This regional miso ramen from Marutai takes its inspiration from Sapporo, the largest city in Hokkaido and a place known for its rich, hearty noodle bowls. It’s (currently) the only miso-based entry in Marutai’s local series, and the packaging highlights two types of red miso as the foundation of the broth.
Read more: Noodle Journey Episode 53: Marutai Hokkaido Sapporo Miso RamenAuthor: Noodle Journey
Noodle Journey Episode 52: Marutai Oita Torigara Shoyu Ramen
I’m continuing my Marutai ramen series with a style that stands apart from their usual tonkotsu offerings: soy sauce broth! This Oita-style shoyu ramen takes its inspiration from Tokyo’s original soy sauce ramen, first introduced in 1910. The broth blends premium soy sauce with chicken bone soup, bonito, yuzu, and kelp to create a complex flavor base. Despite being labeled as chicken broth, it also contains pork oil and sake, adding richness and depth.
Read more: Noodle Journey Episode 52: Marutai Oita Torigara Shoyu RamenNoodle Journey Episode 51: Marutai Miyazaki Tori Shio Ramen
This time I’m reviewing Marutai’s Miyazaki Tori Shio Ramen, another regional variety in the company’s expansive lineup of local-style noodles. It’s based on Miyazaki’s take on shio ramen, which is known for being the cleanest and lightest of the Japanese broth styles. “Shio” literally means salt, and “tori” means chicken, so this is a salty chicken broth. Miyazaki is known for its charcoal-grilled chicken ramen, and I’m hoping some of that smoky depth shows up here.
Read more: Noodle Journey Episode 51: Marutai Miyazaki Tori Shio RamenNoodle Journey Episode 50: Marutai Miyazaki Spicy Karamen
Marutai keeps the regional ramen journey rolling with this bold and fiery take on Miyazaki-style noodles. Hailing from the Miyazaki prefecture in Kyushu, this Karamen variety is the only spicy entry in Marutai’s Local Series. The broth centers on chicken and pork, backed up by garlic and chili to deliver a punchy, savory experience.
This variety seems to be pretty popular; it frequently sells out on YamiBuy but you might get lucky and spot it from a third party seller on Amazon. A pack contains two full servings, and at $3.50 total, it’s a steal. Each serving clocks in at around 2300 mg of sodium, and as usual, Google Lens was used to help translate the package details.
Inside the pack are two bundles of three-minute noodles, two soup base packets, and two seasoning oils. The soup includes pork, chicken, and fish extracts, while the oil blends chili and sesame. The soup powder itself has a strong chili aroma, meaning you’re getting both chili powder in the broth and oil in the liquid packet, so omitting the oil won’t eliminate the heat.
Noodles:
The noodles are nearly identical to those in Marutai’s Nagasaki Agodashi variety – medium thickness, excellent chew, and perfect for this broth. Consistently high-quality, these hit all the right marks.
• 10/10
Spiciness:
This lands at a solid medium spice for me. It’s not as intense as Korean brands like Samyang or Nongshim, but definitely hot by Japanese standards. The heat doesn’t linger too long and strikes a nice balance thanks to the combination of chili powder and oil.
• 4.5/10
Overall:
This is a salty, savory, meat-forward broth with welcome accents of onion and a delicate sesame nuttiness from the oil. The chili peppers bring both heat and flavor, with a robust and fruity pepper flavor that elevates it beyond simple spiciness. Green onion bits add some texture, and a Google Lens translation on the packaging suggests additional add-ins like shaved egg, garlic, and garlic chives would work well in here, but honestly, none are needed. This stands completely on its own as a full-flavored, satisfying bowl with a great bite and standout broth. Marutai nails it again with something spicy, flavorful, and totally distinct in their lineup.
Noodle Journey Episode 49: Marutai Nagasaki Agodashi Soy Sauce Ramen
This Nagasaki specialty ramen from Marutai stands out in their “Local Series” as the only seafood-forward entry. It’s based on a regional shoyu broth that features agodashi, or charcoal-grilled flying fish broth, which adds a sweet and smoky dimension to the flavor. This bowl aims to deliver a lighter take on soy sauce ramen with a seafood-driven twist that’s still accessible even to non-fish fanatics.
Read more: Noodle Journey Episode 49: Marutai Nagasaki Agodashi Soy Sauce RamenNoodle Journey Episode 48: Marutai Hakata Soy Sauce Tonkotsu Ramen
From the city of Nagahama, this regional specialty ramen kicks off a series of reviews covering Marutai’s entire “Local Series” lineup. Nagahama is part of the Hakata district in Fukuoka, a region famous for its straight noodles and rich tonkotsu broth. This specific variety layers a soy sauce component onto the traditional pork bone base, creating a hybrid shoyu-tonkotsu style that still adheres to the Hakata tradition. Despite being a premium import, it’s widely available in the US at retailers like Amazon and YamiBuy, often priced between $4 to $8 for a two-serving pack.
Read more: Noodle Journey Episode 48: Marutai Hakata Soy Sauce Tonkotsu RamenNoodle Journey Episode 47: Nissin Cup Noodle Original
I’m wrapping up the current lineup of Nissin’s Global Favorites with the Cup Noodle Original flavor, the third and final variety in this US-made series. While the name suggests this is the same recipe that launched Cup Noodle in Japan in 1971, it’s actually more of an homage. This version features an American-made version of that recipe, which contains salty soy broth with dehydrated shrimp, egg, and what Nissin affectionately calls “mystery meat.” Some fans online have claimed it doesn’t taste like the original they remember, which might be due to the glaring “No Added MSG” label. That decision seems geared toward appeasing American shoppers who still think it’s 1987 and MSG is something to fear.
Read more: Noodle Journey Episode 47: Nissin Cup Noodle OriginalNoodle Journey Episode 46: Nissin Cup Noodle Curry
I’m revisiting Nissin’s Global Favorites line with the Cup Noodle Curry flavor, manufactured in the US despite being based on a classic Japanese variety. Japanese curry is one of my favorite comfort foods. It’s thick, mildly sweet, and richly spiced. I regularly buy Vermont Curry roux cubes to make it at home, and while the name “Vermont” would suggest otherwise, it’s very much a Japanese product. Japanese curry tends to use honey or fruit for sweetness and has a silky texture with very little heat, even when labeled “hot.”
Read more: Noodle Journey Episode 46: Nissin Cup Noodle CurryNoodle Journey Episode 45: Itsuki Hakata Osshoi Tonkotsu Ramen
I’m reviewing Itsuki’s Hakata Osshoi Tonkotsu Ramen, a vegan take on the famously rich and milky pork bone broth of Hakata-style ramen. This is my second Itsuki review in a row, and I couldn’t resist trying it after seeing it sitting there unused in the last episode. Hakata tonkotsu is the same style as Ichiran and is known for a deeply savory, oily broth and thin, floury, non-fried noodles. Despite the name redundancy (“Hakata” already implies tonkotsu from Fukuoka) the “Osshoi” in the product name has cultural weight. It’s a cheer shouted during the Hakata Gion Yamakasa festival, embodying energy and tradition, and adds a festive character to the branding.
Read more: Noodle Journey Episode 45: Itsuki Hakata Osshoi Tonkotsu RamenNoodle Journey Episode 44: Itsuki Hokkaido Yuzushio Ramen
I’m trying something completely different today: a Yuzu-flavored ramen from Itsuki, specifically their Hokkaido Yuzushio variety. This is the first time I’ve ever had anything with Yuzu, so I’m going in blind but excited. Yuzu is a Japanese citrus fruit that falls somewhere between lemon and grapefruit, and while a few ramen varieties use it, this is the first one I’ve come across in person. I picked this up at my local Asian grocery store for $4.79, but it’s also available online from sites like Yami and Asian Food Grocer. This package contains two servings, which makes the price pretty reasonable.
Read more: Noodle Journey Episode 44: Itsuki Hokkaido Yuzushio Ramen