Though I?ve lived in Japan for several years now, Fukuoka was never very high on my travel radar, nor was it particularly high on my list of culinary destinations.
Other places and their more famous restaurants were always calling: Osaka, Hokkaido, Tokyo. I finally made it down there earlier this year to see what the fuss was all about, and now I can tell you ? don?t make the same mistake I did. Just go!
Gorgeous weather, scenery and people aside, Fukuoka deserves several days in your Japan itinerary for the food alone. Here are some local specialties you shouldn?t miss when travelling to this city.

Hakata Ramen
Tonkotsu ramen is one of Japan?s most beloved exports, and its birthplace is in Hakata. Eating a bowl of Hakata ramen when you?re in Fukuoka is non-negotiable! The heart and soul of Hakata ramen is in its broth. Pork bones, fatback and a whole host of other ingredients are simmered for around 12 hours until they break down into an ultra-rich, porky soup with fat globules floating on top, packed with enough collagen to keep your skin elastic for the next decade. Along with pork slices, marinated soy eggs and a showering of pungent green onions, it?s a wickedly fatty, gut-busting ramen bowl you?ll either love or hate.

A word about the noodles: I like them skinny, and Hakata ramen noodles are as thin as they come. The local way to eat them is on the firmer side, and at most ramen shops you can usually ask for how done you?d like them. The best way to eat them is ...