Katsuobushi Specialist Ninben x Akita Prefecture's Inaniwa Housendo: Collaboration to Enjoy Smooth 'Inaniwa Udon' with Dashi - 4 Udon Products on Sale at Ninben Nihombashi Main Store from June 1, 2026

Ninben Co., Ltd. (Chuo-ku, Tokyo; President & Representative Director, Ibei Takatsu) has launched a limited-time collaboration project with Inaniwa Housendo Co., Ltd. (Yuzawa City, Akita Prefecture; President & Representative Director, Sanshiro Iwasaki) starting June 1, 2026.

As part of the collaboration, the Ninben Nihombashi Main Store will sell four types of udon from Inaniwa Housendo, and will also distribute recipe cards introducing dishes made with the udon and Ninben seasonings.

'Inaniwa Udon,' one of Japan's three great udon varieties, is characterized by its unique firmness and strong texture, achieved through the meticulous handcrafting process of skilled artisans. Please experience the potential and charm brought out when combined with katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes) and katsuobushi dashi.

■Collaboration Details

① Sale of Inaniwa Housendo Udon

Inaniwa Housendo is an Inaniwa udon manufacturer located in the Inaniwa district of Yuzawa City, Akita Prefecture, a production area with approximately 350 years of history. Faithfully adhering to inherited techniques, most processes such as 'kneading,' 'hand-twisting,' 'stretching,' 'cutting,' and 'sorting' are done by hand, taking five days to make the udon.

At the Ninben Nihombashi Main Store, four types of udon from Inaniwa Housendo will be sold, including 'Inaniwa Hourai Udon 35,' characterized by its traditional length, and 'Inaniwa Hourai Udon Han-nama' (semi-fresh), which has the aroma of freshly made wheat.

Sales Period: Monday, June 1, 2026 – Friday, July 31, 2026

Inaniwa Hourai Udon 35, 300g, 1,026 yen (tax included)
Traditional-length Inaniwa udon, painstakingly made by hand-twisting each strand individually. *Shelf life: 2 years from manufacture.

Inaniwa Hourai Udon 17.5, 250g, 864 yen (tax included)
Inaniwa udon in a length that is easy to boil even in a small pot, made by hand-twisting each strand individually. *Shelf life: 2 years from manufacture.

Inaniwa Hourai Udon Han-nama, 200g, 702 yen (tax included)
A rare semi-fresh Inaniwa udon in the industry. Enjoy a smooth texture unique to semi-fresh noodles, different from dried noodles. *Shelf life: 90 days from manufacture.

Inaniwa Hourai Udon, Short Inaniwa Udon, 300g, 648 yen (tax included)
Easy-to-eat udon with a 'porridge-like' feel. Its smooth, slippery texture is addictive. Please enjoy it with a spoon or ladle. *Shelf life: 2 years from manufacture.

② In-store Distribution of Recipe Cards

Recipe cards titled 'Ninben x Inaniwa Housendo Recommended Recipes' will be distributed at the Ninben Nihombashi Main Store.

③ Feature and Sale in the Katsuobushi Specialty Store 'Ninben Nihombashi Main Store' Mail-Order Catalog 'Summer Recommendation Issue'

The mail-order catalog, published eight times a year, features special articles on 'katsuobushi' and 'dashi' that can only be read in this booklet. In the 'Summer Recommendation Issue,' Ninben employees actually visited Inaniwa Housendo and reported on the behind-the-scenes of the production site. Please visit the Ninben Nihombashi Main Store and request the mail-order catalog. *Quantities are limited; please understand if distribution ends.

■Voice of the Ninben Person in Charge of this Collaboration Project

Manami Kobayashi, Direct Sales Group, Product & Service Planning Department, Ninben Co., Ltd.

After comparing various udon from across the country, I felt that Inaniwa udon, with its particularly smooth and slippery texture, was perfect for the hot summer, and I conceived this project.

We visited Inaniwa Housendo in Inaniwa-cho, Yuzawa City, Akita Prefecture. Their udon is characterized by the careful handiwork of skilled artisans and the unique firmness and robust texture created by the labor-intensive production process.

At the Ninben Nihombashi Main Store, we have prepared four types of recommended quick recipes that are easy to make by combining this Inaniwa udon with liquid seasonings made from honkare katsuobushi dashi. The store will sell standard Inaniwa udon, as well as the chewy 'han-nama udon' and the 'short Inaniwa udon' that can be enjoyed like porridge. Please enjoy various arrangements at home.

■Voice of the Inaniwa Housendo Person in Charge

Sanshiro Iwasaki, President & Representative Director, Inaniwa Housendo Co., Ltd.

The history of Inaniwa udon dates back to the early Edo period. It was once presented to the lord of the Akita domain, Satake, and even reached the Shogun family and daimyo of various domains. After the Meiji period, it became a tribute item to the Imperial Household Ministry (now the Imperial Household Agency), gaining recognition as a luxury item that only a select few could taste.

The town of Inaniwa, Yuzawa City, Akita Prefecture, where this udon was born, is a nature-rich area nestled in the Kurikoma Mountains, with clear spring water and very cold water even in summer. In winter, snow accumulates to over 180 cm, my height, so it is said that Inaniwa udon was conceived as a preserved food for the winter.

All processes of Inaniwa udon are done by hand by skilled artisans. It takes five days to reach your hands. The udon dough changes its state delicately depending on the weather, temperature, and humidity of the day, so artisans make the udon while 'staring it down' every day.

One artisan said, 'Making udon is like raising a newborn baby; you won't get delicious udon without putting a lot of care into it.' Please fully enjoy the Inaniwa udon, filled with the deep love of such artisans.

■About Inaniwa Housendo

Inaniwa Housendo was founded in 1978 (Showa 48). It started manufacturing Inaniwa Hourai Udon and established Inaniwa Housendo Co., Ltd. in 1978 (Showa 53). In 2021 (Reiwa 3), it changed its trade name to Inaniwa Housendo Co., Ltd. Inheriting traditional manufacturing methods, it produces Inaniwa udon that makes customers say 'Umegoto~' (meaning 'This is delicious!' in the Akita dialect).

■About Ninben

Ninben was founded in 1699 (Genroku 12). It creates various products using katsuobushi, a traditional Japanese food, and 'dashi,' the foundation of Japanese cuisine made from katsuobushi, passing on Japanese food culture. In addition to product development and sales, it expands opportunities to enjoy katsuobushi and dashi through various stores such as the dashi community and specialty store 'Nihombashi Dashi-ba,' the Japanese dining 'Nihombashi Dashi-ba Hanare' where you can taste authentic katsuobushi and dashi, and the dashi side dish specialty store 'Ichijyu Shunsai Nihombashi Dashi-ba.'

■Sales Store

Ninben Nihombashi Main Store

Tokyo's Nihombashi is the origin of 'Ninben.' We aim to pass on 'katsuobushi (aged food),' a source of Japanese pride, to future generations for the next 350, 400 years, and to let people around the world know the 'deliciousness of dashi.' At the 'Ninben Nihombashi Main Store,' the 'Nihombashi Katsuobushi Kaisan-ba' offering freshly shaved katsuobushi and the 'Nihombashi Dashi-ba Honten' with the concept of 'Ichijyu Ichihan' are also popular.

Address: 1F, COREDO Muromachi 1, 2-2-1 Nihombashi Muromachi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo

URL: https://www.ninben.co.jp/store/honten/

*Please check the official Ninben website for the latest business hours.

As a katsuobushi specialty store with over 300 years of history, Ninben aims to be a 'katsuobushi and dashi life design company' that proposes the infinite possibilities of 'katsuobushi' and 'dashi' in all food scenes.