Kurume Ramen

I’ve cooked so many ramen styles over the years, but this one brings me back to the roots, the original pork-bone broth that shaped everything we know about tonkotsu today. Kurume Ramen may not be as famous as Hakata, but its rustic, old-school soul is unforgettable.  Kurume Ramen, the original tonkotsu style from Fukuoka, features a rich pork bone broth with simple toppings and thin, firm noodles.

Ramen has always held a special place in our household. It’s the kind of dish that hugs you from the inside, steaming broth, springy noodles, and that unmistakable umami that seems to warm you straight to the bones. Like many of us who grew up in the Philippines, my earliest memory of ramen wasn’t from a restaurant but from those instant packets we all knew too well. They were comforting, sure, but nothing prepared me for that first real bowl of pork-broth ramen from the first Japanese restaurant that opened near our home.

One slurp, and everything changed.

From that day, I became obsessed, not just with eating ramen but with understanding it. Every time a new variety came along, I tried it. Whenever I couldn’t find a certain style here in New Zealand or back home, I rolled up my sleeves and made it myself. Over the years, I’ve attempted Tonkotsu, Kagoshima, Hakata, Paitan, Miso, Shoyu, Shio, even developed my own recipe like this Crispy Pork Ramen, and Hot and Spicy Breakfast Ramen, each bowl teaching me something new, each mistake making me a little better. I’m no master, just an eager apprentice, but the journey itself has been incredibly rewarding.

Today, I’m going back to the beginning, to the style that started it all.

Kurume Ramen, the original tonkotsu.

Tracing Ramen Back to Kurume

Kurume City in Fukuoka Prefecture is often overshadowed by the more famous Hakata when people talk about tonkotsu ramen. But long before the world became obsessed with that milky, creamy pork broth, Kurume quietly laid the foundation.

The story begins in 1937, when Tokio Miyamoto, originally an udon vendor, opened a ramen stall called Nankin Senryo. His early bowls were inspired by Chinese chūka soba and even Nagasaki’s champon. Back then, the broth was clear, nothing like the rich tonkotsu style we know today.

Then came the moment that changed everything.

In 1947, Katsumi Sugino of Sankyu ramen stall accidentally over-boiled his pork bone soup. Instead of discarding it, he tasted it, and discovered a rich, opaque, almost creamy broth. What began as a mistake became the blueprint for tonkotsu. As the story spread across Kyushu, ramen shops from Hakata to Kumamoto and Kagoshima adopted the technique, each creating their own regional spin.

Hakata would later take the spotlight internationally, but Kurume is the original spark, the birthplace of that iconic cloudy broth.

Yobimodoshi, The Oldest Tonkotsu Tradition

Kurume ramen shops became known for a technique called yobi modoshi, a “continuous broth” method where yesterday’s soup isn’t thrown away. Instead, new bones, aromatics, and water are added to the leftover stock, creating a broth that deepens and evolves over time.

The result is a bowl with serious depth, rustic, unapologetically porky, and full of character.

Kurume ramen is never about fancy toppings either. Think thin straight noodles cooked firm, simple chashu, bamboo shoots, scallions, and nori. Some early shops even used bacon instead of chashu, which gives you an idea of how humble and unfussy the dish originally was.

Why Kurume Ramen Matters

To understand ramen today, especially tonkotsu, you have to go back to Kurume. Without that accidental over-boiled broth in 1947, there would be no Hakata-style tonkotsu, no global ramen boom, no obsession with creamy pork broth.

Kurume’s version is earthier, more old-school, a reminder of ramen’s modest beginnings. It’s not the polished restaurant version you see today, but something far more soulful.

And that’s what makes recreating it at home so satisfying.

After all the ramen styles I’ve tried through the years, cooking this felt like paying respect to the origins of everything I’ve learned so far.

Kurume Ramen

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 3 reviews

• Author: Raymund
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 8 hours
• Total Time: 8 hours 30 mins
• Yield: 4 1x
• Category: Main Course
• Cuisine: Japanese

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Description

Kurume Ramen, the original tonkotsu style from Fukuoka, features a rich pork bone broth with simple toppings and thin, firm noodles.

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

Pork Bone Broth 

• 2 kg pig trotters and/or neck bones
• 400 g slab pork fat back
• water, enough to cover bones
• 4 tbsp mirin
• 2 tbsp sake
• salt, to taste

Menma

• 1 cup fresh bamboo shoots, julienned
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tsp mirin
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 small garlic cloves, minced
• pinch of chili flakes (optional)

Noodles & Toppings

• 4 packs fresh thin, straight ramen noodles
• 500 g chashu pork, sliced
• 2 stalks spring onions, finely sliced
• 8 sheets nori
• 2 tbsp chilli oil (optional, for heat and colour)

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Instructions

Broth

1. Rinse pig trotters or neck bones under cold water. Place in a large pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Boil for 10 minutes to remove impurities.
2. Drain and rinse the bones thoroughly. Add the pork fatback then refill the pot with fresh water to cover the bones. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer.
3. Simmer uncovered for 4 hours, remove the backfat then continue to simmer for 4 more hours, adding water as needed to keep bones submerged. The broth should turn creamy and opaque.
4. For the back fat, chop it into tiny bits, then set it aside.
5. Strain the broth into a clean pot. Add mirin, sake, and salt to taste. Simmer gently for 10 minutes to meld flavours.

Menma

1. Heat sesame oil in a small pan over medium heat.
2. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
3. Stir in bamboo shoots, soy sauce, mirin, sugar, and chili flakes.
4. Cook for 5 minutes until the liquid reduces slightly and bamboo shoots are well coated.
5. Set aside to cool slightly before assembling.

Noodles

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add ramen noodles and cook for about 5 minutes or until firm. Drain well and divide into four serving bowls.

Assembly

1. Pour hot broth on large bowl, add two tablespoons of the chopped back fat, which the broth then add the noodles. Top each bowl with sliced chashu pork, menma, green onion, and nori.
2. Drizzle with chilli oil if desired. Serve immediately while noodles are still springy and broth is piping hot.

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