Umaka Chan: One of the Best Instant Tonkotsu Ramen

The pork bone-broth noodle soup, Tonkotsu Ramen, is one of Japan’s favorite ramen varieties, whose birthplace is Kurume, Fukuoka Prefecture on Kyushu Island.

From Kurume, the dish spread to almost the entire Kyushu region. And in recent years, it has gained wide popularity overseas thanks to Japanese ramen restaurant chains like Ippudo (一風堂) and Ichiran (一蘭).

As you can easily guess, instant noodles with Tonkotsu flavor are a staple in the Kyushu region, and people living there are picky about the taste of Tonkotsu Ramen.

So would you like to know what instant ramen brand is the top seller in Kyushu?

Umaka Chan Ramen (Umakacchan: うまかっちゃん)

Image: gigazine.net

To get straight to the point, it is Umakacchan (うまかっちゃん) or Umaka Chan Ramen that holds the top share in the sales of packaged instant ramen in Kyushu.

In its name, Umaka (うまか) means delicious in the Hakata dialect, while Chan (ちゃん) is a casual Japanese honorific.

Introduced by House Foods in 1979, Umakacchan was sold only in and around the Kyushu area. But today, the ramen comes in various flavors, and the series is available around Western Japan.

Flavors/Taste

In West Japan, including Osaka, Kyoto, Nara, Hyogo, Wakayama, Shiga, and Mie Prefectures, as regular items, the Original Tonkotsu and Spicy Takaka Tonkotsu flavors can be bought.

As for the taste, the Tonkotsu broth of the Original Umakacchan is light-tasting but packed with flavor. 

Meanwhile, the Spicy/Karashi Takaka Umaka Chan features a delightful combination of the piquancy of the pickled leaf mustard Takana (高菜) and the mild tastiness of the Tonkotsu broth.

(Reference Page: Wikipedia うまかっちゃん )