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.