Kishimen Noodles — Nagoya's Flat Udon Tradition

**Sumiyoshi station experience:** Sumiyoshi at Nagoya Station (inside the fare gates on the Shinkansen concourse) represents kishimen's soul — a standing counter serving commuters and travelers since 1950. Order at the vending machine, hand your ticket to staff, and receive steaming kishimen within 90 seconds. The broth is light but flavorful, the noodles freshly boiled, the kamaboko cheerfully pink. Eat while standing (stools available), slurp unabashedly, finish in 5 minutes, and continue your journey. This is Japanese fast food at its most refined. **Noodle texture evaluation:** Properly made kishimen should be firm-tender, not mushy. When lifted from the broth, the noodles should hold their flat shape but drape elegantly. Overcooked kishimen break apart and become slimy. The thickness should be uniform — hand-cut versions show slight variation, while machine-cut are perfectly consistent. The broth should be clear, not cloudy, with visible dashi ingredients floating (bonito flakes, kombu fragments). **Topping variations:** Traditional kishimen is minimalist, but modern shops offer variations: tempura kishimen (topped with shrimp tempura), tsukimi kishimen (raw egg that cooks in hot broth), and curry kishimen (curry-flavored broth). Purists argue these obscure the noodle's delicate character. If trying kishimen for the first time, order kake kishimen (かけきしめん, basic version) to appreciate the foundational flavor before experimenting with toppings.