Maki no Udon at Hakata Bus Terminal: Fukuoka’s Famous Ever-Expanding Noodles Now at the Station

Maki no Udon has a strong following for its unique “noodles that never seem to disappear no matter how much you eat.”

While it’s called a soul food of Fukuoka, due to delivery logistics, it had only existed along highways in the suburbs, which was unfortunate as you couldn’t eat it in downtown Fukuoka.

But Maki no Udon has now opened at Hakata Bus Terminal right next to Hakata Station! I rushed over to inspect and sample it.

While operations differ somewhat from existing large stores, what was served was unmistakably Maki no Udon. As a Fukuoka resident, I’m thrilled it’s now in an easily accessible location.

Maki no Udon Opens in Hakata Bus Terminal Basement

Maki no Udon opened at Hakata Bus Terminal, which is connected to Hakata Station. You can easily access it via the underground passage from the subway or JR station, or by exiting Hakata Station’s main exit and turning right.

The shop is next to Mos Burger, in a slightly recessed location if coming via the underground passage. “Kamaage Maki no Udon” – this is definitely it.

Perhaps to reduce labor costs, unlike other locations, this one uses a meal ticket system. There are also set menus that other stores don’t have, showing consideration for the different location and customer base. Since it was still morning, I ordered conservatively: a mini udon and mini kashiwa rice set.

Existing stores occupy spacious suburban sites with attached noodle-making facilities, but being in a basement near Hakata Station, that’s obviously not possible here. The capacity is about 30-40 people, and there’s clearly no space for noodle-making. They’re probably delivered directly from a nearby location.

Green onions and chili peppers on the table. As a green onion lover, having all-you-can-add green onions really elevates my impression of a place.

The Joy of Tasting “Those Noodles” Near the Station

Mini udon and mini kashiwa rice set has arrived! A characteristic of Maki no Udon is that it comes with a kettle containing extra dashi broth for adding.

Being mini size, it’s somewhat less impressive, but you can still immediately see these are “those noodles.” (By the way, this is medium firmness – you can choose from firm, medium, or soft. If you don’t want them to expand too much, choose firm.) Despite being small, it comes with meat udon toppings, fried shrimp, and boiled egg, giving it good value.

Mini kashiwa rice. About the size of one rice ball. But combined with the mini udon, I think it’s enough for one adult serving. (Meaning the regular udon is quite substantial in volume.)

By the way, this is my perfect udon customized to personal preference. I love green onions.

While not as dramatic since it’s mini size, if you dawdle, the noodles absorb broth and expand to the point where you think “Wait, did I order zaru udon?” so add soup from the kettle when it runs low. The broth in the kettle seems slightly saltier than what’s initially in the bowl, so be careful about sodium intake.

Final Thoughts

I’m very pleased that Maki no Udon, which previously required a considerable bus or car/motorcycle journey to reach, is now in an easily accessible location.

This is definitely going on my list of strong dining candidates when visiting the Hakata Station area.

By the way, for those from other prefectures, Maki no Udon does not equal Hakata udon. While it does have the characteristic soft noodles typical of Hakata udon, only Maki no Udon expands this aggressively, and there are almost no other shops with noodles this thick.

To give an analogy, it’s like saying Tokyo ramen ≠ Ramen Jiro, you know? (Hope that gets across)