What happens when one of Japan’s best-known ramen brands meets the flavors of Shirakami?

Meet Kiwamidori Ramen, a new ramen experience launched in September 2026.

Developed in collaboration with IPPUDO, one of Japan’s best-known ramen brands with restaurants around the world, Kiwamidori Ramen brings together the flavors of Shirakami and northern Akita in a single bowl.

Shirakami chicken, local green onions, mushrooms grown with Shirakami spring water, Oga salt, traditional Akita fish sauce, and other regional ingredients come together in this unique ramen.

There are two varieties to choose from: Salt and Soy Sauce.

Both feature the rich flavor of Shirakami chicken, but each takes a distinctly different approach.

When IPPUDO Meets Shirakami

IPPUDO is known around the world for its distinctive approach to Japanese ramen. For this collaboration, its ramen-making expertise was combined with ingredients and food traditions rooted in the Shirakami area.

At the heart of both bowls is Shirakami chicken, raised for more than 180 days at the foot of the Shirakami Mountains.

Unlike younger chicken, it has a firm texture and rich umami that becomes more pronounced with every bite. Its deep flavor forms the foundation of the ramen broth.

Another key ingredient is Shirakami green onion, one of the area’s signature agricultural products. Thick, tender and naturally sweet, it is prepared in several different ways to create contrasting flavors and textures.

Dried shitake mushrooms from Happo Town add another layer of umami. They are grown using spring water from the Shirakami area and are used in both the broth and wontons.

Even the noodles have a connection to Akita. Inspired by Inaniwa udon, Akita’s famous traditional hand-stretched noodles, they are thin, supple and smooth.

The noodles also incorporate Shirakami no Mori lactic acid bacteria, developed through research connected with the natural environment of the Shirakami Mountains.

From the broth and toppings to the noodles themselves, Shirakami finds its way into every part of the bowl.

Golden Salt Ramen: Layers of Shirakami Flavor

Kiwamidori Ramen – Salt is built around the rich umami of Shirakami chicken.

A golden chicken broth is seasoned with Oga salt, produced on the Oga Peninsula on Akita’s coast, and shottsuru, a traditional fish sauce from Akita.

Together, these ingredients bring the flavors of the mountains and the sea into one bowl.

Shirakami green onions play an equally important role.

Charred green onions add a smoky aroma. Grilled pieces bring out their natural sweetness, while fresh green onions add brightness. Pepper-seasoned onions provide a sharper kick, and green onion wontons add another layer of texture.

A carefully prepared chicken oil helps bring out the aroma and richness of the chicken from the very first sip.

As you eat, different ingredients gradually mingle with the broth, creating subtle changes in flavor from one bite to the next.

Soy Sauce Ramen: Simple Ingredients, Rich Flavor

Kiwamidori Ramen – Soy Sauce takes a simpler approach.

Instead of building the broth with many ingredients, the recipe focuses on Shirakami chicken and water. Keeping the base simple allows the natural flavor of the chicken to come through clearly.

Soy sauce made by Ando Jozo, a long-established soy sauce producer in Akita, adds a clean, crisp character to the broth while complementing the chicken’s deep umami.

The same thin, supple noodles inspired by Inaniwa udon, Akita’s famous traditional hand-stretched noodles, complete the bowl with a smooth texture and delicate bite.

Where the Salt Ramen layers different flavors and aromas, the Soy Sauce Ramen takes a more minimalist approach, allowing the quality of the chicken to take center stage.

A Bowl Filled with Shirakami

What makes Kiwamidori Ramen special is not simply the use of local ingredients. Each one connects the ramen to the land, producers and food culture of the Shirakami area.

Chicken raised at the foot of the Shirakami Mountains forms the heart of the broth. Shirakami green onions showcase one of the area’s signature agricultural products. Mushrooms from Happo Town bring the flavor of Shirakami spring water to the bowl. Oga salt and shottsuru add a taste of Akita’s coastal food culture. Inaniwa udon provides inspiration for the noodles, connecting the dish to one of Akita’s best-known traditional foods.

Bringing these elements together is IPPUDO, whose ramen-making expertise helped shape this new regional creation.

It is a meeting of two worlds: IPPUDO’s ramen craftsmanship and the ingredients, producers and natural environment of Shirakami.

How to Enjoy Kiwamidori Ramen

Want to get the most out of your bowl? Try it in stages and let the flavors change as you eat.

1. Start Without Mixing

The broth is carefully layered, so resist the urge to stir everything together right away.

Start by gently lifting the noodles from the edge of the bowl and take your first bite as it is. This lets you appreciate the aroma of the chicken, the flavor of the broth, and the smooth texture of the thin noodles.

2. Let the Green Onion Change the Flavor

As you continue eating, the seasoned green onion gradually blends into the broth.

With the Salt Ramen, the green onion seasoning adds a subtle change in flavor as it melts into the golden chicken broth.

With the Soy Sauce Ramen, the green onion wontons gradually release their flavor, adding richness and texture to the broth.

Take your time and enjoy how the character of the ramen evolves with each bite.

3. Discover the Refreshing Note of Myoga

Just when the rich chicken broth begins to feel more intense, myoga, a fragrant Japanese ginger bud, brings a fresh, aromatic note to the bowl.

Its bright, refreshing flavor creates a surprising contrast with the rich broth and provides a clean finish.

Rather than rushing through the bowl, enjoy Kiwamidori Ramen from the first sip to the final bite—the flavors are designed to unfold as you eat.

Taste Shirakami, One Bite at a Time

A trip to Shirakami is about more than exploring its forests and mountains. Food offers another way to discover what makes the region unique.

Kiwamidori Ramen brings that experience to the table. Choose the golden Salt Ramen for layers of chicken, green onion, mushroom and traditional Akita flavors. Or try the Soy Sauce Ramen for a simpler expression of rich Shirakami chicken.

Either way, this collaboration with IPPUDO offers a chance to experience the flavors of the region in a distinctly local way.

Taste Shirakami in a bowl.

Location

Noshiro Country Club

18 Odomo, Tanaka, Minehama, Happo, Akita, Japan