Fukuoka Prefecture, the central city of Kyushu, is known for its delicious food, and one of the most representative foods in Fukuoka is Hakata ramen.

Hakata ramen is popular among a wide range of people, from locals to tourists, but there are many Hakata ramen specialty shops in the area, so many people have trouble deciding which shop to visit.

So, this time we will introduce 9 recommended Hakata ramen restaurants that you can eat in Fukuoka. We will also cover the characteristics and history of Hakata ramen, so if you are planning to visit Fukuoka, please refer to this article.

What is Hakata Ramen?

There are many different types of ramen in Japan today, but Hakata ramen is particularly well-known. Hakata ramen has the following characteristics and history:

Features

Hakata ramen is characterized by its pork bone soup and thin noodles. As the name suggests, pork bone soup is made by boiling pork bones over high heat for a long time, and the gelatin in the pork bones is dissolved, giving the soup a thick consistency.

The parts of the pork bones used to make the tonkotsu soup vary widely depending on the store, including the pig's head, called kashira, and the thigh bone, called genkotsu. Recently, genres that do not use pork bones as soup ingredients have also become popular.

The thin noodles used in Hakata ramen are supple, chewy, and smooth. When ordering, you can specify the hardness of the noodles, and they are called by their own unique names, such as barikata, harigane, and konootoshi.

Another feature of Hakata ramen is the use of a "kaedama" system, where you order just the noodles when you want a second serving. Thin noodles are used to go well with the tonkotsu soup, which is the lifeblood of Hakata ramen, but while they are thin and quick to cook, they have the disadvantage of becoming soggy if you order a large serving.

However, with the refill system, you can enjoy your ramen until the very last drop. You can have as many refills as you like, and some stores even allow you to order a certain number of refills for free.

The standard toppings are green onions, roasted pork, and wood ear mushrooms. It is said that wood ear mushrooms first became popular as a substitute for nori seaweed, the price of which fluctuates. Many shops also offer free toppings such as white sesame seeds, pickled ginger, and mustard greens.

History

Kyushu tonkotsu ramen is said to have originated in 1937 at a ramen stand called "Nankin Senryo" that opened on Meiji Street in front of Nishitetsu Kurume Station.

The first owner, who originally ran a udon noodle stall, created tonkotsu ramen inspired by the Shina Soba (Chinese noodles) that was popular in Tokyo and Yokohama, i.e. modern-day soy sauce ramen, and champon, a noodle dish from his hometown of Nagasaki.

The soup at that time was not so cloudy and still had a certain degree of transparency. The current milky white soup was born after a problem occurred at a restaurant called "Sankyu" that was also founded in Kurume in 1947.

One day, while preparing the soup, the owner left the tonkotsu soup on the stove for an extended period of time and accidentally overcooked it. However, the soup was so delicious that he decided not to throw it away and instead served it as is. From this point on, cloudy tonkotsu soup became the mainstream of Hakata ramen.

After that, Hakata ramen spread from Kurume to all over Kyushu and then to the whole of Japan. It is now highly regarded internationally, with some restaurants listed in the Michelin Guide.

9 recommended Hakata ramen shops

There are a wide variety of Hakata ramen restaurants in Fukuoka, and people visiting for the first time often find themselves unsure of which restaurant to go to.

Here are 9 recommended Hakata ramen shops in Fukuoka. Each shop's features and recommended menu items are also mentioned, so please use this as a reference.

Hakata Issou Hakata Station East Main Branch

Hakata Isso Hakata Station East Main Branch is always mentioned as a recommended Hakata ramen restaurant. Located a 5-minute walk from the Chikushi Exit of JR Hakata Station, it has gained many loyal fans both within and outside the prefecture since its establishment in 2012.

The rich, dense tonkotsu soup is made according to the owner's ideal ratio. Only domestic pig bones are used, and it is so highly regarded that ramen lovers call it tonkotsu cappuccino.

The thin noodles, which mix well with the soup, are a unique product of Hakata Isso, developed in collaboration with the noodle maker Keishi. They are so delicious that 8% of customers order extra noodles.

The recommended menu at Hakata Issou is the classic tonkotsu ramen. The toppings are simple - seaweed, green onions, roasted pork, and wood ear mushrooms - so you can fully enjoy the flavor of the noodles and tonkotsu soup. The side menu includes fragrantly grilled gyoza dumplings and rice balls.

Hakata Ramen ShinShin Tenjin Main Branch

Hakata Ramen ShinShin Tenjin Main Branch is a famous ramen shop marked by a rare blue sign. The store is located about a 5-minute walk from Tenjin Station on the Fukuoka Municipal Subway, and since its establishment in 2003, it has been loved by many locals, regardless of age or gender.

It is known that many celebrities visit the restaurant, and one of the fun things to do is see the signs written on the walls inside the restaurant. There is no parking lot, so if you plan to come by car, please use the nearby paid parking lot.

The recommended menu item is the Hakata ShinShin Ramen, which is the origin and pinnacle of Hakata Ramen ShinShin. The light and juicy pork bone soup is well mixed with the thin noodles, and if you order the bite-sized gyoza as a set, your satisfaction will be even higher.

Hakata is full of energy!!

Hakata Genki Ippai, founded in 1999, is a ramen shop that has given rise to many urban legends in the world of Fukuoka ramen. It doesn't have a sign or a shop curtain, but if you see a bucket hanging in front of the shop, you can tell it's open for business. For that reason, it can be difficult to find without any prior information.

The reason why there is no signboard or shop curtain is because the owner thought "I'm going to close because I can't sell anything" and removed the signboard first, but his worried regulars started coming one after another. Wanting to cherish the regulars who were worried about him, the owner adopted the current style of not putting up a signboard or shop curtain.

The tonkotsu ramen, one of the recommended dishes at Hakata Genki Ippai, is characterized by its creamy, rich, yet not heavy soup. The refills are also available in a unique curry flavor that goes well with the tonkotsu soup, allowing you to enjoy the wide range of Hakata ramen's appeal.

Hakata Ikkosha Main Store

Hakata Ikkosha Main Branch is a famous Hakata ramen restaurant that was founded in 2004 and currently has 50 stores around the world, including in the United States, Canada, and China.

It is said to be a pioneer of the genre of foam ramen, and is made with great care, even down to the low-temperature cooked pork and the way the spring onions are cut. As it is a very popular restaurant among locals, it is best to avoid visiting during lunch hours.

Even though they are all tonkotsu ramen, there are five different brands available, including Hakata Yatai Ramen Ikkosha, which revives the original yatai ramen from Hakata Ikkosha, and Hakata Ramen Nidaime Ikkosha, which is popular with a wide range of generations, and each has its own unique appeal.

The recommended dish at Hakata Ikkosha Main Branch is the foamy tonkotsu ramen. The smooth tonkotsu soup has a mellow umami and bone flavor.

Original Hakata Daruma Daitos Store

The Original Hakata Daruma Daito Store is a long-established Hakata ramen restaurant that was founded in 1963. The store is located on the second floor of Daito Annex inside JR Hakata Station, and its convenient location makes it a popular spot for many customers.

They use homemade noodles made from a unique blend of carefully selected wheat, and depending on the store you can enjoy noodles ranging from thin to extra thick. The soup is made using a method called the "Kibomoshi method," which involves simmering for over 12 hours, allowing you to enjoy a rich yet delicate pork bone soup.

The recommended menu item at the Ganso Hakata Daruma Daito store is the classic Hakata ramen. The ramen topped with back fat has a strong flavor, but the soup is not heavy, and the smell of pork bones will whet your appetite.

They are also sold as gifts and mail-order gourmet foods, and are recommended as souvenirs for your trip.

Nagahama Number One Gion store

Nagahama Number One Gion store is located a 2-minute walk from Gion Station on the Fukuoka City subway. Although it is a popular store, the turnover rate is high, so you will not have to wait long to be seated.

It is widely known throughout Fukuoka Prefecture, and many people have been recommended it by local taxi drivers when asking them for recommendations on ramen restaurants.

The ramen served at the restaurant features a mellow and thick pork bone soup. Because the pork bones are thoroughly drained of blood, the soup does not have the unpleasant odor that is typical of pork bone soup.

By the way, during lunch hours, you can get a set of four handmade gyoza dumplings, a small bowl of rice, mustard greens, etc. for an additional 230 yen. If you are looking for a mild tonkotsu ramen, you can't go wrong with Nagahama Number One Gion branch.

Original Ramen Nagahama

Another ramen restaurant that is highly renowned in Fukuoka Prefecture is Ganso Ramen Nagahama-ya. Founded in 1952, the restaurant first started out as a ramen stall.

The appeal of Ganso Ramen Nagahama-ya is its low prices, with a bowl of ramen available for just 550 yen. The simple tonkotsu ramen is topped with green onions and roasted pork, and you can choose not only the firmness of the noodles but also the thickness of the soup. Pickled ginger or white sesame seeds can be added as toppings to your liking.

It is open 24 hours a day, so you can have ramen in the morning. However, please note that cleaning hours are from 7 to 9 on Mondays. If Monday is a public holiday, cleaning hours will be from 7 to 9 on the following Tuesday.

Ramen Uminari Nakasu branch

A popular ramen restaurant in Fukuoka is Ramen Uminari Nakasu, which opened in 2011.

The recommended menu item at Ramen Uminari Nakasu, located on the banks of the Hakata River, is the seafood and tonkotsu ramen. As the name suggests, seafood and tonkotsu ramen is made with two types of soup, tonkotsu soup and seafood soup, and the rich flavor and umami spreads in your mouth the moment you put it in your mouth.

The pork bone soup at Ramen Uminari Nakasu is made with careful preparation, and the seafood soup is made by combining two types of dried sardines and three types of dried fish. They have also developed their own noodles that go well with both the seafood pork bone and pork bone soups, and are particular about the ingredients, using subtle seasonings so as not to overpower the flavor of the soup.

Ramen Nimanbo Hakata Main Branch

The last place we will introduce is Ramen Nijobo Hakata Main Branch, which is located just a two-minute walk from JR Hakata Station. In the past, Nijobo has won first place in the Hakata Ramen General Election, which shows how popular it is in Fukuoka, a hotbed of tonkotsu ramen.

This is a pork bone ramen with a mild flavor, and because it is carefully prepared, it does not have the strong odor or greasiness that is typical of pork bones. Therefore, it is known as a pork bone ramen that is easy for women to eat.

We recommend the standard tonkotsu ramen, but we also recommend the soft-boiled egg ramen, which is topped with a boiled egg marinated in a sauce based on tonkotsu ramen base. If you eat it with rice as a side dish, you can fully enjoy the appeal of both tonkotsu ramen and the boiled egg.

Rental cars are recommended for travelling around Fukuoka

There are various means of transportation within Fukuoka Prefecture, such as trains and buses, but you need to keep in mind the operating times. However, with a rental car, you can travel to wherever you want, whenever you want.

Also, some locations may be difficult to access by public transportation. In such cases, renting a car will allow you to reach your destination easily while keeping travel costs down. If you want to travel smoothly within Fukuoka Prefecture, we recommend renting a car.

However, there are many people who don't want to use rental cars because the procedures at rental stores are troublesome. For those people, we recommend the unmanned rental car service Uqey.

Since everything from reserving a rental car to returning it can be completed online, even first-time renters will not find the process complicated. If you are interested, please check out the official website.

This article introduces recommended sightseeing spots and gourmet food in Fukuoka. Be sure to experience the charms of Fukuoka that go beyond just Hakata ramen.

Summary

There are many unique Hakata ramen shops in Fukuoka. When you visit Hakata, be sure to enjoy the differences in the Hakata ramen served at each shop.

There are various ways to travel within Fukuoka Prefecture, but if you don't want to be restricted in time or travel area, we recommend renting a car.

The unmanned rental car service Uqey allows you to reserve and return a car online, making it ideal for those who want to go through the various procedures smoothly. There are no cumbersome membership fees or monthly fees. If you are interested, please check out the official website.