Motsunabe: Nothing Offal About It

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When it comes to regional dishes in Fukuoka, Motsunabe features on the culinary checklist right alongside Hakata ramen, mentaiko, mizutaki and eating at a yatai food stall. It’s a firm part of the lifestyle.

Though, if you’ve never heard of it, we’re not entirely surprised. To explain the dish, all you have to do is look at the name. ‘Nabe’ means ‘hot pot’, while ‘motsu’ means, well…innards. Thus, Motsunabe is an offal hotpot. Sound appealing? I didn’t think so either. I was, however, willing to give it a go and really think you should, too! 

On a recent trip to Fukuoka, I made a plan to try Motsunabe with my long lost host sister from my high school days. She knew just the place, too. We arrived at Maru in the Nishinakasu area of Fukuoka and were promptly led upstairs by the kimono-clad staff.

As we slipped our shoes off and crossed the tatami, we passed table after table of steaming hot pots and merry salarymen. Our table was horigotatsu style—what looks like a low table (chabudai) sitting on tatami, but actually features a recessed space underneath for your legs. This means you can sit on the floor with your legs at a normal 90-degree angle, rather than crossing them. 

(You can read the rest of the article at this link. This article was first published by Team JJ on March 14, 2021. Check here for deeper and unique insights into visiting Japan, including wellness, travel, cuisine and more. Find us on Instagram and on Facebook.)