Itsuki Instant Ramen Miso Tonkotsu

This is Itsuki’s Kyoto Miso Tonkotsu Ramen. It’s a Japanese-import ramen kit with thin, dried, restaurant-style straight noodles and a separate miso-tonkotsu soup powder, two servings per pack.

Itsuki is a Japanese brand with a long line of regional ramens, and the Kyoto Miso Tonkotsu is one of their signature dry-noodle kits in the US import market.

Product of Japan.

What’s in the Package

Inside the pack you get two bundles of thin, straight, air-dried Japanese-style ramen noodles and two miso-tonkotsu Soup Powder sachets, one of each per serving. Two servings per pack. The noodles are not fried. They’re closer to a dried fresh noodle than a typical instant noodle brick.

How to Cook Itsuki Kyoto Miso Tonkotsu Ramen

1. Bring 500ml of water to a boil in a pot.
2. Add one noodle bundle and stir gently. Boil for 2.5 minutes, taking care not to let it boil over.
3. Remove from heat. Add one Soup Powder sachet and mix well.
4. Serve hot. Top with garnishes and enjoy.

How Does It Taste

This one is really good. James and I were both surprised at how rich and deep the broth is for an instant ramen. There are visible fat bits floating in the bowl, the body is creamy in the proper tonkotsu way, and the miso adds the savory weight that the pork base alone wouldn’t carry.

The “Artificial Pork Flavor” label is misleading in the best way. The broth tastes like real pork. James and I both kept saying it. Whatever Itsuki is doing to get that depth out of the powder packet, whether it’s kombu, miso, or a non-dairy creaming agent for the tonkotsu mouthfeel, it works. There’s seaweed depth in the back, miso umami in the middle, and a clean pork-fat profile across the top that comes out as the real thing. Better than most tonkotsus I’ve had on the site.

The noodles are the other reason to buy this. Thin, straight, air-dried, bouncy in the way fresh ramen noodles are bouncy. They’re the closest format to actual restaurant ramen noodles you’ll get from a dry instant. Noodle thickness is 1 out of 5 on width, they’re thin, but the texture is a tier above standard fried instants. They hold the creamy broth perfectly without going limp.

Broth viscosity sits at 2.5 out of 5, meaningfully creamier than most instant tonkotsus thanks to the miso body. Spice is 0.

How Does It Compare

Within the Itsuki line, this Kyoto Miso Tonkotsu sits alongside the Osaka Shoyu Tonkotsu and the Hokkaido Yuzushio as the regional Japanese ramen kits. The Osaka Shoyu Tonkotsu leans soy-darker. The Hokkaido Yuzushio is the lightest of the three with a yuzu-citrus salt profile. This Kyoto Miso Tonkotsu is the richest and creamiest of the line.

Against other US-available instant tonkotsus, the Nissin Black Garlic Oil Tonkotsu is the closest competitor from my website. Nissin pushes black garlic oil where Itsuki pushes miso. Both are good. The Snapdragon Tonkotsu leans spicier.

For a real shop-quality home tonkotsu kit, Ichiran is still the benchmark and a step up in price. This Itsuki is the better-than-most option at a lower price point and worth keeping in the pantry.

How to Level Up Itsuki Kyoto Miso Tonkotsu Ramen

The package shows chashu, scallions, beansprouts, and a halved soft-boiled egg, and that’s exactly what I’d add to it. The miso tonkotsu broth is rich enough to support the pork without overwhelming it.

James suggested bacon, which works too. Crispy bacon for crunch, or boiled bacon for fat without the crisp texture. Either way, fatty pork on top doubles down on the tonkotsu direction.

I would also add a halved soft-boiled egg or a proper marinated ajitama. Blanched beansprouts, sliced green onions, and a sheet of nori complete the presentation.

Final Verdict

This one’s a keeper. The broth actually tastes like miso tonkotsu, not like a powder pretending to be one, and the noodles are one of the closest I’ve had to restaurant noodles from an instant kit. James and I would both buy it again. Keep a few in the pantry.

How do I rate my ramen? Check out the Ramen Rating Guide.

Related Instant Ramen

• Itsuki Instant Ramen Noodle Osaka Shoyu Tonkotsu
• Itsuki Instant Ramen Noodle Hokkaido Yuzushio
• Nissin Black Garlic Oil Tonkotsu Flavor
• Snapdragon Tonkotsu Ramen Spicy Pork
• Ichiran Ramen