1. [Shoyu ramen] Chuka Soba Benten (Higashine City)

First of all, we will introduce Chuka Soba Benten which opened in 2021.

You can try a special ramen bowl that pursues the old-fashioned Yamagata chuka soba style.

I ordered the Yamagata chuka soba.

I can’t get enough of the fragrant beef bone soup!

The soup made with chicken, kombu seaweed, flavored vegetables, and carefully selected Yamagata soy sauce was so delicious that I drank it all the way through.

The noodles are homemade, and are particular for their specialized craftsmanship.

It has a gentle taste that is easy for children to eat, as well as for adults.

However, it was not unsatisfactory at all.

The shop is produced by the nearby popular yakitori restaurant Kushidokoro Benzaiten, so the set menu including Yakitoriya no Kosoboro Don is also popular.

2. [Shio ramen] Kazama Tonton Ramen (Yamagata City)

Next, we will introduce Kazama Tonton Ramen.

Shio ramen is rare in ramen prefecture Yamagata, but this shop has a signature ramen dish.

Its name is the aoto shio ramen.

For those who can’t imagine what kind of ramen is just by hearing the name!

Here it is!

You can see the chashu sliced pork as topping, but the other ingredients such as paprika and shrimp and the slightly bluish soup are quite innovative!

The colors are also vivid.

Inspired by Vietnamese cuisine, it combines braised minced pork and minced onions, then seasoned with basil and salt.

The soup, which uses local green chili peppers, is just the right amount of spiciness, and many people are addicted to it.

From October this year (2022), you can choose the spiciness in response to the voices of “I want you to make it more spicy” or “I want you to halve the spiciness”.

Please enjoy the taste that you can only have here, with your favorite spiciness.

3. [Tonkotsu ramen] Ramen Jigen (Yamagata City)

Next, we will introduce Ramen Jigen, where you can enjoy original pork bone broth ramen.

As you may have noticed from the name, the owner is a true fan of Lupin the Third.

Also check out the cool figures in the store!

What I received was the most popular Miso Tonkotsu Noodles.

The towering white leek is a beautiful cup.

It seems that white miso with plenty of rice malt is used, and the rich and creamy taste is irresistible!

It’s topped with burnt garlic and butter, and the aroma just adds to your appetite.

In addition, there is also a nice service that you can enjoy gyoza dumplings, almond tofu, and makanai rice for 100 yen each as a weekday lunch.

Please be full.

4. [Miso ramen] Ramen Hinata (Higashine City)

Ramen Hinata is a popular restaurant in Higashine City.

Even though you are in Yamagata, you can have a taste of authentic Sapporo miso ramen.

Here is the miso ramen you are looking for!

The point is the ginger on top of the large chashu pork.

The soup is a combination of two types of sweet rice miso, and it has a mellow taste.

It is even more delicious if you eat it while melting the ginger.

The noodles are specially ordered at a noodle factory in Sapporo.

The owner, who trained at a famous restaurant in Sapporo, prepares a bowl of miso ramen that is authentic Sapporo miso ramen, but arranged so that people in Yamagata can easily eat it.

5. [Jiro] Furinkazan Yamagata (Yamagata City)

Furinkazan opened in Tsuruoka City as the first Jiro-style ramen specialty shop in the prefecture.

There were one shop each in Tsuruoka City and Sakata City in the prefecture, but this time (November 2022) the Yamagata shop opened as the third branch and the first inland one.

A bowl full of thick chashu and plenty of bean sprouts!

Oh yeah, I wanted to eat this!

As a shop from Shonai, the topping is made with Shonai pork.

The combination of slowly cooked soup and homemade extra-thick flat noodles is delicious!

You can customize toppings to your liking and enjoy the Jiro-style which can be topped with vegetables, garlic, ginger, and fat for free.

6. [Dried sardines] Niboshi Specialty Ramen Do・Ni・Bo (Yamagata City)

Niboshi Specialty Ramen Do・Ni・Bo is a shop that specializes in dried sardine broth.

It is a ramen shop that recommends dried sardine broth as much as you can tell by the name of the shop.

The shop owner is also the person who spread the morning ramen culture that has spread throughout the prefecture in recent years.

I orderered the aho niboshi chuka, which is limited to 10 servings per day.

The broth made with dried sardines does not have a harsh taste, and the rich flavor spreads throughout your mouth.

And this broth goes well with chewy medium-thick noodles.

The more you chew, the more you get entangled in the broth, and you fall into an endless loop of broth and noodles.

There is also a children’s space in the shop that is great for families, so parents can have plenty of time to enjoy themselves.

7. [Abura soba] Shodai Shichinoya (Yamagata City)

The last place to introduce is Shodai Shichinoya, which just opened in December 2022.

You can have ramen straight from the famous shop Hachinoya in Sagae city.

We would like to introduce Shichinoya Kotepachi.

Topped with large chashu pork, thick bamboo shoots, seaweed and green onions.

This is also an exquisite cup of soy sauce-based sauce and green onions!

It is recommended to change the taste with the ichimi spices and vinegar on the table.

The closing is a special broth that you put in after you finish eating the noodles.

I’m happy to add plenty of seaweed and green onions!

Of course, you can enjoy the delicious taste until the end while changing the taste.

Not only cutlery and chairs for children, but also coloring pages are available, so it is a recommended shop for children.

Aim for the top spot!

As I mentioned at the beginning, Yamagata City, which had held the top spot for annual expenditures in ramen restaurants for eight years since 2013, lost the top spot to Niigata City last year (2021).

In order to recapture the top spot, the efforts of the long-established printing company Taifu Printing have become a hot topic!

Its name is “Men lovers ramen bill key holder”.

It is a key holder with special benefits that can be used as many times as you want during the period, from well-established Yamagata ramen shops to up-and-coming shops.

Some of the work to produce this product is outsourced to the Disabled Persons Employment Facility, which contributes to the expansion of employment of persons with disabilities.

(Consignee: Social Welfare Corporation Zaou Fukushikai Yumekobo)

[Bonus Period]
November 1, 2022 (Tuesday) to April 30, 2023 (Sunday)

[vol.2 lineup]
All 5 types + secret, ramen group, ramen dimension.
・Abe Seimenjo ・Hatsushi Menya Living Man ・TOSAKA
·secret

[Stores with gacha]
Endo main shop, Sakai noodle shop, Kajo Central 1st floor (Yamagata Tourism & Local Products Association), Yamagata City government office 1st floor, moving gacha

[price]

500 yen each (tax included)

Taifu Printing HP

The name of one of the cooperating stores and details of the benefits are printed on the key chain, and if you bring it to the store, you can receive great benefits such as free large servings and toppings.

You can receive benefits as many times as you like during the period, it is truly a privilege free pass!

At first, there were only two installation locations, but now the number has increased, and moving gacha that is set up at events and stores for a limited time is becoming more and more exciting.

Get a key ring and aim to retake the top spot!