Must-see restaurants in Kyūshū

  • Kawashima Tōfu

    Kyūshū

    On Kyōmachi covered arcade near the station, this renowned tofu shop has been in business since the Edo period and serves refined kaiseki, starring tofu…

  • Hakatarou

    Fukuoka

    If you can't visit the rest of Kyūshū, try regional foods at this elegant izakaya. Look for dishes like karashi renkon (spicy, deep-fried lotus root) and…

  • Okashi no Hidaka

    Kyūshū

    At this family-run legend, in business since the early 1950s, peruse the refrigerator case of luscious-looking Japanese and Western pastries, but order…

  • Takamori Dengaku-no-Sato

    Kyūshū

    At this fantastic thatch-roofed ex-farmhouse the staff use oven mitts to grill dengaku (skewers of vegetables, meat including Aso beef, fish and tofu…

  • Ippudō

    Fukuoka

    Fukuoka's most famous ramen chain has efficient and always bustling branches in Tenjin, serving the best-selling Akamaru Modern (with black-sesame oil and…

  • Gyōza Kogetsu

    Beppu

    This seven-seat, 1940s time warp with a manic local following has only two things on the menu, both ¥600: generous plates of gyōza (dumplings) perfectly…

  • Tōsenkyō Sōmen Nagashi

    Kyūshū

    This sprawling restaurant in a riverside gorge near Ikeda-ko gets an estimated 200,000 annual visitors (!), paying tribute to the 1967 birthplace of…

  • Soba Cafe Yuuhi

    Kyūshū

    This beach-casual shop might offer the most spectacular sunset of your trip: the sun sinks into the ocean or behind mudflats that stretch to the horizon –…

  • Ogura Honten

    Kyūshū

    Chikin nanban (sweet fried chicken with tartar sauce; pictured on the menu) was invented here in 1961, and crowds still flock to this no-frills shop under…

  • Yokobachi

    Kumamoto

    Yokobachi's leafy courtyard and open kitchen are distinctive. Although some menu translations are head-scratchers, stand-out small plates include spicy…

  • Kome no Kura

    Kumamoto

    This black-walled, quietly chic izakaya, with cosy private booths and hori-kotatsu (well in the floor for your feet) seating, has a whole menu of Kumamoto…

  • Nagomi

    Kyūshū

    Operated by the local agricultural collaborative, this large, spotless, rustic-modern restaurant offers set menus featuring award-winning Takachiho beef…

  • Kumasotei

    Kagoshima

    This atmospheric multistorey restaurant near central Tenmonkan covers all your Satsuma-ryōri needs: Satsuma-age (deep-fried fish cake), tonkotsu (pork…

  • Enma

    Beppu

    This busy spot may be the only restaurant in the world where you steam your own meal and eat it while dangling your feet in a foot bath. Order from a…

  • Miyachiku

    Kyūshū

    If you're going to splurge on Miyazaki gyū (beef), do it at this gracious yakiniku and steak house with river views. Lunch set menus are a nice deal, with…

  • Shippoku Hamakatsu

    Nagasaki

    Come here if you'd like to experience shippoku-ryōri (Nagasaki-style kaiseki) and still afford your airfare home. Menus are filling and varied, and there…

  • Organic Restaurant Tia

    Nagasaki

    Tia serves a buffet of mouth-watering home-style Japanese cooking using local, organic products. It's on the 2nd floor, with an entry that's easy to miss…

  • Fukuoka, Japan - Jan 20, 2017 : Ichiran Ramen chain in Fukuoka at Hakata railway station. Ichiran Tonkotsu Ramen is found in Fukuoka Prefecture in 1960.; Shutterstock ID 584799376; Your name (First / Last): Laura Crawford; GL account no.: 65050; Netsuite department name: Online Editorial; Full Product or Project name including edition: POI images for lp.com

    Ichiran

    Fukuoka

    This Fukuoka-born chain (since 1993) has a nationwide following. That's as much for its serving style as for its fresh noodles and 15-second kitchen-to…

  • Karatsu Bāgā

    Kyūshū

    In the middle of nowhere (in a parking lot) in Niji no Matsubara is a brown-and-white Toyota serving burgers so famous people line up to buy them, and…

  • Umeyama Teppei Shokudō

    Fukuoka

    A humble-chic shokudō (everyday restaurant) run by some clever gourmets. The emphasis on fresh local ingredients means that the menu changes frequently;…

  • Kurokatsutei

    Kagoshima

    If your favourite way to enjoy kurobuta (Kagoshima-style black pork) is deep-fried, this institution does it in prodigiously crunchy crust, as tonkatsu …

  • Yokaban

    Kagoshima

    Owner Reina-san doesn't speak much English but is a bundle of energy, reflected in her cosy, spirited, home-style izakaya on a Tenmonkan side street…

  • Ichinisan

    Kagoshima

    Come here to try Kagoshima black pork at an affordable price. It's served several ways: shabu-shabu dipped in delectable broth with minced green onion;…

  • Tenjin Nobunaga

    Fukuoka

    Nobunaga is raucous and rowdy, and that's just the chefs. Choose from the menu or sit at the counter to point and order. Besides yakitori and other…

  • Hirado Seto Ichiba

    Kyūshū

    Downstairs is a fish market selling colourful and bargain-priced local fish (gutted and filleted on request), while upstairs is a popular shokudō with…

  • Aoshima Beach Park

    Kyūshū

    In a nation with lots of sea coast but precious little recreational beachfront, this new spot along the promenade facing Aoshima Island is a breath of…

  • Ippei Sushi

    Kyūshū

    This cosy, family-style shop is credited as the inventor, in 1966, of the retasu maki (lettuce roll) sushi, in which crunchy lettuce substitutes for nori …

  • Yamauchi Nōjō

    Kagoshima

    Kuro Satsuma-dori (black Satsuma chicken) is the name of the bird served here, and also what it looks like after being grilled sumibi-yaki-style over open…

  • Togakushi

    Kyūshū

    Togakushi has no English menu, but any difficulties this may present are worth it for the delicate, thin kama-age udon (barrel-boiled wheat noodles; ¥650)…

  • Zauo

    Fukuoka

    Fish-your-own Zauo's quite a commotion and good, clean fun. Staff equip you with fishing rods, bait and nets to fish your own tai (sea bream), hirame …

  • Gallery Kodama

    Kyūshū

    Try local bonito multiple ways in a set meal called katsuoaburi-ju. Bonito in two marinades can be eaten raw, grilled over your own tiny hibachi or…

  • Tomonaga Panya

    Beppu

    This charming, historic bakery has been in business since 1916, and people still happily queue for its ever-changing selection of oven-fresh breads and…

  • Fish Man

    Fukuoka

    Fish Man's post-industrial vibe features lacquered plywood and big windows, which show off the unconventional presentations of seafood fresh from the…

  • Dejima Wharf

    Nagasaki

    First things first: the wharf's not part of Dejima; the land didn't even exist during those times. Still, Dejima Wharf is a picturesque harbour-side…

  • Yamaichi

    Kyūshū

    Aso akaushi (beef from local brown cows) is prized for its relatively low fat content. Get it here sliced over donburi (rice bowl). Set meals come with…

  • Genova

    Beppu

    There always seems to be a queue at this ice-cream counter just inside Sol Paseo Ginza Arcade. Even if something seems to have been lost in the English…

  • Murata

    Fukuoka

    Down the street from Hakata Machiya Furusato-kan, this lovely eatery makes homemade organic soba (buckwheat noodles) from the Shinshū area of central…

  • Rāmen Stadium

    Fukuoka

    An entire floor of ramen outlets, with eight vendors imported from the length and breadth of Japan, including five from Fukuoka, such as Jinanbō (二男坊),…

  • Rokusei

    Beppu

    There's nothing fancy going on here, but Rokusei's a temple to reimen (cold noodle soup) nonetheless. Bowls are pulled straight from the freezer, filled…

  • Jigoku Mushi Kōbō

    Beppu

    Amid the hells (boiling hot springs) of Kannawa, you can cook your own meal in onsen steam at this workshop. Purchase ingredients on the spot (or bring…