Kitakyushu ramen is well-represented at Canal City Hakata’s Raumen Stadium 2. Stylistically, Kokura ramen shops might not be all that different from their famous neighbors to the southwest, but blow-for-blow, Murasaki is one noodler that can definitely hold its own against the Hakata elite! 

Canal City Hakata’s Raumen Stadium 2 is a bountiful bevy of prominent, predominantly Kyushu-area ramen shops! A star stand out on the food court, Isshin Furan swears by its Miyazaki stylings with a multi-hued menu of top-notch tonkotsu. Alliteratively speaking, of course.

Ramen in Fukuoka is typically served in smaller portions than in other parts of Japan. You can order kaedama and add extra noodles or, like, rameniac, simply adopt a bowl-and-a-half strategy. On the way back to the hotel from eating ramen, rameniac makes a pit stop for well, more ramen. Warning. Don’t try this at home, kids.

Rameniac burns a morning towing his luggage around Fukuoka’s Hakata district in search of the perfect hotel - wherever’s closest to the perfect bowls! First up, Aka Noren has been around for over fifty years, and the ramen is so old-school you might not even recognize the Hakata ramen it purports to have originated!

Now that we’ve named the 22 popularized styles of ramen, it’s high time we began… at the beginning. Join rameniac on his pilgrimage to ground zero for tonkotsu ramen, deep in the heart of Fukuoka prefecture. Taiho, it’s off to Kurume we go! 

The venerable Hakata Ippudo will soon be making an all-out overseas assault on a very fortunate midtown Manhattan. What do jaded New Yorkers have in store for them? Check in with rameniac as he parts the red sea for a peak at things to come!

A gigantic green dragon stands watch over Kinryu Ramen in Osaka’s world-famous Doutombori shopping and dining district. Is rameniac brave enough to enter his lair for a quick bowl of the you-know-what?

Taishoken Eifukucho (大勝軒 永福町駅) is a landmark in suburban Tokyo, a classic corner shop with punch-bowl sized portions of wafu ramen goodness and… umbrellas to spare? Rameniac treks to this low-key neighborhood away from the hustle and bustle of the metropolis. What does he find there?

Vaunted chef Yasuji Morizumi was the force behind Chabuya and Chabuton. Now he also has Kurofune - an assari-kei chain - to his name. Does the so-called “TV champion” of ramen have what it takes, or is Kurofune just another dead pixel on your widescreen?

Taishoken higashi-ikebukuro will be closing its doors for good come February 2007! Journey with rameniac as he investigates this hugely influential shop, where tsukemen dipping-style ramen was first invented. We’ll miss you, Yamagishi-san!

Find me an island of tranquility amidst a sea of Shibuya ganguro gals, and I’ll find you a full stomach at Kiraku Ramen! Parapara revolution!

Rameniac sneaks his brand-new camera into Tokyo’s depot of decadence, Kyushu Jangara Ramen. When last he tried this, he was told no pictures. Playing up the baka gaijin this time around, he finally captures the experience of dining in Akihabara’s hottest ramen shop. Point-and-shoot for all the sordid details!

Rameniac lands in Japan and immediately makes for the nearest ramen shop! Does he get lucky on his first night in town? Click here to find out!