Visiting old storehouses (Kura) and try famous ramen (Kitakata City).

Kitakata City was once flourishing in the sake brewing and miso production industries and thus required many storehouses for manufacturers to keep their goods. Kitakata is a city of storehouses, with around 4,100 still remaining today. Locals would say that a man who has turned 40 years old and does not yet own a storehouse is not yet a man. Therefore, building a storehouse became a life-long dream for the men of Kitakata City. In addition, the town is now well known nationwide for its Kitakata Ramen. It is considered to have one of the three most delicious kinds of ramen in all of Japan, along with Sapporo and Hakata. The soba from Kitakata City’s Yamato Region is very famous as well. We will introduce to you many places you should see and we will also recommend spots to visit around the area.

Kitakata Ramen The founder of Kitakata Ramen was a young man who crossed the sea from China sometime between the end of Taisho Era and the start of the Showa Era. Upon returning to Japan, he immediately built a stand and began selling ramen using techniques he learned abroad. After the Pacific War, many people who learned the techniques and skills of cooking in China who came back to Japan started running ramen shops. There are over 100 ramen shops in the city of Kitakata, and each shop has its own flavor of ramen. All of them are delicious. Please try them! Yamatogawa Shuzo This sake producer has a history going back more than 200 years, and their storehouse is now open to tourists and citizens. They have a corner where visitors can sample the different kinds of sake. (Transportation: 15 minutes walk from the Kitakata Station) Wakaki Shoten A shop which has made miso and soy sauce for successive generations, and which also has a brick warehouse that is registered as a National Tangible Cultural Asset, open for public viewing. Akabeko picture printing workshops are also popular. This combined with the gift corner-complete with early Showa Era signs-provide an evocative atmosphere of yesteryear. (Transportation: 10 minutes walk from the Kitakata Station) Obara Shuzo This sake producer has more than 270 years of history. They are famous for their unique way of producing sake, which is to play classical music in the storehouse while the unrefined sake ferments. (Transportation: Take the bus from Kitakata Station and get off at the Minami Otadsuki Bus Stop) Kai Honke Kurazashiki Artifacts which have been passed down within the Kai family for generations are displayed in this storehouse. It is said that the construction of this storehouse took seven years to complete. The outside wall is constructed from black plaster in a dignified style. (Transportation: 15 minutes walk from Kitakata Station) Kinomoto Shikki (Lacquerware) In this souvenir shop you can buy many different kinds of laquerware products. You can also experience learning a distinctive Japanese way of lacquering called makie. The second floor is a doll museumshop which has become popular among women. (Transportation: Seven minutes walk from the Kitakata Station) Iide to Soba no Sato Center This building is separated into four facilities which are a soba museum, Fureai-kan, Furusato-kan, and a traditional soba museum. In the soba museum, there are many tools for making soba on display, as well as a room where you can experience making soba firsthand.You can also have handmade soba to eat here. (Transportation: 10 minutes walk from the Yamato Station) Iide Peaks These peaks are covered with snow--even in the summer time--and the natural habitat of many alpine plants. From the top of the peaks it is possible to see Mt. Bandai, Azuma Peaks, Lake Inawashiro, and you can see all the way to the Sea of Japan.

Recommended Spots Kitakata Ramen Association The Kitakata Ramen Shop Association. Affiliated shops display the noren (shop curtain) of the association. Carriage Tour These carriages visit many tourist spots in Kitakata City Anshoji Temple The main building of this temple is mud-walled, in the style of many buildings in Kitakata, but, for temple construction, this technique is very unique and rare (Transportation: Tree minutes from Yamatogawa Shuzo) Kuramise Facility is located within a renovated storehouse.You can have soba, miso-dengaku, and other light meals here. (Transportation:10 minutes walk from the Kitakata Station) Yamanaka Senbei Honpo (Rice cracker shop) At this rice cracker shop, you can experience baking rice crackers made from rice from the Aizu area. (Transportation: Five minutes walk from Kai Honke) Yamato Soba This soba has very smooth texture and is made from 100% pure buckwheat.