You can also request to add corn and a creamy pat of butter, two local Hokkaido specialty products. Toppings include roasted chashu pork, bamboo shoots, and bean sprouts. To make this local specialty, fragrant soybean paste is sauteed together with ginger and garlic and mixed together with pork broth for a hearty bowl of ramen that hits the spot on even the coldest winter days.

Miso ramen is so popular among locals, in fact, that the city has not one but two ramen “alleys”: Ganso Ramen Yokocho and Shin Ramen Yokocho. Sapporo, the capital of Japan’s northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido, is known as the birthplace of miso-style ramen. Read on to learn all about some of the most famous and satisfying regional styles of ramen in Japan. While it’s possible to find any of these ramen flavors pretty much anywhere you go in Japan, different areas have become known for their own unique regional variations. There are four major types of Japanese ramen, decided by the tare, or base flavor: shio (salt-based ramen), shoyu (soy sauce-based ramen), miso (soybean paste-flavored ramen), and tonkotsu (pork bone broth ramen). Discover the different kinds below.Ramen is one of the best-known and most popular Japanese foods around the world. After all, factors like climate and the ingredients available in the area tend to influence each rendition. Regional Ramen TypesĪpart from the core types of ramen mentioned in the previous section, there are also lots of regional varieties to explore in Japan. In terms of flavor, they usually don’t offer the depth of real ramen, but you could make do with its satisfying saltiness. These components have to be cooked together in hot water to achieve a thin soup. Each pack usually comes with dehydrated noodles, toppings, and a powdered flavoring ingredient. Probably the cheapest out of all the types of ramen noodles on this list, this food item is available in the form of packets or cup noodles. It all started in 1958 when Japanese inventor Momofuku Ando created this instant noodle dish that would take the world by storm. Though unconventional compared to traditional ramen, instant noodles are undeniably among the most popular. That’s because unlike paitan ramen broths, these are a lot less heavy.Ĭomponents: Dehydrated noodles, powder packets In terms of heaviness, most soup dishes with this base can be classified as assari (light) as opposed to kotteri. Moreover, they can either be made from chicken, vegetable, or seafood - flavored with a hint of dashi or bonito flake broth. Most kinds under this classification consist of ingredients simmered at relatively low temperatures, effectively separating the fats from the stock.

The literal translation of chintan ramen is “clear soup,” and that’s exactly what it is: a subgroup for types of ramen that have transparent broth bases. For this reason, most (if not all) broth types under this category also classify as kotteri ramen, which means heavy or rich. In terms of heaviness, you can expect that paitan ramen broths to be quite thick and creamy. Through this process, fats and collagens are effectively emulsified into the broth, creating an unmistakable milky color and a unique mouthfeel. The base of tonkotsu ramen is a popular example, along with other ramen soup stocks that involve boiling bones and spices together in high heat. The term paitan ramen is Japanese for “white soup.” Essentially, this pertains to different styles of ramen dishes that have a cloudy broth base. Learn more about these classifications in this section. Heaviness is also another commonly considered factor, as the base of the soup can either fall into the kotteri (heavy) or assari (light) category. For instance, ramen dishes can either fall under two categories in terms of appearance: paitan (white) or chintan (clear). Generally, this Japanese staple can be classified according to its type of broth. 2 Main Types of Ramen Broth: Paitan vs Chintanīefore diving straight into learning about the different types of ramen, it’s best if you know the basics.

Soybean paste for ramen