Handa Somen and Tsurugi Town: Tokushima’s Thick Hand-Stretched Noodles and Sadamitsu’s Two-Tier Udatsu Street

Quick answer: Handa somen (半田そうめん) are hand-stretched wheat noodles made in the Handa district of Tsurugi town, western Tokushima, for roughly 200 years. They’re thicker and firmer than ordinary somen. Eat them cold in summer or hot as nyumen in winter. Buy them at Michi-no-Eki Sadamitsu Yuyukan or the producers’ cooperative office in Handa (a 300 g bag is ¥540). Then walk Sadamitsu’s two-tier udatsu street — about 700 m and free — 10 minutes on foot from JR Sadamitsu Station, which the Limited Express Tsurugisan reaches from Tokushima in under an hour.

I eat Handa somen often at home, cold in summer. I’ve bought it from producers and shops, and I’ve walked the two-tier udatsu street in Sadamitsu. Here’s what makes these noodles different, where to buy them and how to fit Tsurugi town into a trip.

What is Handa somen?

• Hand-stretched: the dough is stretched and rested again and again by hand (手延べ, tenobe).
• Thicker: one producer gives a diameter of about 1.4–1.6 mm, while ordinary somen is under 1.3 mm. Under Japan’s JAS food standard it’s technically classed as hiyamugi, but it can be labelled “somen” by local custom.
• Firm and chewy: it has strong koshi (bite) and holds up well when boiled.
• Why here: cold winds from the Shikoku mountains and water from the Yoshino River are often given as reasons for its quality.
• Every producer is different: the height of each workshop (up to nearly 300 m apart), the wheat blend and the salt all vary. The producers’ cooperative suggests comparing a few.

A short history

Hand-stretched somen has been made in Handa for about 200 years, since the late Edo period. One theory is that Yoshino River boatmen brought the technique from Miwa in Nara, by way of Awaji and Naruto. Handa is now the only somen-making area left in Tokushima, and “Handa somen” has been a registered regional brand since 2022.

Today there are around 20 family-run producers. Somen was traditionally made in the cold months, November to March, but production now runs all year.

Don’t expect to see racks of noodles drying in the sun. Most producers now dry indoors, and as of December 2024 only three producers still sun-dried their somen.

How to eat it

• Cold in summer — this is how I eat it.
• Hot as nyumen (in broth) in winter, or added to a hotpot.
• Sudachi somen, with Tokushima’s own citrus. See What to Eat in Tokushima.
• The curved ends (fushi) left over from production go into a soup called fushi-jiru.
• Because it holds up when boiled, it also works in pasta-style or pho-style dishes.

Where to buy Handa somen

• Price: the cooperative’s 300 g bag (3 bundles) is ¥540, after a price rise in March 2025.
• Many producers sell mainly by phone or mail order, so the places above are the easiest for a walk-in visit.
• The Yuyukan restaurant menu was updated in August 2026, so check what’s being served before you go.

Sadamitsu’s two-tier udatsu street

Udatsu are raised firewalls on the sides of old merchant houses. In Sadamitsu the front part of each udatsu sits lower than the back, making a two-tier (nisō) udatsu — a design that’s rare in Japan.

Merchants here grew rich on leaf tobacco and silk cocoons until about 1955, and they competed to build ever more decorative udatsu. Look out for the kote-e plaster reliefs of pines, hawks and tortoises. Some residents still run shops in the old buildings.

I’ve walked this street myself. Here’s what’s there:

• Length: about 700 m. Walking the street is free.
• Orimotoya (織本屋): an old merchant house that once brewed sake, now a rest house. Free, 10:00–17:00, closes on irregular days (usually Tuesday).
• Former Nagai Family Shoya House: a village headman’s house nearby. Free, 10:00–17:00, closed on the 3rd Wednesday and 29 December–3 January.
• Guided walks: town-certified guides lead walks for ¥500 per person (1–1.5 hours) from the town hall, at a time you choose. Book on 0883-62-3114 and ask about languages.
• Parking: 59 free spaces shared by the town hall, Orimotoya and the Nagai House.
• Awa Odori: the town’s summer dance festival is held on this street every 15–16 August, 19:00–22:00.

Narutaki Falls (optional)

About 11 km up Route 438 from Sadamitsu, Narutaki drops 85 m in three tiers — the tallest waterfall in Tokushima Prefecture. There’s a small car park with about six spaces.

Getting there

• Train: the Limited Express Tsurugisan runs from Tokushima to Sadamitsu in about 52–56 minutes, four times a day westbound (November 2026 timetable). Sadamitsu Station is unstaffed, and the udatsu street is about 10 minutes on foot.
• Handa by train: the Tsurugisan doesn’t stop at Awa-Handa. Take a local train one stop west from Sadamitsu.
• Car: about 10 minutes from Mima IC to Sadamitsu, and about an hour from Tokushima city.

See Renting a Car in Shikoku and Driving in Rural Shikoku.

Combine it with Wakimachi and Iya

• Wakimachi is just across the Yoshino River on the north bank. Its udatsu are the classic kind, so you can see both styles in one day. See Wakimachi Udatsu Townscape.
• Iya Valley: the Tsurugisan train continues west to Awa-Ikeda. See Iya Valley and Oboke and Deep Iya (Oku-Iya).
• Mt Tsurugi: Route 438 from Sadamitsu climbs to the Minokoshi trailhead in about 80–90 minutes, with narrow sections. The chairlift runs from mid-April to around the end of November (¥2,300 return, cash only). See Mt Tsurugi Hike.

See Where to Stay in Tokushima.

FAQ

How is Handa somen different from ordinary somen?
It’s thicker (about 1.4–1.6 mm) and firmer, and it’s hand-stretched. It holds up well when boiled.

Where can I buy it?
At Michi-no-Eki Sadamitsu Yuyukan, the producers’ cooperative office in Handa, Michi-no-Eki Mima no Sato, or a souvenir shop at Tokushima Airport.

Can I see somen drying in the sun?
Probably not. Most producers now dry it indoors, and only three were still sun-drying as of December 2024.

Can I visit without a car?
Yes. Take the Limited Express Tsurugisan from Tokushima to Sadamitsu (about 52–56 minutes), then walk about 10 minutes to the udatsu street.

Shop hours, prices and train times checked on the Handa Tenobe Somen Cooperative, Tsurugi Town, Michi-no-Eki Sadamitsu Yuyukan and JR timetable websites on 29 October 2026.

Kaz

Tokushima local with family roots in Hiroshima

I live in Tokushima and my family is from Hiroshima, where I also used to live. I still go back several times a year. The guides here come from places I have actually been. Where I haven't tried something myself, I say so.