#3130

Meet Yoshida No Udonburi-Chan, Udon Character From Mt. Fuji, Japan!

Mt. Fuji Ready! Yoshida Udon will warm you up and give you energy for your adventure!

There is a very famous type of Udon in Yamanashi Prefecture’s Fujiyoshida City. It is a little bit heavier and stronger than regular Udon so when you try to bite through the noodles it will make your teeth work harder. This is called “Koshi no aru” Udon in Japanese.

It is said that this Yoshida Udon was created by people living on the Northern side of Mt. Fuji because their life was filled with the wonder of fertile nature and the bitter cold of Winter. The people of Fujiyoshida City will finish off a nice dinner or party with thick, tummy-warming Udon noodles. To accent the delicious taste, scallions and a mixture of red pepper and other spices will be added. Other condiments include “Suridane” which is a combination of soy sauce, sugar and sesame.

Obviously, this Udon is for the people who had to fight to survive harsh Winters at the foot of a majestic and mystical mountain. So if you don't mind new foods, and various types of meat, definitely give it a try. Healthy and tasty!

So our little, plumpy Udonburi chan has probably had a lot of this udon judging from her healthy look and ability to wear a tiny kerchief dress in the freezing cold of Mount Fuji Winters.

There are many things to learn from this video about Japan, just to name a few:
1. Most high schools in Japan have uniforms and each high school identifies itself and feels much school pride by the type of uniform the students wear.
2. In the more conservative high schools (actually most of them) students are not allowed to dye their hair so you will see pretty much everyone with jet black natural hair color.
3. Schools have long hallways with classrooms on either side and the doors slide open like you see in the video. The opening scene is one of Sansha Mendan where the teacher, student and student’s parents meet to discuss grades and the students’ future plans. The student will usually express what type of major they would like to do and that will decide which college to try for. In this video, the teacher is saying the girl’s grades are not good enough to ensure success in her chosen path, her mother says “I have tried my best and feel so disappointed about her lack of ability!” The student stands up and blurts out “Why can’t either of you understand me!”
4. Then Udonburi chan gives her some nice warm udon in the school cafeteria and she decides she will make her goal one of spreading the word about Yoshida Udon to the world. Teacher is happy, Mom is happy and Udonburi chan and the student walk off happy, happy happy.

Do you notice one of Udonburi-chan’s charm points? Yes, it is her view from the back. The City homepage describes it as just a little bit sexy as she is wearing a kerchief outfit, a traditional outfit for children from nursery stories in Japan (i.e. Kintaro). Her red kerchief shaped apron-dress says “Best in Japan” and her head is shaped like a nice round Udon bowl (or donburi). Her favorite phrase is “Best in Japan” and she was born on July 1, 2008.

So we think she is a little girl who loves to eat, help people and wants to spread the news about a delicious food and a beautiful Mountain city to the world. Sounds pretty good to us!

The Udon from Fujiyoshida was also selected by the Ministry of Agriculture as one of the top 100 local delicacies in Japan. So when you pass through FujiYoshida City on your way up to Mt. Fuji, don't forget to stop by and try this excellent local dish. It will warm you up, give you energy and ready your senses for the journey and adventures of Mt. Fuji. And hey, you might even run across Udonburi chan!

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