The city of Fukuoka, also known as Hakata, is one of Japan’s unsung culinary destinations, not to mention one of the country’s most pleasant and livable urban centers.
Note: A version of this post originally appeared in Postcards from Boutique Japan, our occasional newsletter. You can sign up here!

Culinary scenes from Fukuoka, Japan
Ramen in Fukuoka, Japan
Those who are fortunate enough to have visited Fukuoka usually know of it thanks to one of its most famous offerings: tonkotsu ramen.
If you love thick, rich ramen ? packed with umami ? tonkotsu hits the spot, and Fukuoka is Japan’s tonkotsu capital.
Ippudo, Japan’s most famous international ramen empire (with shops throughout Japan and the world), began in Fukuoka, and it is the tonkotsu variety that ramen lovers outside of Japan are most familiar with. Ramen in Fukuoka (aka Hakata)
Yatai in Hakata: Japan’s Food Cart Scene
Foodie travelers from around the world tend to speak of street food in hushed, reverent tones, and yet – despite its incredible culinary culture – Japan is notably lacking in street food, especially when compared to other countries in the region.
But thankfully for street food lovers, Fukuoka is Japan’s most notable exception. Yatai are food carts that have all but disappeared from most (though not all) of Japan, yet they remain a staple of Hakata’s culinary landscape.
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