Hakata tonkotsu ramen
博多ラーメン Hakata ramen · Fukuoka, Japan
Milky pork-bone broth, very thin noodles, and kaedama — a refill of noodles.
Know before you go
- Don't sit chatting for ages in a popular shop with a queue
- don't pick toppings out of the bowl and leave them on the table
This article is Not yet verified. Please check official announcements for prices, opening hours and dates.
Culture
Culture & customs
Background
Tonkotsu ramen broth is made from pork bones. It was invented in 1937 by Miyamoto Tokio, a yatai stall owner in Kurume, Fukuoka Prefecture, and is the signature taste of Kyushu; in Fukuoka it is often called Hakata ramen, after the old name of the city centre. The noodles are thin and traditionally eaten firm in the middle, and many shops let you choose how firm; when you finish your noodles you can order another portion to add to the remaining soup — a 'kaedama'.
Local customs
- Choose your noodle firmness when ordering (e.g. 'barikata', very firm)
- when the noodles are gone but soup remains, call for 'kaedama' to get more
Etiquette
Etiquette & taboos
Don’t DON'T
- Don't sit chatting for ages in a popular shop with a queue
- don't pick toppings out of the bowl and leave them on the table
Locals appreciate DO
Shops appreciate customers who concentrate on their noodles and give up their seat when they finish.
Plan your visit
Practical info
Travel tips
- There are yatai in Nakasu in the evening — read it alongside 'Nakasu yatai, Fukuoka' in the city guide. Prices and opening hours are set by each shop
- popular old places often have queues, so go outside peak mealtimes.
Sources & verification notes
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