At Hitoyoshi Station in Kumamoto — Traveling Through the Edo Period to Discover Kumamoto’s Q< Shochu and Zassan Noodles

Text & Photos / Joel Fukuzawa

Located in southern Kumamoto, “Hitoyoshi” has three main industries: brewing, agriculture, and tourism. Before the highway was built, Hitoyoshi was a key transit hub connecting northern and southern Kyushu. The name “Hitoyoshi” is derived from splitting the character “She” vertically into “Ren” and “Ji,” and its role as a lodging and post town highlights its historical importance in Kyushu’s transportation network.

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Quietly pulling open the door, what lay before me was a flight of stairs leading upward. My heart was pounding — in Japan, this kind of situation could either mean stumbling into someone’s home or an outrageously expensive private restaurant. Summoning my courage, I opened the second door, but no one answered. Just as I was about to flee, thinking I’d really wandered into someone’s house...

A kind female owner appeared and said, “Welcome.” Phew — scenario two, a presumably upscale private eatery. Since I was already there, I decided to go with the flow. Stepping inside, I finally relaxed. There were no flashy decorations, just the typical setup of a ramen shop. I quickly picked up the menu: Zassan noodles for 780 yen, dumplings for 340 yen — reasonable prices. Just like in the TV show “Totsuka,” I ordered a bowl of zassan noodles and a plate of dumplings.

Zassan noodles didn’t originate in Hitoyoshi but in Nagasaki. At the time, Nagasaki had many students from Qing Dynasty China who worked part-time while studying. However, they often couldn’t afford proper meals, leading to frequent cases of malnutrition and collapse from exhaustion. One Chinese restaurant owner came up with the idea of using leftover ingredients to make a noodle soup, which he served to the students. As the dish was similar to Fujian’s zassan noodles, the Qing students started recommending it to their friends, and it gradually gained popularity, eventually becoming the zassan noodles now loved across Kyushu.

When I asked the owner of this zassan noodle shop, Fujimoto Eiman, why he decided to open a zassan noodle shop in Hitoyoshi, he gave a very interesting answer: “Because there are too many ramen shops in Hitoyoshi. I wanted to stand out, so I opened this zassan noodle and dumpling shop.” Fujimoto’s zassan noodles have one big standout feature: the broth isn’t greasy, and the toppings are plentiful. Add their signature thin-skinned pan-fried dumplings, and it’s truly exceptional. The window also offers a view of the Kumagawa River — looking down, you can see the entire river stretch.

Lastly, you absolutely must see the clock tower in front of Hitoyoshi Station. From 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day, little figures emerge from the tower on the hour to dance. This has become another highlight of the station, aside from the historic SL steam locomotive.

The best way to get to Hitoyoshi is still by train. Aside from the chance of seeing the SL steam locomotive, it’s also the perfect opportunity to enjoy a cup of Kumamoto’s Q< shochu