Fukuoka

Gobo-Ten is more than just a burdock tempura. In Fukuoka, you can find Gobo-Ten on the menu of most restaurants. The soft and fluffy udon noodles are combined with clear udon soup. The way the burdocks are cut and the length of the burdock is unique to each restaurant, and I believe Fukuoka locals all have their own favorite Gobo-Ten. We enjoy different eating styles; some like to have the Gobo-Ten served on a separate plate to enjoy the crunchiness, and others prefer to savor the fluffy part soaked in the soup and the crunchy part remaining. The tempura batter could peel off when soaked in the soup for too long, but the tastiness stays the same. Oh, writing this makes me want to have some!

（Usushio）

Fukuoka is famous for its ramen noodles, but we are, in fact, udon people. The udon noodles are very soft, quite different from the slightly cooked and very hard ramen noodles. We call the burdock tempura Gobo-Ten, which are burdocks that have been shaved into pieces and deep-fried one by one. The standard combination is the Gobo-Ten Udon with rice balls made from Japanese mixed rice.

（Suchiko）

The udon in Fukuoka is soft and tasty. I like it best when the Gobo-Ten Udon has a large amount of sliced green onions on top and a little bit of red chili pepper flakes.

（Maa）

The thickly sliced burdock is chewy and delicious. It is also fun to enjoy the different kinds of burdocks for each restaurant!

（Yu）

Many Fukuoka locals prefer udon over ramen. If you are afraid of the “soft and fluffy” udon that is different from what you get in other parts of Japan, don’t worry; the udon is soft but has a firm texture, nothing like overcooked noodles. Having Japanese mixed rice with the udon is a standard.

（Gejimayu）

I had my first Gobo-Ten Udon after I came to Fukuoka prefecture. I was shocked by the fact that it is only served in Fukuoka when burdocks are available anywhere in Japan. The thinly sliced burdock tempura goes very well with the udon soup, and the burdock has a nice crunch and aroma.

（Eru）

Although Fukuoka is widely famous for ramen throughout Japan, we actually have many udon restaurants and eat it regularly. The most common is the Gobo-Ten Udon. The noodles are generally softer, especially in Fukuoka City, but you can also find slightly firmer noodles such as the ones served at the “Buzen Urauchi-Kai” restaurants and “Suke-san Udon.” The Gobo-Ten burdock tempura varies from restaurant to restaurant; some serve it in stick form, some in thin slices, some in a disk shape that sticks out of the bowl, and some in a single long piece that lies flat in the bowl. I recommend you ask the locals or do a web search by area since there are so many great udon restaurants in each area of Fukuoka.

（Noruri）

When you eat at “Suke-San Udon,” they serve you soup stock in a kettle to add to your udon because the soft and fluffy udon noodles soak up the soup. The standard topping is the Gobo-Ten burdock tempura! It is delicious to bite on it and enjoy the crunch!

（Kotaro）

I still remember the tonkotsu pork bone ramen I had more than ten years ago at a stall in Nakasu, surrounded by the smell of pork bone broth and oil. I savored it with the hustle and bustle, along with some alcohol and snacks. The smell from the other stalls was so good, too, that it made me hungry enough to have my noodles refilled.

（Nagi）

My recommendation is to have the super-thin noodles slightly cooked. Although they are very hard at first, the residual heat makes the noodles softer and softer. The best way to enjoy them is to hold back from chatting and taking pictures and just eat them all at once.

（Rena）

The tonkotsu ramen at “Ramen Hachi” is simple but one of the best among the many tonkostu ramens in Fukuoka. There are no unnecessary ingredients, just green onions, grilled pork, and noodles.

（Mamabokkuru）

I live in Tokyo, but I will never forget the light tonkotsu ramen I had during my vacation in Fukuoka. I later visited a stall, and they told me that the soup has a different thickness in the morning and the evening.

（Kobako）

Udon is often eaten in Fukuoka. Among them, the Yaki-Udon fried udon is said to have been first cooked in Kokura, Kitakyushu, after the war using dried noodles to readily satisfy hunger. The chewy texture differs from that of Yakisoba, and the aroma of bonito and soy sauce is irresistible.

（Ononchi）

They use dried noodles for Yaki-Udon in Kokura. My favorite restaurant, “Drama-Do,” serves Yaki-Udon with many vegetables and a delicious thick sauce. It is a Kokura specialty.

（Shiromi 322）

Unlike the Yaki-Udon in other parts of Fukuoka that use boiled noodles, Kokura’s (or maybe Kitakyushu’s) Yaki-Udon uses slightly boiled dried udon noodles. I’ve heard that it is a remnant from when we had no small refrigerators; thus, boiled noodles were easily damaged. It is seasoned with soy sauce and dried bonito flakes instead of sauce topped with a fried egg. That is why it has a firm texture and a different taste from baked udon.

（Yufuji）

The thin, white, and soft noodles are topped with a large, round tempura that looks like a full moon, burdock tempura that tastes better as you chew, and green onions. Take a sip of the light-colored soup, and you will strongly feel that you have come to Hakata. My favorite is the “Inaba Udon” because of its location and affordable price.

（Tama）

Fukuoka’s udon noodles are so soft and fluffy that you can eat them without your teeth. It differs from overcooked noodles; Tamori, the Japanese television celebrity, said, “Hakata people don’t expect firmness in their udon noodles.” The udon is the exact opposite of firmness. It is a wonderful kind of noodle that you can digest easily, whether in good spirits or poor health. The soup is golden and clear, served with a generous amount of Maruten (round fish cake), Gobo-Ten (burdock tempura), and green onions (leeks, as we call in Fukuoka).

（Hon 6）

I’m obsessed with the Gobo-Ten and rice balls made from Japanese mixed rice. These are the reasons for me to go back to Fukuoka. I love the “Inaba Udon”ーhave one bite of the soft noodles, sip the soup, eat the rice ball made from Japanese mixed rice, and then the noodles again. It is my comfort food that I can keep on eating forever. I also like that they serve the dishes soon after ordering!

（Mikuharu）

“Makino Udon” represents Fukuoka’s soft and unfirm udon. Eat quickly, or you may feel like the amount of noodles remains the same even as you eat because the noodles soak up the soup.

（Sajisaji）

The slightly thick noodles are lightly baked and stir-fried with plenty of vegetables, which creates a unique deliciousness. I personally recommend pouring some vinegar to enjoy a different flavor as you eat. The Sara-Udon at “Momokaku” in Nakagawa is a masterpiece.

（Todo）

It is different from the crispy Sara-Udon they have in Nagasaki. The thick noodles they use here, once oiled, absorb the soup and blend well with the ingredients. It may be like the Champon noodles without the soup. Or maybe not. The famous restaurants are “Ganso Pikaichi” and “Marimo Honten.”

（Chupi）

Fukuoka is well-known for its Motsunabe Japanese hot pot. The Horumon offal Udon at “Mendokoro Benten” in Chikuho Tagawa, where coal mining used to flourish, serves excellent plump offal that goes perfectly with the gentle broth! I recommend the comparison set for offal lovers, including a spicy offal rice bowl, mini Horumon Udon, and Horujaga.

（Tsukachin）

Fukuoka City’s Gobo-Ten Udon is often featured as a Fukuoka specialty (because it’s good!), but in Kitakyushu we often eat Kashiwa chicken Udon with chicken on top, too. The soft noodles are topped with lightly sweetened and spicy chicken meat that looks like leftovers from making the broth, along with some green onions and kamaboko. I love enjoying it at the restaurant on platform one or eight of Kokura Station while waiting for my next train!

（Ononchi）

It is a unique dish that they have where I lived until junior high school. I chose this for the survey because I wanted to try it again after growing up but haven’t had the chance.

（Medi）

Unlike regular champon noodles, this dish uses hard steamed noodles that must be pre-cooked. It leads to a firm texture of the noodles, which is why I like the dish. (You can strongly feel that you are enjoying the noodles!)

（Nanawan）