Kitakata ramen

The history of Kitakata ramen dates back to the late Taisho period and early Showa period.At that time, there were no ramen shops in the city. However, a young man who had come from China would pull a cart while blowing a charumera (a traditional Japanese horn) and sell ramen (Chinese noodles) as he walked around. That handmade Chinese noodle dish is said to be the origin of Kitakata Ramen, which now boasts over 70 years of history.While Kitakata Ramen is generally thought to be soy sauce-based, the flavors and soups vary greatly from shop to shop. The noodles also differ in thickness, curl, and firmness.A major characteristic is the noodles, known as “flat-pressed, aged, high-water-content noodles,” which contain more water than standard noodles.Recently, the variety has expanded further, with salt-based flavors and ramen with pork backfat also gaining popularity.With about 90 ramen shops in a town of roughly 50,000 people, and a culture of eating ramen in the morning called “morning ramen,” it is truly a ramen town.Please enjoy Kitakata Ramen, the soul food of Kitakata citizens.