VOL.198 NOVEMBER 2024
JAPANESE RAMEN AND ITS GLOBAL EXPANSION Toyama Black Ramen: Makes an Impressive

A bowl of Toyama Black Ramen
Photo: Ramen Isshin

Toyama Black Ramen’s black color broth makes quite an impression. This local ramen is one of the more popular among ramen lovers across Japan. We asked KURIHARA Kiyoshi, chairman of the Toyama Black Traditions Association, about the history and characteristics of Toyama Black Ramen.

Toyama Prefecture is located in north-central Honshu Island, facing the Sea of Japan. According to KURIHARA, who presides over the Toyama Black Ramen Traditions Association in Toyama City, the prefecture’s major city, the local ramen, “Toyama Black Ramen,” was born around 1947.

“Toyama Black Ramen originated at a restaurant called Nishicho Taiki. It is said that it was created after the end of World War II, when they made black ramen with thickened soy sauce in order to provide salt content for manual laborers. It got so popular that legend has it that 1,000 people lined up for it at a local festival. This led to a rapid increase in the number of ramen restaurants that serve black ramen. Later, around 2000, when a reporter from a Tokyo TV station came to Toyama and introduced the black ramen as ‘Toyama Black,’ it became known as ‘Toyama Black Ramen.’”

KURIHARA, who runs a ramen restaurant himself, says that the original black ramen and the Toyama Black Ramen of today leave quite different impressions.

“As the name suggests, Toyama Black Ramen is marked by its black broth. You get the black color by using soy sauce that’s been simmered for a long time. Originally, the broth was as salty as it looked. But now, many ramen restaurants are cutting back on salt content to make the broth easier to drink.”

Toyama Black Ramen is one of the most popular among Japan’s many local ramen varieties. KURIHARA says he and his team’s aggressive promotion of Toyama Black Ramen has been successful.

“With Toyama Black Ramen, we actively took part in ramen theme parks and product exhibitions in various regions and expanded our business across Japan. Our Ramen Iroha won first place at the Tokyo Ramen Show, which began in 2009 and is one of Japan’s largest ramen events. Then, after we were first place in sales five times, we got a lot of press coverage, and I think these in particular helped increase name recognition. Such promotions have helped us brand Toyama Black Ramen, which is now also highly regarded locally.”

KURIHARA and his colleagues established the Toyama Black Ramen Traditions Association to promote Toyama Black Ramen as a local brand, and pouring their energy into local revitalization activities.

“At the Association, we are working to get Toyama Black Ramen officially recognized by the prefectural government as a recommended brand. Another interesting activity we took part in was the release of “Toyama Black Ramen Lunch Pack,” a kind of bread produced in collaboration with Yamazaki Baking Co., Ltd. The Lunch Pack series is made up of prepared food sandwiched between two squares of bread, and it is a standard product that has been on the market in Japan for over 40 years. Our contribution to this series consists of bread that has short noodles flavored with Black Ramen in it. Due to strong sales, a relaunch plan is in place.

Along with increases in tourism and inbound demand, each restaurant selling Toyama Black Ramen are beginning to attract more customers.

“We are also intensifying our approach to foreign tourists by using social media to share information and by making English and Chinese menus. Recently, we have had an increase in the number of customers from Europe and the U.S.A. Everyone thinks “salty” when they see the black broth, but many people say they find it lightly seasoned when they actually eat it.”

For first-time Toyama Black Ramen customers, some ramen restaurants offer a “soup-wari” so that they can soften the broth to their liking.

“They say there are currently more than 60 ramen restaurants in Toyama Prefecture that serve Toyama Black Ramen. Each ramen restaurant has its own taste and flavor, so please find the place of your choice and enjoy it.”

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By MOROHASHI Kumiko
Photo: Gutsuri! EBISUKO; TENTAKAKU Co., Ltd.; Toyama Black Ramen Traditions Association; Yamazaki Baking Co., Ltd.; Ramen Isshin