Matsuya's Official X Tries Store-Limited Mini Cold Udon: 'Just Right for One More Dish'

At 9:55 p.m. on August 5, 2026, Matsuya’s official X account posted, “You can finally get Mini Cold Udon at Matsuya,” reporting on actually eating the Mini Cold Udon, which had only just launched at select stores on August 4. The post described it as “just the right size for one more dish, and it goes down smoothly” and “of course, it’s great on its own too,” calling it “a perfect dish for the hot summer” and inviting readers to “try it on a day when you want something light and refreshing.” It also noted at the end that the dish is “available only at select stores, sold from 3:00 p.m. to 11:00 a.m. the next day,” flagging the limited stores and hours.

Smooth, Cold Udon in a Bowl

The image accompanying the post shows cold udon served in a bowl that’s vermilion inside and black outside. Thin udon noodles sit in a clear broth, topped generously with chopped scallions and a pinch of condiments in the center. The noodles, lifted with chopsticks, glisten, hinting at the smooth texture the post describes as “goes down smoothly.” It works as a cold side dish alongside rice or a set meal, but is equally satisfying and refreshing on its own.

290 Yen Alone, Sold From 3:00 P.M. to 11:00 A.M. the Next Morning

Mini Cold Udon launched at select stores at 10:00 a.m. on August 4. It’s priced at 290 yen on its own, and as the post revealed, it’s sold from 3:00 p.m. to 11:00 a.m. the next day. Skipping the midday peak hours, it’s a time-limited dish served only from the afternoon through the following morning. True to its “Mini” name, it’s just the right size for one more dish, positioning it as a side item or a way to finish off the night during the hot season.

At the time of the launch announcement, the dish was offered at 634 of the 1,207 Matsuya stores nationwide, concentrated in the Greater Tokyo and Kinki areas. On the first day of sale, August 4, the count dipped slightly from 634 to 632 stores, and as of August 5, availability remained limited to a select group of stores.

Alongside Hiyajiru, Released the Same Day, a Pair of Summer Signatures

At 10:00 a.m. on August 4, when Mini Cold Udon hit stores, another cold menu item, Hiyajiru, launched at the same time. While Hiyajiru joined the nationwide menu at 390 yen on its own, among other prices, Mini Cold Udon was sold only at select stores—so even though the two dishes launched the same day, their reach differs. The official X account had posted the announcements for both dishes back to back the evening before, on July 31, with Hiyajiru first and Mini Cold Udon about an hour later.

Taste-test reports have since come out for both dishes as well, but while Hiyajiru was reported on with “it’s finally here” on the night of its launch day, August 4, the taste-test report for Mini Cold Udon came a day later, in this post on the night of August 5. The official account rolled out its reports on these cold dishes for the hot season one day apart, in sequence.

A Rare Udon Item on the Matsuya Menu

Udon is a dish rarely seen on the Matsuya menu. Looking back through past announcements, a Cold Udon appeared in June 2005 limited to the western Japan region, and a hot Extra Green Onion Meat Udon appeared at select stores in November 2022. As a cold udon dish, it’s the first in a while, and for a chain built around Beef Bowl and Curry and Rice, a bowl of smooth noodles remains a rare sight.

Amid a string of new cold menu items rolled out for summer, Mini Cold Udon arrived in a narrowly targeted form, limited to select stores and hours. How it’s received at the stores that carry it now looks set to shape whether it spreads further.