Photo/Illutration “Udon” noodles are a staple in Kagawa Prefecture. (Asahi Shimbun file photo)

TAKAMATSU--Kagawa’s efforts to brand itself as Japan’s “Udon Prefecture” would appear to have paid off after it ranked first in a survey on the popularity of noodle specialties across the country.

A questionnaire by Jalan travel magazine on July 10-12 found that Kagawa on the island of Shikoku is the first prefecture that comes to mind among internet users when the word “noodle” is mentioned.

Kagawa has spent more than a decade on promotional efforts to brand itself as the nation’s Udon Prefecture.

The online survey covered residents in all 47 prefectures in their 20s to 50s.

Respondents were asked to choose up to three prefectures that they considered to be most renowned for their noodle dishes. The magazine received 1,034 valid responses.

Fukuoka Prefecture, famed for its Hakata Ramen and Nagahama Ramen, placed second. Hokkaido, home to Sapporo Ramen and Hakodate Ramen, took the No. 3 spot.

Nagano was among other prefectures ranking high on the list of noodle delicacies with “Shinshu Soba,” along with Fukushima for Kitakata Ramen and Okinawa for Okinawa Soba.

Kagawa Prefecture was more than twice as popular as the runner-up, Fukuoka Prefecture.

Recruit Co., the publisher of Jalan, did not disclose how many votes each prefecture won.

Among comments received from respondents in the survey, one individual simply noted Kagawa’s reputation as the nation’s Udon Prefecture. Others noted that Kagawa is particularly “famous for its udon meals” like “Sanuki Udon.”

Kagawa Governor Toyohito Ikeda referred to the result during a regular news conference on Sept. 9.

“I am really happy about the outcome,” he said. “Our future plan is to publicize other delicacies and tourist spots on a much wider scale too, taking advantage of the strong recognition of udon as a gateway.”

Kagawa kicked off its Udon Prefecture drive in October 2011.

A promotional video featuring actor Jun Kaname, who hails from Mitoyo city in western Kagawa Prefecture, was released where Kaname declares the changing of the prefecture’s name to Udon Prefecture as its vice governor.

Both the public and private sectors in Kagawa Prefecture have since been staging a range of publicity campaigns centered on udon.

JR Takamatsu Station in Takamatsu was nicknamed Sanuki Takamatsu Udon Station. Kagawa collaborated with the mascot Slowpoke from the Pokemon franchise, since its Japanese name Yadon sounds similar to the word “udon.”

Information on udon in the prefecture is currently available on the official Visit Kagawa website of the Kagawa Prefecture Tourism Association, as the category of noodle is deemed as a representative local staple in Kagawa.

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