Best Udon in Tokyo: 4 Shops Worth Trying

Udon are thick wheat-flour noodles served in hot broth or with a cold dipping sauce. They are milder than ramen and inexpensive, so they are easy to fit into a travel day. When eating udon in Tokyo, two things stand out: how many places stay open late into the night, and the specialists that serve noodles made and cut in-house. This guide covers four shops in Shinjuku, Shibuya, and Roppongi: three branches of Tsurutontan, open almost all night, and Udon Shin near Shinjuku Station, known for hand-cut fresh noodles.

Tokyo udon: a reliable late-night meal

In Tokyo’s nightlife districts, udon shops that stay open late, or until the next morning, are a real help for travelers. Tsurutontan, known for serving udon in oversized bowls, runs its Kabukicho branch in Shinjuku from 11:00 AM to around 8:00 AM the next day Monday through Saturday (last order 7:00 AM), and its Roppongi branch is open nearly around the clock on most days. That makes them handy on a day you arrive in Tokyo late, or after an evening out when you want something that is not too heavy. Some branches close earlier on Sundays and holidays, so check the hours before a late visit.

Tsurutontan is run by a company group headquartered in Osaka, and all three Tokyo branches share the same oversized bowls and long menu. It ranges from classic udon in broth to elaborate topping combinations, which makes it good for groups who want to order different flavors and share.

For hand-cut noodles

In contrast to the chain, Udon Shin near Shinjuku Station is known for noodles made and cut in the shop rather than delivered from a central kitchen. It serves both udon in hot broth and cold udon for dipping, so it suits anyone who wants to taste the texture of the noodles themselves. It has been reported to close early once the day’s noodles sell out, so going early is safer on busy days.

How the four shops differ

The basic forms of udon on a menu

Udon menus can look long, but knowing the basic forms makes them easy to read. Broadly, there is “kake,” noodles in hot broth, and “zaru” or “tsuke,” cold noodles you dip in a sauce. “Kamaage” is boiled noodles served in their cooking water, dipped in a sauce as you eat. The name then changes with the topping: tempura makes “tempura udon,” sweet-simmered fried tofu makes “kitsune udon,” and beef makes “niku udon.” There are also dishes such as curry udon, where the broth is combined with curry. Cold udon is good on hot days or when you want to taste the noodles’ chewiness; hot udon is better on cold days or late at night. At shops like Udon Shin that serve both, decide hot or cold first, then pick your topping.

Choosing by area: Shinjuku, Shibuya, Roppongi

If you are staying in Shinjuku, you can choose between hand-cut noodles at Udon Shin and late-night hours at Tsurutontan Shinjuku, or use both by time of day: hand-cut noodles for lunch, Tsurutontan late at night. In Shibuya, Tsurutontan in Shibuya Scramble Square, connected to the station, is easy to reach even on a rainy day. Tsurutontan in Roppongi is close to the station and suits a meal after a night out. Tokyo is big, so choosing by where you are staying or sightseeing is the practical approach.

Budget and access

All four are in this site’s budget range of about 1,000 to 3,000 yen per person. Tsurutontan’s bowls are large and its topping combinations many, so ordering several dishes to share in a group lets you try a range of flavors. Udon Shin is all about its hand-cut noodles, so start with a simple bowl to taste their texture.

For ease of access, Tsurutontan in Shibuya is inside Shibuya Scramble Square, connected directly to the station, so you can get there without getting wet on a rainy day. Tsurutontan in Roppongi is about a minute’s walk from Roppongi Station. Tsurutontan in Shinjuku is in a basement in Kabukicho, about a 7-minute walk from JR Shinjuku Station. Udon Shin is about 2 minutes from Exit 6 of Shinjuku Station on the Toei Shinjuku Line, convenient if you are staying on the south side of Shinjuku Station. On days when you want to keep late-night walking short, pick the shop closest to a station.

Even on a day when you reach central Tokyo late from the airport, a shop like Tsurutontan that stays open until morning lets you have a hot meal before checking in.

How to order and eat

At all four, you sit down and order from a menu at the table. Tsurutontan has a long menu you can choose from by photo. At Udon Shin, decide first whether you want hot udon in broth or cold udon for dipping. Slurping udon is not rude, and it is fine to lift the bowl and drink the broth directly. When you finish, the usual practice is to take your bill to the register to pay.

Some parts of Tokyo have more soba shops than udon shops, and standing soba counters at stations are another easy option. If you are curious about differences in broth, compare with Osaka udon, which puts kelp and dried-fish dashi up front, in our guide to the best udon in Osaka. See also the best udon in Kyoto and our udon guide.

Frequently Asked Questions