# Kitakata

> Famous as one of Japan's three great ramen cities, with over 100 ramen shops serving the signature thick curly noodles in soy-based broth. The town is also known for its 2,600 traditional kura storehouses.

- Prefecture: Fukushima
- Type: City
- Address: Kitakata, Fukushima, Japan
- Admission: Free

This small Fukushima city has earned legendary status as one of Japan's three great ramen capitals, with over 100 shops serving the distinctive flat, curly noodles in a light soy-based broth. Beyond noodle obsession, Kitakata charms visitors with thousands of traditional kura storehouses lining its streets, their thick earthen walls once protecting sake, miso, and lacquerware from fire and humidity. Morning ramen is a local tradition - join early risers slurping steaming bowls before the day's first temple visit.

## FAQ

### How do I get to Kitakata?

Take the JR Ban-etsu West Line from Koriyama via Aizu-Wakamatsu, about 1 hour 20 minutes in total. From Kitakata Station the ramen streets are a 10- to 15-minute walk.

### What is Kitakata famous for?

Kitakata is a ramen town with about 100 shops for roughly 46,000 people, the highest per-capita figure in Japan. Its Kitakata ramen has thick, flat, curly noodles in a light soy-sauce broth, and the town has an "asa-ra" (morning ramen) habit of eating a bowl at breakfast.

### Is there more to Kitakata than ramen, and is anything free to visit?

Yes. The town has around 4,000 kura storehouses tied to its sake, miso and lacquer heritage, and you can wander among them on foot. The Yamatogawa Sake Brewery Northern Museum is free to enter and shows how local sake has been made.

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Source: Kitakata — Japan Voyage