3 Selected Ramen Shops in Aomori

Summary

Due to the cold and heavy snowfall, Aomori Prefecture has become the number one consumer of ramen in Japan, and the variety of ramen flavors is abundant.
Tsugaru Niboshi Ramen -> An updated version of Tsugaru Soba
Miso Curry Milk Ramen -> Sapporo Ramen x Middle and High School Students' Play
Nakamiso -> A department store specialty Sapporo Ramen

Aomori Prefecture, the number one consumer of instant ramen in Japan

The high consumption of instant ramen is related to the winter climate of Aomori Prefecture. Aomori Prefecture is located at the northern tip of Honshu, and the entire region is cold. Aomori City is said to have the heaviest snowfall in the world among cities with a population of over 100,000. About 8 meters of snow falls annually. Due to the heavy snow and cold, people tend to spend more time at home. For this reason, instant ramen consumption in Aomori Prefecture, especially in the Tsugaru region, is among the highest in Japan. Instant noodles are a preserved food that can be easily prepared and can warm the body.

When you go to a supermarket in Aomori Prefecture, the instant noodle section is large. You tend to notice original Aomori instant noodles, such as Niboshi ramen with Nebuta illustrations and Shijimi (freshwater clam) ramen.

Another feature is the wide variety of ramen, including soup bases and combinations based on standard soy sauce, miso, and salt. This time, I ate three bowls: "Tsugaru Ramen," "Miso Curry Milk Ramen," and "Nakamiso."

Tsugaru Niboshi Ramen: Nagao Chuka Soba

In the Tsugaru region, regardless of the flavor, Niboshi (dried sardine) soup is the main staple. Niboshi ramen evolved from Tsugaru Soba. Tsugaru Soba has been eaten since the Edo period. However, because it is time-consuming, it evolved into Niboshi ramen to suit modern times where time-saving is required.

Tsugaru Soba and Niboshi ramen differ in their soup and noodles.

Both Tsugaru Soba and Niboshi ramen have a soup base made from blue-backed fish. On the Sea of Japan side, blue-backed fish such as sardines are caught in abundance thanks to the Tsushima Current. Tsugaru Soba mainly uses Yakiboshi (grilled dried fish). The blue-backed fish are gutted, their heads are removed, and then they are slowly grilled and dried. On the other hand, Niboshi ramen uses Niboshi. Niboshi requires no pre-processing and can be made simply by boiling and drying blue-backed fish.

The noodles of Tsugaru Soba are unique. Gojiru, made by grinding soybeans, is used as a binder. This is wisdom for obtaining nutrition. By letting it rest, it becomes soft enough to be picked up with chopsticks but crushed with the tongue. For Chuka Soba, many shops were seen handling thin, curly noodles.

For more details about the story of tasting Tsugaru Soba and Niboshi ramen, please read here.

I ate Niboshi ramen at Nagao Chuka Soba Aomori Station Front Branch. Nagao Chuka Soba was founded in Hirosaki City in 2004. As of 2024, it has 5 stores in Aomori Prefecture and has also expanded to Tokyo and Sendai. Three types of Niboshi ramen are their specialty. There are three types: "Assari" (light), which uses only Niboshi and water for the soup; "Koku Niboshi" (rich), which adds pork bone; and "Akkoku," which combines the light soup and the rich Niboshi soup. You can also customize the noodles to your liking from 4 types: hand-kneaded noodles, medium-thick noodles, curly noodles, and thin noodles. The side menu, including rice dishes, is also substantial, making it a shop you would want to visit even once a week.

This time, I ordered Koku Niboshi with hand-kneaded noodles. At the Aomori Station Front Branch, you purchase a meal ticket at the ticket machine at the entrance. The hand-kneaded noodles are chewy. The soup has the aroma of Niboshi. It gives a strong impact, especially with the first bite. You can enjoy the flavor of Niboshi until the very end.

You can also buy it as instant ramen, and since you can enjoy the taste of Nagao Chuka Soba at home, it is recommended as a souvenir. It is also recommended to arrange the instant ramen.

Nagao Chuka Soba Aomori Station Front Branch
Business Hours: 7:00 - 20:00
Closed: Monday (if it is a holiday, Tuesday)
2-minute walk from Aomori Station

Miso Curry Milk Ramen: Aji no Sapporo Onishi

Aji no Sapporo Onishi is located a 10-minute walk from Aomori Station. Founded in 1968, it is only open during lunch time. There are times when a line forms before opening. Because the turnover is fast, you can eat it without waiting as much as you might expect given the length of the line. There were 6 groups waiting. However, I was able to get a seat in about 20 minutes.

People line up for the specialty Miso Curry Milk Ramen. Miso Curry Milk Ramen is a ramen that blends milk and curry powder into miso ramen. It was born from the play of curious middle and high school students. Since Aji no Sapporo Onishi was located in a movie theater tenant at the time of its founding, many middle and high school students visited after school. At the shop, it became popular among students to add seasonings like ketchup and mayonnaise or drinks like cola to their ramen. At that time, the rumor spread that adding milk and curry powder to miso ramen was delicious, and the owner turned it into a menu item as a local ramen.

Currently, in addition to Aji no Sapporo Onishi, it is served at 5 stores: Aji no Sapporo Asari, Tsutsui Kawara, Sapporo Ramen Kura, and Sapporo-kan. It has become such a specialty that a movie titled "Is Miso Curry Milk Ramen Delicious?" was released on April 15, 2022.

The medium-thick, chewy noodles, combined with milk that mildly envelops the curry and miso, create an exquisite balance. Perhaps because it is wrapped in milk, the spiciness is not very noticeable, and the flavor of the curry gently emerges from the back of the throat. The toppings are simple: bean sprouts, seaweed, butter, chashu pork, and bamboo shoots. Melting the butter adds even more richness.

There are many other unique menu items, such as miso natto ramen and plum salt ramen. This might be a remnant of the playful spirit of the middle and high school students who frequented the shop when it first opened. These are dishes I want to try on future visits.

Aji no Sapporo Onishi
Business Hours: 11:00 - 18:00
Closed: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, December 31st - January 1st
10-minute walk from Aomori Station

Nakamiso

In November 2024, it relocated and opened in Kiroro, a commercial facility in front of Hirosaki Station. It was once located in the basement food court of the Nakasan department store in Hirosaki City. However, due to the bankruptcy of the Nakasan department store in August 2024, it closed suddenly. Having visited just two weeks prior, the sudden closure was not only a shock but also filled me with the anxiety that I might never be able to eat it again.

Nakamiso is famous for its miso ramen. It originated from a miso ramen shop in the basement food court of the Nakasan department store main branch in Goshogawara City. They began serving it by jumping on the miso ramen boom that started with Sapporo ramen in the 1960s. Goshogawara City, located on the Tsugaru Peninsula, was already accustomed to niboshi (dried sardine) ramen, so the rich, fatty miso ramen was not accepted at the time. Through trial and error, the current Nakamiso was perfected. It features a rich miso flavor reminiscent of Sapporo ramen. The noodles are thin and firm, leaving a lasting impression with their snappy texture. The rich miso soup, infused with garlic and ginger, also has a hint of sweetness. It is topped with stir-fried cabbage, bean sprouts, and ground meat, which pairs perfectly with the soup. The soup retains its heat well, staying piping hot until the very last bite. It also pairs perfectly with Aomori-grown garlic.

You can also purchase instant ramen and fresh-type retort food, allowing you to arrange them in your own way or have a quick meal with cup noodles. The secret to making it delicious is to simmer the vegetables together in the soup. Souvenir versions are also popular, to the point where they have been forced to suspend sales and have been re-released multiple times.

Business Hours: 10:00 - 19:00
Closed: Same as Kiroro
10-minute walk from JR/Konan Railway Hirosaki Station

In addition, you can enjoy a wide variety of ramen throughout the prefecture, such as shijimi (freshwater clam) ramen made with broth from clams harvested at Lake Jusan in the eastern part of the Tsugaru Peninsula, and Hirosaki curry ramen, which is perfect for a final meal of the night. Tsugaru niboshi ramen and shijimi salt ramen are also sold as bagged noodles, making them perfect souvenirs.