I tried udon soups a number of times that were rewarding on a rainy Kyoto day. But the most memorable was after a long hike through Nanzen-ji temple where I climbed the mountain to a waterfall. By the time I reached Honene Udon, I was famished.

I had to control my hunger because there was a line up. Luckily, I could rest my weary legs on an outside seat until a table was available. But while I ate the most delicious soup I had during my entire Japanese visit, I couldn’t ignore the constant slurps of other diners.
I studied the crowd and discovered it was only men who advertised their satisfaction; women didn’t make a sound consuming their soup.