In 2016, I visited the city of Kurume, Japan, located in the southwestern island of Kyushu. The city is notable for two major contributions to the Japanese economy: Bridgestone, the world’s largest tire and rubber company, and Kurume tonkotsu ramen, the “parent” of Hakata-style ramen.
I guess that’s why the noodles were so chewy.
Vocab check– the word tonkotsu literally translates as “pork bone,” with ton 豚 meaning pig, and 骨 kotsu signifying bone.
A little backstory: it is said that in 1937, the owner of a street stall (屋台 やたい yatai) called 南京千両 (nankin senryou) – named for the Chinese city of Nanjing – wanted to combine the flavors of a stir-fried ramen dish called champon from his hometown of Nagasaki with the trendy (at-that-time) dish of “Chinese soba.” (link in Japanese) This became the first Kurume tonkotsu ramen.
However, the peculiar aspect of tonkotsu ramen is more about the broth. A few years after the Kurume-style ramen was created, the owner of another Kurume yatai called 三九 (literally, 3-9; pronounced as sankyuu, like “thank you”) accidentally turned up the heat too high while preparing the soup. (link in Japanese) In essence, the collagen-rich parts of the pig — e.g. its trotters and neck bones — formed a gelatin which led to the whiter, silkier, and cloudier qualities that distinguish Kurume tonkotsu ramen from most other varieties.
If you’re a seasoned ramen consumer, you may also know that Kyushu is famous for Hakata ramen and Nagahama ramen, two styles which originated in the island’s largest city of Fukuoka. Though the Fukuoka types have adopted Kurume’s broth, there is a significant difference as to how Kurume’s ramen is prepared.
Kurume-Style Ramen, Japan
Firstly, Kurume, chefs use a broad-rimmed cooking pot called a 羽釜 (はがま hagama), and reuse the broth. In Fukuoka, the apparatus is a 寸胴鍋 (ずんどうなべ zundou nabe), or a stockpot, and the broth is not recycled. Thus, the intensity of the flavor of Kurume’s pork bone broth is stronger.
Moreover, whereas the ramen for both Kurume and Fukuoka have a low water content, Kurume generally has thicker noodles as compared to the latter.
Now, with a train pass in hand, where should my next regional ramen adventures be?
Have you tried Kurume-style ramen? If so, how would you compare it to Hakata ramen?
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