Kitakata Thick Curly Ramen (Fukushima) & Crisp Sweet Aomori Fuji Apples

Standing proud alongside Sapporo Ramen and Hakata Ramen as one of the **Three Great Ramen of Japan** (*Nihon San-dai Ramen*), **Kitakata Ramen** hails from the historic storehouse town of Kitakata in western Fukushima, which boasts the highest concentration of ramen shops per capita in Japan. The defining hallmark is its signature *Hirauchi Jukusei Takasui-men*—thick, flat, wavy noodles crafted with an extraordinarily high water ratio (approaching 40%) that are aged in cool chambers for days, yielding an incredibly slippery, bouncy, and chewy mouthfeel. These curly noodles swim in a radiant, golden-amber broth simmered from pork bones, dried baby sardines (*niboshi*), and clear regional soy sauce brewed using sweet mountain spring meltwater from Mount Iide. Kitakata is internationally famous for its cherished morning ritual of *Asa-ra* (Morning Ramen). Dating back generations to accommodate early-morning workers from local sake breweries and silk mills, venerable institutions like Bannai Shokudo fling open their doors at 7:00 AM. A classic morning bowl is crowned with an opulent, overlapping fan of melt-in-the-mouth simmered pork belly *chashu* that completely conceals the noodles, garnished with crisp bamboo shoots (*menma*) and fragrant green onions. At the northern apex of Tohoku, Aomori Prefecture commands global renown as the kingdom of apples, cultivating over 50 percent of Japan’s entire apple output. Nourished by wide diurnal temperature swings and nutrient-dense volcanic soil at the foot of Mount Iwaki, Aomori apples—championed by world-famous cultivars such as *Fuji*, golden *Ourin*, and sweet-tart *Tsugaru*—are celebrated for their dense crunch, crystalline water cores (*mitsu*), and intense perfume. In the castle town of Hirosaki, visitors follow the famous "Apple Pie Trail" to sample fresh, flaky, butter-rich apple pies from over 40 artisanal bakeries alongside crisp, sparkling 100% pure unfiltered Aomori apple juices.