🕓 2023/3/23
#Gourmet
- About the Gourmet Food of Fukushima Prefecture
- Top 3 Gourmet Picks of Fukushima Prefecture
- Kitakata Ramen
About the Gourmet Food of Fukushima Prefecture
Fukushima Prefecture offers a unique food culture with dishes that vary by season — preserved foods created during the harsh winters, fresh vegetables harvested in spring, and juicy peaches and grapes in summer.
Among them, Kitakata Ramen is one of Fukushima’s most iconic gourmet foods. With its distinctive soy sauce-based broth and thick, firm noodles, it is loved not only by locals but also by visitors who come from far away. Many ramen shops line the streets of Kitakata City, each offering their own unique and individual flavors.
Furthermore, Fukushima Prefecture is abundant in fruit production, especially peaches, apples, and pears, and you can enjoy dishes and sweets made with these fruits. Additionally, “Aizu horse meat sashimi” is another local specialty, with restaurants serving fresh and flavorful horse meat sashimi mainly in the Aizu region.
As a renowned sake-producing area, Fukushima Prefecture boasts a wide variety of local sake made with locally grown rice. In the Aizu area and around Fukushima City, there are plenty of izakayas and sake bars where you can enjoy these local sakes.
Top 3 Gourmet Picks of Fukushima Prefecture
Kitakata Ramen
● The Appeal of Kitakata Ramen
One of the most distinctive features of Kitakata Ramen is its broth. This soy sauce-based broth is often made by simmering chicken bones and pork bones for an extended period, resulting in a delicate yet rich flavor. The broth uses the pure water produced by the cool climate of the Kitakata region, which adds an extra layer of depth and refreshing quality.
The noodles also deserve attention. Kitakata Ramen typically uses medium-thick, curly noodles with a firm and chewy texture. These noodles complement the broth perfectly, and the more you chew, the more the wheat flavor fills your mouth. Local water is used in the noodle-making process as well, so the taste reflects the unique characteristics of the region.
In addition, simple yet carefully crafted toppings are essential to Kitakata Ramen. Menma (bamboo shoots), chopped green onions, and tender slow-cooked chashu (roasted pork) are among the basic ingredients, each carefully prepared to enhance the flavors of the broth and noodles.
● History of Kitakata Ramen
There are various theories about the origins of Kitakata Ramen, but it is generally believed that a small dining establishment in Kitakata City began serving it in the early Showa period. At the time, local people began enjoying this noodle dish as a convenient and casual meal. Over the following decades, Kitakata Ramen was passed down through generations and developed into a traditional dish beloved by the local community.
The distinctive characteristics of Kitakata Ramen are largely due to the use of the region’s high-quality water. The Kitakata area is blessed with abundant clean water, and the use of this water in both noodle-making and broth preparation creates a flavor that sets it apart from ramen in other regions. Additionally, the importance of nutritious meals with abundant ingredients was well recognized as a survival strategy during the harsh winters, which also contributed to the nutritional appeal of Kitakata Ramen.
From the Showa through the Heisei periods, Kitakata Ramen gradually gained fame and attracted fans from all across Japan. In particular, local ramen artisans continually competed to refine their own unique flavors, which greatly contributed to the formation of the rich and diverse Kitakata Ramen culture.
● Where to Eat Kitakata Ramen!!
- Restaurant Name: Bannai Shokudo
- Appeal:
With its clear and light yet deeply rich broth, melt-in-your-mouth voluminous special chashu, and wonderfully chewy flat-cut aged multi-hydration noodles that perfectly complement the broth, Bannai Shokudo’s commitment to “handmade” and “freshly prepared” produces an exquisite flavor that amazes everyone who visits. As one of the famous Kitakata Ramen restaurants and one of the “Big Three of Kitakata Ramen,”
it is an iconic establishment that symbolizes the ramen culture of Kitakata City, Fukushima Prefecture. - Address: 7230 Hosoda, Kitakata City, Fukushima Prefecture
- Access: About 15 minutes on foot from JR Kitakata Station
- Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/aDWxRfGeYWN9qh1R6
Kozuyu
● The Appeal of Kozuyu
Kozuyu is a traditional local dish made with a combination of chicken, vegetables, and distinctive seasoning. It is a comforting dish that eases the cold of winter and evokes the warmth of home.
One of its charms lies in the use of fresh, locally sourced ingredients from Fukushima Prefecture. The chicken is tender, and when simmered slowly, it produces a rich stock that gives the soup an exceptional flavor. The vegetables used may vary according to the season, and the natural sweetness and texture of each vegetable further enhance the taste of kozuyu.
Kozuyu also features a distinctive seasoning style. Flavored with mirin and soy sauce, and sometimes with a small amount of sugar, it maintains an exquisite balance of sweetness and umami. This simple yet calculated seasoning is what makes kozuyu a truly special dish.
● History of Kozuyu
Kozuyu is said to have originated as a winter meal for farming families in the Aizu region of Fukushima Prefecture, passed down as a practical way to warm the body and replenish nutrients during the cold winters. The “kozu” in its name comes from the Aizu dialect word for “azuki (red beans),” reflecting that the dish was originally made primarily with azuki beans.
As time progressed, kozuyu evolved from using only azuki beans to incorporating abundant fresh locally-sourced chicken and vegetables, developing into a richer and more nutritious meal. In particular, using vegetables harvested during winter and chicken fattened during the cold season made it a dish perfectly suited to warming the body from within during the cold months.
Additionally, since kozuyu is often eaten together by family and community members, its preparation and enjoyment serve as opportunities for communication and play an important role in strengthening bonds. This can be seen as a tradition symbolizing the bonds of Japanese families, where during the agricultural off-season of winter, family members gather to honor the year’s hard work while sharing hopes for the future.
● Where to Eat Kozuyu!!
- Restaurant Name: Shibukawa Donya
- Appeal:
Shibukawa Donya is a long-established dining establishment with roots dating back to the Edo period, serving as a precious venue that preserves traditional Aizu local cuisine for the modern era. The restaurant is located in a building that utilizes a Meiji-era structure that was once Aizu’s foremost seafood wholesaler, including its shops, residences, and warehouses. Just stepping inside transports you back in time.
The menu features simmered dishes and soups made with Aizu’s three great dried foods — herring, dried cod, and scallop ligaments — known for their rich umami and satisfying volume. Special menus like “Matsuri Gozen Tsuru” and “Matsuri Gozen Kame” offer visitors the chance to fully savor local flavors, providing new discoveries and memorable experiences. - Address: 3-28 Nanoka-machi, Aizu Wakamatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture
- Access: 3 minutes on foot from JR Tadami Line “Nanoka-machi” Station
- Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/YyQcw4M9Ts4ZE4c97
Takato Negi Soba
● The Appeal of Takato Negi Soba
The appeal of Takato Negi Soba lies in the unique way of eating that brings out its distinctive flavor and texture to the fullest. In particular, the generous use of Takato green onions is the key element that defines the taste of this dish. Takato green onions are characterized by their sweetness and crisp, crunchy texture, making them an excellent complement to soba noodles. By piling plenty of green onions on top of the soba, the flavor of the soba and the fresh taste of the green onions blend together perfectly, creating a unique and delicious experience.
This way of eating is one of the methods that best highlights the characteristics of Takato Negi Soba. By eating with the green onions, the gentle flavor of the soba and the juicy sweetness of the Takato green onions meld together in your mouth, providing an entirely different culinary experience. Additionally, the crisp, crunchy texture of the green onions offers a delightful contrast to the smooth soba noodles, allowing you to enjoy a variety of textures.
● History of Takato Negi Soba
When Hoshina Masayuki transferred from the Shinshu Takato domain to become the lord of the Aizu domain, he brought his love of soba to the Aizu region, where it took root as “Takato Soba” served with grated daikon radish. The town of Takato itself valued soba as a local staple food, and there was even a saying that “a woman who cannot make soba cannot become a bride,” reflecting how soba-making was respected as an essential daily life skill. However, while soba was commonly made at home, soba restaurants themselves were virtually nonexistent for many years.
In 1997, when people from the town of Takato in Nagano Prefecture visited Aizu Wakamatsu City in Fukushima Prefecture, they witnessed soba being commercially successful under the name “Takato Soba.” This deepened the exchange between the two regions and became a catalyst for spreading Takato Soba to a wider audience.
● Where to Eat Takato Negi Soba!!
- Restaurant Name: Misawaya
- Appeal:
Located in Ouchi-juku, “Misawaya Honten” is known as the birthplace of the negi soba style and continues to captivate many visitors. Originally operating as a sake shop, this restaurant is now renowned for Takato Soba and various other Aizu local dishes. Dining in a thatched-roof building that retains the atmosphere of bygone days, seated by the irori (traditional hearth), offers a uniquely atmospheric experience. The historic building and hearth-side setting further enhance the deliciousness of the food.In addition to the famous negi soba (Takato soba), the restaurant also serves freshly pounded mochi (rice cakes), kozuyu, and pickled herring with sansho pepper, allowing you to fully enjoy the local flavors.
- Address: 26-1 Yamamoto, Oaza Ouchi, Shimogo-machi, Minamiaizu-gun, Fukushima Prefecture
- Access: 5.6 km from Aizu Railway Aizu Line “Yunokami Onsen” Station
- Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/GSAhXKF5uCd6s9Pq6