Kagawa Prefecture is thinking of changing its name to Udon Prefecture because it has become so famous for its udon noodles. Well, maybe prefectural officials are joking, but they'd sure like to honor their famous udon.
As part of the campaign, actor Jun Kaname is promoting Udon Prefecture as the vice Udon prefectural governor who was born in Udon Prefecture.
The official Udon Prefecture homepage got over 170,000 hits in six days after it was launched, and it is still getting a lot of attention from media and some people who think the name change is going to happen.
What do you think? Would you live in Udon Prefecture?
© Japan Today
35 Comments
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gogogo
Where do I start, firstly you don't measure sites by hits... second any new website is going to be indexed by search engines nearly straight away.
Take 20% (very conservative) away for search engines....
leaves us 136,000 "hits"
Lets say the site has 20 pages, 20 elements per page (this is VERY conservative)
that is 400 hits per person visiting the site.
So 136,000 / 400 = 340 "people"
Over 6 days
57 people per day.
or 2 people per hour...
I'm sorry to burst their bubble...
ActionThisDay
I didn't enjoy living in Okonomiyaki-ken so much, but I do love Yatai-ken.
Ranger_Miffy2
THis one makes my day. Really amusing website for Udon-ken. Fukushima...just what should we call it? Mom-ken? Denki Momo-ken? Tough one there. Someone should make a map with mouse rollovers for nicknames for all the ken. That would be hilarious. Just having fun with this one.
gelendestrasse
I don't know if I would want to name a prefecture after a limp noodle.
BurakuminDes
@TokyoGas - many people say Akita-Ken is the centre for bijin...but I'd wager every prefecture would stake that claim! Heck - there are bijin everywhere in all 47 pref. in my mind!
TokyoGas
Isn't one of the prefectures up north know for beautiful women? Maybe we could have a beautiful woman prefecture. bijin
BurakuminDes
Sorry, Kagawa folk - Udon is only so-so. Chinese Ramen is much better, especilly tan-tan men!
BTW - up in Fukushima, we are Momo-Ken. Just a shame we couldnt eat them this year...
presto345
Sure. What's in a name anyway?
greentea lover
I love Sanuki udon!
keika1628
Udon backwards = Nodu
Jared Norman
Fukushima can become ラドコンヤキ
アメリ フセイン
I like this idea.
nath
I think every prefecture and special districts should change their names to a food name.
But Fukushima will have a tough choice.
Masaaki Nakatsuka
Love it. I am from "Takoyaki" Prefecture.
Sasoriza
Kagawa or Udon, the fact that this is the deep province doesn't change.
Jared Norman
we can change osaka to tako prefecture
Nessie
Udonkusai.
bicultural
Why not go all the way and name it "Sanuki Udon" ken? I agree with a previous poster : nice PR stunt
ReformedBasher
I'll have to try some Sanuki Udon next time I'm there.
Speed
I like it. Sounds desperate, but really, would the locals or anybody else be against it if the prefecture was named "Udon"?
By the way, CrazyJoe, Sanuki used to be the name of the area before it became Kagawa that's why they named their soccer team that.
adhocmanager
I have another one, YamaguchiKen to YakuzaKen....or AichiKen to AkamisoKen.....well if I even ad more how about IbarakiKen to HoushasenKen.
browny1
Christina - as a Shikoku local I can assure you I've heard the term "Kagaa" uttered / mumbled many times - especially by country folk(men).
And yes the Udon campaign is a humorous commercial attempt at attracting attention - and it's working. More udon tours = more money to the locals.
Gurukun
Great Posts!
I'm from Goya-ken (^^)y
Christina O'Neill
tut, tut sorry I miss spelt the name Kagawa, too quick on the keyboard
Christina O'Neill
Thatcher tried to change the name of East Yorkshire to Humberside, peole would not accept the change and continued to address their mail accordingly.Her mistake was the failure to consult the electorate on the matter. If the inhabitants of Kagaa are egreeable to the name change then so be it, if not, scrap it Personaly I would not like my present location to be named after a popular food dish, imagine Wicklow changed to Boxtie
adhocmanager
I agree, in that case lets change ALL the prefectures names.... this is the most idiotic thing I have heard. If Ayhe residents from Kagawa ken decide to change it name, then who's next? Nagano, to SobaKen? Tochigi to GyouzaKen? it's sounds silly to me.
combinibento
I see. In that case it would seem more appropriate for "campaign" to be in quotes, not change, since it is a sham campaign...but what do I know.
Moderator
The quotes indicate it is a marketing gimmick. Without the quotes, some readers might think the prefecture is serious.
Jared Norman
maybe tokyo should become kukukawa prefecture, after the olympus ceo and chairman, i would be a great honor for him
CrazyJoe
Even Kagawa Prefecture's soccer team's name is called Kamatamare Sanuki. Sanuki udon is Kagawa Prefecture's specialty udon.
some14some
if so, adjacent prefectures should change their name to 'Seirogan'-S1, S2..(name of medicine for stomach ache)
Yubaru
Nice PR stunt. Personally I would like to see Tokyo changed to Mickey Mouse To as long as Ishihara is the Governor.
Or how about Ramen Do or Kani Ken for Hokkaido!
combinibento
I don't understand why "change" is in quotes in the headline. Is it supposed to be used ironically?
Gurukun
Too many "Udon" for me...
FutureJames
I read this as "Udon prefecture wants to change it's name". And I was like, well no kidding, what a stupid name. Then I realized no such prefecture existed, so I clicked on this article. They want to change it TO udon? omg ....