ヘトヘトになりながら1,368段の石段を降りきったら午後の5時。土産屋や飲食店は閉店、もしくはその準備。でもそばとうどんの店、虎屋さんは閉店時間をやや過ぎていたにもかかわらず気持ちよく私達を入れてくれました。すぐ隣りの「美味しくなければお代はいりません！」と叫んでいたうどん屋さんも気になりましたが、時間ちょうどに閉めてました。選んだのは、しょうゆうどん（450円）。茹でたてのうどんにネギ、大根おろし、カツオ節をのせて、（だし）醤油をかけるだけ。お店の方の「醤油は（円を描きながら）イーチ、ニでイイからね。それ以上かけたら辛いからダメだよ！」というアドバイス通りにして食べてみると・・・うどんが甘い！コシが違う！美味！いままで食べていたウドンはなんだったんだろう！そんな感じでした。店構えが立派なので長い商売をされているんだろうなと思って聞いたら、笑みを浮かべながら「まぁ400年くらいなのよ」とサラリ。スゴい。
After climbing down the 1,368 steps, it was 5pm and all souvenir shops and restaurants were shut (or tried to close). But we were allowed inside the Toraya soba/udon restaurant. On the way to the shrine, we heard the owner of another udon shop next to Toraya shout that if we don't like their udon, we don't need to pay. I was curious about their taste, but they shut the shop at 5pm sharp. Anyway, we ordered Shouyu Udon (¥450 = £2.28). We simply poured soy sauce (plus special soup stock, I think) over the boiled, hand kneaded udon noodles, topped with chopped onion, grated Japanese radish and bonito flakes. The old lady at the shop told us not to use too much sauce. She recommended two big splashes of sauce and we did what she told us. It was super tasty!! The noodles were kind of sweet! The texture was very firm! What kind of udon have I been eating all my life? The shop looked very old so I asked how long the shop has been doing business. Another lady at the shop quietly smiled and said that 'it's been about 400 years'. I couldn't believe it!
