Koga City flourished as a post town on the old Nikko Kaido road.

It is a city that has been attracting attention in recent years, combining a peaceful landscape with an urban side, including traditional streetscapes and large commercial facilities.

One thing you should definitely try in Koga City is the "Shichifuku Curry Noodles."
This time, we will introduce the characteristics and history of Koga's Shichifuku Curry Noodles.

What is Koga's Shichifuku Curry Noodles?

Koga City is home to a company that handles the largest amount of red peppers in Japan. Koga Shichifuku Curry Noodles was created in collaboration with the company, the city's chamber of commerce, and local restaurants.

The concept is curry that goes well with noodles. They offer a variety of unique dishes using locally-blended curry powder, combining it with soba, udon, ramen, spaghetti, and more.

Currently, there are about 20 shops in the city that serve Shichifuku Curry Noodles from Koga. The types of shops are diverse, including soba shops, ramen shops, Chinese restaurants, izakayas, and other restaurants.

The history of Koga's Shichifuku curry noodles

Koga curry noodles are a local delicacy that was originally created as part of a town revitalization project within the city.
Noticing that a well-known local company was making curry powder, members of the Chamber of Commerce worked with restaurants and businesses in the city to start serving dishes using that curry powder.

Meanwhile, the "Koga Seven Lucky Gods Tour" organized by the Koga City Tourism Association became popular, and the dish was fused with this to become what is now known as "Koga Seven Lucky Gods Curry Noodles."
Also, in reference to the Seven Lucky Gods, it is a common rule that curry noodles must contain seven types of ingredients.

The ingredients used are mainly local vegetables, and some stores also add seafood such as shrimp and scallops. In this way, the two businesses that started as town revitalization projects have merged and become one of the events that represent Koga City.

A wide variety of curry noodles!

Koga's Shichifuku Curry Noodles is a local delicacy made with a wide variety of ingredients and noodles. This time, we will introduce several different types of it.

Soba and udon

Among the Shichifuku curry noodles served in the city, the most common type is a combination with Japanese noodles such as soba or udon.

The bowl contains seven different ingredients, and the colorful toppings incorporating seasonal ingredients are eye-catching. The way the soba is served varies depending on the restaurant, with some dipping it in hot soup and others topping it off with a generous amount of curry sauce.

ramen

There are also some slightly unusual ramen collaborations. Curry ramen topped with curry-flavored sauce and curry noodles with beef are so delicious that you won't be able to stop eating them, as the spicy aroma goes well with the Chinese noodles.

Pasta Gratin

There is also curry noodles, a collaboration with a Western-style menu. The thing served on top of the spaghetti looks like meat sauce at first glance, but it is actually curry.
There is also curry spaghetti filled with plenty of seafood, and a luxurious dish made with homemade white sauce topped with special European-style curry.

The appeal of Koga's Shichifuku Curry Noodles

The great appeal of Shichifuku Curry Noodles is that they offer a unique dish with a unique flavor, regardless of the type of noodle, starting with the special curry powder.
The dishes, which contain flavorful curry powder, have a mild richness and deep umami flavor within a spicy spiciness.

In addition, "Shichifuku Curry Noodles," which is also meant as a hospitality dish for visitors to Koga City, is roasted in the store before use to bring out its aroma, and is used to add flavor by carefully considering the balance with other ingredients; the secret to its deliciousness is the right amount.

Things to do in Koga

From here, we will introduce some recommended sightseeing spots in Koga City. Koga City, known as the Little Kyoto of Ibaraki, flourished as a castle town during the Edo period, and there are several buildings within the city that give a glimpse of that era.

Koga Kubo Park is home to historical sites related to the shogun and the restored Gosho-numa Pond, as well as a famous peach viewing spot where about 1,600 peach trees bloom in spring. On the vast grounds of about 220,000 square meters, you can enjoy a charming landscape where nature and culture blend together, including old houses that are national cultural assets, a cafe terrace, and a beautiful lotus pond.

In addition, the "Furukawa Peach Festival" is held from March to April, attracting many tourists every year. In addition, it is the first park in Japan to receive the "Melina Merikouri International Award" sponsored by UNESCO and Greece.

Another recommended tourist spot in Koga city is the Makuraga-no-Sato Roadside Station.

Here you can eat fresh vegetables and the famous Ottamage Tendon, and the Koshihikari brown rice roll is also very popular.

The direct sales corner regularly holds all-you-can-eat vegetable events, and there are plenty of fun events throughout the year, such as the free distribution of sweet sake on New Year's Day.

Access to Koga City

From here, we will introduce how to get to Koga City. Koga City is located on the western edge of Ibaraki Prefecture. It borders Saitama Prefecture to the west, Tochigi Prefecture to the north, and many other cities, such as Yuki City and Gokamachi Town to the east and south.

It is easily accessible from major cities such as Tokyo, Saitama, and Utsunomiya, and can be reached via roads such as the JR Utsunomiya Line, National Route 4, and New National Route 4.

To get to Koga Station from Tokyo, it is convenient to take the JR Ueno-Tokyo Line. It takes about 80 minutes.

If you take the Shinkansen, you can get to Koga Station by taking the JR Tohoku Main Line and then transferring to the Utsunomiya Line or Ueno-Tokyo Line. If you are coming from Morioka, Sendai, or Fukushima, the journey takes about 2 hours and 40 minutes, about 2 hours, and about 1 hour and 40 minutes, respectively, and the fact that you only have to transfer once is a nice plus.

Location of Koga City, Ibaraki Prefecture

summary

This time we introduced "Shichifuku Curry Noodles," a local delicacy from Koga City, Ibaraki Prefecture.

Shichifuku Curry Noodles are made using a special locally-blended curry powder and are packed with ingredients, making them a dish that is sure to fill you with happiness.

If you visit Koga City, be sure to give it a try.

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