Hello, everyone.
This is Yamada from the Inner Communication Group!
The second installment of the Discovery Hometown Gems Series features Kurume City, Fukuoka Prefecture, the hometown of the Kyushu Development Center!!
The Kyushu Development Center is located in Tanushimarumachi, Kurume City, nestled at the foot of the majestic Minoh Mountain Range and surrounded by the tranquil scenery of the Chikugo River basin.
The air is crisp, and time seems to flow at a leisurely pace— a feeling unique to Kurume.
When I ask employees working here, “What’s Kurume like?”, they smile and tell me, “Kurume is a great place.”
And so...I asked them to about their recommended spots in Kurume City!
I surveyed employees working at the Kyushu Development Center to find out the Kurume spots employees truly want to recommend.
Local employee Osaka-san also helped out as my guide!
Osaka-san Research Institute for Daily Life and Cars
As a local employee born in Fukuoka Prefecture, I’ll be your guide to Kurume!
Cuisine
First up, here are the top three categories from our survey: ramen, yakitori, and motsunabe!
Use this as a guide when you are unsure of what to eat!
Taiho Ramen Main Branch
Kurume is renowned as the birthplace of tonkotsu ramen.
Among its many establishments, Taiho Ramen has long been cherished as a time-honored Kurume tonkotsu ramen joint.
There were many responses in the survey stating, “When visiting Kurume, you have to start with Taiho Ramen!”
From Nishitetsu Kurume Station, it is about a five-minute drive or nine-minute walk to get to Taiho Ramen Main Branch.
From the front of the restaurant, the aroma of pork bone broth—something you cannot experience in Osaka —wafts out, making you want to breathe it all in!
old time ramen : 880 yen
Taiho’s Tonkotsu ramen is the ultimate classic bowl, featuring large slices of thin-cut chashu pork, a rich and flavorful broth, and medium-thin straight noodles that glide smoothly down your throat!
As I swallowed the broth, the pork bone flavor spread delicately throughout my mouth, filling me with pure delight.
Osaka-san’s Tips for Enjoying Extra Noodles
Just before finishing the first bowl, order an extra serving of noodles and black garlic oil!
Adding black sesame oil significantly boosts the savory aroma, letting you enjoy a whole new level of deliciousness!
By the way, the Taiho Ramen Yoshii Branch is just a five-minute drive from the Kyushu Development Center!
Be sure to give it a try when you come to Kurume!
Restaurant Information
Taiho Ramen Main Branch
Opening hours: 10:30 to 21:00
Closed: New Year’s Day
Official website: https://www.taiho.net/index.html
Phone number: +81-942-33-6695
Address: 11-8 Torihokamachi, Kurume, Fukuoka
*8-minute drive from JR Kurume Station/5-minute drive from Nishitetsu Kurume Station
*All information is current as of October 2025. Please check each restaurant’s official website for the latest information.
Yakitori Benkei
Benkei is a long-beloved establishment in Kurume. It is also hugely popular among our employees!
It is about an eight-minute walk from JR Kurume Station.
With counter seats and raised tatami seating, it has a relaxed atmosphere perfect for solo diners or groups!
Famous “Darm”: 150 yen/skewer
When it comes to Kurume’s yakitori culture, it’s all about “darm”!
“Darm” is German for pork intestine. Kurume also has a reputation as a city of medicine, and it is said that the dish’s name came to be when medical students at Kurume University started calling it “darm.”
It is crispy on the outside and melt-in-your-mouth creamy on the inside. Not only perfect for offal lovers, its juiciness makes it easy for first-timers to enjoy!
When I go to a yakitori place in Kurume, I always order the darm first!
Benkei’s yakitori offers a wide selection of affordable and delicious skewers including darm.
If you want to experience Kurume’s yakitori culture, here’s the place to start!
Restaurant Information
Yakitori Benkei
Opening hours: 17:30 to 24:00 (Last order: 23:30)
Closed: Sundays and public holidays
Phone number: +81-942-38-1045
Address: 29-21 Chuomachi, Kurume, Fukuoka
*8-minute walk from JR Kurume Station
*All information is current as of October 2025.
Motsunabe Tashu Kurume Branch
It was frequently mentioned in the survey that this is the place to go for motsunabe.
Another great point is that it is easy to access, just a three-minute walk from Nishitetsu Kurume Station!
Beef motsunabe with soy sauce broth: 1,680 yen/serving
The star ingredient, offal, boasts a plump, melt-in-your-mouth texture. Its rich umami flavor spreads across the palate, and its perfect balance of fat and lean meat makes it irresistibly addictive.
The broth combines Kyushu’s signature sweet soy sauce with garlic, creating a deep yet mellow flavor so delicious you’ll want to drink the entire pot dry!
After eating, the sensation of warmth spreading through your body and the lingering aftertaste in your mouth are simply perfect, making you feel simply joyous!
An employee on a business trip to Kurume
lamented, “It’d be such a shame to finish it all...I don’t want to it to end...I don’t want the motsunabe to end...”
The dish was so delicious they were tormented by the dilemma of not being able to stop eating it yet not wanting it to end.
Rice porridge (finishing dish): 400 yen/serving
Finish off the remaining broth with a satisfying egg rice porridge!
Made with the pot’s umami-filled broth, this egg rice porridge has a surprisingly high-quality taste that defies its role as a finishing dish!
You can savor the joy of motsunabe right up until the very last moment.
When you’re craving motsunabe in Fukuoka, be sure to visit Tashu!
Restaurant Information
Motsunabe Tashu Kurume Branch
Opening hours: 17:00 to 24:00 (Last order: 23:00 for food; 23:30 for drinks)
Closed: None
*Please check the official website and social media for holidays.
Official website: https://www.motsunabe-tashu.com/
Phone number: +81-942-46-1166
Address: Kurume Tenjin Aigan Building 2F, 39-24 Higashimachi, Kurume, Fukuoka
*3-minute walk from Nishitetsu Kurume Station/7-minute drive from JR Kurume Station
*All information is current as of October 2025. Please check the restaurant’s official website for the latest information.
Desserts
Employees recommend going for desserts you can treat yourself to in Kurume.
Here are two shops featuring generous portions of seasonal fruit that capture the essence of Kyushu!
Yaohiro nico Crepe Kurume
Yaohiro is a small greengrocer about a five-minute drive from JR Kurume Station.
For three days a week only, a sweets corner called nico Crepe Kurume appears inside the store, where you can enjoy crepes made with seasonal fruits and shaved ice!
It is a shop where you can buy fresh vegetables and fruits from Fukuoka Prefecture while also enjoying desserts made with seasonal fruits!
When I visited in late October, Shine Muscat grapes, figs, sweet potatoes, and more autumn flavors were in full swing!
Each order is carefully prepared on the spot, making the fruit’s aroma and flavor truly shine through.
Premium Melon Soda: 560 yen
The dynamic Premium Melon Soda topped with a huge melon is just 560 yen!
Delicious, cute, and affordable, it is like a dream come true!
A fusion of a greengrocer and dessert parlor, fruit lovers will adore this store.
If you are in Kurume and want to enjoy special shaved ice or crepes, be sure to stop by.
店舗情報
Yaohiro
Opening hours: 9:30 to 18:00
Closed: Sundays and public holidays
*Please check the official Instagram for holidays.
Official Instagram:@yaohi_ro
nico Crepe Kurume
Opening hours: 11:00 to 17:30
Open: Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays
*Please check the official Instagram for holidays.
Official Instagram：@nico_crepe_kurume
Address: 1221-3 Umemitsumachi, Kurume, Fukuoka, 〒830-0048
*4-minute drive from JR Kurume Station/16-minute walk from St. Mary's Hospital Station
*All information is current as of October 2025. Please check the store’s official social media for the latest information.
SORVETE
If you are looking for delicious gelato nearby, SORVETE is highly recommended!
It is about a 20-minute drive from the Kyushu Development Center. Located in a nature-rich Ukiha City, its terrace seats offer views of orchards and mountain ranges, making it a charming location.
Another attraction is the display case’s gelato lineup, which changes with the seasons.
Operated by the fruit farm Fazenda Kajiwara, it features flavors only a farmer who knows the seasons inside out can deliver.
With each passing season, new flavors emerge, each showcasing the distinct qualities of its ingredients.
You will find yourself longing to return for next season’s flavors!
January brings Strawberry Sorbet and Hassaku Sorbet, while spring offers views of blooming peach and pear blossoms too!
It is perfect for stopping by on a drive!
Restaurant Information
SORVETE
Opening hours: 11:00 to 17:00 (Subject to change depending on the season and menu)
Closed: Tuesdays (Closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from December to February)
*Please check the official Instagram for holidays.
Official Instagram: @sorvete0417
Phone number: +81-943-77-2502
Address: 1485 Yamakita, Ukihamachi, Ukiha, Fukuoka
*17-minute drive from Kyushu Development Center/6-minute drive from JR Chikugo-Oishi Station
*All information is current as of October 2025. Please check the store’s official social media for the latest information.
