Fukui is one of several prefectures in Japan that are famous for delicious soba. In Fukui City, the most popular soba restaurant is probably Shakudani Soba, and I highly recommend it.

However, most of these condiments are actually things you are likely to have sitting around at home too, which means you too can use them to up your noodles game when you are eating at home. Here are 10 great ideas to make your domestic ramen experiences even better:

Perhaps most known as of late for its destruction and city’s resilience following the 2011 disaster, the small city of Kesennuma is actually home to many mom-and-pop style noodle houses that have been around for decades! With so many to choose from, ordering chashuu (pork belly) ramen has been my go-to dish but I’m always excited to try something new or a shopkeeper’s personal favorite.

In general too, Japanese drink a lot of soup but specially in winter they emphasize having ramen more often to beat the winter chills. Ramen comes with several choices: miso, salt, soy sauce, and pork bone. Well, my favorite one is miso and the place I recommend the most is from Sanpoutei.

I have introduced Taiwan ramen and tsukemen, which were invented in the 60s and 70s, as well as the more recent boom of the Toripaitan (chicken soup). Today, let’s take a look at another ramen that has been enjoying its raise in popularity recently: the Yokohama Iekei ramen

There are two main reasons why people generally visit Asahikawa, Hokkaido. One reason is Asahiyama Zoo, the most popular zoo in Hokkaido, and the other reason is ramen. To help guide me on which shops I should visit, I asked Asahikawa’s “Ramen Guy” for help.

There are thousands of variations of ramen, and you can argue that no two are the same. But it is generally acknowledged that ramen can be grouped into five basic types. Here is a quick rundown.

The ramen here at Matsumoto City’s Zunpachi just happens to be a local favorite! Every day, no matter what the time, you can see a line going out the door of people waiting to eat the ramen at Zunpachi.

A few of the signature dishes include the tsukemen (dipping noodles), which are freshly prepared wheat noodles al dente with egg and slivers of roasted pork. The broth is heavenly, with a combination of miso and other remarkable flavors that leave you wanting second helpings over and over.

Takayama ramen is a variation of chuuka soba, which is a light and soysauce based soup, but this regional version has a much strong flavour that is slightly bitter.

Actually quite minimal in character, using very basic ingredients and toppings to avoid interference with the main ingredients' flavors. Most locals will refuse to eat at a shop that uses factory-produced noodles, as handmade is considered the standard (and you can truly taste the difference).

Toripaitan (鶏白湯) translates to Chicken White Soup. As you can imagine, the soup is made mostly, if not solely, from chicken fat, chicken meat, and chicken bones.