Hokkaido Prefecture
Ramen

Please refer to “Links and Copyrights” for information on secondary use of images.(Term of use)
- Main lore areas
-
All over Hokkaido
- Main ingredients used
-
Chinese noodles, green onions, pickled bamboo shoots, chashu pork
- History/origin/related events
-
There is a theory that "Nankin-soba" served at a Western-style restaurant in Hakodate in 1884 was the "first ramen in Japan," but this is not certain due to a lack of detailed documentation.
In the postwar period, ramen rapidly became a part of the diet in Hokkaido, where temperatures were cooler. Local ramen with characteristics suited to the climate of each region were born, such as Sapporo's "miso ramen," Hakodate's "shio ramen," and Asahikawa's "shoyu ramen. Since then, the number of ramen stores in Hokkaido has increased, and each store has evolved in its own way as they compete with each other for flavor.
Hokkaido's "ramen" is often based on thick, oily pork bone broth, which is believed to have been inherited from the cloudy pork bone broth eaten by the Ainu people in the past. As for noodles, many restaurants use noodles made at noodle mills rather than homemade noodles. The relationship between the noodle stores and the noodle makers is therefore deep, and there is a unique custom in which the noodle store that makes the noodles used by the store is presented with the curtain of the noodle shop.
- Opportunities and times of eating habits
-
There are many ramen stores in Hokkaido, and ramen is eaten throughout the year, regardless of the season.
- How to eat
-
Most of the ingredients are orthodox, such as green onions, bamboo shoots, and chashu pork, but miso-butter ramen and seafood ramen using Hokkaido's specialties are also popular among tourists.
In addition, there is a particular way of making ramen that is suited to the climate of each region. In Asahikawa, where ramen is made in cold weather, the soup is coated with flavored oil (burnt lard, etc.) to prevent it from getting cold and to ensure that the ramen stays hot until the end. Hakodate, on the other hand, uses a clear pork bone broth with little fat and a refreshing taste. Kushiro's "ramen" also uses thin, frizzled noodles. It is said that this was done to shorten the boiling time of the noodles so that they could be served quickly to busy fishermen when the North Sea fishing industry was prosperous. In addition, you can enjoy "kelp ramen" on Rishiri Island, "curry ramen" in Muroran, and other regional "ramen".
- Efforts for Preservation and Succession
-
(Outline of the people who have passed on the tradition, preservation groups, use of SNS, modern efforts such as commercialization, etc.)
As one of the few "tastes" selected as one of the "Hokkaido Heritage", which is a selection of tangible and intangible assets to be handed down to the next generation as treasures for all Hokkaido-area residents, local ramen using local ingredients are being made in various parts of Hokkaido as a resource for tourism and regional revitalization. In addition, various types of ramen supervised by famous restaurants and bearing their names are available at supermarkets.