UdonDirector: Katsuyuki MotohiroWriter: Masashi Todayama (writer)Runtime: 134 minGenre: Comedy/DramaCountry: JapanLanguage: JapaneseFilming Locations: Takamatsu, Kagawa, Japan/ Times Square, NYC, USAYear: 2006It’s about noodles, timeless, Modern Japanese CultureThey do film on location – 4 main islandsHonshu – TokyoKyushuShikoku – where our story takes place Kagawa – prefecture kind of like a state – smallest on theisland with lower population and pretty rural “Small Town”Flying back to Japan from NYC taking a bridge on expressway from Honshu to KagawaKagawa is famous for Udon noodles – more than average of noodle shopsCollege students should be familiar with Raman but also soba and udon noodlesWe get the cheap nasty version real are wheat based, darker yellow, thinner, like spaghetti,springy, cooked aldenteSoba made from buckwheat which makes them darker and better for soaking up brothUdon is super thick noodles, wheat based, white in color made from white flour, cooked aldenteNot served straight up usually often are topped with meats, veggies, and spices, with distinctregional variationNoodles are the base of creating cuisine in JapanReview of Modern Japanese society – looks and feels like the west in terms of wealth,development, clothes, consumer culture, standard of living, etc.Distinctly eastern eccentricities – food and food tourism is starting to appear in America but hasbeen a thing in Japan for a while. Food is entertainment and regional variation is somethingpeople seek out.Traditional Japanese family values and relationshipsGeneration gap between young and old – pretty distinct in japan vs USAThe idea of Honor – big thing in Japan Seppuku, warriors, ninja, samurai not just an individualperson but also the family.Etiquette– the way proper relationships and things are to be done from eating to passingbusiness cards.Shinto Religion – dating back to early 8thcentury – ancestor and nature spirit worship – sacredpower of the dead and objects Confucianism, Daoism, and BuddhismRespect for craftsman ship even when making noodles garners respect from everyonePrevalent in Jiro dreams of sushi – similar elements
