Chilled ramen is a traditional dish of Yamagata and Fukushima prefectures.
Differing from the well-known “hiyashi chuka” (cold ramen), the chilled ramen of Yamagata and Fukushima are, as the name indicates, ramen served chilled.
In Yamagata, it is said the ramen came from a need to create a dish for hot weather, with the region experiencing days over 40 degrees in summer.
In Fukushima, the dish has its roots in warm ramen cooled in running water to serve to people with fever and little appetite.
Both prefectures have their own traditional ramen dishes, and the chilled ramen strongly reflect the characteristics of these existing dishes.
Nowadays chilled ramen is served in places outside Yamagata and Fukushima, so in summer we recommend trying to track some down.
