Shiki no Sennari is a long-established diner in Aomori City, established in 1932, with a history spanning more than 90 years, and is much loved by the locals.

It is particularly famous for its nabeyaki udon, a signature dish that has been served for more than 60 years. The hot nabeyaki udon is an excellent way to warm up in the cold winter months of Aomori, with a good balance of mochi, prawn tempura, fish cakes, burdock root and spring onions, making it a hearty and comforting dish.

Shiki no Sennari is also popular for its ramen and set menus, especially the Chinese noodles with char siu pork and wontons, a perfect combination of gentle broth and thin, frizzy noodles. With its nostalgic flavour, it is well received by locals and tourists alike.

Recently the shop returned to Shinmachi Street following the redevelopment of Shinmachi and reopened in March 2024. The shop is decorated in a tapestry-like style with tenugui hand towels in patterns representing the seasons, including the Senari gourd after which the shop is named.

The owner, Mr Narita, is 64 years old. Taking over this shop, which was started by his predecessor, was something he took for granted as a child. His mother was from a sweet shop in Ginza and his grandmother from Kanda, and two generations in a row, a woman from Tokyo and a man from Aomori have become a couple. Mr Narita himself went to Yokohama when he was young and trained there. This episode is like the taste of ‘Shiki no Sennari’, which has both the chic of the Edo people and the honesty of the Tsugaru people.

Even now, while making makanaki, Narita-san is usually ‘playing pranks’ and is always experimenting with various ideas and developing new menu items. His latest hit, he says, is the tuna carpaccio bowl. However, out of 100 prototype menus, only three or four are adopted.

Also, as the restaurant was originally a sweet shop, there is a wide range of mochi on the menu. The three-coloured Zenzai (Zenzai with black sesame, soybean flour and abekawa mochi) is also popular.

The shop will continue to warm the hearts and bodies of nearby office workers by preserving its traditional taste while adding new charms.