Down the famous town of Shimokawa, known for its timber and ski jumping, recently gaining fame for its hand-pulled noodles, we decided to have lunch at a place serving hand-made udon noodles. We came across a neat-looking restaurant called "Minamiya" while passing through Route 239, and arrived at the restaurant around 1 pm, only to find it closed for preparation. Despite the information on Tabelog showing a lunch last order time of 1:30 pm... Anyway, we found other places in town serving hand-pulled noodles, and chose the closest one. Turns out it's basically right next door. The parking is available across the street at a public parking lot (free). From the outside, the restaurant looks like a snack bar (karaoke, maybe?) at night. They also recommend ramen made by Katou Ramen from Asahikawa, but we were here for the town's hand-pulled noodles. It's quite unusual for a town with a population of 3000 to have 9 noodle factories. Perhaps they are shifting from timber to secondary industries. The noodles arrived quickly after ordering, but the presentation was lacking. It didn't look like a 750 yen dish, more like a 500 yen soba bowl. The taste was decent, but the broth was weak. The noodles lacked the impact of Sanuki udon, but the thinness showcased the hand-pulled noodle flavor. We plan to try their fresh udon next time and enjoy it with our favorite broth.

It was very delicious! The service from the uncle and auntie was great, and we were able to enjoy a warm atmosphere until we left. I would love to go again if I have the chance.

"Ajiyoshi in Shimokawa Town, Hokkaido, opens at 11:00 with a parking lot available. Smoking is allowed. At night, it turns into a snack bar called Swan Karaoke with monitors. During the day, they serve soy sauce ramen for 900 yen, which is a bit pricey. The operation is efficient and they can handle a lot of customers. The Asahikawa ramen with pork cutlet was crispy at first but softened over time. The cutlet was thick and delicious. The other toppings were on the lighter side. While it may not be worth a special trip, it's a good place to stop by. Tourists might prefer the hand-pulled udon next door, though they also have udon here."

Shimokawa Town is known for its hand-made udon noodles. When I tried to visit Minamiya, they were closed for a private event. It seemed like a popular choice for other riders to go to Ajimoyoshi Shokudo next door for curry or ramen instead. However, Shimokawa is known for its udon noodles, so I decided to stay and try their udon. The restaurant had a snack bar-like atmosphere and displayed autographs and photos of a famous ski jumper from Shimokawa. The udon was decent, nothing special.

Located in Shimokawa-cho, Hokkaido along National Route 239, this establishment operates as a snack bar (Swan) at night and a dining hall during the day. It opens at 11:00 AM and is closed on Sundays. Parking can be difficult, but there is a shared parking lot across the road in the shopping district. The current location has been in operation since at least 2013. Upon revisiting in November 2016, the reviewer ordered the fried rice (750 yen) which came with Fukujinzuke instead of pickled ginger. The portion was small and the taste was average. The reviewer also received a seaweed soup. During another visit in October 2016, the atmosphere was described as very much like a snack bar, with loud background music coming from a large LCD TV. The reviewer visited with four others and ordered dishes such as pork miso ramen and curry cutlet rice. The service was fast, with all five dishes arriving almost simultaneously. The ramen noodles were thin and soft, and the broth was not very spicy but rather on the sweeter side. The toppings included minced meat, bean sprouts, bamboo shoots, fish cake, mushrooms, seaweed, and green onions. Overall, the reviewer found the food to be enjoyable, with a unique sweetness that they found addictive. The ramen lacked traditional toppings like pork and egg, but the flavors and textures were satisfying.