Hello.
According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications’ Household Survey, Yamagata Prefecture ranks No. 1 for dining out on ramen for three consecutive years.
Moreover, the cumulative total for 2024 has reached the highest amount since 2000! Incredible, Yamagata residents.

However… I personally go to ramen shops only 2–3 times a year at most.
For someone like me, there’s a B-grade gourmet shop that locals in Yamagata secretly visit.
Don’t you kind of want to know about it? (laughs) Wouldn’t you want to go before it gets crowded? (laughs)
Also, does the Torimotsu Ramen really ‘give love through chicken offal’…?!

Access to Obanazawa City’s “Torimotsu Chuka Soba Yamahachikinsuke”

Since there are no trains running in Obanazawa City, visitors arriving by train should get off at the nearest station, Ōishida Station. From there, take the bus bound for Ginzan Onsen, and the nearest bus stop is in front of the fire station. As is common with local buses, there are only a few services per day. Be sure to check the return times in advance.

My beloved dog, F, is 9 years old. With adorable eyes and a strong-willed nature, F never lets go once he finds something he likes (haha). Normally, he quietly waits at home in the backyard while we’re out.

A Hidden Gem Favored by a Ramen-Casual Author! What is “Torimotsu Chuka Soba Yamahachi Kinsuke”?

Let us introduce “Torimotsu Chuka Soba Yamahachi Kinsuke”, named after the owner’s business name.

It was founded in October 2018 in Tateoka Shinmachi, Murayama City, Yamagata Prefecture. The owner was shocked to discover that the “torimotsu ramen”, which he thought was everywhere, is actually unique to the Mogami region.

Wanting people who hadn’t tried torimotsu ramen yet to enjoy it, more widely, he opened “Torimotsu Chuka Soba Yamahachi Kinsuke”.

Starting as a rare shop in the Murayama region focusing on Shinjō’s local specialty ramen, torimotsu ramen, the shop garnered attention but unfortunately closed in early December 2024.

Now, after renovating the first floor of his home, the owner will proudly reopen in Obanazawa City on Sunday, November 16, 2025. 🎉

Since it is located in a corner of a residential area, it has an atmosphere as if you are visiting someone’s home.
Entering through the renovated entrance of a house I had visited decades ago, I opened the door on the left in front of me and…

Huh??? The Japanese-style room that was there when I visited privately before is gone!!

Torimotsu Ramen—Does it really bring love together?!

In Shinjō City, Yamagata Prefecture, the birthplace of Torimotsu Ramen, in 2002, a group of ramen shops in the city came together to promote Torimotsu Ramen and formed the “Ai wo Torimotsu Ramen Association.”
The phrase “Ai wo Torimotsu” carries a dual meaning: it refers both to the Torimotsu in Torimotsu Ramen and to the idea of bringing people together, connecting human relationships.

I wonder how exactly “Torimotsu” is prepared?
Depending on the restaurant, there are differences in the noodles, broth, and how the offal is cooked, so walking around and trying different places is also recommended.
(As you try more, your love for Torimotsu might grow… just a thought from the author.)

The popular “Torimotsu Ramen,” loved even by fans from far away, is definitely worth trying!

What is the specialty “Torimotsu Ramen”? Trying a Bowl at Yamahachi Kinsuke

Mixed chicken offal such as hearts, gizzards, egg yolks, liver, and chicken skin

Tasting time! This time, I tried the restaurant’s signature dish, “Torimotsu Ramen” 🍜! The clear soy sauce-based broth is light, but because it contains chicken skin, the flavor of chicken fat spreads richly in your mouth. Compared to the original Torimotsu Ramen from Shinjo City, it’s slightly richer, but it doesn’t leave a heavy aftertaste, so if you love ramen, you can drink the soup cleanly. Also, the curly thin noodles pair perfectly with this ultimate broth! Slurping them up, it’s hard to put the chopsticks down…

The assorted chicken offal includes hearts, gizzards, kinkan (chicken egg yolks), liver, and chicken skin, and thanks to careful preparation, it has no distinctive odor or gamey taste. You can enjoy the rich flavor of the liver and the chewy texture of the hearts, gizzards, kinkan, and chicken skin in your mouth—so enjoyable! You won’t get tired of it.

As I mentioned at the beginning, my enthusiasm for ramen is quite low. I never use the advanced technique of “finishing the soup.” Even if, by some chance, I were to come across an incredibly delicious ramen soup, unless that soup is the main dish itself (like a potage, stew, or vichyssoise), I probably still won’t “drink it to the last drop.”

That said, I don’t mean to complain about the soup—please understand. To all ramen chefs for whom “the soup is everything,” I would like to take this opportunity to deeply apologize.

Yamahachi Kinsuke Menu │ Shining, Sparkling All-Stars!

From ramen to side dishes, the menu is surprisingly extensive. *All prices include tax

※Large serving: +150 yen for all / Extra large serving: +250 yen for all

Topping Service

Takeout menu

I tried taking ‘Love (Torimotsu)’ to go!

The addictive chicken giblets we took home were simmered with the stalks of the new onions that had just arrived from Aichi Prefecture, sprinkled with yuzu peel—a frugal, creative recipe.
Cheers with what looked like beer! Chicken giblets make the perfect snack for beer—beer is the best! Tattara 🎵 The author’s happy dance!

“The hero has obtained an item, chicken giblets, also known as a snack for beer!”
For those who catch the reference, let’s part with this classic ending.

By the way, the term “ate” seems to be used mainly in the Kansai region and refers to simmered dishes, pickles, grilled fish, and the like that are eaten while enjoying alcohol. The word originates from “ategau” and means light dishes that enhance the taste of sake.

Summary

“Torimotsu Chuka Soba Yamahachi Kinsuke” in Obanazawa City is a locally-focused B-grade gourmet spot in Yamagata Prefecture, filled with the owner’s dedication and charm, and one of the few of its kind in the area.

Whether you want a snack during a drive or to stop by on the way to Ginzan Onsen, be sure to visit Obanazawa.

Hot tip! Around Tuesday, January 20, 2026, the immensely popular, ingredient-packed “Abura Soba” is set to make a long-awaited comeback. Why not become a messenger of this local flavor that you can’t experience in the city?
Here is the store information for Torimotsu Chuka Soba Yamahachi Kinsuke