Shirakawa Ramen (Fukushima Prefecture)

2025-08-26 Local RamenTohoku Area

What is Shirakawa Ramen(白河ラーメン)?

Fukushima Prefecture is home to two famous local ramen varieties. One is Kitakata Ramen(喜多方ラーメン), found in Kitakata City in the Aizu region. The other is Shirakawa Ramen(白河ラーメン), which spread mainly in Shirakawa City.
Shirakawa Ramen dates back to 1921, when, after training in Yokohama, a ramen maker opened the hand-made ramen shop Kamegen(亀源). This is considered the origin of Shirakawa ramen, but it later closed.
The original Shirakawa hand-made ramen is said to be Tora Shokudo, founded in 1969.
The first and second-generation owners took on apprentices and gradually opened their own businesses, spreading Shirakawa ramen. Today, there are over 100 ramen shops in the Shirakawa area.

Its distinctive flavor is a chicken bone tonkotsu-based soy sauce flavor. Its clear, refreshing soup is a hallmark of the signature Tora Shokudo(とら食堂), which uses no artificial additives. Many of the noodles are hand-made, high-hydration, curly noodles, often exceeding 40% water content. Hand-made noodles seem to be on the decline these days, but thick, curly noodles with a high water content(Highly hydrated) are still popular. Wonton and chashu toppings are popular.