What is Ibaraki's stamina ramen?

Ibaraki-style Stamina Ramen is a powerful bowl that offers a unique sweet and spicy flavor, featuring plenty of ingredients like liver, pumpkin, and cabbage, all brought together in a thick, starchy sauce.

Two types are beloved: the soup-based Stamina Ramen (commonly known as "Hot") with a chicken bone-based broth, and...the soup-less version, "Stamina Hiyashi" (chilled).Note that Stamina Hiyashi can be enjoyed all year round.

This Ibaraki-style Stamina Ramen has a history spanning about half a century.

Stamina Ramen originated when the owner of the ramen shop "Daishin" in front of JR Katsuta Station conceived the idea for an ankake (starchy sauce) ramen, which was then created by the manager at the time, Junichi Nagai. Later, "Tora-san Ramen," where Nagai served as manager, opened, and the dish was named "Stamina Ramen" in the 1970s. Nagai later went independent and opened "Stamina Ramen Matsugoro" in Mito City. It gained a reputation, and Stamina Ramen spread both within and outside the prefecture.

Ibaraki Shimbun, dated October 26, 2016

It should be noted that there are various theories regarding what should be considered its "origin."

However, this Ibaraki-style stamina ramen is mainly eaten in the Hitachinaka and Mito city areas, and there are few restaurants serving it outside of those regions.

Therefore, this time, based on the criteria of being able to drive there from Tsuchiura Station, the center of the southern part of the prefecture, I looked for shops that offer "stamina ramen that you can easily enjoy even if you go from the southern part of the prefecture."

[Tsukuba City] Stamina Ramen Jimbo

First, we head to "Stamina Ramen Jimbo" in Tsukuba City. It is the most popular stamina ramen restaurant in the southern part of the prefecture, and after closing in 2024 due to the owner's poor health,Kota Jimbo, who worked at "Gamusha"it reopened in May 2025.

"Stamina" created by a shop owner from Yamagata, a place famous for ramen

Mr. Jimbo is from Yamagata Prefecture, a place famous for ramen, and visiting ramen shops was originally his daily routine. He became hooked on stamina ramen during his student days in Ibaraki, and after working at "Gamusha," he eventually opened his own shop.

They serve "Stamina Hiyashi" (chilled) and "Stamina Hot", and the noodles come in a standard serving of 1 ball150 grams, and you can increase them by half-ball increments for an extra charge up to 3 balls.

For stamina hiyashi (chilled stamina ramen), the base sweet and spicy soy sauce sauce is easy to eat and rich, and the noodles and vegetables, which become one with the thickness, are sucked into your mouth.

It has a sweet and spicy flavor that is pleasant without being cloying. The seasoning emphasizes richness, and the goal is to create a bowl with strong umami and a multi-layered taste, a goal that is clearly conveyed in the flavor.

"Stamina ramen originally seemed to start as a way to feed students until they were full using inexpensive ingredients like liver, so I make sure it's voluminous and delicious. Costs have soared now, so I can't offer it cheaply, though..." says Jimbo-san, sounding pained.

The process of making that stamina ramen is hard labor. "I make multiple servings at once in a Chinese wok with the starchy sauce and vegetables, so it's incredibly heavy; I'm on the verge of getting tendonitis," he says, showing off his well-toned, thick arms.

About 350 grams of vegetables!

A single serving contains the amount a person should consume in a dayYou can consume about 350 grams of vegetables in one goof vegetables, which is another great thing about this bowl. It is packed with pumpkin, carrots, chives, and cabbage, and also contains liver.

"I make sure the colors of the vegetables look beautiful. I think stamina ramen should be vibrant with green and yellow, look delicious, and whet the appetite," he says, noting that he hand-cuts all 350 grams for a single serving.

According to Jimbo-san, "'Pre-cut vegetables' lose their freshness and moisture after being cut over time," which is why he insists on cutting the vegetables into large pieces inside the shop.

The spiciness is adjusted to be easy for people of all ages to eat, and those who don't like spice, such as children, can have the ichimi chili pepper left out. You can add ichimi chili pepper, Japanese mustard, or vinegar to your liking, and Jimbo-san recommends the "Japanese mustard."

It was a flavor that was neither too sweet nor too spicy, allowing one to enjoy the "sweet and spicy" essence of stamina ramen to the fullest in a very pleasant way. The thickness of the sauce was just right, and the cabbage was not hard but perfectly tender. I was so absorbed in eating it that it was gone in an instant.

A flavor that helps you forget your troubles and gives you vitality

Stamina Ramen Jimbo is loved mainly by "stamina fans" south of Tsukuba.
"People say things like, 'I've been waiting for you,' or 'I was moved to eat this for the first time in a while.' It makes me happy to hear that. While carrying on what's important, I want to try various things and increase my own customer base."

And Mr. Jimbo also said this.

"I want to make a flavor that helps people forget unpleasant things and gives them energy for what's next. That is what I want it to be."

[Kasama City] Stamina Ramen Isshin

Located in Kasama City, north of Tsuchiura, is "Stamina Ramen Isshin." This is also a restaurant that honed its skills at Garyu Shokudo, run by a former apprentice of "Tora-san Ramen," which is said to be the originator of stamina ramen, and it carries on that flavor.

Store manager IwaiShinji-san became independent in 2014 after his training, opening a branch of Garyu Shokudo in Tomobe, and in 2017, he relocated about 500 meters away. At that time, he changed the store name to "Stamina Ramen Isshin."

Stamina Ramen and Stamina Hiyashi (chilled) have been the signature menu items since the Garyu Shokudo days, with about 100 bowls sold in total per day; it seems the chilled version is popular in the hot season and the hot version in the cold season. Here, I had the hot version.

An overwhelming amount of liver!

When you order the "Stamina Ramen Regular HOT," a bowl arrives with ingredients and soup overflowing from the bowl.

Mr. Iwai also mentioned that he "puts in plenty of vegetables and liver," and the noodles are made by a supplier specifically as noodles for Isshin's stamina ramen.

 

It is topped with plenty of the classic stamina ramen ingredients: liver, and soft, easy-to-eat vegetables such as carrots, cabbage, and pumpkin. EspeciallyThere is an overwhelming amount of liver in the soup.

Since many people find the smell of liver "absolutely unbearable," at Isshin,Thoroughly removing the odorIt is true that I was able to eat it easily without noticing any smell.

Furthermore, for those who dislike liver, there is a thoughtful service where they can substitute the liver with extra portions of other ingredients like cabbage or carrots.

Moreover, the process of making the impressive, chewy stamina sauce is difficult; during his training days at Garyu Shokudo, it reportedly took him over a year to be able to make a sauce that was "neither too loose nor too firm, and clings to the noodles."

The most difficult parts are adjusting the heat and the amount of potato starch, and even now, he is diligent about adjusting the stamina sauce according to the ingredients and weather of the day.

Furthermore, they are particular about the sweet and spicy balance of the stamina sauce. They pay close attention to adjusting the spiciness with ichimi chili pepper so that it tastes sweet the moment you eat it, but gradually becomes spicier as you continue eating.

Rare seafood stamina, and even a stamina rice bowl?

As a tradition from his time at Garyu Shokudo, they have an unusual topping: "horumon" (offal). It is said that adding stewed offal to the stamina sauce is exceptional, and this is rooted in the offal culture of northern Kanto, where dishes like motsu-nikomi (stewed offal) are also popular in Kasama.

Furthermore, the seafood-based stamina ramen is a rare dish, with few restaurants in Ibaraki offering it. It has a flavor profile that can be described as stamina ramen with an added seafood twist, and it is well-regarded and popular as well. It features sea bream as the main ingredient, with scallops added as a secret ingredient.

Also, the rare "stamina rice bowl," where the stamina sauce is served over rice, is popular when paired with flying fish dashi ramen. They even offer takeout for just the stamina topping, and many people enjoy putting it over rice at home.

According to Mr. Iwai, "Since there are many shops in Hitachinaka and Mito, I wanted to serve it in Kasama, where there were no shops serving stamina ramen." It is loved locally as a long-awaited addition, and ramen enthusiasts also make the trip to visit.

With a highway interchange nearby, there are even customers who drive from Tochigi and Chiba, let alone from the southern part of the prefecture. About 40% of the customers are women, and it is said that many female customers come alone.

[Omitama City] Chinrai Omitama Branch

Founded in 1928, "Chinrai" is said to be one of the oldest ramen chains in Japan. Its Omitama branch was established in 2016. Incidentally, Omitama is the birthplace of Chinrai's founder, making it a historic location for the group.

In fact, even among Chinrai restaurants, this is the only location that serves stamina ramen.

This is the owner, Tsutomu Furuuchi. Originally from Hachinohe, Aomori Prefecture, he has dedicated over 30 years to Chinrai, including training at the main branch. After the store he previously worked at in Ishioka, Ibaraki, along Route 6 closed down, he opened his own independent shop on land owned by Chinrai.

Since opening his shop in Ibaraki, he decided to "offer a menu suited to the local character of Ibaraki," and has been serving stamina ramen since around 2021, despite being a Chinese restaurant.

It is a popular item, selling about 10 servings on weekdays and around 20 on weekends.

An unconventional stamina ramen

The bowl, affectionately known as "Stamina Ramen" at the Chinrai Omitama branch, has a look that sets it apart from any stamina ramen I have seen before. It has a feel somewhat similar to the gomoku ramen found in local Chinese eateries.

While Chinrai is known for its thick noodles, this shop has switched exclusively to "thin noodles" starting in 2025. In fact, the noodle factory is able to produce various types of noodles, including thin and curly ones, and since switching to thin noodles, the shop has gained more fans among the elderly.

Chinrai's signature egg noodles are quite voluminous at 175g, and they also offer a service where you can get a 100-yen discount if you order a half-portion.

Furthermore, while standard stamina ramen uses ichimi chili pepper, this version adds its own unique touch by using different spicy ingredients like doubanjiang, resulting in a significant level of heat.

Unusually, it uses "bamboo shoots" and "doubanjiang"

Stamina ramen is typically associated with pumpkin, but since it isn't used in the shop's other menu items, they left it out and replaced it with "bamboo shoots," which can be used across other dishes as well.

Other ingredients include carrots, Chinese chives, onions, cabbage, and liver. The large pieces of liver are particularly impressive. The thick sauce is based on the sauce used for tenshindon, with garlic, ginger, sake, and starch added.

It is the spiciest stamina ramen I have ever eaten, and it offers a unique, Chinese-style heat rather than the "sweet and spicy" flavor typical of stamina ramen. With finely chopped vegetables and no pumpkin, it was a delicious bowl that stands out as "something different from standard stamina ramen."

When asked why they decided to serve stamina ramen in Omitama, far from Hitachinaka, they replied, "Because many different types of customers come by along National Route 6." It is also a plus that Route 6 connects to Hitachinaka and Mito, the home of stamina ramen.

Actually, there are few stamina ramen shops that are easily accessible from the southern part of Ibaraki Prefecture, and since the number of shops where you can eat it in the Tsukuba area has been decreasing recently, I had a hard time finding them, but I was able to visit three valuable shops.

Even though it is a region far from Hitachinaka and Mito, which are said to be the home of this dish, you can enjoy such a delicious and unique bowl. Please go on a trip to taste the charm that only you can understand.

 

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