It is recorded in the “Shoyuki,” the diary of Heian Period Minister of the Right Fujiwara no Sanesuke, that during Emperor Ichijo’s official visit to the Kasuga Grand Shrine (989 CE) the emperor and his entourage were treated to hakutaku. Hakutaku are flat udon noodles made by thickening wheat and rice flour with yam and then stretching the dough out with a board (“Chujiruiki”). Based on this historical fact, the Nara Food Culture Research Association, in commemoration of the next imperial memorial reconstruction of the Kasuga Grand Shrine, has recreated ancient udon in modern style as “Kasuga Hakutaku Udon.”
Stories related to udon
“Hakutaku karinto” received first place in the Nara gourmet contest “Noodle Division,” which was held in Nara in March, 2015.
References:
1. “Shoyuki,” the diary of Ononomiya Udaijin Fujiwara no Sanesuke (Heian Period)
2. “Chujiruiki,” a cookbook from the Heian Period to the Kamakura Period (Kamakura Period)
3. “1,300 Years of Japanese Noodle Culture,” Ayao Okumura, Rural Culture Association Japan