TAKAMATSU, Japan >> A free on-tap serv­ice offering hot udon dashi — soup or broth for udon noodles — has resumed at Takamatsu Airport in Kagawa prefecture after a three-year hiatus due to the pandemic.

Airport officials said the service was popular among visitors ahead of the Golden Week holidays, when the airport traditionally sees increased traffic.

The faucet is installed in a corner of Sora no Eki Kagawa, a space that displays and sells Kagawa specialty goods, on the second floor of the airport terminal building.

The faucet dispenses hot udon broth flavored with dried sardines, dried bonito shavings and kelp.

According to airport officials, the faucet was installed in July 2010 and service was suspended in March 2020. The soup became available once more April 20.

The soup is made using stock of Sanuki Mengyo, a company that operates udon noodle restaurants both inside and outside the prefecture. The company had provided a total of more than 5,280 gallons of broth before the tap was closed, officials said.

The soup is available 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily until it runs out, they said.

“We hope (the soup faucet) will evoke fond memories when tourists recall their trips,” said one official.