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How to become a Soba and Udon Cook

Also called: Udon cook, Soba noodle maker, Soba cook, Japanese food cook

Makes soba (buckwheat noodles) and udon (thick wheat noodles) to serve to customers.

Main tasks

Workers in this job say high school is common. From job tag's survey of people in each job, who could give several answers. It shows what workers see as common, not how many workers hold each level.

How to become one

No particular education or qualifications are needed to start. Some people gain licences such as licensed cook (chorishi), specialist cook or cooking skills certification after starting. Where the restaurant makes its own noodles, many people gain the national noodle making skills qualification to build their knowledge and skills. You can spend several years learning the skills and business know-how and aim to open your own restaurant. A spirit of hospitality towards customers is important. Soba and udon chains have company-run and franchise outlets. Company-run outlets employ permanent staff as manager candidates as well as part-time and casual staff. Chains send ingredients prepared in a central kitchen to each outlet, where part-time and casual staff mostly cook and serve customers.

Ways in

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Questions people ask

How do I become a Soba and Udon Cook?

No particular education or qualifications are needed to start. Some people gain licences such as licensed cook (chorishi), specialist cook or cooking skills certification after starting. Where the restaurant makes its own noodles, many people gain the national noodle making skills qualification to build their knowledge and skills. You can spend several years learning the skills and business know-how and aim to open your own restaurant. A spirit of hospitality towards customers is important. Soba and udon chains have company-run and franchise outlets. Company-run outlets employ permanent staff as manager candidates as well as part-time and casual staff. Chains send ingredients prepared in a central kitchen to each outlet, where part-time and casual staff mostly cook and serve customers.

How much does a Soba and Udon Cook earn in Japan?

Average annual income in the private sector, bonus included, is ¥3,790,800 (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare). The figure is for the wage survey group Food and drink preparatory workers, which covers several jobs.

Do you need a degree to become a Soba and Udon Cook?

Usually not. In this job's census occupation group, only 10% of workers are university graduates. Ways in include: National trade skills test (技能検定); Vocational college (専門学校) course: Cooking.

Will AI change the work of a Soba and Udon Cook?

Generative AI can do relatively little of this work, by the ILO's global estimate.

Sources

独立行政法人労働政策研究・研修機構（JILPT）作成 職業情報データベース 解説系ダウンロードデータ（IPD_DL_description_7_01.xlsx）ver.7.01 職業情報提供サイト（job tag）より2026年10月4日にダウンロード（https://shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/download）を加工して作成

独立行政法人労働政策研究・研修機構（JILPT）作成 職業情報データベース 簡易版数値系ダウンロードデータ（IPD_DL_numeric_7_00.xlsx）ver.7.00 職業情報提供サイト（job tag）より2026年10月4日にダウンロード（https://shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/download）を加工して作成

Sources: JILPT Occupational Information Database download data via job tag (解説系 ver.7.01 and 簡易版数値系 ver.7.00, downloaded 4 October 2026), processed by Peernovo; MHLW, Basic Survey on Wage Structure 2025; Statistics Bureau of Japan, 2020 Population Census; MEXT, School Basic Survey 2025; MHLW, Employment Referrals for General Workers (Hello Work statistics). Figures processed by Peernovo. English job names, translations and the matching of jobs to statistical groups, schools and degree fields by Peernovo.

Updated 4 October 2026