“Yamagata: The Kingdom of Soba and the Land of Ramen”
Watching Kenmin Show, I was reminded once again—especially seeing people from outside the prefecture react with surprise—that in Yamagata, it’s completely normal for soba restaurants to serve ramen. Traditional diners and most soba shops list ramen right alongside their noodle dishes.
In fact, many izakaya also offer ramen, but “Kotetsu,” which serves ramen at lunchtime and operates as an izakaya at night, is a rare gem where you can enjoy a bowl of this quality right in front of Murayama Station.

A Hard-to-Find Izakaya Near Murayama Station: “Kotetsu”

Nowadays, if you want to visit a specific restaurant, you can simply search its name on your smartphone and follow the navigation—there are hardly any places you can’t find.
However, I managed to locate Kotetsu only on my second attempt. It was my fault for not checking the details beforehand, but this is a place that’s genuinely difficult to find on your first daytime visit. So before introducing the menu, here’s how to spot it.

Exit JR Murayama Station’s east side and head toward “Uotami.” You’ll see “Baratei” on the left and a parking lot with a row of small bars on the right.

In the middle of that row of bars, you’ll find a storefront like the one in the photo. There’s no prominent sign, no noren hanging outside, and the only indication that they’re open is the whiteboard placed out front.

Inside, there’s a small raised seating area on the left (for about 5–6 people), and an L-shaped counter on the right. The owner works in the kitchen at the back.

Lunch Is Only Available on Mondays and Saturdays

Lunch service is limited to just two days a week, so timing is crucial. The owner runs the restaurant alongside his main job, and lunch is only offered on Mondays and Saturdays from 11:30 to 14:00. Since I’m usually in Murayama only on weekday afternoons, Monday lunch has become my regular Kotetsu day.

Kotetsu’s Menu

Right inside the entrance, you’ll find the noodle menu and the izakaya menu posted on the wall. The noodle selection isn’t extensive, but each dish has its own distinct character. If it’s your first visit, choosing either the ramen or the salt ramen will give you a clear sense of the restaurant’s style.

Ramen

Shoyu flavor

A simple yet meticulously crafted bowl. The toppings include a thick slice of chashu that falls apart gently in your mouth, chunky menma, a soft-boiled egg, nori, and—unique to this ramen—mitsuba. It looks straightforward, but the care put into the dish is unmistakable.

Salt Ramen

The only dish that uses thin noodles. The clear broth is perfectly balanced and easy to drink. Finely chopped green onions add a nice touch, and the yuzu pepper on top of the nori provides a refreshing flavor change. This is my personal top recommendation.

Miso Ramen

To be honest, I ate this as a late-night finisher after drinking quite a bit, so my memory is fuzzy—but I clearly remember thinking, “This is delicious.”

Tsukemen (Shoyu)

The dipping broth has a pleasant acidity, paired with medium-thick noodles, tender chashu, bold menma, and a soft-boiled egg. This instantly shot up into the top ranks of my personal tsukemen list. A pot of “wari-soup” is available on the counter, so you can dilute the broth at the end and enjoy it as soup.

Tsukemen (Salt)

This is the dish shown in the top photo. Many regulars order it, and it’s the one that made me think, “Next time, I’m getting the salt tsukemen.” The toppings are the same as the shoyu version, but the salt broth has a strong, distinctive flavor unlike anything I’ve had elsewhere.

Abura Soba

A popular dish. The toppings are similar to the tsukemen, and it comes with a slice of lemon. I usually set the lemon aside first, mix the noodles thoroughly, and enjoy the rich flavor. After eating a bit, I squeeze the lemon for a refreshing change. Once I’m past the halfway point, I add plenty of vinegar—my must-have for abura soba—and finish the bowl. Before completely finishing, I pour in the wari-soup to enjoy the remaining sauce.

Izakaya Menu

When I stopped by after drinking near Murayama Station, I ordered draft beer and gyoza. I was pretty drunk, so I forgot to take photos—though I somehow still photographed the miso ramen. The Kirin Ichiban Shibori draft is excellent, of course, and the gyoza was delicious as well.

Summary

Recently, I saw “Zhajiangmen” on another site and asked during lunch if they had it, but was told it’s part of the banquet menu.
Next time, I’d like to visit during dinner as my first stop and try it.

Click here for Kotetsu’s restaurant information