Visited "Karukaya" in Ikebukuro. It is a popular udon restaurant located on the rooftop of Seibu Department Store. Seibu Department Store is known for its "Food and Green Sky Garden," where they open the rooftop as an eatery space. It is open and airy during the day, and the atmosphere is great with the lights at night. There are many unique shops, including light meals, making it a hidden gem to visit. "Karukaya" seems to be an old udon restaurant with a blue noren sign that says "Handmade Udon." They only accept cash payments, no credit cards. Receipts are currently not supported by invoices. Perhaps there was some agreement on rights in the early days (just a guess). Stamina Udon (cold) for 650 yen tax included is udon with aburaage, sansai, tempura bits, negi, and raw egg. It is topped with red pepper and sesame. The udon is Sanuki-style with a firm texture. The cold noodles blend well with the soup. The aburaage is sweet, the tempura bits and negi provide a crunchy texture, and the sansai adds a flavorful accent. The udon is delicious! It is a hidden gem on the department store rooftop. With its long history, I hope they continue to preserve the good things. You may want to buy water from nearby shops or bring a bottle of tea as they do not provide water. It was very delicious. I will definitely come back. Thank you for the meal.

I have been living near the Seibu Ikebukuro Line for 34 years. I finally visited "Karukaya," the udon restaurant on the rooftop of Seibu that I had always been curious about. It was my first time on the rooftop, and the location was fantastic. Even though it was late September and nearly 30 degrees, there were plenty of tables under tents providing shade, and the sky was incredibly blue and refreshing! I ordered the Stamina Udon, which came with fox, raw egg, mountain vegetables, and various toppings, served cold (bukkake style), along with a can of Super Dry beer. I sprinkled plenty of shichimi spice on top and enjoyed it. The udon was like a mix between Musashino and Yoshida udon, with a chewy texture. As a fan of firm and smooth Sanuki udon, I found it to be just okay, but I did enjoy the flavorful broth. More than the udon itself, the location was just lovely. They also offer other catering options, so it's a perfect place to skip work and enjoy a lunch beer while soaking in the atmosphere of Ikebukuro. Delicious lunch beer!!

This is a udon restaurant on the 8th floor rooftop of Seibu Ikebukuro store. The reviews were good, so I finally visited the place. I ordered Stamina Udon at the counter, paid, and waited for about a minute. Although the restaurant is labeled as Sanuki Udon, the udon tasted more like Musashino Udon - thick and firm. It left a somewhat mediocre impression, without any special excitement when eating. I think once is enough for me.

"Karukaya Udon at Seibu Department Store in Ikebukuro. Delicious, cheap, and fast! Handmade thick udon noodles with a strong wheat flavor. The broth is also delicious. Definitely worth a repeat visit. #Karukaya #KarukayaUdon #Ikebukuro #IkebukuroGourmet #IkebukuroDinner #IkebukuroLunch #IkebukuroUdon #HandmadeUdon #ThickNoodles #Handmade #SeibuIkebukuro #ToshimaWard #ToshimaWardGourmet"

Nostalgic taste after over 20 years. I used to frequent Seibu Department Store and seeing the news about the strike made me nostalgic, so I decided to visit. I had the dipping udon without green onions. It was cheap and delicious. The rooftop has been renovated and looks beautiful! Two foreigners were running the place. Thank you!

When it comes to the rooftop of a department store, in the past there used to be a pet shop, a small amusement park with a simple train going back and forth, a rotating flower cup, a merry-go-round, and a telescope where you could see the cityscape for 3 minutes with just 10 yen. Those were the days when we would wait for our mothers to finish shopping while enjoying the urban view and the children's laughter. I wonder when the children's cheers disappeared from the rooftop... Nowadays, most of these things have disappeared, and some places have even closed their rooftops. The rooftop of Seibu Ikebukuro Main Store doesn't have those old amusements, but the delicious hand-made udon shop "Karukaya" has been operating since long ago. I looked it up, and it's been around since 1968, so it's already a long-established shop. It's very popular among people working nearby rather than shoppers. They claim to serve Sanuki udon, but it has a taste that is somewhat Saitama-like, delicious hand-made udon. It's a great open-air shop where you can eat your favorite udon for 500-600 yen, which is quite reasonable for authentic hand-made udon in Tokyo. It's been a long time since I last came here. The rooftop itself seems to have become somewhat cleaner compared to the past. Looking up at the sky of Ikebukuro while slurping udon. Chieko Takamura lamented that there is no real sky in Tokyo, but the sky in Ikebukuro is always cloudy. I don't remember ever seeing a clear sky. It shouldn't be like that, right?

The restaurant "Food and Green Sky Garden" is located on the 9th floor of Seibu Ikebukuro Main Store. It is a terrace-like space where you can enjoy outdoor BBQ during seasons like summer. There are several small shops like a food court, where you can enjoy drinks and meals. You order and pay directly at the shop, and the food is served on a tray once it's ready. The terrace has many table seats, around 100, and during BBQ season, some tables have stoves for BBQ. The menu offers about 10 types of udon, both cold and hot. I tried the udon named after the restaurant, which had bonito flakes on top. It had a rich flavor and was served with kamaboko and sweet fried tofu. The handmade udon noodles were thick and had a good chewy texture. The broth was dark and slightly sweet, with a strong umami taste. Overall, it was a comforting and nostalgic dish. I will definitely come back!

I heard that there is a very popular udon restaurant on the 9th floor rooftop garden of Seibu Department Store in Ikebukuro. I was surprised to find an udon restaurant in a place like this! The restaurant has a simple and small appearance, and I decided to try their cold dipping udon without hesitation. The price was only 550 yen, which is surprisingly cheap for hand-made udon without relying on machines. The noodles were thick and chewy, but strangely had a gentle texture. When dipped in the cold dipping sauce and mixed with a raw egg, it was incredibly delicious! Even in the hot summer, you can enjoy dining on the terrace seats with some having a roof, so it's very comfortable. Definitely worth a visit! ▶︎ Menu Dipping Udon ¥550 ————Crowd Information / Customer Base———— ▶︎ Arrived on a weekday at 10:50 AM 0 people waiting ▶︎ Entered the restaurant at 10:50 AM ▶︎ Food arrived at 11:53 AM ▶︎ Female: Male = 5:5

It was very delicious. The udon noodles had a firm texture and were filled with plenty of ingredients like deep-fried tofu, tempura flakes, and mountain vegetables. The light broth was also very tasty. There was a generous amount of udon noodles, which were thick and chewy with a satisfying texture. I mixed the egg into the noodles and it was amazing. It was delicious. The rooftop of the department store had a refreshing atmosphere and it felt really good. I had a non-alcoholic beer. It was a relaxed and enjoyable experience with a lot of people who seemed to be in a time warp.

Eating slippery and chewy udon on the rooftop was amazing. The service was quick, so I was able to eat right away and was very satisfied. It wasn't incredibly delicious, but it had a nostalgic taste that makes me want to eat it occasionally. I think I'll go back on a sunny day.

On a Saturday morning, after finishing my errands in Ikebukuro, I found myself hungry around 12:30 pm. I hadn't eaten much in the morning, just a banana and a yogurt drink, so I decided to head to the rooftop café at Seibu Ikebukuro store. It had been 5 years since my last visit. As expected, the sun was blazing on the rooftop, but sitting under the tent provided some shade and a decent breeze. The place was not crowded, which was nice. I noticed they had a special menu item for the month: "Chilled Grilled Eggplant Miso Udon." I decided to try it. I couldn't order a large portion on weekends, so I stuck with the regular size. The dish arrived quickly, just as pictured on the menu. The udon had a good chewy texture, similar to Musashino udon, with a nice coldness that was refreshing. The grilled eggplant was peeled and soft, adding a delicious flavor. Topped with bonito flakes, fish cake, and fried tofu, and served with grated radish and green onions, the broth was flavorful. I added extra shichimi spice for some heat. Overall, the meal was satisfying and tasty. The udon has been a staple at this place for over 55 years, and I hope it continues to thrive despite the recent changes in ownership. Thank you for the delicious meal.

Located on the rooftop of Seibu Department Store, this place offers authentic Musashino udon at a reasonable price. The Tsukimi Udon for 550 yen includes mountain vegetables and tempura flakes, yet is priced similar to standing soba noodles. The noodles are delicious, true to the Musashino udon style. The other toppings also have the expected flavors. Should have tried it sooner.

Ikebukuro Seibu's rooftop is my favorite udon restaurant with many fond memories. I went there with friends and my girlfriend, feeling happy to be together. The texture of the udon noodles became addictive, and I was charmed by the perfect saltiness of the soup. It's also nice to enjoy the lovely rooftop setting.

It's a famous restaurant, right? As an udon restaurant on the department store rooftop, it has quite a reputation, isn't it? Even though it's been over half a century since it was born in Ikebukuro, for some reason when it comes to department stores, it's not Seibu but Tobu. So, despite knowing of its existence until today, I hadn't had the opportunity to visit. Today, I ordered udon with toppings of seaweed, fried tofu, and kelp. The twisted and chewy udon had a nostalgic deliciousness to it.

During a break from work, I had a solo lunch at a noodle shop located on the rooftop of Seibu Ikebukuro Main Store, directly connected to Ikebukuro Station. This shop has been serving traditional hand-made noodles for over 50 years and I was excited to visit for the first time. I arrived around 2 pm on a scorching Tuesday with the temperature exceeding 36 degrees. The shop itself only had a stand for ordering, with tables shared with other stores in a food court style. Due to the post-lunch peak hour and the sweltering heat, there were few people around. I carefully looked at the menu placed next to the stand and ordered the signature cold Karuka Soba and Udon. The staff responded in a relaxed manner but quickly prepared my order. The noodles were noticeably uneven, a characteristic of traditional hand-made noodles. They had a pleasant chewy texture that paired well with the sweet chilled bonito-based soup. The toppings were simple - two slices of triangular deep-fried tofu, fish cake, green onions, and bonito flakes. As I enjoyed the meal, two sparrows were drawn to the aroma and approached me. No way, I'm not sharing! Despite the outdoor setting adding a unique tension, I finished the dish in 5 minutes. It was delicious and I will definitely be coming back. Thank you for the meal. I'll be back again.

I heard there is a popular udon restaurant on the rooftop of Seibu Ikebukuro, so I came here. The open atmosphere on the rooftop is also said to be nice. It was a weekday during a scorching heatwave. When I came on weekends before, there was a long line in front of the store, so I even gave up on waiting. But on weekdays, there were plenty of free seats available. Eating udon in the blazing sun. It was a first-time experience, how would it turn out? I chose the popular dipping udon. It was possible to add a large serving for an extra 100 yen on weekdays, so I added that as well. By the way, for some reason, you cannot get a large serving on weekends. The noodles were hand-made udon. They were uneven and the thickness gave different textures, overall the chewiness was not bad, but the firmness was not that great. I think it's more about enjoying the flavor of udon itself (made from wheat flour and salt) rather than the texture or mouthfeel. The rustic feeling unique to hand-made noodles is characteristic. The dipping broth had a sweet flavor with a strong taste of bonito. It had a familiar taste, but also reminded me of home-cooked meals. You could probably get close to it by using commercially available bonito-based noodle soup at home. It's not exceptionally delicious, but it has a nostalgic and familiar taste, and considering the cost performance, it's totally worth it. People who like it would probably really enjoy the taste. After finishing the meal, I realized that ordering the udon in a large serving was a mistake. The dipping broth is originally cold, so towards the end, the udon became lukewarm and had a strange feeling. Ordering a large serving also meant the noodles themselves lacked firmness. I must have been a little crazy to order a large serving in the scorching heat, haha. Next time, I want to try other types of udon. Thank you for the meal!＾＾

I finally made it to the rooftop garden at Tanuki Udon Seibu. I've been wanting to eat here for a while, but the timing never worked out. I decided to visit in the late afternoon before it got too hot, making it an early dinner. I ordered the cold tanuki udon for just one coin, and couldn't believe the portion size for the price! The udon noodles were soft with varying thickness, the broth was rich, and the tanuki topping had a delicious and affordable flavor. I really enjoyed it. Don't hesitate to visit the rooftop, but be aware that it's not ideal in the rain. I had to eat with an umbrella because the parasols were not very effective.

On a regular weekday at 1:00 PM, it was not crowded. It is a rooftop restaurant at Seibu Ikebukuro, meant for eating outdoors. It is not a fancy place, but I like this kind of location. I ordered the Stamina Udon (hot) for 650 yen. The homemade udon noodles were delicious as always. Despite the scorching sun, eating hot udon and sweating felt good. The cost performance is also good.

Since 1968, "Karukaya" has been located on the rooftop of Seibu Ikebukuro main store. When visiting a food court on a department store rooftop, one might not expect much in terms of taste. However, "Karukaya" stands out with its commitment to handcrafted noodles. They do all the cutting and shaping by hand, without the use of machines. The texture is outstanding, with slightly salty and firm noodles that are truly delicious. I recommend trying their cold udon during the cool evening hours – it's absolutely fantastic!

Seibu Ikebukuro's rooftop has the best cost-effective udon restaurant. My favorite dish during hot weather is their cold Karakaya udon. The noodles have varying thickness for a diverse texture, the broth is flavorful, and the combination of bonito flakes, fish cake, and egg is unique and delicious.