Although it is one of the biggest cities in Japan, the true gems of Fukuoka have not yet been revealed to many tourists. In part, this is due to an universal phenomenon that many major cities share, where being civilized means there’s too much to do and harder to differentiate from other major cities like Tokyo and Osaka.

However, that doesn’t mean that Fukuoka is any less exciting compared to other cities. In fact, many Japanese love to take a trip down to the beautiful city!
And the one thing that stands out more than any other, is their food. Here are the 3 most famous food staples of Fukuoka that you must try.

1. Mentaiko (Spicy Cod Roe)



This one is the most obvious for Japanese people, but not so much to tourists, perhaps because eating raw fish eggs is not a popular practice in other countries. However, “karashi mentaiko” (or “mentaiko”) is a famous delicacy of Fukuoka that you ought to try if you have the chance.

It is a raw cod roe marinated in a spicy sauce, most commonly eaten with white rice, or with drinks. In more recent years, a genius invention called “Mentaiko Spaghetti” was created where it is served as a pasta sauce, which should be the easiest way for beginners since the eggs are slightly cooked.

2. Pan-Fried Dumplings



This one is the locals’ favorite. In the last couple of years, Japan has been crazy about gyoza, or dumplings. The ones that are especially famous are from Utsunomiya and Hamamatsu, but people from Fukuoka believe that they have the best gyoza in the nation. And rightly so, as their dumplings are absolutely amazing. Fukuoka gyoza is famous for its petite size and the steel pan they are served in. Hence, the outer skin is more crispier than the other dumplings you’d eat in Japan. Also, you’d want to try out “yuzu-kosho”, a type of spice uses citrus with pepper, somewhat similar to sambal of Indonesia or Malaysia.

3. Tonkotsu Ramen



Although this is not for everyone, Tonkotsu ramen is probably what the city is most famous for. Made from pork bones, the thick soup has gained popularity in the last 20 years, and has become one of the most popular types of soup in Japan. Many people believe that tonkotsu ramen is very heavy, however, locals claim that the heavy tonkotsu soup are “fake”, and the real ones are surprisingly light but rich in flavor at the same time. Go take a slurp if you want to know what the “real” tonkotsu ramen tastes like!