Kitakata Ramen Village
Beppu is considered one of the hot spring capitals of Japan, with the entire town’s identity based on the numerous public baths, hot spring hotels and resorts, and the volcanic pools called the 7 Hells. If in Kyushu, staying at a hot spring in Beppu is a must.
| The Good | The Not-So Good |
| Delicious Ramen Noodles | Only notable for ramen |
| Short trip from nearby town | Can get this ramen elsewhere |
Featured image source: Flickr User Bryansjs
Why go to Kitakata Ramen Village?
Kitakata Ramen Village is a located about 40 minutes north of Aizu-Wakamatsu by train and is known for its delicious ramen noodles. The village is home to over 100 different ramen shops, each with its own unique recipe and style. It is one of the big three ramen towns of Japan, the other two being Hakata and Sapporo.
What to do in Kitakata Ramen Village?
Kitakata Ramen Village is of course famous for its ramen. Other than the over 100 different ramen shops, there isn’t much other reason to visit the area. You can also have Kitakata style ramen in Aizu-Wakamatsu, which limits the reasons to head directly to Kitakata itself.
If you choose to visit Kitakata, then the following site has a handy map of a few dozen of the over 30 ramen restaurants that belong to a cooperative association, the Ramen-Kai. You can also use Google Maps to find a ramen shop you fancy. Bare in mind many of the shops are closed Thursdays and most finish the day between 6PM and 7:30PM, so don’t expect to eat some late-night ramen, as is popular after a nights drinking in the busier city areas like Sapporo or Tokyo.
Below is a blog post from an expert in ramen consumption that is well worth viewing in full. It is the last of three parts. Part 1, Part 2, Part 3.
How to get to Kitakata Ramen Village
Kitakata Ramen Village is located in Fukushima Prefecture, about a 3-hour train ride from Tokyo on the Tohoku Shikansen from Tokyo Station, changing at Koriyama Station. From Koriyama Station take the Ban-Etsu West Line to Aizu-Wakamatsu Station (trains are about once an hour usually at 15 past the hour) and change trains for Kitakata Station (again, about once an hour but often with some sizable gaps). (best to use Google Maps to plan the route).
Kitakata is a short side trip from Aizi-Wakamatsu and should be treated as such unless you are a ramen maniac who just must visit the village and sample as many of the ramen as possible.
There are also buses direct to Kitakata from Koriyama and also via Aizu-Wakamatsu. The buses are not run by JR so you cannot use the JR pass.
Places close to Kitakata Ramen Village
- Aizu-Wakamatsu is a city located in Fukushima Prefecture, known for its beautiful castle and historical sites.
- Iwaki City is a great place to explore if you’re looking for more diverse dining and entertainment options. It’s also home to a number of interesting museums and cultural sites, such as the Iwaki Coal and Fossil Museum.
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