Kitakata City in Fukushima Prefecture, in the Tohoku region of Japan, has long been known as a ramen town. Kitakata Ramen has a history of around 100 years of the local cuisine, it is considered one of Japan’s “Three Great Ramen,”* along with the ramen of Sapporo and Hakata, and is famous all over Japan. We asked HAYAKAWA Naoki of the Kitakata Ramen Section of Kitakata City Hall about the origin of Kitakata Ramen and its characteristics. “The origin of Kitakata Ramen dates back to around 1930. At the time, there weren’t any ramen restaurants in the city, but it is said that things got started when Pan Qinxing, who was born in Zhejiang Province, China, started selling ramen as shina soba (Chinese noodle dish) from a yatai (street stand)** in 1927.” HAYAKAWA explained the characteristics of Kitakata Ramen. In fact, from the olden days, Kitakata has had an asa-ra (morning ramen) culture, with people eating at ramen restaurants in the morning. “There are different theories to the origin of asa-ra. One is that it started when workers at a three-shift factory in the city would stop by to eat after their late shift. Another is that, in the winter, to show appreciation to migratory workers, dekasegi***** (or seasonal workers) returning home on the night train, and to encourage them to warm up their cold bodies. In this way, ramen has been a familiar food for so long to the people of the city.” Recently, Kitakata City Hall has taken the lead in launching initiatives with foreign tourists in mind. Since February 2024, it has been developing Finest Kitakata Ramen “SUGOI” (it means “Amazing!” in Japanese), a ramen dish designed for the visitors from overseas that is packed with local food products, and is now offered at some restaurants. “The concept of Finest Kitakata Ramen “SUGOI” is a dish that you can’t prepare or enjoy anywhere else but here. The noodles are made from 100% Japanese wheat. The centerpiece is the roasted beef slices, which are made from rare Fukushima Aizu beef. All of the tableware uses locally produced lacquerware, such as Aizu ware. You can take the lacquered chopsticks home as a souvenir. So, when you come to Kitakata, please enjoy a bowl of ‘Finest.’” By MOROHASHI KumikoPhoto: Kitakata City Hall Kitakata Ramen Section; Ramen Ippei If you have any feedback or comments on this content, please enter them in the space provided below. ※Max. 2000 characters Required Your valuable feedback and commnents will be referenced for our future operations. 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Garrett Snyder Torrance Hakata Ikkousha is a tonkotsu ramen chain with a location in Torrance Japanese Ramen Century City Ramen Nagi is a Tokyo-based chain with a delicious 24-hour-simmered tonkotsu broth Gardena Ramen Josui is a cozy and always-busy Gardena spot that serves a variety of ramen styles Garrett is a lifelong Californian who's covered the LA dining scene as a writer/editor since 2012 He'll drive any distance for great food A bear about 90 centimeters long was found in a private house in Kitakata by a resident male in his 60s who came home around 6:20 p.m The man took refuge in a neighbor’s house The bear remained inside the house as of 11:15 a.m and a local hunting club are discussing how to handle the situation please disable the ad blocking feature and reload the page This website uses cookies to collect information about your visit for purposes such as showing you personalized ads and content By clicking “Accept all,” you will allow the use of these cookies Users accessing this site from EEA countries and UK are unable to view this site without your consent when the man came home and opened the door to the living room he found the bear lying with its head in a Japanese kotatsu Cases of bears entering buildings are increasing in many places a bear entered a supermarket in Akita City and attacked an employee and was captured two days later Our weekly ePaper presents the most noteworthy recent topics in an exciting © 2025 The Japan News - by The Yomiuri Shimbun Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Mayumi Kitakata frets about the health and well-being of Chi indulges a bit too much in the catnip and at about 14 is getting on in years for a feline has had pet cats come and go over the years and to help give Chi as many seasons as possible she has turned to artificial intelligence (AI) Kitakata became an early adopter of CatsMe! an AI-driven smartphone application that purports to tell when a cat is feeling pain That cuts down on the guesswork of when it is necessary to embark on a stressful trip to the veterinarian “He is at an age where more and more diseases are going to appear,” Kitakata said but still reduce the number of visits to the hospital is very important for him and for me.” The Japan Pet Food Association estimated there were almost 16 million pet cats and dogs in Japan last year Tech start-up Carelogy and researchers at Nihon University developed CatsMe The app has been used by more than 230,000 people since its launch last year The developers say that it is more than 95 percent accurate and expect that degree to improve as the AI trains on more feline faces Nihon University professor Kazuya Edamura said that vets like him can tell to a certain degree whether an animal is in pain or not “Our statistics show that more than 70 percent of elderly cats have arthritis or pain but only 2 percent of them actually go to a hospital,” Edamura said we use [the app] as a tool to make owners aware of whether the situation is normal or not.” Kitakata and Chi live in a central Tokyo apartment with the perfect feline napping spot near a balcony window that overlooks cherry trees five floors below She monitors Chi’s toilet activity and uses the app to read its face each day a brown-striped tom who died about six years ago from cancer at just eight years old maybe we could have done cancer treatment earlier or something and it would have helped Kitakata Ramen Ban Nai brings a lighter pork broth One of Japan’s most popular ramen specialists opened its first LA location on March 1 in Torrance The new strip mall store drew immense lines with customers waiting up to an hour for a taste of the newcomer (Diners waited outside the noodle shop for it to open at 11 a.m March 4; the dining room was full by noon.) The Japan-based chain opened its first stateside location in Costa Mesa in 2014 and expanded across Orange County with restaurants in Buena Park and chashu distinguish Kitakata from other ramen styles The pork-based broth is clear and almost devoid of visible fat which makes it lighter but still flavorful The signature noodles soak up the broth more than standard ramen noodles while the fatty pork chashu slices are placed circularly for optimal presentation In addition to the signature Kitakata-style ramen is a green chile and scallion-topped shio version that brings a spicy flair; the sweet-salty miso adds a welcomed dimension The noodle shop also serves a spicy miso broth and creamy spice-tinted tan tan plus a vegan miso ramen topped with seasoned tofu A dipping-style tsukemen rounds out the noodle offerings Kitakata Ramen Ban Nai’s arrival in Torrance adds another high-quality noodle soup specialist to the South Bay’s crowded ramen scene Kitakata’s visible perch along Pacific Coast Highway next to a busy H-Mart grocery store and ample parking should fuel its popularity Kitakata Bannai is located at 4338 Pacific Coast Highway Kitakata stands together with Sapporo and Hakata as one of Japan’s top three destinations for ramen noodles Kitakata is a small city in the mountainous inland Aizu region of Fukushima Prefecture At the height of the ramen boom in the 1980s it had about 30,000 inhabitants but over 120 ramen eateries all offering tasty noodles on a par with big-city offerings Residents even have the interesting habit of eating ramen first thing in the morning Busy in the kitchen at Bannai Shokudō Diners start pouring in at 7:00 in the morning styles itself “the original” Kitakata ramen eatery Its plain-looking bowl of noodles comes in a light yet deeply flavored soy-sauce soup that clings perfectly to the curly Regulars claim that Kitakata ramen is something you can eat every day and yet keep coming back for more The Genraiken shop is a 6-minute walk from Kitakata Station Genraiken’s soy-sauce-flavored ramen is plain yet deeply satisfying a Chinese immigrant who settled in the area He came to Kitakata because his uncle lived there he began selling Chinese noodles from a street cart he arrived at the taste of the noodles he was familiar with in China Ban was the originator of the distinctive Kitakata ramen noodle which contains more water than other ramen noodles and is left to age before cooking He shared his noodle recipe generously and trained many ramen cooks who then went on to open their own shops Many noodle makers also modeled their product on the Genraiken noodle This sign outside Genraiken recounts the shop’s history the flat Kitakata noodles have a higher water content than other typical ramen noodles Some eateries even serve ramen in miso-flavored soup or chilled noodles eaten with a dipping sauce which serves ramen in a soy-sauce-flavored soup Aficionados crave the chewy texture of Makoto Shokudō’s noodles Makoto Shokudō is near the Kitakata city office Ramen lovers start lining up before the shop opens creating a soy-sauce version made from small dried sardines and pork bone broth that became the shop’s signature touch The soup is on the rich side and has a deep But its clean aftertaste leaves diners ready to enjoy it again the next day Packs of ramen are on sale next to the cash register and even though customers’ hunger may be sated they will surely be tempted to take some home The dried sardine and pork bone broth at Makoto Shokudō is a perfect balance of lightness and richness The best known of the Kitakata “big three” may be Bannai Shokudō delicious noodles topped with an extra-generous helping of chāshū simmered pork belly Bannai Shokudō’s famous niku soba The surprisingly light chāshū just melts in the mouth Bannai Shokudō located on the other side of the Kitakata city office from Makoto Shokudō Bannai Shingo opened Bannai Shokudō in 1958 The salty soup served here is pork-bone-based and the chāshū is simmered with a touch of soy sauce The umami from the salt and the broth is robust but the soup’s light flavor makes it a perfect match for the chāshū topping and the chewy noodles Bannai established the chain Kitakata Ramen Bannai in 1988 a franchising operation run by the firm Menshoku that have spread the name and the taste of Kitakata ramen far and wide The golden salty soup at Bannai Shokudō is a main attraction for diners many of whom come to Kitakata especially for its ramen Both Bannai Shokudō and Makoto Shokudō open at 7:00 am by which time customers are already lined up outside “Regulars see the shop lit up at dawn when we’re making the day’s preparations and I’m getting my children’s lunches ready and they’ll poke their heads in the door and ask ‘Are you open yet?’ or ‘Are you ready to serve?’” Some customers are people who come for a bowl of noodles when they’re getting off a night shift at a factory or farm workers who want to eat before starting work in the fields It seems that the custom of having early morning ramen just sprang up naturally Bannai Shōichi Bannai Shokudō’s second-generation owner Kitakata ramen became a household name in Japan thanks mainly to Kitakata’s history and culture not to mention the character of the local people Kitakata got its name because it was situated in the northern (kita) part of the Edo-period (1603–1868) Aizu domain and many of them set up businesses making sake These are fermented products that rely on good water so they took advantage of the clear streams flowing from nearby Mount Iide Good water produces fine-tasting sake and soy sauce Another reason for the existence of Kitakata ramen is the presence of local soy sauce brewers Ramen eatery operators are quite particular about the soy sauce they use which influences the flavor of the soup and the chāshū they serve It is also easy for them to order soy sauce made to their specifications That gives ramen shops their distinctive taste—and is why so many of them can flourish in Kitakata Wakaki Shōten Its brick storehouse and tatami-mat sitting room are open to the public Bannai’s chāshū is simmered slowly in soy sauce Kitakata became a tourism destination in the 1970s notable for its profusion of traditional kura storehouses Television coverage and photo exhibitions featuring Kitakata’s many kura sparked interest in the city and gradually attracted tourists the city’s commerce and tourism department organized a tie-up with a tourism magazine in 1983 that began featuring popular local ramen shops Bannai Shokudō started up its Kitakata Ramen Bannai chain around the same time which helped put the city’s name on the map The Kitakata Ramen Jinja a shrine dedicated to the city’s ramen With so many people flocking to Kitakata for its ramen an association of ramen-related businesses also played a major role in branding the city This group started up in 1987 with 40 ramen eateries and 5 noodle makers as members A “ramen map” showing the location of member stores proved very popular and set off a fad among visitors who enjoyed making the rounds of the eateries on the circuit Shanghai displays the indigo Ramenkai noren split curtain at its storefront But the boom that brought so many visitors to Kitakata appears to have led some shops to cut corners prompting local regulars to gripe that “the soup tastes watery,” “the broth is lukewarm,” or “the noodles have gone soggy.” The Ramenkai urged its members to uphold quality standards for example by closing up early if they ran out of soup or noodles the Kitakata brand has been protected and its lasting popularity ensured Kitakata ramen was born thanks to Ban Kinsei who developed a flat noodle with a high water content This article was prepared with the cooperation of the Kitakata Tourism and Products Association.) Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon The best of Los Angeles straight to your inbox We help you navigate a myriad of possibilities Sign up for our newsletter for the best of the city By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news Sign up for our email to enjoy Los Angeles without spending a thing (as well as some options when you’re feeling flush) Our newsletter hand-delivers the best bits to your inbox Sign up to unlock our digital magazines and also receive the latest news By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news, events, offers and partner promotions. Los Angeles Thanks for subscribing! Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon! twitter instagram spotify About us Contact us Time Out magazine A restaurant called Simply Noodles House is coming soon to 73rd Street and Amsterdam though we don’t have much info on it yet It appears to be in the former home of Kitakata Ramen Ban Nai Thanks to Zen Medica and Scott for the tips CBD Kratom, which calls itself the largest privately owned cannabis and kratom retail chain in the United States, is having a grand opening this weekend at 2039-B Broadway. You may have heard of cannabis, but Kratom is less well-known. It comes from the leaves of an evergreen tree, and is related to coffee. We wrote more about it here The shop will have a grand opening from 3-6 on Friday the 140-year-old maker of chocolates and gelato will open its latest NYC outpost on the southwest corner of 69th Street and Columbus Avenue A man working on the shop’s interiors said it should be open in “about two weeks.” Thanks to Joy for the tip The hair salon Madison Reed will be opening on 72nd Street and Columbus where there used to be a Covid-19 rapid testing center highlights and treatments with products made in Italy under the European Union’s strict safety standards parabens and other harmful ingredients,” writes our tipster Scott A shop called Hawa that serves smoothies and tea is coming to 84th and Amsterdam, next door to cpw boutique Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value" This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed. Does anyone know if B I Rosenhaus & Sons carpet and flooring closed Moved to Columbus – can’t get them on the phone – number disconnected – but I didn’t see anything about them closing Website makes it look like the store is still open The website says it is on 87th and Columbus https://birosenhaus.com/ Hawa has been open for a few weeks at least Our family loved their food and ate there once a week Actually it was my final meal before the restaurants shut down in March 2020 I had gotten a postcard from them a few years ago I am so sorry to see that Kitakata has closed I can’t help but wonder if the forever scaffolding on Amsterdam and 72nd did them in Probably that and the fact that they closed super early every day for the last several months Hoping the new noodle shop will be as good very sorry to hear Kitakata closed – especially now that this would be perfect ramen weather I’m kind of surprised they’re gone I got the sense they had more business than they could manage Or maybe it was a staffing / management issue I just remember they seemed too busy at times to answer the phone for takeout orders The soup is delivered in a separate container which can be heated up (as Jin Ramen recommends) If you watch the way they’re assembled at the shop the ingredients are room temperature (except possibly the noodles) and the broth heats up the bowl Hawa had been open for a while – great smoothies and acai bowls legal marijuana wont stop the Mexican Cartels from doing business it makes it more available to kids who dont need it and more likely that you won’t be able to dodge the nasty acrid smell when walking down Broadway @carl I’d love to learn what you are smoking Every time I post a comment (civil and short) I receive some notice that says I’ve already posted same I’ve had the same thing happen – can’t think of a reason Need recommendations for restaurants who serve good Chinese food Tri dim west does a good job also for more American style dishes Vanessa’s dumpling house is terrific for dumplings dan dan noodles and scallion pancake sandwiches Not really any great Chinese restaurants in UWS I love Han Dynasty but this week I was charged $15.00 higher than usual for the same dishes (before the tip) delivery and ‘fees.’ Very disappointing I’ve heard good things about New Cottage but I haven’t been able to locate an online menu on the pricier side – but good quality / food © 2025 West Side Rag | All rights reserved © 2025 West Side Rag | All rights reserved Bubbleblabber Your source for the latest in adult animation news Lazarus Episode 1– 👎 Big City Greens 100th Episode–👍 Common Side Effects Episode 1–👍 Lil Kev Episode 1–👍 StuGo Episode 1–👍 Patrick Star - "There are also other characters that come and go (also owned by the Warner Bros. Discovery conglomerate media company)." Huh. Is that just referring to other characters from the show itself, or is this implying that the new season is going to have cameos from other WBD IPs Bifferno I think it's all delayed until the 23rd now. gobluespartyon- West Japan is known for producing tenacious, fiery characters. Daichi Kitakata is no exception his first foray with martial arts was short-lived when he discovered mixed martial arts at one of the top dojos in Osaka and started to walk down the path to greatness Now, the Pancrase Strawweight World Champion is set to debut in ONE Championship at ONE: CENTURY PART II, in a battle to determine the number one Japanese athlete in his weight class, as he faces former ONE Strawweight World Champion, and reigning Shooto World Champion, Yosuke “The Ninja” Saruta the 28-year-old reveals how martial arts made him into the man he is today A post shared by 北方大地 (@kitakatadaichi330) and his upbringing was far different compared to many of his peers from Tokyo his mother regularly took him to the mountains and rivers nearby and it was not too long before he was introduced to martial arts – though unsuccessfully but I was a disobedient child and wouldn’t listen to the teacher and recalls being attracted to the excitement of Shinya Hashimoto’s match with Naoya Ogawa but that was nothing to what he would feel when mixed martial arts piqued his interest in junior high school The martial arts boom in Japan during the 2000s was in full swing and Kitakata was fascinated from the moment he saw Japan’s biggest organization on TV he gave up baseball to join the school’s judo club he stuck with the classes until he moved to high school when he joined the famous Pancrase Osaka Inagaki-gumi Dojo “I searched on the internet and decided I would go to the gym that came up top in the results,” he explains but I thought it would be easier to go by bike A post shared by 北方大地 (@kitakatadaichi330) together helped Kitakata grow mentally and physically Inagaki has a bushido atmosphere about him,” he remembers but you feel his nuance that can’t be expressed in words I thought that this was the kind of man I want to train under and prove myself to.” He quickly settled into the tough training and developed the attributes he needed to be one of his country’s top competitors He also formed a strong bond with the rest of his team and learned to look after those around him “With more kohai (juniors) joining the team I’ve learned to hold responsibility for those younger than me Looking after others is the spirit of the martial arts,” he says I think that being raised in a place like that The sempai–kohai system of looking after each other gives us strong willpower.” A post shared by 北方大地 (@kitakatadaichi330) he transitioned straight into full-time training while he worked on the side to help to make a living through the early days of his career “The hardest thing about making a living from the martial arts is finding the environment where you can focus only on the martial arts Working and competing at the same time was the hardest,” he says He just needed enough to live on so that he could give 100 percent to his dream He finally realized this when a local sports club offered him space to give private lessons His life was now balanced the way he wanted and he had the bonus of being able to use his passion in another area of his life “Teaching people martial arts makes you think more deeply about what you’re doing The input-output process of explaining techniques means you have to understand them,” he adds Kitakata began his professional career in 2010 and quickly started to build an impressive record as he competed almost exclusively in Pancrase His career turned a corner at the start of 2015 when he started a run that saw him lose only once in 12 bouts and rise to become his organization’s World Champion The lone defeat came in December 2016 to long-reigning King Of Pancrase Mitsuhisa Sunabe who was then riding a long winning streak that had begun in 2011 It did not take long for him to get over his loss as took out four top-tier strawweights in a row to get a second shot at the belt against his rival this July he experienced the happiest moment of his career when he scored a dramatic fifth-round TKO to climb to the top of the mountain That also earned him his place in the world’s largest martial arts organization and he is ready to test himself against the best competitors on the planet “I want to represent Japan and face guys from all over the world: Africa America – all have their own character and style – like in the Street Fighter game,” he laughs ONE: CENTURY is the biggest World Championship martial arts event in history with 28 World Champions featured across various martial arts No organization has ever promoted two full-scale World Championship events on the same day The Home Of Martial Arts will break new ground as it brings multiple World Title bouts a trio of World Grand Prix Championship Finals and several World Champion versus World Champion matches to the famous Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo Kitakata Ramen Ban Nai has a 60-year history in Japan Another ramen contender has joined the fray with the arrival of Kitakata Ramen Ban Nai which recently opened off Convoy Street amongst a new stretch of storefronts located between the Costco Business Center and Target The ramen chain has a long and storied history in Japan opening its first shop in Kitakata city back in 1958 and expanding steadily there over the last six decades to now span more than 60 locations Kitakata Ramen Ban Nai also has a small handful of stateside restaurants in Orange County and the Chicago suburbs While San Diegans might be most familiar with the types of ramen from Hakata and Sapporo known for their tonkotsu and miso broths respectively Kitakata ramen is an equally popular style that originated in the northern Japanese prefecture of Fukushima its shoyu-based broth is relatively light and clear compared to its heavier counterparts the noodles are hand-crumpled for an irregular The classic Kitakata bowl is topped with slices of toro chashu Kitakata Ramen Ban Nai features bowls ranging from a shio or salt-based soup spiced with fresh green chilies to spicy miso ramen and a rich tan tan ramen that has a glistening slick of spicy garlic oil It also offers a gluten-free noodle option Fresh off his capture of the Pancrase Strawweight World Title, Daichi Kitakata is on top of the world ahead of the biggest match of his career at ONE: CENTURY PART II On Sunday, 13 October will face his counterpart, Shooto World Champion, Yosuke “The Ninja” Saruta as they attempt to defend the honor of the two world’s longest-running mixed martial arts organizations in the ONE Championship Circle The 28-year-old from Osaka is excited to represent Pancrase in the Home Of Martial Arts and show the world he can outmatch his rival Kitakata expects he will be able to do that by approaching the contest in the same way that saw him build an impressive run to the Pancrase belt in the past few years “I’ve been improving with each of my recent matches I’m going to give the best performance of my career Kitakata is relaxed, but he knows not to underestimate his opponent. He has watched Saruta excel on the global stage, and saw him capture the ONE Strawweight World Title in just his second bout in the organization in January but he is still one of the best athletes in the world in his division and although the Pancrase Inagakigumi representative believes he knows what to expect from the 31-year-old “I think [Saruta] will probably come out to grapple I think he knows I’m expecting him to grapple so he’ll throw strikes here and there,” he offers I think he’ll try to show that he won’t back down from my striking his grappling versus striking will be 70-30 he has great physical ability and technique His strength is his concentration doesn’t break His concentration is backed up by his stamina the fearless Kitakata reckons he has some advantages – through his character and style – that may be pivotal in their match Though he feels Saruta will be well prepared he predicts he can rattle him and take him out of his game plan by landing hard strikes and using his aggressive grappling to compromise his positions “I want to let everyone know that my striking and grappling skills exceed his and I’m a mixed martial arts specialist on a higher level,” he adds “I’m going to use my striking to stop his attempts to clinch up I’ll use my scrambles to break the momentum of his techniques.” and a step up to ONE Championship is exactly the next challenge he wants in his career A win for him in a showcase bout at a momentous event against another titleholder would be the perfect start to life on the global stage and set him up for match-ups with more of the best athletes in the world in which he could compete overseas for the first time but the 28-year-old cannot help looking ahead to the opportunities that could be in store for him “I’m really looking forward to [more matches in ONE Championship] where all these World Champions compete together,” he says but this makes me want to prove myself even more.” Read more: 3 Bouts That Could Steal The Show At ONE: CENTURY PART II there is a pathway of weeping cherry trees which was developed on the site of a former railway line It is one of the largest in the country and ranks high in popularity among cherry blossom spots on websites and other sources* Kitakata City in northwestern Fukushima Prefecture in the Tohoku region is home to a weeping cherry tree-lined walking and bicycling path This is a recreational pathway that has been constructed on the old tracks of the Nicchu Line railway operated by Japan National Railways Stretching approximately 3 kilometers from the old Kitakata Station it offers visitors the opportunity to admire about 1,000 Shidare-zakura trees along the route The Nicchu Line opened in 1938 and spanned 11.6 kilometers with a total of five stations from Kitakata Station to Atsushio Station serving as the gateway to Atsushio and Nicchu onsens (hot springs) Steam locomotives operated along this route the steam locomotive operation came to an end due to declining passenger numbers financial difficulties led to its official discontinuation Kitakata City then renovated the former railway track stretching approximately three kilometers from the old Kitakata Station to the adjacent Aizu-Muramatsu Station into a dedicated pedestrian and bicycle path for the citizens lined with Shidare-zakura trees were considered for planting along the pathway the choice of Shidare-zakura was made based on a proposal by the then-mayor there is a renowned weeping cherry tree known as ‘Miharu Takizakura’** This cherry tree has been familiar to locals since ancient times by the prominent Japanese painter from the same prefecture The pathway lined with weeping cherry trees is currently undergoing a project to be extended by volunteer citizens chairman of the NPO Nicchu Line Shidare-zakura Project an organization launched by volunteers in Kitakata City in 2013 shares the following: "The initiative aims to extend the Shidare-zakura pathway all the way to the former terminus of the Nicchu Line The goal is to transform the entire 11.6-kilometer former Nicchu Line route into a weeping cherry blossom tree-lined pathway creating a lasting tourist attraction for future generations." has recently planted an additional 258 weeping cherry blossom trees (as of March 31 The trees planted by the NPO are in the rural outskirts of Kitakata City visitors can enjoy the blossoms while admiring the snow-capped Mount Iide*** in the background The cherry blossoms along the pathway typically reach full bloom from mid-April the annual Kitakata Cherry Blossom Festival is held during this time the festival will take place from April 5 to 24 "Throughout the popular festival period visitors can enjoy the Shidare-zakura illumination along the pathway from 6:30PM to 8:00PM," explains Karahashi "The area where our NPO planted the cherry blossoms is in the outskirts with enough space between the trees for activities such as cherry blossom viewing with picnic sheets spread out We encourage you to come and savor the experience!" A Shidare-zakura pathway stretching 11.6km will surely be a magnificent sight to look forward to No article or any part there of may be reproduced without the express permission of the Cabinet Office. Copyright inquiries should be made through this form Kitakata Ramen is commonly known as one of the “big 3” ramens of Japan; the noodles are flat and are prepared with a higher concentration of water than usual Expect it to be chewier than what you’re used to Kitakata’s soup is light in color and made using pork bones which are extracted over many hours. According to their website it’s a very light soup and isn’t oily at all They also serve a nice looking fried chicken appetizer and their signature “Toro-Chashu” which is a tender pork belly which is prepared every few hours at all of their restaurants Kitakata Ramen has over sixty locations in Japan The reviews for all of their locations are pretty stellar There’s no question the past few episodes of Bartender had lost a lot of their luster for me I was starting to drift away from it to be honest but boy – what a difference a week makes If this wasn’t the finest episode so far it was certainly close It even kept the Suntory product placement tastefully modest – even if did shoehorn a gratuitous bottle of Jim Beam (which is owned by Suntory) in prominently It was fitting at least that it was in a dive bar in Kabukicho I love bourbon but all Beam – even their premium stuff – just tastes like peanut shells to me For once Bartender features a non-Suntory ingredient but I guess Beam-Suntory doesn’t own any Everclear-caliber vodka labels This scene is interesting in many different ways (starting with the fact that neither Miwa or Ryuu corrected Kitakata when he called her his girlfriend) First of all Kitakata made the drink that strong to help a friend a hard-luck hostess who gets guys drunk and fleeces them out of their money Sasakura-san gets rather high-handed and starts lecturing the older man who I frankly expected to get angrier than he did “There are all sorts of hospitals” and it really comes down a philosophical disagreement about what a bar is specifically the philosophy of bartending of their old mentor He was fond of saying that bartending wasn’t a career As it turns out, Kase-san had a stroke seven years earlier and had to close his bar, all of which is news to Sasakura. The pair zip off to Kawasaki (about 45 minutes from central Tokyo), where Kase-san remains in the hospital Kitakata says the old man is an object lesson in what happens when you make bartending your lifestyle and urges Ryuu to choose another while he’s still young enough But his heart isn’t in it – he still lives that life himself in a bar he named after Kase-san’s place Back at the hotel, Kyouko is starting at the lounge bar – but the one behind the felt rope still hasn’t opened Miwa is feeling guilty about continuing to hound Sasakura to leave Edenhall and take it over and frankly she should – it’s obnoxious Her grandfather has gone to far as to try and buy off Edenhall’s owner behind Ryuu’s back There is more to this story – in fact Kitakata tells Miwa that Ryuu is haunted by trauma of a customer (in Paris presumably) having died as a result of his actions I suspect he really didn’t do anything wrong and blames himself anyway but his connection to Edenhall is obviously closely tied this incident and we certainly haven’t heard the last of it It would be hard to overstate how much better this worked than the last couple of arcs The tone felt so much more in synch with the material and the focus being back on Sasakura-san was long overdue He’s not the only bartender in the story but he’s still the one at the heart of it and his weird perspective is what really defines the series The less conventional the stories in Bartender and I’ll be very happy if it stays in this groove until the end of the series This was indeed one of the best episodes yet in the series as Sasakura is back in the starring role again It seems like Miwa and Sasakura have been going on outings together off-screen and on this night she’s trying to find some secret bar in Kabukicho They place that they entered looks like a dive it’s a dark place and there’s at least one customer who’s trying to sleep off from having one too many I did notice that the both Miwa and Sasakura ignored the “girlfriend” comment If old man Kurushima can’t get Sasakura to work in his hotel bar I suppose he could settle for a grandson in-law (Probably not until the end of the series The North Wind is a place that serves hard drinks for people who want to get drunk fast (In the case of that hostess That’s reflected in the drinks he makes like that amped-up Bloody Mary with 176 proof vodka It’s strong enough to double as a cleaning solvent I’d imagine that Everclear should work pretty well as a degreaser I did not expect to see a cameo for Clamato It’s definitely a difference in philsophy between Kitakata and Sasakura That’s made apparent when Kitataka drops by at Edenhall along with the hostess She’s feeling out of her element as Sasakura prepares a caipirinha for the both of them The line about how bartending is a lifestyle choice becomes important the owner of the bar that the two of them used to work at had to close his place and has been at the hospital ever since Kitakata tries to use that visit in an attempt to dissuade Sasakura from staying in that lifestyle though Kitakata himself is still in the business It’s been pushed into the background in the recent episodes but old man Kurushima has made it clear that he still wants Sasakura at this counter bar Miwa doesn’t seem to have pushing the issue that much (I don’t think he’d be willing to go bar-hopping with her otherwise) and is feeling guilty One of his customers fell of the building by accident If one of his customers decided to have one last drink and then jumped off That also explains his excuse about being afraid of heights when given the offer to work at the Hotel Cardinal I’m very curious to know what the story is Please consider becoming an LiA patron through one of the methods below Kee’s Chocolates has opened at at 228 Columbus Avenue between 70th and 71st The chocolate shop serves handmade chocolates and other delicacies like macarons A pop up luxury gift and accessories shop called Happy Kangaroo opened at 465 Amsterdam Ave (82nd-83rd) “The Happy Kangaroo Lifestyle Collection includes handmade curated gifts and accessories whose timeless designs reflect a refined and relaxed way of life New pieces and discoveries are added daily so that the Collection always remains fresh and exciting And two restaurants have been closed temporarily by the city’s Department of Health after inspections Barney Greengrass on Amsterdam between 86th and 87th was closed on Thursday by the DOH “We had worked for 40 hours,” Gary Greengrass said in an interview on Thursday night It was right after the busiest day of the year…It’s hard enough doing business in this city And Opal Thai at 722 Amsterdam Avenue (95th) was closed by the DOH on Wednesday after racking up 52 violations points similar to the defense of a Republican — blame the messenger what’s unfair about being shown to be dirty But the inspections are incredibly subjective and the inspectors can nail a restaurant for ridiculous things that have nothing to do with cleanliness so I would still go to a restaurant if it had less than an A You can have mice and still be an “A.” Barney Greengrass did A prior inspection gave 5 points for mice and since that was their only violation at that inspection those letter ratings are to be taken with a grain of salt You would think that an “A” rating means a place is spotless Have learned long ago to ignore those inspection ratings you can have a place infested with live rats and or mice and still get an “A” rating Have passed several well known (closed for night) food shops over the years and upon looking in windows have seen more mice or rats than a Looney Tunes cartoon scampering about these places all had “A” DOH ratings and upon emailing a complaint to city got following response: “we’ve forwarded your compliant to business in question for action Will update you when we have a response”… An A may not mean they are perfect but a C or failing grade can’t mean anything good While you may not want to jump up in joy to go eat at an A rated spot you surely want to avoid one with a failing grade Besides subpar food we saw a roach casually saunter across our table NYC DOH has not uploaded recent closing/inspection information to their website but going by their past history am guessing Opal Thai was shut down for vermin issues The location has a pretty long and consistent history of issues with flies https://www.nychealthratings.com/nycrestapp/restaurantlanding/1/Upper%20West%20Side/31853 Opai Thai has been very inconsistent for the last six months; occasional cheap vegetables I think they’re cutting corners because they’re not making it I prefer they return to the great place they were and raise the prices significantly Kitakata Ramen seems to be already a bit of a ‘destination;’ longish lines Looking forward to ingesting their product It’s legit and they are feverish with the chashu Fair prices overall and don’t miss out on the well above average gyoza I wonder what’s happening with that T-Mobile store at 69th/Broadway They were ready to open about 2 months ago and they’re still boarded up No more workers going in & out for at least a month I wonder what’s up with the SE corner of 67/Amsterdam A long time ago it was supposed to be another Julian Medina (Toloache) venue but nothing has been happening there for a very I love Barney’s and continue to go there despite a recent breakfast with a friend where we saw at least five HUGE roaches in the dining room We finished our meal and have returned several times since but I’m always on the lookout there for creepy crawlers These were the largest roaches I have ever seen Hopefully this closure will be a wake-up call for management to do what’s necessary to keep the place clean(er) and up to required Board of Health standards Love the blintzes @ BGG but they better clean up their act Zabars also offers blintzes & they’re larger and come with sour cream Barney’s GreenGrass was shut for roaches and mice Don’t like to hit anyone while they’re down but if you look at BGG’s DOH inspection record online this is a consistently reoccurring problem Off and on since 2016 at least BGG has been sited by DOH for one of both of these issues (evidence of mice/rats https://nypost.com/2019/10/12/famed-uws-deli-barney-greengrass-shuttered-for-mice-roaches/ Again am not hating on anyone and love BGG Infestation is not acceptable especially in a restaurant reputation carries you somewhat the rest is on management Ask any exterminator in the city and they will tell you pretty much same; if you really knew what was going on in basements kitchens and other areas of places that prepare sell and serve food you’d never eat out again If you look down DOH inspection reports you’ll find nearly every place has had at least on write up for rats/mice I love the blintzes at BGG but they need to clean up their act Zabar’s also sells blintzes and they’re larger and and come with sour cream Barney Greengrass was cut a lot of slack for a long time I was walking down Broadway the other day and was wondering: is the old Artie’s space just going to exist for the near future as a shoot location for Marvelous Mrs Would love to see a new diner or deli-type restaurant open there Just reading the comments below…feeling green… A highly-renowned ramen chain will be making its way to San Diego; Kitakata Ramen Ban Nai is a well-regarded practitioner of Kitakata-style ramen one of the most popular types of ramen along with the famous styles that originated in Hakata and Sapporo Founded in 1958 in Kitakata city in Japan’s Fukushima prefecture the brand has grown to operate over 60 branches in Japan; in the U.S. Kitakata Ramen Ban Nai has outposts in Orange County as well as the Chicago area and New York City based soup made with pork that has a relatively light and clear appearance but the shop also serves an Aburi miso ramen and hand-crumpled for a chewy texture and feel and its known for its toro chashu and rice bowls as well as small appetizers A rep for the company told Eater that they hope to have the San Diego shop open by early next year; the exact location is yet unknown but a source indicates that it will be in the Kearny Mesa area Fukushima Prefecture’s Kitakata ramen is a local cuisine so loved that it is eaten for breakfast as well as lunch and dinner and may be best enjoyed in the cold of winter A new character and cocktail visual has been released for the upcoming Bartender: Glass of God TV anime series spotlighting Kitakata (voiced by Hiroki Tochi) and an Old Fashioned drink recipe The series is scheduled to premiere in April 2024 The visual lists the ingredients for an Old Fashioned cocktail Ryouichi Kuraya (Farming Life in Another World) is directing the new anime series with Mariko Kunisawa (Orient Season 2) as series screenwriter and Youichi Ueda (High-Rise Invasion) as character designer and chief animation director Liber is handling the animation production for the series The anime is inspired by the original Bartender manga series written by Araki Joh and illustrated by Kenji Nagatomo It was serialized in Shueisha’s Super Jump and Grand Jump magazines between May 2004 and February 2011 Twenty-one tankoubon volumes were released in total The manga inspired several follow-up titles such as Bartender à Paris in 2012 All three series were illustrated by Osamu Kajisa The manga was previously adapted into a 2006 anime series and a 2011 TV drama Factory and Anime Limited released the 2006 anime digitally and physically in North America in 2020 Crunchyroll is streaming the 2024 anime series with Prime Video describing the story of the 2006 series as: genius bartender Ryu Sasakura serves divine drinks and helps out his customers with whatever troubles they have Source: Bartender Official Anime Twitter The space is on the market with commercial real estate firm Walker Malloy it comes with 650 square feet of interior space plus a basement READ MORE: Bourke Street Bakery Replacing Piccolo Cafe who in June wrote that its Potato Croquette Sando was the best sandwich in the city The store that really serves the best sandwich in NYC would be thriving There’s a sign in the window saying a new noodle shop is opening in the same space They started closing the shop at like 6pm before most people get dinner I can’t imagine they were pulling in much revenue with those kinda hours I finally went there after dine-in restrictions eased up 6 months ago and the service was HORRIBLE I was like one of 5 people there and they abandoned my outside and I had to keep getting up to ask for more water The sandwiches were good (I only had the pork and maybe chicken The curry was yummy but their hours were strange 50% of the time I would stop by or call to order A new Indian restaurant named Angaar has opened in the former Indigo space at 283 Columbus Avenue (73rd-74th). Here’s an image of the menu Acqua, the Italian spot at 718 Amsterdam Avenue near 95th, closed several days ago. It appears to be closed for good: The phone number is disconnected and Seamless isn’t working. Thanks to @emilyinnyc for the tip Kitakata Ramen Ban Nai is opening on Amsterdam between 72nd and 73rd Streets, the former home of Farinella pizza. Kitakata is a chain that started in Japan and that now has locations in New Jersey, Illinois and California. It’s known for flat-wide, curly noodles. Here’s the menu. Thanks to Alyson Miznon, a Mediterranean restaurant helmed by Israeli chef Eyal Shani, was supposed to open at 320 Columbus Avenue (West 75th Street), the former home of Saffron. But a sign for Miznon is now on the door at 161 West 72nd Street, the former home of Aroma. We last wrote about Miznon here The company hasn’t responded to our questions about what’s up Roasted Masala has now opened at 914 Columbus Avenue at 104th Street Correction: we initially had the wrong street for Roasted Masala where you could hang out at the bar or have an easy family meal I thought it was pretty ordinary and the service was awful it is always sad to see a local business close/ A menu or even phone number for Roasted Masala It was some of the best wood-fired pizza around especially now that Bettola seems to have changed chef or owner or something I think you meant 104th/105th Street for Roasted Masala – not 94th Street Acqua … Knew the day would come eventually as it was NEVER packed in there … I guess I will have to find my Carbonara fix elsewhere The Angarr menu items look very similar to those of Indigo I wonder if this is just basically a name change Angaar – We had take-out from Angaar and it was terrific I chose the classics – chicken tikka masala and palak paneer – along with their raita and well-spiced pappadam I loved Indian Bistro – this is not the same chef The Angarr menu items look very similar to Indigos The owner has several other restaurants and we were told he closed this one because the landlord hiked the rent The one on 125th street has almost the same menu I suspect they are getting ready to put another hi-rise on that corner 🙁 You should check the location of Roasted Masala which you list at 914 Columbus Ave at 94th St I believe the place is actually closer to 104 (I wish it was at 94th!) I think the W70’s corridor is chock full of ramen places at this point The pattern continues of 10 closings in the 90s for every opening i live in the 90’s and at least joe and the juice opened and there is the new place going into the old amsterdam burger space One place I am not quite sure does not get enough traffic is Numero 28 Monday is also a night with half off bottles of wine Sebastiano who used to work at that packed italian on lower Amsterdam (Bettolo?) struck out on his own and opened Isola on Columbus and then Acqua Nothing ever happened to that space where Saffon was Wondered when they would open..now I know it will but on 72nd St Roasted Masala is a little south of the SW corner of 105 and Columbus I believe that Shishi – the boutique on Broadway between 92nd and 93rd has closed or is under renovation There is construction paper covering the windows now but I saw the place was completely cleared before the paper went up it’s a terrible block for such a nice restaurant to open up on I think they got a good deal with the rent because a chinese restaurant was going to open there and never did what happened to Donahue’s opening on the uws The closing of Aqua equals three vacancies in a row on Amsterdam between 94 & 95 That paired with the completely vacant east block of Amsterdam between 95 & 96 makes for a deserted block Regional is the best Italian restaurant in the neighborhood Plus having lived in Italy I can’t see how you can be REALLY good at all those regional specialties… If you buy something from an Eater link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics policy Company operatives also hinted at a expansion to Los Angeles as well in the near future It’s always good to see a series finishing with its best material even if it’s not a great one overall That seems to be happening with Bartender: Kami no Glass though it still has a couple of eps to change my mind There was a monthlong stretch of episodes there that left me pretty cold but these past two have been really excellent This is one of those shows that just doesn’t work when it tries to be conventional philosophical nature of this most recent arc is much more attuned to the series’ strengths If Ryuu is happy working at a humble basement bar for a man he respects Ambition means different things to different people His wife died when he was out shopping – for a client’s wife so if Hayase is looking to get a medal pinned to his chest he’s not getting one from me Kitakata notes that “Instead of hedging your bets and regretting it later it’s easier to accept losing on a big bet” that’s one of the core principles I live by (and probably the reason I’m in Japan) It’s obvious what Hayase was taking from all this but between that and the business about the thorn of regrets you carry with you I really felt like this episode was speaking directly to me Anime don’t get into philosophy too often and when they do rarely rise above the level of a fortune cookie So when a series can do it as competently as this As for Sasakura-san I have a suspicion we’re being encouraged to believe that leaving Edenhall and going to the Cardinal is the right thing for him I’m not remotely convinced of that myself but if the reason he’s hesitating is that he’s afraid then sure But loyalty and contentment are an entirely different matter and I’ve seen nothing to convince me that Ryuu isn’t content where he is it’s mad how much I’m getting the same resonance I’ve had of this episode as you it made me realize how much I find myself in his position (and some I chose NOT to make that sacrifice precisely because I’d feel like I’d be selling off my soul) I didn’t bat an eye at showing my hand on the gambling table I guess it really depends on how much weight you put on the the subsequent result (And realizing the dream of staying even for a slight prolonged period in Japan is already a win in my books Truly a “Journey is more beautiful than the destination” definition if there ever was one) For how much self-reflection it has given me this ep is truly one of the most memorable stand-alone sub-plots since I started watching anime sometimes you just feel like a series is whispering right in your ear It’s fitting for a show about bartenders We get the story from Kitataka about what happened to Sasakura It sounds like one of his customers committed suicide after having one of his drinks Old man Kurushima is really pulling out all of the stops now even printing ads that the counter bar is going to open with Sasakura as the bartender I don’t like this either and it’s like he’s putting Sasakura into a trap he’s in no position to make such a decision Miwa realizes this and so she’s been staying way from him for a while it looks like the cigar couple is back again Hayase tells Sasakura that he got a promotion that’ll take him to North America The featured cocktail in this scene is the A1 Getting to the top is a difficult road and there is often a price to be paid Hayase’s plans go out-of-whack when Kimishima unexpectedly shows up She’s back in town again due to family issues and Hayase is clearly still carrying a torch for her Hayase and Sasakura later heads on to the North Wind and for Hayase to get the kind of encouragement that Kitakata can provide The featured cocktail in this drink is the Boilermaker (No relation to the state of Indiana The thorn in Hayate’s heart has been removed and he knows what to do next I expect that we’ll see Hayase and Kimishima again at some point but will it be at Edenhall or at the Hotel Cardinal or maybe even somewhere else I’ve thought about before on who could take over Edenhall should Sasakura depart Kyouko’s working at the Hotel Cardinal and Yuri wouldn’t fit with the vibes at Edenhall There’s a timeskip and now it seems to be around Christmastime Miwa drops by for the first time in a while on a soaked night and that’s when Sasakura learns that she too knows his story The featured drink in this scene is the Tom and Jerry I also just learned that cartoon may have been named after that cocktail We got an unexpected tears in the rain scene too I’m not sure how many episodes are left in this cour but I too have enjoyed the direction of the current episodes On Wednesday, the Japanese promotion announced several fights for its first card of 2023 including the returns of K-1 standout Kouzi and 22-year-old flyweight prospect Makoto Shinryu RIZIN 41 is set to take place April 1 in Osaka Kouzi is set to fight fellow kickboxer Ryusei Ashizawa, who makes his RIZIN debut. The rules of the bout are still to be determined. Kouzi made headlines in 2022, going viral with a knockout of Floyd Mayweather Jr bodyguard Ray “Jizzy Mack” Sadeghi at a Super Rizin event this past September He stayed in the spotlight by competing in an exhibition bout against J’Hon Ingram on the Mayweather vs Shinryu (15-1-1) faces a stiff test as he steps into the ring against Daichi Kitakata (20-11-1 Shinryu scored a decision victory over Hideo Tokoro and a second-round submission of Seiichiro Ito In his most recent outing this past November Shinryu captured a vacant Cage Fury Fighting Championships with a fourth-round submission of Diego Paiva See more announced bouts for RIZIN 41 here We have the sixth promotional image that features Kitakata and his Old Fashioned cocktail for the anime Bartender Glass of God , based on the manga “Bartender” by Araki Joh and Kenji Nagatomo . Directed by Ryōichi Kuraya (Tsugumomo) at animation studio Liber (The Ice Guy and His Cool Female Colleague), story by Mariko Kunisawa , character animation design and direction by Yōichi Ueda (Gangsta). Therefore, the anime is scheduled to premiere in April 2024 in Japan and on the Crunchyroll streaming service . In the manga's story, therefore , we follow the nightlife of Ryū Sasakura, a prodigy bartender who claims to make the best cocktails in the world. However Sasakura spends his time in a bar called “Eden Hall”, hidden in a corner of the Ginza neighborhood in central Tokyo. Finally, Bartender Glass of God had an 11-episode anime based on the manga that premiered in Japan in October 2006. Masaki Watanabe directed the series at Palm Studio . Furthermore, the manga also had a live-action series in 2011. © 2009 - 2025 AnimeNew, All images on this site belong to their respective owners. Garrett Snyder & Cathy Park California 90504">.css-56eu0z{width:1em;height:1em;display:inline-block;line-height:1em;-webkit-flex-shrink:0;-ms-flex-negative:0;flex-shrink:0;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray100);vertical-align:middle;fill:currentColor;}2104 Artesia Blvd Torrance Lots of restaurants let you grill your own meat but only Wagyu Butcher seats you in front of a master butcher from Osaka carving hunks of well-marbled Japanese beef like a sculptor with clay This low-key Torrance yakiniku spot has two omakase options at $50 and $70–both excellent deals–though the addition of freshly chopped beef tartare and Japanese A5 wagyu make the more expensive tier an easy yes Each unique cut dissolves in your mouth faster than the last which means your teeth are basically along for the ride The minimal counter space only has about 20 seats (and 10 grills) so come with a date and take turns flipping pieces of wagyu until they’re charred to your liking Just don’t take your eyes off the heat too long—the delicate slices cook faster than you think 7.8Kitakata Ramen Ban Nai Japanese Kitakata is our go-to when we need a change of pace from the super-rich tonkatsu ramen that dominates LA Their flavorful shoyu broth is light and balanced enough to drink a full bowl’s worth but we also appreciate the curly yellow noodles Head here for a quick lunch—service is fast they offer ramen combo sets with gyoza or karaage and there’s a Yelp waitlist you can join before arriving to cut down on any wait time 8.3Sushi Inaba Manhattan Beach 8.2Madre Mexican Madre is an excellent place for a casual weeknight dinner or a date with someone you don’t know very well The original location of this Oaxacan spot is in Torrance and the mezcal collection here has to be among the largest of any restaurant in the city Get the mezcal margarita and order the queso fundido to start focus on the moles—we like the coloradito best—with either chicken thighs or short ribs 8.2Kagura Izakaya Hachi Lunasia Dim Sum House Torrance 2575 E Pacific Coast Hwy Torrance Dim Sum 8.1Tendon Tempura Carlos Jr.1510 Cabrillo Ave Los Angeles This blink-and-miss-it Japanese spot in downtown Torrance—semi-hidden behind a pair of big white curtains—is dedicated to bowls of tempura in the same way that The Rock is dedicated to bicep curls Run by a Peruvian chef who trained in Japan Bowls come mounded with hot and crunchy things like fried shrimp and a mind-melting tempura egg with a runny yolk paired with self-serve pickled ginger and celery that come on the table Get the fully loaded Special Tempura Bowl if you want to taste a bit of everything—it’s one our of favorite lunches in the South Bay 7.9 Aunty Maile’s Hawaiian the owners of Aunty Maile’s ran restaurants in Kona and Las Vegas spreading legit island cooking across the mainland like Johnny Appleseeds These days they’ve become known in the South Bay for serving huge portions of homestyle dishes like chicken katsu loco moco and oxtail soup The must-order at this casual counter-service spot is the mixed plate: Pick two proteins—we prefer the sweet-and-sticky furikake fried chicken and the meaty grilled kalbi—and they’ll load a plate with rice and a big scoop of peppery mac salad 7.9Hakata Ikkousha Ramen 21605 S Western Ave Ste J Torrance Ramen 7.8Nozomi Sushi 7.6Sushi Yoshi Torihei Yakitori Ichimi Ann Bamboo Garden La Esperanza Restaurant & Bakery Salvadoran From smoky izakayas to tonkatsu touched by Midas Our favorites places to eat in this sun-soaked beach city The 25 best places to eat in the South Bay Cathy is a California native who left her job in tech to eat for a living She believes every meal should end with something sweet (it’s science) By Futoshi Mori / Japan News Senior Writer sourced from the Tsugamine water streams in the mountain range of Mt and has been selected as one of the “100 best waters of the Heisei Era” by the Ministry of the Environment Kitakata ramen is delicious because of this water Kitakata has a population of only about 43,000 and local people are proud that Kitakata ramen is known as one of the three best ramens in Japan along with the big cities of Hakata and Sapporo More than 100 ramen shops are crammed into this small town The interior of the shop is spacious and clean It was my first time to eat ramen in Kitakata and customers were entering the restaurant customers would start writing their names on a reservation sheet and would return at their appointed time the restaurant would often sell out due to the huge number of reservations That is why the “Closed” sign stays up even when doors opens at 9:00 a.m and was led to a clean Japanese-style dining room “I’ve been waiting for you!” Mitsuru Yoshida His eyes held my attention and his whole body gave off warmth He has an air of a very interesting person even before talking with him renowned water is used for both the noodles and the soup That is why I want people to come to Kitakata to eat ramen,” he said As Yoshida explained Kitakata ramen’s charms I promptly ordered a bowl of the restaurant’s signature dish “Jukusei(aged) shoyu ramen” (600 Yen) a bowl of ramen with four slices of chashu pork topped with green onions was brought to my table curly noodles made with the local water supply “These noodles hold a lot of water so need specialist techniques,” explained Yoshida He added that the noodles are made up of 43 to 48% water usually the noodles would be crumbly and could not be sold all of Kitakata’s noodle mills are able to produce noodles that have the clamminess of a child’s skin This means they must be handled with delicacy Once the noodles are removed from the boiling water they are placed over the sink in a colander and the water drains off naturally If the noodles are drained by vigorous shaking they will be damaged and the extract will leak out I try to make ramen that you can eat every day and not get tired of it,” says Yoshida every day and thoroughly cleans the cooking pots to ensure all impurities are removed and ensures the flavor of the soup stays consistent throughout the day 　Handmade pork belly fillet is simmered in soy sauce and added to the ramen soup The fatty meat of the pork belly is melted by the heat of the soup and the taste becomes richer as you continue eating The soy sauce used for the ramen is also used for homemade menma Yoshida describes it as “a family inside the bowl.” Tanrei shio (salt) ramen using special salt is also popular elegant broth make this ramen a tasty meal to the end “I think this is the usual cost of ramen,” Yoshida explained “I think ramen is something that you don’t have to check your wallet for when you say to your staff ‘I’m going to treat you.’” Yoshida intends to uphold such beliefs even as the prices rise for ingredients Kiichiro Yoshida (center) as a shosei student now a coffee shop on the first floor and Hideyo Noguchi’s museum on the second floor Bronze statue of Hideyo Noguchi near the former Kaiyo Clinic The portrait of Hideyo Noguchi on the 1,000-yen bill The street where the Kaiyo Clinic was located A copy of a letter from Hideyo Noguchi’s mother to her son hangs in a tatami room known for his research on yellow fever and syphilis and whose portrait appears on the 1,000-yen banknote In the middle of the Meiji period (1868-1912) Noguchi and Kiichiro both studied at the “Kaiyo Clinic” in Aizu Wakamatsu Kiichiro studied abroad and became a military doctor serving as a naval medical officer in the Japanese-Russo War he worked at a hospital in Tokyo before returning to his hometown of Kitakata to open Yoshida Clinic lost most of their land during the postwar agricultural land reform no land or buildings remained in their name and entered the restaurant business at a young age thinking “I can eat lunch and dinner.” He worked at a steak restaurant in Roppongi and later became the manager of a resort hotel that opened in Inawashiro he opened a steak and shabu-shabu restaurant in Aizu-Wakamatsu but customer numbers decreased after the economic bubble burst in 1989 　Thinking that this would be the end of his career “The price per customer changed from 12,000 yen to 500 yen I was worried about whether I would be able to make a living,” he said He had experience of serving ramen to customers of a steak restaurant before it was very different running a pure ramen restaurant I wanted to do it in Kitakata,” Yoshida said I wanted to compete on the same playing field.” Ruriko worked relentlessly without a day off except for New Year’s Day He used his experience in taste and technique from his life in the restaurant industry and put his energy into both the noodles and the soup and the number of customers reached 100 to 200 a day 　Yoshida has a beloved cat named “Pi-chan” at home He says that ever since he started keeping Pi-chan he heard three kittens meowing outside his house and decided to keep them One day after the ramen shop had gotten on track Yoshida and his wife decided to go on a trip They decided to go to Sado Island in Niigata Prefecture even though neither of them had suggested there they happened to see a performance of Sado Okesa A cat disguised as a human daughter appeared in front of her ailing elderly owner and said “Thank you for taking care of me for a long time Please let me repay you from now on,” and brings the owner a large sum of money “I was convinced that ‘Pi-chan wanted to send a message to my wife and I so she made us come here,’” and added sincerely First place in a ramen contest in Fukushima Prefecture two years in a row A plaque with the word “gratitude.” Kiichi’s ramen has been sold at 7-Eleven stores in six Tohoku prefectures and Yoshida has been able to rebuild the decaying grave of his ancestors Yoshida has now opened a school to train young people The head of the school is the son of a local miso store owner and other members include the son of the successor to a sake store as well as Yoshida’s son Yoshida plans to support new ideas to help revitalize Kitakata a ramen store selling Kiichi produce opened at a commercial complex in Fukushima City to great success “Now it’s my turn to return the favor to the young people who will lead Kitakata in the future,” he said with a smile It’s a serious battle for both the cook and the diner There are many ramen restaurants in Japan that have a tremendous passion for ramen and I’d like to introduce to you some of these passionate establishments making the best of my experience of enjoying cuisine from both Japan and around the world 【ラーメンは芸術だ！】早朝から予約必須の喜多方ラーメン「喜一」、澄み切った水が生み出すうまさ Fukushima — Around 3.5 million rapeseed flowers have reached peak bloom at the Sannokura Plateau in Kitakata located 650 meters above sea level and overlooking the Aizu Basin bustled with activity Saturday as people strolled around and snapped pictures amid the carpet-like spread of yellow flowers A 45-year-old office worker visiting with her family from Koriyama in the prefecture “The sight of the rapeseed blossoms moving in the wind is very moving.” A 79-year-old woman was attacked by a bear and suffered minor injuries in Kamaishi Kamaishi Police Station said the woman was scratched on the head and cheek by a bear that emerged from the bushes at around 11:40 a.m when she was working in the fields of her home’s property The animal is believed to have fled toward the mountains a bear cub was seen just after noon on Sunday A passerby saw the cub enter a shed next to a house and closed the shed’s shutter The bear fled into the mountains at around 1:55 p.m a 70-year-old woman was attacked by an about 1-meter-long bear Kitakata Police Station said that when the woman was walking on a road in Kitakata at around 6:45 a.m the bear jumped out of a bush and bit her on the left side of her chest and left leg Today's print edition Home Delivery The article you have been looking for has expired and is no longer available on our system Please view the main text area of the page by skipping the main 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The page may not be displayed properly if the JavaScript is deactivated on your browser Daichi Kitakata will make the first defence of his strawweight title at Pancrase 313. The 28 year old is scheduled to fame Adam Antolin at Shinkiba Studio Coast on March 8th Antolin (15-5) has scored back to back stoppage wins for the Japanese promotion. In his most recent outing the American submitted Hiroaki Ijima with a front choke at Pancrase 310 Before that Pancrase 312 is scheduled for the same venue on February 16th The event will be headlined by a lightweight title fight between interim champion Salimkhan Sadulloev and challenger Tatsuya Saika Daichi Kitakata may have fallen short in his first try to become the Strawweight King Of Pancrase nearly three years ago but he made sure that the outcome would be in his favor in his second chance at championship glory A solid all-around performance steered the 28-year-old native of Osaka, Japan to an impressive fifth-round stoppage of Mitsuhisa Sunabe in the main event of Pancrase 307 Kitakata played to his strengths throughout the title tilt torching his opponent with his cracking strikes while efficiently exhibiting his ability to take matters to the canvas with his high-impact takedowns In the closing moments of the opening round it appeared that Kitakata was on his way to secure an early finish by knocking Sunabe down with a powerful volley of punches that was punctuated by a solid left hook Although Sunabe found his rhythm in the second frame and hurt Kitakata with a lashing kick to the ribcage the latter regained his momentum in the third stanza where he had his opponent reeling with another left hook and a jumping knee Kitakata tried to finish things off in the fourth where he caught Sunabe with his signature guillotine choke his foe was able to hang on and survived to the next round Despite being ahead on the three judges’ scorecards Kitakata boldly pushed to end it right there and then clipping Sunabe with a counter right cross and then forcing the referee to call a halt to the contest with a series of hard elbows The official time of stoppage was 0:38 of the fifth and final round Kitakata improves his professional record to 20-8-1 and has now won five-straight matches since bowing to Sunabe in their first encounter at Pancrase 283 in December 2016 In his post-fight interview, the newly-minted Strawweight King Of Pancrase called out his champion counterpart from the Shooto promotion for a bout at ONE: ‘Century’ Pancrase matches with $50,000 USD on the line for each winner Sunabe drops his MMA standing to 29-8-4 and now suffers from a two-match losing skid The defeat also snaps his almost eight-year undefeated streak in Pancrase Rafael Silva (31-6) of Brazil had to dig deep in order to extend his reign as the Bantamweight King Of Pancrase putting an indomitable Yuto Hokamura (12-8-2) into sleep with a tight arm-triangle choke in the second round of their co-main event clash In a battle for the interim Pancrase flyweight championship, Shohei Masumizu (11-3) had his hand raised in thrilling fashion defeating Masatatsu Ueda (16-4-2) by way of second-round technical knockout.