Kitakata ramen, Fukushima's special gourmet food, is also known as one of the three major ramen in Japan, and there are many ways to enjoy it, such as morning ramen culture and all-you-can-eat. Read the article on this video > https://news.ntv.co.jp/n/fct/category... Kitakata City, Fukushima Prefecture, is located on the border with Yamagata Prefecture. The streets lined with kura-zukuri houses give off a Showa retro vibe. Kitakata City's specialty is ramen. What's more, it's eaten in the morning. ■A person who visited from Tochigi Prefecture said, "I came here to eat morning ramen because my children are on summer vacation." In Kitakata City, there are many ramen shops that open early in the morning, and the so-called "morning ramen" culture of eating ramen in the morning is deeply rooted. In addition to the deliciousness of the ramen, people from inside and outside the prefecture visit the city to experience this "morning ramen culture." ■A person who visited from Gunma Prefecture said, "I left at 4:30 a.m. It's 200 kilometers one way." This is Sakauchi Shokudo, a popular Kitakata ramen restaurant. The chewy, curly noodles are rich in moisture, and the golden soup is light yet rich. Once you taste this bowl, you'll be hooked. Everyone got up early for this. ■A visitor from Gunma Prefecture said, "It's delicious, it's the best." ■A visitor from Tochigi Prefecture said, "It was worth coming so early in the morning." Kitakata ramen has fascinated many people, but compared to a certain period, the boom seems to have calmed down. ■Sakauchi Shokudo's Sakauchi Shoichi: "There was a Kitakata ramen boom, but it's been more than 30 years since then. We really need to increase and create more fans." I want everyone to know more about the culture of Kitakata ramen. This spring, the Kitakata Ramen Division was launched at Kitakata City Hall. ■Kitakata City Hall Kitakata Ramen Division Chief Uryu Akihiko: "We will rebrand Kitakata ramen and promote it as a way to further improve its brand power." Kitakata ramen has also been certified as a "100-year food" by the Agency for Cultural Affairs. The mission of the "section" is to pass on this food culture to the next generation. July 17th was designated "Kitakata Ramen Day" and events were held, and the section is focusing on PR, such as working with restaurants to create special ramen made with carefully selected ingredients for inbound tourists. ■Kitakata City Hall Kitakata Ramen Section Chief Uryu Akihiko: "We want to preserve the culture of Kitakata ramen for a long time. We hope to spread our efforts as much as possible." By the way, Kitakata ramen can also be enjoyed in Inawashiro Town, which is also in the Aizu region. Kawakyo Ramenkan is run by Kawakyo, which has its headquarters in Kitakata City. Here, the all-you-can-eat buffet plan, which includes Kitakata ramen, is very popular. The selling point is the experience-based ramen, where you can freely season and top the ramen and make your own Kitakata ramen. ■A visitor from Gunma Prefecture said, "My child loves ramen and wanted to make his own favorite flavor, so we came here. It was delicious." The great thing about Kitakata ramen is that it can be enjoyed by many people, from children to adults. In addition, the buffet plan offers all-you-can-eat options of over 30 types of food, including local dishes from all over Tohoku. ■ Kawakyo Ramenkan Inawashiro Branch Sato Miyuki: "This is probably the only place you'll find that's like a fun theme park with ramen and buffets, so I hope everyone will come." Fukushima Prefecture is proud of Kitakata ramen. Why not give it a try? ◆ Fukushima Chuo Television News Department Official SNS (X) / fctnews1 ◆ [Latest news now available] https://news.ntv.co.jp/n/fct ◆ Click here to submit your videos and photos! "Chu-Tele Posting Box" https://www.fct.co.jp/form/14 ◆ Get weather information and breaking news notifications with the Chu-Tele app https://www.fct.co.jp/appli/