A bowl of plain noodles on a countertop. It yaki udon a comfort food for many Japanese people. There are a variety of ways it is prepared and served.
More unusual variants include stir-fried yaki udon and curry udon made with Japanese curry. It is often used in “shabu shabu” or Japanese hot pot. This section does not cite any sources. There are many stories explaining the origin of udon. One story says that in AD 1241, Enni, a Rinzai monk, introduced flour milling technology from Song China to Japan.
Floured crops were then made into noodles such as udon, soba, and pancakes in Japan which were eaten by locals. Milling techniques were spread around the country. Another story states that during the Nara period, a Japanese envoy to Tang Dynasty China was introduced to 14 different kinds of food. The muginawa is believed to be an origin for many kinds of Japanese noodles. However, the muginawa in Shinsen Jikyō was made with wheat and rice flour. Another story for udon claims that the original name of the noodle was konton, which was made with wheat flour and sweet fillings.