I had higher expectations going to this restaurant, maybe because of how popularly reviewed it is. I ordered a combo (udon yakisoba + shrimp tempura) and there was hardly any meat and an overabundance of nothing but noodles and rice. Although the ambiance is nice and the servers are quick, Fukada is overpriced. read more

Delicious, fast and super affordable! We came on a Friday night and ordered the dinner combos, which come with a bowl of soup noodles and a choice of a rice bowl for $13. I ordered the mountain vegetable hot udon soup and the spicy tuna don. The udon broth was super flavorful and rich, but the udon noodles weren't too special; they didn't taste house made. However, the mountain vegetables have great texture and really add to the flavor of the soup. The spicy tuna don had an interesting flavor and was very light, despite being made with mayo. Overall, I thought the food was ok, but for the price and speed, it's a great go-to option if you're in the area. However, be aware of the super long lines! read more

Fukada - Mountain vegetable hot udon and spicy tuna don - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

One of my favorite Japanese restaurants! Not known for their sushi, but rather their delicious spicy tuna don/ other combo. I usually pair my tuna don with their cold soba noodles and flakes. Definitely expect a wait. I went once at 8pm on a weekday and barely made it to my seat before closing. Service is usually pretty good and food comes quickly. I've done the order to go and eat outside trick and they do a good job packaging the mea read more

I always come to Fukada for my udon fix when I am in the area! Can't find another place like it! There's always a line but the wait isn't too bad because the staff is very attentive :) Me and my boyfriend religiously get the hot TANUKI udon with both the spicy tuna don AND the unagi don. Hot TANUKI udon - Soo good on a cold day. The ingredients are very simple, it comes with udon noodles, green onions, spinach, and lots of tempura flakes! Very tasty. My absolute fave!! Spicy tuna don - Yes yes yes. Must order! Unagi don - Such a generous piece of eel and cooked perfectly! Have thought about going to other places when I come to the area but always end up wanting Fukada.. wish I had one near home!! read more

Fukada - Hot TANUKI udon + spicy tuna don & unagi don - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

I really enjoy eating here because their portions are huge in terms of their dinner or lunch special, and their ingredients are simple, clean, and minimal yet it still tastes delicious. My go to if I want a healthier take out meal! read more

They are still only open to go but there are tables Out front of you want to sit and eat. The lynch combo is always a go to and it so good

Oh Fukada. You can't go wrong with Fukada. There's lots of Asians here. Speaking other languages. You know it's gonna be legit. Expect to wait so hopefully your date or friend isn't boring. Got the seafood salad combo with Sashimi Salad- fresh dressing. Lots of sashimi for a salad Unagi Don - bbq eel. Eel sauce on point. Chicken wings- Japanese chicken wings are the best. Light breading, juicy insides. Oh yea, I don't know what it is but Fukada has the best brown rice. I'm not a brown rice fan but it's so good. read more

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I've been coming here for years. Since covid, they're operating as take out only, which is still delicious. I just call in my order and it's ready to pick up in 15 minutes or less. Their sansai udon is still one of my favorite comfort foods. Their spicy tuna don and eel don are also excellent. read more

Every bite I took brought me back to the streets of kyoto. The udon was simple, fresh, and just perfect The veggie curry, one of the best I've had The sashimi was fresh and roll selection was cheap for the quality They open at 11:00am, we got there at 11:25am and we were 15th in line. It was worth the wait, trust me! read more

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Cold soba with tempura flakes and a unagi don. Enough food to feed a sumo wrestler at less than twenty bucks. The best for what it is.

This place is known for their udon and soba. Coming here for lunch can be a difficult thing to do if you are limited on time. It can be a wait to get in. But if you do have the time to wait in line, the food and service are very prompt and efficient. You'll be in and out in no time. I ordered the Sansai udon with a plate of cold soba noodles. The broth was very light, but very flavorful. It had umami. I enjoyed the soba so much that I actually had two plates. The noodles were the perfect texture and chewy. All the noodles here are made in house. I also ordered the grilled duck as an appitizer, but I thought that the duck was a little overcooked. It would have been better served medium rare. We also had the chopped spicy tuna on rice to share. This dish had a weird texture and flavor. The tuna was too finely chopped up that it tasted like a lumpy mousse. I guess I'm use to the courser chop of the tuna. I would definitely be back for the noodles if I'm in the area heading towards SNA airport . read more

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Authentic Japanese noodle establishment. Excellent. Only negative is that they do not always answer the phone. I would give it 4.5 stars actually. read more

My takeout order today has redeemed my faith from takeouts of other places. Food tasted as good as dined in. Generous portions at reasonable prices. Definitely will be on my speed dial. read more

Fukada - Chicken Teriyaki, Shrimp and vegetable tempura, Zaru, Seafood Salad - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

Great value (especially the combos) and yummy! Just make sure that if you're ordering by phone, that you call within the first 15-20 minutes that they open for lunch or for dinner--because they DON'T ANSWER THE PHONE after that! read more

By far the best Japanese place in Orange County. Very authentic flavors and dishes. I especially recommend the Katsu Don as well as the Unagi Don. They also have great lunch specials with a noodle "appetizer" and a rice bowl for less than $10 which is absolutely too much food if you aren't Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. Wait times are a little longer during prime time around lunch and early dinner but absolutely worth it! read more

If you enjoy authentic, homey Japanese food, this is your spot! It isn't tiny, but it's on the smaller side of restaurants so the wait can be a bit. They offer great combo deals of udon or soba noodles along with a rice dish, and if it's your first time, I would try one of those. I got the soba noodles and my girlfriend got the udon, and it was both good. I personally really enjoyed the deal because sometimes I just can't decide if I want a dry dish or a soupy dish and with this deal, I can enjoy both. The only thing I would say is that I didn't find it to be anything crazy special or unique. It did make me feel as if I was eating a Japanese home cooked meal. Everything was very simple and straightforward, but the flavor was definitely there. read more

Got here 5 min after opening and the waitlist was already long. We ended up waiting for about 45 min. I got the hot udon with spicy tuna don combination for $11.95. Such a great deal! The udon broth was so delicious and the tempura bits added a great crunch factor. But the spicy tuna don was so good!! It had the perfect amount of spicy mayo in it. read more

Fukada - Hot udon and spicy tuna don combo - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

My favorite restaurant, period. I have been coming here on a consistent basis for a very long time. Very large menu with selection of a wide variety of Japanese comfort food. Great place if you love udon or soba. I always get the combination with hot soba sansei and rotates between spicy tuna don or unagi don. The combination meal is great value, especially during lunch, and the way to go when you can't decide between rich dishes and yummy noodles. Another highly recommended item is the tempura. You can order a-la-carte style or mixed. They are freshly battered and fried and so yummy. Hard to find another restaurant in the Irvine area with that quality and good tasting tempura. Lastly, I always have a deep appreciation for restaurants that are owner-operated because you know they care more for the quality of food, which is the case here. Some of the staff have been working here for years, particularly the guy that makes the noodle in the front kitchen. It's great seeing the same staff every time you visit. read more

The pricing at the restaurant is quite competitive and there is almost always a long queue outside. If you don't mind eating outdoors, you could actually skip the queue by ordering takeaway and dine at the tables outside. Spicy Toro rice: I'm personally not a fan of spicy Toro as I prefer traditional Japanese dishes. But Mr A seemed to have quite enjoyed it. Katsudon: The pork cutlets were too soggy and chewy. I have had better ones elsewhere. Seafood salad: it consists of seared salmon slices on a bed of fresh veggies. Slurp! I don't mind coming back again for the seafood salad and perhaps try out other dishes. However, I personally don't think it's worth the long wait. read more

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This place has the best little package deal! you get an udon and rice bowl. I got the veggie udon with the unagi rice bowl and it was a great deal. unfortunately the unagi I got was a little bit over cooked but it was still delicious. The workers there are so kind and sweet. It's very calming in there and I love going there when I need a quick pick me up! Highly recommend! read more

Fukada delivers classic sansai (mountain vegetable) and tempura flake udon that never disappoints. I always get the sansai with the don bowl combo as it's very affordable and worth it! The spicy tuna don is a go-to of mine, and although the level of spice varies every time, it's consistently great! read more

Fukada - Sansai udon and spicy tuna don combo - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

My friend and I wanted something light for an early dinner so we thought Udon would be a good choice. I have heard about this places from a couple of my friends. This is the only place that I know of in which they are known for their udon so I had to try it. The restaurant is like a traditional japanese restaurant. There is a bar seating where you would be near the chefs and tables. We got bar seating because it was only me and my friend and we just wanted to eat. I ordered a Kastu Donburi and Tanuki (tempura) udon combo and my friend got the Chicken Teriyaki Donburi and Sansai (vegetable) udon. I thought the udon was great and I really can't complain about it but I thought the Katsu Donburi had areas of the eggs that were too salty. My friend really enjoyed her udon also but she also said there were areas in the eggs that were salty from the sauce. I'll give a 4 stars because I thought the eggs were a little salty but the overall experience was great. I would definitely want to come back because their seafood salad looks great. read more

Fukada - Katsu Donburi - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

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One of my favorite Japanese restaurants!! I've been coming here for 6 years now and I've never been disappointed. There will almost always be a wait (for both lunch & dinner) so try to come before or after rush hours. To-go is not necessarily faster and they are not good at picking up the phone to take phone orders so probably not a good idea to come here if you're on a 1 hour lunch break. BUT the food is awesome so I'll always be back. I often get their hot Sansai udon combination with either the spicy tuna don or crunch roll. Their soup is flavorful and refreshing. The udon noodles are perfectly chewy. Note that if you get the udon to-go the noodles tend to get a little more soggy by the time you get to eat it. Their seafood salad is decent but they tend to over-dress it so I would recommend getting the dressing on the side. Their mixed tempura!!! So good!! I love fried and crunchy foods so naturally I am a fan of tempura. They really do tempura justice here. It's never over-battered and always perfectly fried. If you love tempura like myself and don't eat that much, I'd suggest getting the mixed tempura udon over the udon combo. The tempura comes on the side so don't have to worry about them getting soggy. I've also gotten the tempura don, which comes with salad and miso soup. The sauce they use over the tempura don is pretty good and I'd totally get that again the next time I'm not craving udon! read more

Fukada - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

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The food has a freshness that most Japanese restaurants in the US lack. It was served quick and at a reasonable price. I would give 5 starts but my water glass had rice stuck in it, and cleanliness is a pet peeve for any restaurant... read more

Fukada - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

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Love this place!!! Food is very good. I will come back soon. Thank you for your service!

POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE! I live near the area so I usually call ahead for Togo orders. I called 6 times, no one answers, and I'm guessing they are super busy. I drive in person to order and yes there a few people waiting for their Togo orders, but it's not busy and also their Indoor dining is closed, and the phone is ringing non stop but the two male front workers are not answering. All they are doing is taking orders and payments and passing out the To go orders to the customers.. I mean, really? You are not even busy and you are intentionally ignoring phone orders is unacceptable to me. read more

Fukada - Not even busy and they are ignoring phone orders. Unacceptable! - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

Me and 4 coworkers came here for lunch today at one of their recommendations. We arrived at 11:15 and they open service for lunch at 11:30. After entering our name on their clipboard waitlist, we were seated right after they opened and the food was brought out by about 11:45. We were in a bit of a hurry because we were on a lunch break and needed to be back at the office at 12:30 for a meeting. I ordered the Pork Katsu Don with a side of their vegetable brown curry and it was outstanding! Their brown curry is really thick like a gravy and extremely flavorful. I will definetely come back for more! read more

My friend was craving this place so I figured I'd try it out! What really drew me in was the lunch and dinner specials. Each combination comes with your choice or hot or cold soba or udon noddles with a rice/egg/tuna bowl (there are like 7 choices). I got the pork and egg rice bowl with the hot soba noodles with tempura flakes. I REALLY liked the soba noodles, the broth was very savory and the noodles soft. We also got the spicy tuna roll which was very good and the fried chicken pieces (they were ok). Overall, food was good and for the amount we got: 2 dinner combinations and three appetizers were about 55 dollars. Very affordable! The only downside is that the wait is a little long but the location is easy to find and a lot of parking. read more

Dear my lovely Fukada, I finally get a chance to write a review about you. It honestly took me long enough, but it's not too late for me to say my stuff. So here I go yelping it up. YES! I am truly a fan of yours and Japanese food is something I cannot ignore. I can feel my tummy craving for you as I continue to write this review. Love, Super-Girl P.S. The review is down below. Service: The staff at Fukada are always friendly and polite. The chefs are super passionate as they cook the different orders for their customers. Our waitress was quick on her feet and made sure that everyone was taken care of. Decor: The restaurant gives you a casual feel due to the closeness or sharing of table space with other foodie lovers. The soft lighting creates a feeling of comfort and intimacy as you enjoy your food. Salad: The Fried Squid Leg Salad was SUPER crunchy and yummy! The legs came out nice and crispy. Appetizer: Agedashi Tofu was lightly fried with tempura sauce. It is soft in the inside, but firm on the outside. Each bite was warm to the tongue. Soba or Udon Noodles: I LOVE NOODLES (whether hot or cold)! I usually order the COLD Udon noodles that is served with some flavorful and cold dipping sauce. For the topping, I have tried the tanuki (crunchy tempura batter) or sansai (japanese mountain vegetable). There are also other topping options that you could get for the noodles. Honestly, I don't think you could go wrong with any of the toppings because the dishes are made to trigger your curiosity so that you would want to try new things. *Note: Extra noodle for $2.00 plus! Donburi Bowl: Spicy Tuna Don is chopped tuna with mild spicy mayonnaise. This bowl will give your taste buds some satisfaction. Unagi Don is barbecued eel. Can I hear you squeal? YEEE. Entree: Chilean Sea bass is to die for. Hold onto your seat because this dish is breath taking and the flavors will burst into your mouth (YAAAS!) Fukada hits the spot real good! If you want some savory Japanese food then you have come to the right place. So get ready for all of your senses to get absolutely rewarded because it is time! As always NOM FOR LIFE! read more

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10/10 quality and always very consistent. This place has been a staple for us when we don't feel like cooking! Yummy, authentic Japanese food. read more

80 reviews for this place already, and I've just read them all. My eyes are now spinning slot machine style, and my index finger is cramping from Useful, Funny, and Cool voting. What could I add, that would garner U, F, or C attention that hasn't been Yelped yet? Now in addition to my eyes and my finger, my brain is starting to complain about working on the weekend... Useful: Around 12:30pm on a Saturday, I was surprised to see it hustling and bustling with business. We had to put our names on a waiting list, but the wait was only 5 minutes. After we sat down, plenty more folks waltzed in and waited patiently. There are a glutton of companies nearby, and on a weekday lunch hour, it's probably nuts here. Even for the weekend, when I would've thought it would be dead here during lunch, there were a surprising number of heads in here. I ordered the lunch combo with Tanuki Udon and Unagi Don. The hand made udon noodles were divine, and the soup broth had a tasty smoky flavor to it. It was brisk out today (by SoCal standards) and I enjoyed the hot broth immensely. I ordered the Unagi Don portion over genmai rice (brown rice). At my age I need to keep an eye on cholesterol busters when I am given the option. Tasty! Funny: Tanuki means "raccoon" in Japanese. Tanuki Udon is NOT a raccoon flavored broth. They take the leftover fried crumplets of tempura batter and toss them in the bowl and call it Tanuki Udon. Kind of like those tasty lil crunchy morsels you find at Long John Silvers in the bottom of the paper boat, but tempura instead. Why do they call it that? I'm sure there's a story to be told. And no, I have no idea what it is, although I am curious. Cool: If you happen to need to use their restroom facilities, you'll go down a lightning bolt shaped corridor, and about 2/3rds of the way before attaining porcelain nirvana, you'll come across a window on your left. Peering in, you'll see where the magic happens... the Udon/Soba noodle making room. The magician was not on shift during my particular venture to the facilities, but it'd be neat to watch. Bottom line, I had a great lunch here, and will be back to sample more of their fare. The menu is extensive, as you'll see if you read the other 80 reviews. I'm in the area often on Saturdays as Aki Nursery (owned by my father in law) is nearby and on Saturdays, I usually spend a few hours there helping out. And by helping out, I mean look for the guy hiding behind the palm trees sitting down reading a book (unless you need help loading your car). Here's my shameless plug: Irvine: http://www.yelp.com/biz/aki-nursery-irvine-2, Huntington Beach: http://www.yelp.com/biz/aki-nursery-huntington-beach =P D'oh! read more

Fukada - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

This is one of my favorite Japanese places in OC because the value is just amazing. You can get a combo with a large bowl of warm udon plus a delicious bowl of rice topped with tuna for less than $12! The bowls may not seem large on the menu, but I assure you it's a lot of food. I only finish about half of my food each time. Keep in mind, there are also variations of this combo that feature soba, eel, etc. In addition, you can find many other amazing items on the menu, such as the sashimi, soft shell crab, desserts, etc. I don't think this place is ridiculously cheap, but the portions are very generous and the quality is awesome compared to other Japanese restaurants at the same price point. Yes, the wait is long, but it's certainly worth it! read more

The colder seasons are beckoning to me to eat at Fukada more often, and I don't even have to think twice about giving in. When it comes to their handmade udon, living in Irvine already means I'm a lifer. Living just a few quick stops up the freeway means (with scarf now in tow), I'm stopping by more and more for a piping hot bowl of their nabeyaki udon soup which is, quite possibly, my most favorite thing on the menu. Like most of Fukada's menu, nabeyaki udon is incredibly simple, which is why I love it. If you've been to Fukada (but have never seen/heard of it), it's that mysterious earthenware pot that arrives steaming hot at the next table. It has all the essential goods usually found in your typical bowl of hot udon, but a few more so to make the meal experience all the more hearty. Not only do you get a mound of extremely delicate udon noodles, you get some diced free range chicken, as well as a cracked egg with runny yolk - deliciousness! Not to mention, the lone piece of shrimp tempura plus the few cubes of tofu add to the overall meal completeness of this simple soup that I often crave during this cold weather. You can also get nabeyaki (like any other soup preparation at Fukada) using their delicious soba. Overall, if you've seen the lunch and weekend crowd, it'll be evident that Fukada probably took over Taiko's long reign as Irvine's busiest restaurant (even though the two are barely comparable). However, I've been going after 7:30pm on most weeknights and haven't had a problem getting seated as of yet. read more

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We got there at 2:04 pm and the restaurant was closed at 2:00 pm =( I conviced the waitress to seat me after telling her I drove for almost an hour to get there. Ordered sansai udon + unagi don and tanuki udon + tempura don. Udon + don combo was $9.99. Sansai hot udon: Sansai udon used to be my favorite before I switched to ramen. I used to go to the old Yaohan Plaza at Little Tokyo for this special udon. Sansai udon from Fukada was a disappointment. It wasn't as good as not what I was used to and the broth was a tad sweet. Unagi don: The unagi was okay but it needed more sauce. The unagi was kinda fatty. Tanuki hot udon: This udon has tempura flakes and the broth was on the salty side. It was definitely better than sansai udon. Tempura don: The tempura was crispy and delicious. 3.25 stars!! Fukada's tempura is yummylicious!! read more

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This place is always crowded so be prepared to wait. There's a line already forming even before it opens. If you can't wait they do take out. The cold soba here is amazing! I'm going to go ahead and say it's the best soba around. I get the tanuki soba when I come and the spicy tuna roll. I don't know what they do to the spicy tuna but it is delicious!! Spicy tuna don is also bomb but they give too much rice for my liking. I've also tried the udon but hands down the soba is their winning noodle dish. The curry here is pretty good as well. read more

The food is spectacular. The service is quick and attentive. The small problem is that it is all the way near Irvine Spectrum and the bigger problem is the horrendous wait. No reservation is taken. However, hands down the best Japanese restaurant I've ever tried. I am grateful to my college roommate for taking me here. You must order the lunch combo (around $10). though you'll get a food coma and you won't be able to work or study afterwards if you also drink and have appetizer, yet I swear your money will be well paid. You can choose from hot or cold udon or soba noodles with a choice of either tanaki (fried tempura) or sansai (mixed veggies) toppings. Your noodles also come with your choice of rice bowl or rolls. We always go with hot udon and sansai toppings. Our favorite rice bowls are spicy tuna and katsu. For appetizers, we love their fried squid legs and chicken karaage as we have never forgotten to order every time we come. Always a great lunch! Highly recommend! read more

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This is a decent place if you are on a run. However, the line here is so long (not a reason that I am giving them 3 stars, this is simply the only edible Asian place within a mile radius). However, the food here is very, very mediocre at best. With the price that they are charging, I don't understand why it is so popular. Feel bad for people who live in Irvine but don't want to travel far due to "we have everything" excuses. Let's talk about food. One of the most popular dish here is the noodle with rice combo. ($14.xx, expensive). The noodle is very average, the soup base is nothing to write home about (no fancy fish stock/bonito soup here). Feels like everything is made with mass production products. Spicy tuna don? Americanized taste. Salad? Blend. Sashimi?? OMG..Don't attempt to order again. Tempura? What a joke, the oil leaked all over the paper. Yuck. I come here with friends or I am desperate for food after gym but other than that. This place is nothing to write home about. Don't come here if you want good food. Come if you want quick food. read more

The place was jam packed on a Tuesday night so we did takeout. It's like all the OC racers were having a mini import showoff in the parking lot. Anyways...... I can see why the place is popular, quality Japanese food using organic products at a more than reasonable place. The interior is just nice enough to go on here on a date without making you look cheap. My wife liked it. Ordered a bunch of stuff. Katsu-don ($10), cage free chicken teriayki-don ($9), spicy tuna don ($10.5), and a salmon skin roll ($5). The dons came with hot miso soup and a salad. All of it was delicious and tasted really fresh. (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/fukada-irvine?select=HcnbSnLiip27iXW5QDJBRA#HcnbSnLiip27iXW5QDJBRA) The spicy tuna don was really good and like a never ending bowl since it took me forever to finish it. Tons of value. I'd definitely come back for the donburis, udons, sobas and tempura. If only Fukada was anywhere near my hood. Real deal Japanese read more

Fukada - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

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There's only one bad thing about Fukada: the inevitable, dreadful wait. However, it's worth it for the amazing, authentic food! ***Highlights*** Seafood Salad: My go-to. Sashimi salad with a light dressing. Donburi: Choose brown rice at no extra charge. Noodles: Udon for your winters, and soba for your summers. Tempura: You can pick specific tempura and pay by piece (2 pieces per order). This way, I don't have to fight anyone else for the pumpkin! Tea: No extra charge. If you want to beat the line, plan on arriving at least 20 minutes before opening to ensure your spot in their first round of seating. Otherwise, the wait will be much longer. Itadakimasu! read more

Fukada - Seafood salad with spicy tuna don. - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

I've been here more times than I can count and I'm surprised I never did a review for them! We always get the hot tanuki udon combo that comes with an assortment of rice bowls. My favorite include the oyako don and spicy tuna don ^_^ The udon here is so yummy and the portions are very filling. The tanuki udon comes with these crunchy bits of tempura that stay pretty crisp even after sitting in the soup for awhile. The spicy tuna don is probably the most popular because it's fresh and tasty. I personally like the oyako don because the egg is so yummy :) The line is always long here unfortunately but we never regret going :) Stop by if you're in the area! They close at 2 and open again for dinner. read more

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