Sugomen celebrates its 25th anniversary! A taste test of local ramen from four Tohoku prefectures: Aomori, Miyagi, Yamagata, and Fukushima

Aomori's Niboshi Chuka Soba, Yamagata's Torichuka, Fukushima's Kitakata Ramen, and Miyagi's Spicy Miso Ramen made with Sendai Miso. The New Touch "Sugomen" regional series features products inspired by noodle dishes and local ingredients from the Tohoku region

Sugomen will celebrate its 25th anniversary on October 29, 2026. To commemorate this milestone, Yamadai Co., Ltd. kindly provided us with sample products, allowing us to compare four ramen varieties inspired by the four Tohoku prefectures: "Aomori Niboshi Chuka Soba," "Sendai Spicy Miso Ramen," "Yamagata Torichuka," and "Kitakata Ramen." We will introduce the characteristics of each product and our impressions after actually eating them

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What is New Touch's "Sugomen"?

"Sugomen" is a non-fried cup noodle brand developed by Yamadai Co., Ltd. It was launched on October 29, 2001, after more than 10 years of development

A key feature is that the noodles are made without being deep-fried. Through a unique manufacturing process, we aim for a smooth, chewy texture similar to fresh noodles. Furthermore, we use different types of noodles—thick, medium-thin, and flat—for each product, selecting the noodle best suited to the soup

A wide variety of regional noodle dishes from all over Japan

One of the appeals of Sugomen noodles is their extensive lineup of regional flavors. According to manufacturer information from September 2026, a total of 32 varieties are featured

In addition to ramen from Sapporo and Hakata, we offer a variety of noodle dishes inspired by local specialties, such as Chiba Takeoka-style ramen, Hyogo Banshu ramen, Ehime Yawatahama champon, and Ibaraki kenchin soba

Another characteristic is their emphasis on community ties, such as incorporating local ingredients and collaborating with local governments and ramen associations

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We compared four products from the Sugomen Tohoku series!

This year marks the 25th anniversary of New Touch's "Sugomen" regional series, which features products inspired by four prefectures in the Tohoku region: Aomori, Miyagi, Yamagata, and Fukushima. The lineup is unique and showcases the characteristics of each region's noodle dishes and ingredients

While we look forward to the day when products inspired by Akita and Iwate prefectures will be released, this time we'll be comparing and introducing the flavors of the four Tohoku prefectures to you

At the end of each product description,a taste test review. Please enjoy their honest opinions, which include their personal preferences.

[Aomori Prefecture] Aomori Niboshi Chuka Soba

"Aomori Niboshi Chuka Soba" is a product that recreates the Chinese noodles with a rich dried sardine broth that have been popular in Aomori for a long time

When you open the lid, you'll find the liquid soup, wheat gluten, and toppings (char siu, bamboo shoots, and green onions) all in separate small packets. First, add the toppings (char siu, etc.) and pour in hot water, then warm the liquid soup packet on top of the lid

After 5 minutes, loosen the noodles, add the liquid soup, and stir well. Finally, add the wheat gluten (fu) and it's ready to serve

The soup is based on soy sauce made in Aomori, combined with the flavor of dried sardines and the umami of meat. It has a light taste, yet you can feel the depth of the broth

Among the ingredients, the wheat gluten is particularly eye-catching. It absorbs plenty of the sardine-based soup, offering a soft and fluffy texture that is different from the noodles and bamboo shoots

The thick noodles are paired with a soy sauce-based soup flavored with dried sardines, and they have a smooth, slippery texture when slurped. When you chew them, they have a chewy, elastic texture, making the noodles themselves very satisfying

In the July 2026 renewal, the soy sauce used was standardized to Aomori Prefecture soy sauce made with soybeans and wheat from Aomori Prefecture and groundwater from the Hakkoda Mountains. The packaging also features the "Aomori's Honesty" mark, which conveys the brand's commitment to using Aomori-produced ingredients

[Taste Test Review]

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[Miyagi Prefecture] Sendai Spicy Miso Ramen

"Sendai Spicy Miso Ramen" is a spicy miso ramen that uses "Sendai Miso" from Sendai Miso Soy Sauce Co., Ltd

When you open the lid, you'll find the liquid soup, raw bean sprouts and carrots, and cabbage and chili peppers in separate small packets. First, add the dried ingredients and pour in hot water, then warm the liquid soup and bean sprout/carrot packets on top of the lid

After 5 minutes, drain the liquid from the bean sprouts and carrots in the bag and add them to the pot. Add the liquid soup and stir well

The soup is made with 100% "Sendai miso." This bowl combines the umami and aroma of miso with a touch of spiciness. The toppings feature fresh bean sprouts and carrots, offering a different texture from dried ingredients

The thick, non-fried noodles are coated in a spicy miso soup and lifted up with a satisfying crunch. When you eat them together with the fresh bean sprouts, you can enjoy the elasticity of the noodles and the texture of the sprouts

In the January 2026 renewal, chili peppers were added to the ingredients. This is the only miso-flavored product among the four, and it's worth noting how it differs from the other three products, which are soy sauce-based

[Taste Test Review]

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[Yamagata Prefecture] Yamagata Torichuka

"Yamagata Torichuka" is a product that recreates "Torichuka," a popular Japanese-style Chinese noodle dish in Yamagata Prefecture, which uses soba noodle broth as its base

When you open the lid, you'll find the liquid soup (to be added later) and two types of dried ingredients (to be added first and later) separated into individual packets

First, add the dried ingredients and pour in hot water, then warm the liquid soup packet on top of the lid. After 4 minutes, add the liquid soup and stir well, then add the dried ingredients at the end and it's ready to serve

The toppings added at the end include roasted seaweed and tempura flakes, and this combination, reminiscent of a bowl of soba noodles, is a distinctive feature of Torichuka

The soup is a Japanese-style broth based on soy sauce from Yamagata Prefecture, combined with the umami of chicken and seafood stock made from bonito flakes, mackerel flakes, and dried sardines

The noodles are the thinnest of the four products featured here, being non-fried medium-thin noodles. They are paired with a sweet, Japanese-style soup reminiscent of soba noodle broth, made with chicken and seafood stock

In the June 2026 renewal, we strengthened the dashi (broth) flavor and standardized the soy sauce used to that from Yamagata Prefecture

Enjoy a cold bowl too! Yamagata Torichuka's "cold" version

"Yamagata Torichuka" is designed to be enjoyed both hot and cold, offering a 2-way design. This time, we've also prepared a "cold" version using the instructions on the package

If making it chilled, add the dried ingredients first, then pour in hot water up to the inner line. The waiting time is 5 minutes, which is 1 minute longer than when making it hot

Loosen the noodles well, then drain the hot water using the drain spout on the lid. Next, pour in cold water and drain it, repeating this process once or twice to cool the noodles

Finally, pour in cold water up to the inner line, add the liquid soup and mix well, then add the dried ingredients to finish

This dish features non-fried, medium-thin noodles chilled in cold water, served with a cold, Japanese-style soup

The soup has a sweet soy sauce flavor reminiscent of soba noodle broth. You can also enjoy the crispy texture of the tempura batter bits, resulting in a different finish compared to a hot bowl of ramen

[Taste Test Review]

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[Fukushima Prefecture] Kitakata Ramen

"Kitakata Ramen" is a product that recreates the local ramen originating from Kitakata City, Fukushima Prefecture. It was the first product released in the Sugomen Local Ramen series and is a long-selling item

When you open the lid, you'll find the liquid soup and two types of dried ingredients, each in a separate small packet

Add the dried ingredients, pour in hot water, and warm the liquid soup packet on top of the lid. After 5 minutes, loosen the noodles, add the liquid soup, and stir well

The soup uses soy sauce made in Kitakata and combines the flavors of chicken bones, pork bones, and dried sardines. The toppings are diced pork, green onions, naruto (fish cake), and bamboo shoots. There are three slices of diced pork

These non-fried, flat noodles aim for the chewy texture characteristic of Kitakata ramen's high-hydration noodles. They are characterized by their wide, flat shape, which differs from the thick noodles of Aomori Niboshi and Sendai Spicy Miso ramen

[Taste Test Review]

The Agency for Cultural Affairs' "100-Year Food" mark has been added to the packaging

The October 5, 2026 renewal added the Agency for Cultural Affairs' "100-Year Food" mark to the packaging. The contents, such as the noodles and soup, remain the same, and the "Story on the Inside of the Lid," created in cooperation with the Kitakata City Kitakata Ramen Division, has also been updated. This is a bowl of ramen that allows you to experience Kitakata's food culture not only through its taste, but also through its packaging and the story on the inside of the lid

The new logo is part of an initiative to pass on local flavors to future generations

The Agency for Cultural Affairs' "100-Year Food" initiative aims to preserve and pass on food cultures that have been nurtured within the local climate, history, and lifestyle, and have been cherished across generations, together with local people. It not merely indicates the length of a dish's history, but also embodies the desire to cherish it as a food culture that will continue for another 100 years

Kitakata ramen was recognized in the "Modern 100-Year Food Category" for fiscal year 2021, and the recognition was announced in March 2022. The recognition is for the food culture of "Kitakata ramen," and this renewal, which incorporates the mark, is likely to be an opportunity for people to learn about the taste of Kitakata through cup noodles, as well as to look at the history and regional connections behind it

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Different noodles and different soups! Comparing the features of 4 products from the Tohoku region

Even within the same Sugomen regional series, the noodle shape, soup, and combination of ingredients differ. Based on the manufacturer's product information, it can be summarized as follows:

Product name	noodles	Main characteristics of the soup	Main ingredients	Cooking time in boiling water
Aomori Niboshi Chinese Noodles	Thick noodles	Aomori soy sauce and dried sardine flavor	Char siu pork, wheat gluten, bamboo shoots, green onions	5 minutes
Sendai Spicy Miso Ramen	Thick noodles	Spicy miso made with Sendai miso	Bean sprouts, carrots, cabbage, chili peppers	5 minutes
Yamagata Torichuka	Medium-thin noodles	Japanese-style soy sauce with chicken and seafood broth	Tempura batter scraps, seasoned chicken, green onions, roasted seaweed, spices	Warm: 4 minutes / Cold: 5 minutes + cooling
Kitakata ramen	Flat noodles	Kitakata soy sauce and chicken bones, pork bones, and dried sardines	Diced pork, green onions, naruto (fish cake), bamboo shoots	5 minutes

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Let's start with instant cup noodles and enjoy local Tohoku noodles!

The four products featured here each have distinct characteristics: dried sardine, spicy miso, Japanese-style dashi, and Kitakata-style soy sauce soup. The noodles also come in various types—thick, medium-thin, and flat—so when comparing them, paying attention not only to the soup but also to the noodles and toppings will enhance your enjoyment

Sugomen is celebrating its 25th anniversary. Try exploring the flavors of these familiar cup noodles, and when you visit Tohoku, why not pay attention to local ramen and the regional ingredients that support those flavors?

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