Just as famous as Ippudo Ramen, "Kitakata" handmade noodles served with fish broth are incredibly delicious

▲ Kitakata Ramen is well known for its handmade, springy noodles that are made on-site.

Reported and photographed by Reporter You t
ru / Tohoku, Japan

Don't just eat Ippudo Ramen when you visit Japan. Ranked alongside Hakata and Sapporo ramen as one of Japan's three major ramen varieties"Kitakata Ramen"comes from a chilly, dry little town in Japan’s Tohoku region. It's well known for its handmade, springy noodles that are made on-site, paired with a rich and thick broth that leaves a lingering flavor in your mouth. It’s a rare delicacy that you can seldom find elsewhere in Japan.


▲%The store opens as early as 2 a.m., offering a local specialty that's hard to find elsewhere.


As the name suggests, "Kitakata Ramen" hails from Kitakata City in Fukushima Prefecture, Tohoku. This compact city, small enough to walk around in a short time, boasts over 20 ramen shops with slightly varying flavors. To promote the dish, the local community formed an organization called the “Ramen Association,” and any ramen shop with a hanging cloth banner in front is recommended for its taste. According to locals, many ramen shops here open for breakfast and close in the afternoon, so if you want to sample multiple varieties, you’ll have to come early.

Although most Kitakata ramen shops only operate in the morning, there are also late-night options. Ito Shokudo, tucked away in Kitakata City’s “red-light district,” is one such example. The owner is over 70 years old and has been making noodles for about 40 years. The shop only serves one type of “Kitakata Ramen” at 600 yen per bowl. The interior of this old noodle shop has very few seats—just over ten. When you lift the curtain and push the door open, the warmth greets you along with the aroma of fish broth—it's the shop’s most heartfelt welcome to visitors.


▲The owner runs the entire shop alone.
%The handmade noodles are cooked to perfection and are incredibly satisfying.


The Kitakata Ramen at Ito Shokudo is truly amazing, and it could easily be counted among Japan’s top three delicious ramens.The handmade noodles twist and curl in the soup, coated in a rich fish bone broth. Topped with slices of pork, dried bamboo shoots, and green onions, the simple combination creates an astonishingly delicious dish.It’s as if fish sauce is directly poured in for that umami flavor, yet the clean scent of the fish bones still shines through. The owner says that before adding the fish to the broth, the innards must be removed to avoid any fishy taste. Paired with the completely handmade texture of the noodles, dipped in the savory broth, it’s a small noodle shop experience you shouldn’t miss late at night—and one you’ll long for afterward.

%Even after the meal ends, you might still want to go back for more.

 
Ito Shokudo
Address: 7413-1, Shimomachi, Kitakata City, Fukushima
Phone: 0241-22-1804
Business hours: 11:00-15:00 / 20:00-02:00