Tottori Ramen: 6 Popular Ramen Restaurants in Tottori Prefecture That You Must Try (2024 Edition)
Though Tottori Prefecture is best known for its sand dunes, it is actually also a great place for ramen. You’ll find a wide variety of ramen shops, from local ones that have been loved for years to brand new, buzz worthy places. Some of them offer really unique kinds of ramen, while others play it safe by offering just the classics, but every place adds their own twist to the dish. In this article, we'll introduce 6 best ramen restaurants in Tottori Prefecture that are worth eating at!
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1. Maguro Ramen Honpo [Sakaiminato] *CLOSED
Sakaiminato is well known as the town with a museum and street dedicated to one of Japan's famous manga creators Shigeru Mizuki (best known for "Gegege no Kitaro"). Another famous thing here is the Tennen Hon Maguro Ramen (850 yen plus tax) at Maguro Ramen Honpo! It's a restaurant loved by the locals, with many signatures from celebrities and the like inside. Shigeru Mizuki's characters also make several appearances in this store.
Most of Japan’s tuna comes from Sakaiminato. What makes their Tennen Hon Maguro Ramen unique is the tuna laid on top of the ramen. The soup is soy sauce based and incorporates stock from tuna. It has a refreshing yet deep flavor.
2. Aka Noren [Koyama]
Located within walking distance from Koyama Station, Aka Noren is a small ramen restaurant with only 11 counter seats. It is loved by local ramen enthusiasts, which is why there's always a queue outside its doors. Their Shoyu Ramen (700 yen) is soy sauce flavored and made with stock from chicken bones. The garlic flavor in the soup is irresistible! The curly ramen noodles go well with the soup, and the slices of char siu pork are so soft, they practically melt in your mouth.
Their Miso Ramen (700 yen) has a delicious soup flavored with garlic and peanuts. This ramen also has delectable slices of char siu pork that go extraordinarily well with the rich soup.
3. Soun [Tottori]
Soun is a tantanmen (dandan noodles) specialty restaurant. The low-key restaurant interior is decorated primarily in black, with counter and table seats that can hold a capacity of 15 people. The Sichuan Tantanmen (750 yen, no soup version) is the first thing you should try. Its spicy-looking appearance is sure to whet your appetite! The umami-rich sweet and salty sauce tastes faintly of garlic and Chinese sweet bean sauce, and goes ridiculously well with the noodles. This is a ramen with a robust flavor.
Their Chicken Soba (650 yen) is also recommended. It has a somewhat clear soup with a distinct chicken flavor and a refined taste.
4. Inoyoshi [Kurayoshi]
Inoyoshi is a restaurant where you can eat ramen for reasonable prices starting from 500 yen. The thing that makes their ramen stand out is the soup, which gets its flavor from cow bones. It is a thick soup with just a hint of sweetness. Their Shoyu Ramen (500 yen) uses curly medium-thick noodles, which have an elasticity that goes great with the soup.
Apart from that, they also have the Extremely Spicy Ramen (700 yen). Not only does its bright red appearance look hot, but it's also packed full of flavor. There's also a set menu that lets you eat ramen together with side dishes like croquettes, fried chicken, fried white fish, and more at value prices.
5. Menya Kyu [Tsunoi]
Menya Kyu is a ramen shop with a retro and quaint exterior as well as an interior outfitted with counter and table seats that can accommodate up to 14 people. Their soup made from Daisen chicken bones is refreshing and easy to drink. You can properly enjoy the flavor of the chicken in dishes such as the Shoyu Ramen (650 yen) and the Ajitama Ramen (750 yen), which comes with a seasoned egg.
If you visit during the summer, try the summer-only Shio Ramen (750 yen). The transparent, white soup is exquisite! The chicken bone broth incorporates a salty sauce that gets its umami from seafood. It goes great together with the slices of char siu pork!
6. Momo-chan Ramen [Tottori]
Momo-chan Ramen, located within walking distance from Tottori Station, is a popular ramen restaurant in the business district. It’s convenient because it’s open until late at night. They have chicken based soup and seafood based soup, both of which are exquisite and have garnered many fans. Both of these soups have a robust umami flavor and are, in a single word, superb.
Also, you definitely need to try the Beef Tendon Ramen (850 yen), which is available in limited quantities. The soy sauce based soup has a sweetness that you can only get from beef and the thin noodles are a great match, making it delicious and easy to eat! It’s a ramen with lots of flavor.
These are the ramen restaurants that you should definitely eat at if you're ever sightseeing in Tottori Prefecture. As a prefecture that faces the sea, it's characteristic for using ingredients like tuna and kelp in its ramen, so take a look at the various shops there and discover your favorite!
The information in this article is accurate at the time of publication.