Kyushu famous food – Top 10 Must-Try Dishes in Kyushu: A Southern Japan Food Paradise

Kyushu, Japan’s fourth-largest island, not only boasts many beautiful scenic spots and is a paradise for relaxation, but is also known as the “culinary island” with its incredibly delicious dishes. Now, let’s check out Kyushu famous food and Kyushu local food with the Top 10 Must-Try Dishes in Kyushu: A Southern Japan Food Paradise below!

Kyushu comprises seven prefectures: Oita, Fukuoka, Nagasaki, Kagoshima, Miyazaki, Kumamoto, and Saga, each with its own unique cuisine.

Kyushu famous food: Tonkotsu Ramen

This is a type of noodle dish with a broth simmered from pork bones. It’s a traditional noodle dish of the Kyushu and Fukuoka regions of Japan. As I’ve shared, the broth of Tonkotsu Ramen is a unique combination of pork bone broth simmered for 48 hours until the bones are tender, seasoned with soy sauce and animal oil, creating a clear, rich broth that blends perfectly with the thin, chewy noodles.

With the fragrant broth enhanced by runny egg yolks, pork, wood ear mushrooms, red ginger, and herbs, the colors of these ingredients create a harmonious bowl of noodles that is both visually appealing and delicious. The not-too-salty flavor of the noodles is also a plus, making it a favorite among foreign tourists visiting this region.

Udon Tempura with Burdock

In contrast to Tonkotsu Ramen, Kyushu’s Udon Tempura with Burdock has thicker and chewier noodles. The broth is made from dried tuna chunks combined with seaweed and soy sauce, resulting in a rich and flavorful broth. This Udon dish is best paired with the famous Japanese Tempura, featuring burdock root.

The sweet burdock root is thinly sliced ​​and combined with a crispy batter to create a distinctive dish. Burdock root offers numerous health benefits, being considered a diuretic, rich in fiber, and effective in purifying the blood. Burdock Udon Tempura is a perfect combination of the crispy tempura and the rich, savory broth made from dried bonito flakes – a signature dish that everyone should try.

Hakata Chicken Hot Pot

It’s often said that when Japanese people enjoy hot pot, the most important thing isn’t the side dishes, but the broth. Hakata chicken hot pot, with its tonkotsu broth simmered for 24 hours, is a rich source of nutrients, combining tender, flavorful chicken with nutritious vegetables to create a naturally delicious taste.

Upon tasting, you’ll immediately experience the sweet and savory flavor of the broth, the tender and flavorful chicken, and the rich taste of the chicken. Combined with tofu and ramen or udon noodles, you’ll enjoy a complete and appealing dish, a Kyushu specialty that promises to melt your heart.

Chicken Tempura Toriten

Despite being blessed with abundant seafood, especially mackerel, Oita’s most famous dish is chicken tempura (or Toriten). Toriten is quite simple to prepare: bite-sized pieces of chicken are battered, deep-fried until crispy, and dipped in a special fruit-based sauce. What makes toriten so popular is the delicious flavor of the chicken combined with the fruit.

Surely everyone has heard of the famous Japanese Tempura, a dish that has captivated food lovers worldwide. The crispy, rich batter coating the outside, combined with tender, juicy chicken inside, creates a harmonious balance in this fried dish.

For fried food enthusiasts, this is sure to be a favorite, conquering diners on their first try. Fried chicken tempura, with its crispy crust and rich, golden-brown, juicy flavor, is definitely a dish you must try on your culinary journey through Kyushu.

Chicken Wings Gyoza

A uniquely creative combination of chicken wings filled with Gyoza dumplings from Kyushu. Japanese Gyoza dumplings are primarily made of vegetables and are very low in fat, making them extremely healthy. Combined with the golden-fried chicken, they create a crispy exterior and a tender, flavorful interior.

The aroma of Gyoza dumplings, with ingredients like minced pork, onions, napa cabbage, chives, and common spices, creates a powerful breakthrough in Japanese cuisine. This results in a dish that is not only healthy but also unique – a dish you should definitely try on your culinary journey.

Grilled Chicken Skewers (Yakitori)

Imagine an evening after exploring the cities of Japan, sitting down to enjoy a few glasses of sake. Sake warms the heart, and when paired with crispy, flavorful grilled chicken skewers, it’s a perfect combination – what could be better?

When visiting Kyushu, this is considered one of the local specialties. Crispy, battered chicken skin, combined with the natural aroma of the chicken skin and the special marinade, and enhanced by the grilling technique, creates a dish that’s crispy on the outside but still tender on the inside. The rich, savory flavor stimulates the taste buds from the first bite. The chicken skin is grilled using a technique that removes excess fat, so our food lovers don’t have to worry about gaining weight or affecting their health!

Champon Ramen, Shippoku – Nagasaki

Historically, Nagasaki Prefecture was a gateway for foreign trade in Kyushu, thus experiencing culinary exchange with many countries around the world. Shippoku is a typical dish representing the fusion of culinary excellence from Japan, China, and Western countries. Shippoku is a complete meal consisting of appetizers, main courses, and desserts.

In addition, there is Champon ramen – a famous Nagasaki dish that is very popular with tourists. Chanpon is not only nutritious but also delights diners with its abundance of delicious vegetables.

Kurobuta black pork ramen – Kagoshima

Kurobuta-tonkotsu is a signature dish of Kagoshima Prefecture – a region with a long history of livestock farming in Kyushu. Pork ribs are simmered for hours with ingredients such as Kagoshima miso, daikon radish, konnyaku jelly, shochu (Japanese rice wine), and brown sugar. Kurobuta-tonkotsu is often found at parties and is a popular appetizer with alcoholic beverages in Japan.

Karashi-renkon, Takamori-dengaku – Kumamoto

 

Karashi-renkon – lotus root with yellow mustard, and Takamori-dengaku are both ancient dishes from Kumamoto, dating back hundreds of years. Karashi-renko is highly nutritious and was once offered to the lord of Kumamoto, while Takamori-dengaku is a traditional dish made with seasonal ingredients.

 

Jidokko, Chicken-nanban – Miyazaki

Miyazaki Jidokko, Chicken-nanban is the name of a famous chicken brand in Miyazaki, representing the Japanese chicken brand. Among them, Jidokko chickens, raised around the Kirishima mountains, were once a rare breed due to their low reproduction rate. Chicken-nanban, on the other hand, is a dish of chicken with a refreshing sweet and sour flavor combined with a rich tartar sauce, leaving visitors with an unforgettable impression.

Hamayaki, Saga-gyu – Saga

Stopping in Saga, Kyushu during your Japan trip, you have the opportunity to enjoy the taste of the sea through various seafood such as moon snails, yellow shrimp (Shiba), sardines… but the most famous is Hamayaki. In addition, Saga is also famous for Saga-gyu – a type of Japanese black beef with tender, smooth meat and an attractive marbled fat layer.

In addition to beautiful scenic spots and historical relics, enjoying the cuisine is also a way to get closer to Japanese culture when traveling to Kyushu.

Some best day tours, trips, activities and transfer services, tickets in and from Okinawa you can refer to

• Private Naha Airport Transfers (OKA) for Okinawa
• Okinawa Airport Shuttle Unlimited Ride Pass (3/5 Days)
• Okinawa Stargazing Trip with Taxi/Private Chartered Car Transfer
• Main Island Enjoy Pass in Okinawa
• Okinawa Main Island Route Bus Pass & Monorail Pass
• Okinawa Hip Hop Bus One Day Tour: Cape Manza, Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium & More
• Churashima Okinawa Bus Day Tour (Naha Departure)
• Eight Okinawa Attractions Pass
• Okinawa Cooking Class and Historic Market Tour
• Southern Okinawa Half/One Day Trip
• Okinawa Private Car Charter
• Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium Ticket (Naha Airport Pick Up)
• 4G Prepaid Sim Card (JP Airports Pick Up) for Japan
• 4G WiFi (Japan Pick Up) for Japan
• JR Pass for Whole Japan (7, 14, or 21 Days)

Are you looking for more some hidden gems cafes in Okinawa? Let’s check it out our Okinawa travel blog.