Savor Authentic Fukuoka Flavors at Motsunabe Rakutenchi Tenjin So-Honten
Motsunabe Rakutenchi is a motsunabe specialist restaurant that is highly popular not only with locals but also with tourists.
For about 50 years since its founding, it has devoted itself exclusively to motsunabe, with the motsu, other ingredients, and soup all brought together in exquisite balance.
The motsu has none of the characteristic odor or greasiness, and one of the charms is that you can enjoy six carefully selected types of motsu.
This article focuses on the appeal of Motsunabe Rakutenchi Tenjin So-Honten and also introduces access information and recommended menu items.
What Kind of Place Is Motsunabe Rakutenchi Tenjin So-Honten?
Motsunabe Rakutenchi Tenjin So-Honten is a motsunabe specialist restaurant located on the second to fourth floors of the Rakutenchi Building in Imaizumi, Chuo Ward, Fukuoka City.
It is the flagship restaurant of Motsunabe Rakutenchi, which is credited with popularizing motsunabe in the Fukuoka and Hakata area.
As of October 2025, there are 15 locations in the city, including the Hakataeki-mae Branch and the Tenjin Branch, counting affiliated restaurants.
Inside, the lively atmosphere is exactly what you would expect from a classic motsunabe restaurant, and the place is bustling every day with local regulars and visitors from Japan and abroad.
The restaurant suits a wide range of occasions, from meals with friends to family outings, and is easy to drop into casually.
The 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm dinner slot is busy, but thanks to the large number of seats and multiple locations within about a five-minute walk, one of the attractions is that waiting times tend to be short.
Access to Motsunabe Rakutenchi Tenjin So-Honten
The nearest station to Motsunabe Rakutenchi Tenjin So-Honten is Nishitetsu Fukuoka (Tenjin) Station on the Nishitetsu Tenjin Omuta Line.
If you are coming from Hakata Station, which serves as a base for sightseeing in Fukuoka, take the Fukuoka City Subway Nanakuma Line and get off at Tenjin-minami Station.
From there it is about a three-minute walk to Nishitetsu Fukuoka (Tenjin) Station, and the total travel time is around 20 minutes.
From Nishitetsu Fukuoka (Tenjin) Station, walk along Kokutai Dori Street toward the restaurant located at the end of Nishi-dori.
Look for the Don Quijote and Sony buildings as landmarks, and if you do not get lost, you can reach the restaurant from the station in about a five-minute walk.
Highlights of Motsunabe Rakutenchi Tenjin So-Honten
From here, we will take a closer look at what makes Motsunabe Rakutenchi so appealing.
We have gathered information that will help you enjoy the traditional motsunabe even more, so be sure to read through it before visiting the restaurant.
A Dedicated Motsunabe Specialist and Its Carefully Crafted Flavors
Motsunabe Rakutenchi was founded in 1977 in the Tenjin area of Fukuoka City.
The first owner, Hisashi Mizutani, developed an original style of motsunabe based on the philosophy of offering something gentle on the body and healthy, while also being gentle on the wallet and filling.
Building on the traditional offal hot pot, the restaurant created a dish featuring six kinds of offal, mainly from fresh domestic beef, plenty of vegetables, and a secret soy sauce-based soup.
The motsu has no unpleasant odor, and simmering it draws out its umami, allowing you to enjoy a light yet deeply flavorful taste.
Since its founding, the restaurant has steadfastly served only one type of motsunabe, and this long-established restaurant’s history and carefully crafted flavor, passed down for about 50 years, continue to win over diners.
All-You-Can-Eat Champon for the Shime
Today, it is standard to add champon noodles as shime, the finishing course at the end of a motsunabe meal, and this style is said to have originated at Motsunabe Rakutenchi.
Not long after opening, the owner decided to try adding champon noodles from Shinsei Hanten, a Chinese restaurant on the first floor of the same building, into the motsunabe.
The result was an outstanding match between the motsunabe and the champon noodles that had soaked up the soup, and the owner was amazed by just how delicious it was.
There had been no custom of finishing with shime when the restaurant first opened, but this style gradually spread from the restaurant to many places and eventually became indispensable.
At Motsunabe Rakutenchi, the signature Motsunabe Manzoku Course and Puripuri Motsunabe Daimanzoku Course both include all-you-can-eat champon noodles for shime, allowing guests to enjoy motsunabe to their heart’s content.
How to Enjoy Champon Noodles for an Even Tastier Motsunabe Shime
There are no strict rules for how to eat the champon noodles served as shime, so feel free to enjoy them however you like.
For reference, here is a suggested way to enjoy them at their most delicious.
- Leave enough of the motsunabe soup in the pot so that there is plenty of umami-rich soup left to soak into the noodles for shime.
- Order the champon noodles at the timing you prefer. This is also a great time to add extra puripuri motsu if you want an even richer flavor.
- Add the champon noodles to the pot and bring the soup to a boil over high heat.
- After it starts to boil, keep it over high heat for two minutes, and when the noodles have fully absorbed the soup and become soft and tender, that is the most delicious moment to eat them.
- Finish by customizing the flavor to your liking with the house motsunabe spice mix on the table or the eight kinds of umami seasonings available for free.
Customize the Flavor with Eight Seasonings to Suit Your Taste
At Motsunabe Rakutenchi, eight different seasonings are available to use free of charge.
The selection varies by location, but you will find a wide lineup ranging from classics to more unusual options, such as yuzu kosho, oil-marinated mentaiko, and gochujang.
Guests love being able to mix and match various combinations and customize the flavor to suit their own preferences.
When you use the seasonings, make sure to add them to your own bowl rather than directly into the pot.
This is not only important as a matter of etiquette when sharing a hot pot, but also to avoid disrupting the overall flavor so everyone can enjoy the dish to the very end.
240 Seats so You Can Dine Without Waiting Even at a Popular Restaurant
Motsunabe Rakutenchi Tenjin So-Honten spans three floors and offers a total of 240 seats, making it one of the largest restaurants of its kind in Kyushu, so guests can usually be seated without lining up even during busy periods.
All seats are horigotatsu-style sunken kotatsu seating, so you can relax and enjoy your meal in comfort.
Private rooms and full-restaurant rentals are also available, making the restaurant popular for large groups, families, and guests with children.
If You Are Unsure What to Order, the Motsunabe Manzoku Course Is Recommended
If you are wondering what to eat when you visit Motsunabe Rakutenchi Tenjin So-Honten, the must-try menu item is the most popular Motsunabe Manzoku Course.
This full course includes 1.5 servings of motsunabe (150 g of motsu plus vegetables), half a block of tofu, a small side dish (choose one from sumotsu, mentaiko, or kimchi), and all-you-can-eat champon noodles.
It is structured so that you can fully enjoy Motsunabe Rakutenchi’s motsunabe from the very first bite to the shime at the end of the meal.
You can also add a 90-minute all-you-can-drink plan that covers all drinks, including draft beer, sake, whisky, and soft drinks.
When You Want More Ingredients, Order Extra Purimotsu
At Motsunabe Rakutenchi, you can order extra ingredients once the ingredients in your hot pot start to run low.
Among these, the most popular choice is Purimotsu, which consists only of fresh small-intestine motsu.
Many guests who order extra ingredients choose Purimotsu, and its springy, plump texture has won a strong following among fans.
If you want to focus on enjoying Purimotsu, the recommended choice is the Puripuri Motsunabe Daimanzoku Course, which uses only Purimotsu.
If You Want One More Dish, Karashi Mentaiko from Fukuya Is Recommended
If you feel like adding one more dish, we recommend ordering karashi mentaiko from Fukuya, the originator of karashi mentaiko.
The sharp spiciness of the mentaiko pairs perfectly with the rich flavor of the motsunabe and adds a delightful accent.
It is reasonably priced, served quickly, and goes very well with alcoholic drinks, making it ideal both as a snack and as a small dish to enjoy while you wait for the hot pot to be ready.
"Rakutenchi-style!" How to Eat Motsunabe to Enjoy Even Better Flavors
Finally, here is Motsunabe Rakutenchi’s own guide to the “Rakutenchi-style way to enjoy motsunabe at its very best.”
When you visit the restaurant, try following the steps below.
- 1. Simmer the motsunabe over high heat in one go.
- The pot is first brought to the table with a mountain of vegetables piled on top, and you start by simmering it over high heat. Wait without stirring until the heap of garlic chives naturally sinks down.
- 2. Once the vegetables soften, stir and bring the motsu up to the top.
- After a few minutes, when the vegetables start to wilt, give the entire pot a good stir and bring the motsu up onto the vegetables. This step is crucial, because the longer you boil the motsu, the smaller and firmer it becomes.
- 3. Enjoy the puripuri motsu.
- When the motsu reaches its best state, plump and tender, start by ladling out some small-intestine motsu and savoring it.
- 4. Once everything is boiling well, serve and eat.
- Continue simmering until the cabbage softens further. Resist the urge to eat until the umami of the motsu and the sweetness of the vegetables have fully blended into the soup. When everything is bubbling vigorously, ladle the contents into your bowl and enjoy.
- 5. Add tofu and simmer.
- After serving the first round, make some space in the pot and gently add tofu so that it is submerged in the soup without breaking. The recommended way to enjoy it is to simmer it thoroughly until it takes on a light color from the soup, then eat it.
- 6. Finish with champon.
- At the end, add champon noodles for shime and enjoy the noodles together with the soup, which has concentrated the umami of the motsu and vegetables.
FAQ About Motsunabe Rakutenchi Tenjin So-Honten
Q
What are the opening hours of Motsunabe Rakutenchi Tenjin So-Honten?
5:00 pm-12:00 am (last order: 11:30 pm, open every day).
Q
Are the menus at Motsunabe Rakutenchi Tenjin So-Honten available in multiple languages?
In addition to Japanese, there are dedicated menus in English, Korean, and Chinese (simplified and traditional), which you can access via a QR code and order from on your smartphone.
Q
What is the typical budget at Motsunabe Rakutenchi Tenjin So-Honten?
Plan on spending around 4,000-5,000 yen per person.
Wrap-up
In this article, we have focused on the characteristics and popular menu items of Motsunabe Rakutenchi Tenjin So-Honten.
Motsunabe Rakutenchi is one of Hakata’s representative motsunabe restaurants, and its secret soy sauce-based soup, passed down since its founding, together with fresh, top-quality motsu, continues to captivate guests.
When you visit Fukuoka for sightseeing, be sure to try the motsunabe that a total of 10.77 million people have enjoyed over 49 years.