Omen is a local cuisine and dialect of Isesaki, Gunma Prefecture, the hometown of the first owner, Yoji Shinagawa. It seems that Yoji's wife, Tomi, learned how to make noodles at home from her mother. Since its opening, the home-style obanzai made with the desire to "deliver the joy of eating healthy and delicious food" and the tsukemen udon with plenty of condiments have been well received. In 1981, he opened a New York store in Soho, the center of art and culture in the United States, in order to introduce Japanese food culture to the world. Even now, the Ginkakuji main store and Shijo Pontocho store are loved by locals and tourists, and the New York store is loved by people from all over the world as an udon born in Kyoto.
They have their own noodle factory, and the udon made by craftsmen is characterized by the rich flavor of domestic wheat and the chewy texture. Depending on the condition of the wheat and the season, the amount of water and salt, as well as the maturing and noodle-making methods have been devised to always bring out the best flavor. The store's motto is to carefully select high-quality ingredients without using any chemical seasonings or food additives. For the soup stock, we use several types of domestically produced shavings from a Kyoto-based shavings shop that has been around since the Taisho era, as well as plenty of southern Hokkaido kelp. The soup stock has a refreshing taste with a strong umami flavor that brings out the deliciousness of the noodles.