Food from Fukuoka, Kyushu and Japan ♡

Amaou strawberries sold at a department store.
(It is 2/3 to 1/2 price at a supermarket.)
デパートのあまおう苺コーナー（スーパーでは1/2～2/3くらいの価格）


The name “Amaou” is an acronym: each letter stands for a different word.
A=amai (sweet), ma=maarui(round), o=ookii(big), u=umai(tasty).
The Amaou strawberry is one of the most popular in Japan. Not only the fresh strawberries but the various confectionary kinds made from them have a distinctive aroma and sweetness.
The Ito-King confectionary shop uses Amaou strawberries grown in the Itoshima area of Fukuoka prefecture. There are four Ito-King shops in Fukuoka Prefecture, the HQ in Itoshima Peninsula, JR Hakata Station (B1F), Fukuoka Airport (2nd floor in Domestic Terminal 2), and this Tenjin shop (1F) and café (2F). The Tenjin shop’s café on the 2nd floor offers a delicious menu of Amaou strawberry sweets and relaxing atmosphere. And the writer believes strawberry sweets with the vitamin C are healthier than other sweets!

あ（あまい）ま（まあるい）お（おおきい）う（うまい）いちごスイーツ専門店が福岡市天神のど真ん中に登場。今や海外でも人気の日本の美味しい苺あまおう。そのまま頂くのも美味しいけれど色んなスイーツも試してみたい方、ぜひ伊都きんぐへ。福岡県糸島産のあまおう苺を使ったお菓子がここ伊都きんぐ天神店の１階でお持ち帰り又は椅子に掛けてパクッと頂けます。落ち着いて苺スイーツを楽しみたい方は２階のカフェへ。昼間は警固神社の緑が、夜は天神のネオンが窓の外に広がりゆったりとくつろげます。２Fにカフェ併設の天神店の他、糸島本店、福岡空港店（第２ターミナル２F）、博多駅店（B1F）でも購入できます。いちごはビタミン豊富だから何よりもヘルシーなスイーツといえるのではないでしょうか😉


The most popular confectionary in the shop “Dora-King-Nama”. Each costs 410 yen if purchased for take away. Same confectionary ordered in the shop’s café on the 2nd floor costs 560 yen or 1000 yen with tea or coffee and small bite-size confectionaries. A thin, mochi, ricecake-like bun is stuffed with strawberry cream, red-bean jam, and a fresh Amaou strawberry in the middle.
伊都きんぐで一番人気の”どらきんぐ生”・・・もちもちの皮の中に苺クリームとあんこ、真ん中に大きなあまおう苺が入り絶妙な食感です。１個４１０円にてお持ち帰り、または２Fカフェで５６０円。お勧めはカフェでどらきんぐ生に小さなスイーツとドリンクが付いた１０００円のセット。ゆっくり楽しめます。


Pannacotta topped with Amaou-strawberry jelly.
ふるふるのあまおう苺のゼリーがのったパンナコッタ。


A fresh creamy Amaou-strawberry smoothie.
喉の渇きを癒してくれるフレッシュなスムージー。


Strawberry pie and the shops’ mascot
１階では苺パイ（マスコットもお出迎え♡）やチョコレート、ジャムなど日持ちするものも購入できます。


The shop offers many strawberry “dorayaki”,buns stuffed with sweet ingredients include “Matcha, green-tea” flavored cream.
伊都きんぐ自慢のどら焼きたち。季節限定で抹茶クリームも。


The 2nd floor of the café
店の奥の階段を上がり２Fのカフェへ


The interior of the café.
２Fカフェのシックなインテリア


Some of the cafe menu
カフェメニューの一部


The strawberry “dorayaki” bun menu.
いちごどら焼きメニュー

Ito-King Tenjin Shop　（伊都きんぐ・天神店)

JOLIS Building 1F/2F Imaizumi 1-22-21 Chuo-ku Fukuoka City
（福岡市中央区今泉１－２２－２１　JOLISビル１F・２F)

（In front of Kego　Shrine　alongside　Kokutai-doro　Avenue)
(1　minute　walk　from　Nishitetsu　Fukuoka　station　or　Mitsukoshi department store)
（国体通りに面した警固神社前・西鉄福岡駅または三越デパートから徒歩１分）

Tel:　092－７１１－１５３９
　
Open:　12：00－20：00

Ito-King　Website　（伊都きんぐ） :　Ito-King

Bungo fillet steak seasoned with salt or the house demi-glace
sauce. 豊後牛フィレステーキ（塩又は自家製デミグラスソースで）


Wagyu or Japanese beef has been gaining popularity world-
wide. Foreign visitors to Japan like to taste Japanese food
produced in Japan and Wagyu is definitely one of their
favorites. The marbled beef is very tender, juicy and tasty.　
Japan consists of 47 prefectures -similar to states or
provinces - and each prefecture has its own brand of Wagyu.
Almost 80 percent of Wagyu comes from black haired cattle
originally from Tajima-cattle, the source of famous Kobe-
beef, which was praised by foreign residents more than 100
years ago when Japanese first started to eat beef. Kobe
beef is still world-wide famous. Each prefecture then cross-
bred Tajima stock with its local cattle to produce its own
Wagyu. Nowadays southern prefectures on Kyushu island
such as Miyazaki and Kagoshima are well known not only
for producing their own brands of beef but also for shipping
calves to other prefectures.
The Wagyu from Oita prefecture boasts “Bungo” beef ;
bungo being the old name for central Oita. In the famed
hot-spring resort town, Beppu City, the Somuri Restaurant
has long been popular with local people and visitors for its
tasty Bungo beef steak. The restaurant has a cozy
atmosphere that suits the character of this hot-spring
resort.　Somuri offers a reasonably priced lunch time menu
featuring hamburger and other fare, but the must food is of
course Bungo beef steak. Recharging your body's
"batteries" with Bungo Wagyu beef and relaxing in a Beppu
hot-spring are 2 must-do things when you travel in Kyushu!
世界でも人気の和牛。ルーツは１００年以上も前、日本に牛肉を食べる習慣が始まり外国人居住者が美味しさに驚いた但馬牛にさかのぼります。もともと役牛だった但馬牛は今や美味しい神戸牛としてあまりにも有名ですが日本各地に紹介され地元の和牛と勾配されて各地でお国自慢の和牛が誕生しました。国内で生産される和牛のおよそ８割を占める黒毛和牛。九州では和牛の生産と共に南部九州では育成した子牛の日本各地への供給も盛んです。ここ大分県で和牛といえば豊後牛。別府自慢の温泉でリフレッシュした後はぜひ、別府駅からも近いステーキレストランの名店「そむり」でキメが細かくジューシーな豊後牛を食べてエネルギーの充電はいかがですか。

Salad with house-made ham.　
(The price of a Bungo-beef-steak course starts at 6,000 yen) 　
自家製ハムのサラダ（豊後牛ステーキのコースは6,000円から）


Onion gratin soup. ( or corn soup; your choice.)
オニオングラタンスープ（またはコーンスープより選択）


Bungo fillet steak served with rice. Special order fried garlic
rice is available for additional 600 yen. Espresso coffee is
served after dinner.
豊後フィレステーキセット（サラダ、スープ、ごはん、エスプレッソ
付き）ごはんは追加料金（600円）でガーリックライスに変更可能。


The chef is ready to grill vegetables and beef.
シェフが華麗に鉄板でジュウジュウと焼いていきます。


The entrance to Somuri on the 2nd floor of the building.
ビル２Fにある「そむり」の玄関


Bungo Beef “certification” card issued by The Oita
Prefectural Bungo Beef Distribution and Promotion Council.
The plaque certifies that the restaurant sells genuine Bungo
Beef. The certification is issued to only about 50 shops in
Oita Prefecture.
豊後牛の認定証（大分県豊後牛流通促進対策協会より交付）


The neighborhood of the building.
「そむり」があるレストラン、居酒屋、バーなどが続く路地裏


PS:　The “Ushikui-zekkyo taikai” or the “Eat Beef and Yell
Contest" is held on Sports Day, a national holiday on the
2nd Monday in October in another famous hot-spring resort,
Yufuin Town in Oita. After first enjoying Bungo-beef
barbecue, one hundred people selected by lot compete to
see who can yell the loudest. The participants are judged on
the content of their yell and the loudness measured in
decibels. The first prize winner gets a one-year supply of
rice, or other prize. It is very unique autumn event!　

“Eat Beef and Yell Contest" ”牛喰い絶叫大会”
→YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fbj7qSVZxZ8

おまけ：「牛喰い絶叫大会」
１０月の第２月曜日（体育の日）に大分県湯布院町（お洒落な温泉リゾートとしても有名）で開催される人気のイベント。
まずは青空の下で豊後牛のバーベキューを堪能。エネルギーをチャージした後は思い思いの言葉を絶叫してその内容と声の大きさを競います。1976年以来開催され希望者から抽選で大人70人、子供30人の合計100人が絶叫、その声の大きさはデシベルで測定されます。参加費3500円ほど。

SOMURI　（Bungo Gyu restaurant) 　「そむり」

Check the restaurant website →　http://somuri.net/

address: Kasaoka-shoten building 2F kitahama 1-4-28 Beppu City, Oita Prefeture
大分県別府市北浜１－４－２８　笠岡商店ビル２F
(10 minute walk from JR Beppu Station) （別府駅から徒歩１０分）
tel: 0977-24-6830
lunch: 11:30 - 14:00 (o.s. 13:30)
dinner: 17:30 - 22:00 (o.s. 21:00)
Monday closed 　月曜定休

The Amami Islands, a cluster of 8 islands about 380 km south of Kagoshima city, are blessed with subtropical warm
climate and beautiful scenery. Free-ranged chicken is a famous food in the Amami region as are pork, brown sugar,
fish and fruits. “Keihan” is an Amami specialty, chicken & rice dish served with a variety of garnishes, originally served
only to Satsuma samurai officers (Kagoshima warrior officers who governed the area). A bowl of rice is served with shredded or chopped garnishes, usually cooked chicken, mushroom, leek, omelet, pickled papaya and so on. Then a rich clear chicken broth is powered over the rice and garnishes. The pub restaurant Torishin, very famous in Amami City on the biggest island Amamioshima, serves a 7 -course chicken dinner with all-you-can-drink for 2.5 hours for 3000 yen. The course includes chicken-sashimi, grilled chicken, deep fried chicken and final course is Keihan. The rich, aromatic Honkaku Amami Kokuto-shochu or genuine Amami brown-sugar liquor brewed only in Amami is worth having with the tasty chicken; for nondrinkers, tropical juice such as passion fruit is also nice. For customers who want Keihan only, they can order a full sized “Keihan” at 1000 yen. Torishin also offers home delivery Keihan.

鹿児島市から南へ380キロ、奄美群島の中心奄美大島。亜熱帯の暖かい気候と豊かな森や海に恵まれ地鶏や豚肉料理、黒糖、魚介類やトロピカルフルーツを楽しめます。奄美の代表料理、鶏飯（けいはん）。もとは薩摩の役人に出していたおもてなし料理で戦後スープをかける現在の形になったもの。ご飯に色とりどりのトッピング（蒸し鶏、錦糸卵、椎茸、ネギ、パパイヤの漬物など）を好きに盛り熱々の鶏ガラスープをかけて頂く味わい深い料理です。奄美市名瀬の中心地にある鶏料理“鳥しん”の宴会コースは鶏料理を中心に7品、小皿、飲み放題2時間半とコスパ良く美味しくお勧めです。〆に御茶漬の豪華版のようなハーフサイズの鶏飯が出てきてお腹一杯でもサラサラ入ってしまいます。奄美の特産本格黒糖焼酎やパッションフルーツの酎ハイ、ジュースを飲みながら南国の夜が楽しく更けていきます。宴会コースの他メニューは地元料理が色々。鶏飯をフルサイズでという方は1000円でどどーんと大きな鶏飯をどうぞ。鶏飯の全国配送もあります。

Fresh “torisashi” or raw sliced chicken dipped in soy sauce, grated ginger and garlic.
鶏刺し・・生姜、にんにくの薬味と醤油で新鮮な鶏を！


“Shiobuta” or salted pork and salad. The pork is very juicy.
島豚の塩豚サラダ・・とてもジューシー


Beer and passion-high or passion fruit juice and “kokuto-shochu”, brown-sugar liquor “Kokuto-shochu” is called “Rum of the Orient.”
ビールとパッションフルーツ酎ハイ・・タンカン、グアバ、スモモや黒糖焼酎も美味


Charcoal-grilled and sliced chicken leg-meat. The tasty chicken is served with vinegar and soy sauce.
鶏の腿の開き・・炭火焼地鶏をネギ、ポン酢で。旨みと歯ごたえ。


Deep fried and seasoned chicken, tasty and juicy.
鳥しん唐揚げ・・カリッと揚げた鶏に甘辛タレがよく絡む


“Goya” or bitter melon charges you with energy. Today’s goya menu offers very soft scrambled eggs and sliced goya.
ゴーヤ料理・・本日はゴーヤチャンプルー、ふわふわの卵たっぷり。


“Kushiyaki”, food grilled on skewers. Today’s kushiyaki is “butabara”, pork lib and “torikawa”, chicken skin
串焼き・・本日はカリカリの鶏皮とジューシーな豚バラ


This half-sized Keihan had the garnishes and chicken broth
already added. ミニ鶏飯・・やはり〆はこれが一番！


The entrance of Torishin. It is located in Naze in downtown Amami City.
鳥しん・・お店の外観。奄美市名瀬の中心地でホテル街からも徒歩圏内。


A poster advertising the Torishin enkai course at 3000 yen per person. Reservations are recommended and the course
shown is for four people or more.
鳥しんご宴会コース・・のポスター。宴会コースは4名から。予約がお勧めです。


Keihan a la carte at 1000 yen: we make this bowl of Keihan at least 3 times by ourselves! very full!
鶏飯の単品フルサイズは千円。自分でよそおう鶏飯、３杯も食べられてお腹いっぱい！




Torishin　（鳥しん）

Itsubucho 12-6 Naze Amami City Kagoshima Prefecture

鹿児島県奄美市名瀬伊津部町12-6

Tel: 0997-53-6515 11:00 am ~ 11:00 pm

From Amami Airport; take the bus bound for Westcoat and
get off at Shima-bus HQ bus stop, then turn left at the
corner and spot Torishin on the right side

奄美空港から島バスでウエストコート行きに乗車、島バス本社前下車、横の角を左折し右手にすぐ

Web: http://tabelog.com/kagoshima/A4605/A460502/46000136/

Kurobuta tonkotsu ramen @ 650 yen, the most popular menu
黒豚とんこつラーメン650円　・・金田家で一番の人気メニュー


First-time customers at Kanadaya can be forgiven for thinking they've been served cappucino; they are surprised to see white “foam” on the surface of this shop's tonkotsu ramen soup, but happy when they taste the rich savory tonkotsu soup.　Tonkotsu literally means “pork bone” and Kanadaya's tonkotsu ramen soup is a mixture of pork-bone broth and small amount of a special sauce. Kanadaya’s tonkotsu soup is creamy and bubbly thanks to the taisho (master)’s efforts. Ever since opening Kanadaya in 2009, he has never stopped developing his “tonkotsu” soup. He never uses shorts ts to produce his tonkotsu soup; he uses only high quality ingredients, such as Satsuma Kurobuta (a brand pork) bone for the tonkotsu broth, quality soy sauce with quality dried kelp and shiitake mushrooms for the special sauce. Long simmering of the kurobuta tonkotsu, and skimming off excess oil produces a creamy tonkotsu soup that really attracts tonkotsu ramen fans! Tabelog (a restaurant ranking service like Yelp or Amazon’s) selected Kanadaya's as a best Fukuoka tonkotsu ramen in 2009, 2012 and 2013. On weekends, lots of customers line up in front of the shop! The first overseas shop (in Hong Kong and in London) will be opened in 2014 by an entrepreneur and his friends who love Kanadaya ramen!　

“カプチーノの泡みたい！“初めて金田家の黒豚とんこつ
ラーメンを食べるお客さんはまずそのスープ表面の泡に驚きます。
クリーミーで優しい甘さとコクが舌の上で溶けていきとんこつ
ラーメン好きにはまさに至福のひととき。2009年に金田家を
立ち上げた大将のとんこつスープに対する情熱と努力はとどまる
ところを知りません。薩摩黒豚の豚骨を惜しげもなく使い時間を
かけ煮込み丁寧なアク取りで最高の豚骨スープに仕上げます。
厳選醤油、北海道産根昆布、大分産しいたけ等良質な素材で作
った秘伝のモトダレと合わせ金田家の黒豚とんこつラーメンの
スープが完成。もっちりした麺と乳化して泡立ったスープが絶妙
にからんだ至極の味わいは食べログでベストとんこつラーメン
に選ばれました（2009年、2012年、2013年度）。
ラーメンを心から愛する大将と明るい女将さんやスタッフが切り
盛りする店内はアットホームな雰囲気でお昼は特に混み合います。
週末は行列覚悟でおいでください。お店は行橋市役所の目の前
（お店の駐車場もあり）。
2014年には金田家の黒豚とんこつラーメンの初海外店
(香港とロンドン)が出る予定です！



autographs including those of famous people.
有名人やTV取材のサインも


Taisho’s motto “I love ramen. I have eaten a lot at many ramen shops. It was my dream to create my own ramen noodles someday. How do you like the ramen I cook from the bottom of my heart? I will devote myself to making ramen here, hoping you will love it.”

Kanadaya’s Tabelog certificate designating it A Best Tonkotsu Ramen.


Kanadaya’s taisho(master) and okamisan(master’s wife) with Tony (entrepreneur from Hong Kong)and his best friends/ business partners Sam (for Hong Kong shop) and Aaron (for London shop);the three talented young businessmen studied economics at London University. And me, hired as the interpreter since I love food and live in Fukuoka! The photo was taken to commemorate the signing of the contract and the start of their training in Nov. 2013. Good Luck!!
大将、女将さん。トニー（右、将来のカリスマ起業家！？）、
サムとアーロン（香港とロンドン担当）：３人はロンドン
大学で経済を学んだ若きビジネスマン！食べ物が好きで
福岡在住という理由で通訳に採用された筆者。
契約と修業開始を記念して。グッドラック！！



Kanadaya　金田家

tel: 093-024-3666

Ohashi1-4-3 Yukuhasi City ,Fukuoka　　

福岡県行橋市大橋1-4-3

open: 11:00am ~ 3:00 pm, 5:00pm ~ 8:00pm (LO)

(When tonkotsu suoup is sold out, the shop is closed.)

close: Thursday

木曜日定休　

Kanadaya　Web&Map　金田家（地図）
http://tabelog.com/rst/rstdtl_print?lat=33.7294877547401&lng=130.982313687967&rcd=40017922&zoom=17