Restaurant · Dotonbori
Dotonbori Imai Honten 道頓堀 今井 本店
An elegant udon house on the Dotonbori strip since 1946, serving refined kitsune udon in famously clear, golden dashi, with a willow tree out front.
Hours~11:30-21:30
ClosedWednesday
PriceKitsune udon: ¥1,000
Getting thereNamba Station (Osaka Metro), exit 14, 5 min
Time needed45 min
Best timeLunch
Address1-7-22 Dotonbori, Chuo-ku, Osaka
Websited-imai.com
About
Imai began as a musical instrument shop before switching to udon, and today its main store is a calm wooden oasis in the middle of Dotonbori's neon. The dashi is the star: Hokkaido kombu and dried bonito give it a delicate, almost tea-like clarity. Kitsune udon here is the gold standard, and the anago (conger eel) and seasonal dishes are excellent. The shop also sells its dashi packs as gifts.
Highlights
- Clear, refined kombu-bonito dashi
- Classic kitsune udon with sweet aburaage
- Quiet traditional interior in the middle of Dotonbori
- Willow tree outside, a rare green spot on the strip
- Dashi packs to take home
Tips
- Closed Wednesdays
- Lunch fills fast; arrive at 11:30 or after 14:00
- Buy the dashi packs as a lightweight souvenir
Open in Google Maps · Info checked 2026-10-09
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