Kitakata ramen started with a single young man...
It started over 100 years ago, with one young man...
Blowing his "charumera", a small bugle, to draw attention; a young man from China pulled his food cart along the streets selling "Chinese Soba." The term "ramen" didn't exist yet, much less ramen shops, but this one man would soon have a profound impact on Kitakata's noodle culture.
Kitakata is known for its "kura", traditional storehouses, and its reputation for fine "sake". Tourists, hungry after a day of sake tasting and sightseeing, were drawn to the aroma of noodles in hot soup. From that humble beginning, history was made.