait even during Obon
・The food was served quickly
・Easy to get to by car

△ What I was a little concerned about

・Might feel like a bit too much for light eaters
・Makes me want to compare it with other Yoshida Udon restaurants

🌻 Recommended for these people!

Personally, I would recommend it to people who are:

“Wondering which udon to eat in Fujiyoshida?”

Especially, it's highly recommended for people who are thinking,

“I came to Yamanashi, but I also want to eat local gourmet food other than Houtou!”

And for college students, the low price is definitely a happy point.

It's a restaurant I want people who tend to think '2,000 yen for lunch is a bit expensive...' while traveling to add to their list of candidates.

🚗



Would I go again?Rather than 'Definitely here again next time!', it's more like,If I'm passing by, I'd like to go again!

That's because this was my first time eating Yoshida Udon, so honestly, I want to try Yoshida Udon at other famous restaurants too.

I've also become curious about 'What are the other Fujiyoshida udon restaurants like?'

So next time I go to Yamanashi, I want to try a different restaurant and compare Yoshida Udon.

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💭



A word from a female college student



I had the image that Yamanashi = Houtou, but Yoshida Udon was also quite good!Plus, it had plenty of toppings, and it was 1,000 yen when I went.It was very much appreciated as a lunch during my trip.I happened to find this restaurant by chance, but this made me want to try comparing various Yoshida Udon restaurants!

Next time I go to Yamanashi, I think I'll try a different restaurant 🍜

⸻

📍Restaurant I visited this time

Udon Houtou Amano

4-11-8 Shin-Nishihara, Fujiyoshida City, Yamanashi Prefecture

Parking: Available

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