A note on the words: toriten is Oita-style chicken tempura where lean chicken tenderloin is fried in a delicate, crisp batter and dipped into tart kabosu citrus ponzu, while ryukyu is fresh raw fish marinated in sweet soy sauce and toasted sesame. Dango-jiru is a rustic soup of thick, chewy flat wheat noodles and root vegetables in a mild miso broth, and yaseuma is a sweet made from those same flat dumplings, tossed in roasted soybean flour (kinako) and black sugar syrup. Torimeshi is rice simmered with chicken and root vegetables, and the Bungo Mankitsu set brings toriten, dango-jiru, torimeshi and yaseuma onto a single tray; ryukyu is ordered separately.
Bungo Chaya Beppu ten on Tabelog (English) — opening hours, payment details and the Japanese address are kept up to date there, not here.
Hello Kyushu, thanks for waiting. It’s Hangover Meshi time (meshi means meal)!
Before I knew it, the day had come to leave Beppu! I had originally planned on eating a bento aboard the Limited Express Sonic on the way back to Hakata. But having arrived at the station far too early with time on my hands, I decided to sit down for a meal inside the station at Bungo Chaya!
As for why I chose this spot…!
This restaurant has all the local specialties of Oita and Beppu — toriten (Oita-style chicken tempura), ryukyu (raw fish marinated in soy sauce and sesame), yaseuma (flat wheat noodles dusted with sweet soybean flour), and more! Being able to sample everything in one sitting makes it the ultimate traveler’s cafeteria, ha.
For starters, we picked out several local specialties we had not tried yet to share together.
Now, bags set down, what to order first? Of course…
Beer! It was scorching hot outside, so it tasted especially fantastic!
Here is the Bungo Mankitsu set meal!
Order this, and you get all the signature local dishes: toriten, dango-jiru (flat wheat dumpling soup), torimeshi (chicken rice), and yaseuma!
The toriten has a delicate coating with a light, crisp bite. Inside is chicken tenderloin (sasami). Being lean and light without greasy heaviness makes it very easy to enjoy! Dipping it into the kabosu citrus ponzu brings a bitter, refreshing acidity that chases right after, lightening the fried bite and making it thoroughly delicious.
The dango-jiru soup bowl in front is packed with hearty chunks of taro, carrot, and shiitake mushrooms. The miso has a gentle saltiness, holding chewy, flat noodle-like dumplings reminiscent of kishimen. It feels a bit like hoto noodles cooked in sweet miso broth.
Having the plain rice swapped for savory torimeshi (chicken rice) is another welcome touch!
To close the meal, yaseuma. It is perhaps the most enigmatic of all: flat noodles buried under sweet toasted soybean flour (kinako)… Made from the same dough as the dango-jiru, apparently. The black sugar syrup is served on the side, so you can drizzle it on midway to add sweetness. Intensely sweet! Perhaps in Oita, ‘dango’ simply means broad flat noodles like kishimen.
And then marked ‘NEW!’ on the menu was ryukyu — marinated sashimi, perhaps?
Priced at 980 yen, I asked if it came as a set meal, but was told it was just the dish itself. When it arrived, it was just a few small slices, so it felt rather on the expensive side, ha.
In a small bowl, slices glistening in sauce pile together — a traditional Oita fisherman’s dish.
The soy sauce marinade is generously loaded with white sesame, clinging thickly to the fish. The slices are cut thick on the bias. The sweet-savory punch of the sauce and the toasty fragrance of sesame come forward first, followed slowly by the rich oils of the fish. Yes, sweet soy-marinated sashimi indeed!
The tempura set meal. Two shrimp, carrot, toriten, eggplant, and various other pieces make it quite voluminous.
For the purpose of tasting the local specialties to cap off travel memories, this place has more than enough on offer. Plus, being inside the station makes keeping track of train times completely stress-free. While specialty restaurants in town have their charm, for a quick, hassle-free taste while transferring trains, I highly recommend it!
May you encounter delicious food today too!
Bungo Chaya Beppu ten Menu
Oita Specialties
Toriten, dango-jiru, ryukyu. Start with this section if you want to sample Oita all at once.
Dango-jiru + toriten or karaage. Includes rice, salad, and small side dish
Toriten or karaage, dango-jiru, torimeshi, and yaseuma. An all-in-one assortment of Oita specialties
Sashimi marinated in sesame soy sauce. Wasabi on the side
Set meal
Number 1 best seller on tablet menu
5 pieces of karaage
Set meals include rice, miso soup, salad, and a small side dish. Also notices for ‘Save with an udon set!’, with substitution for soba available.
Appetizers
Other tabs include udon & soba, rice bowls, and a la carte items. Local sake also available.
*From store menu and tabletop tablet during the July 2026 visit. Prices include tax; offerings change with the season. Limited menu from 10:00 to 11:00 (Bungo set, udon/soba items, and dango-jiru single item only). Please check store for latest information.
Bungo Chaya Beppu ten (Cafeteria / Beppu Station)
Tabelog lunch rating ★★★☆☆ 3.5
I ate here and paid for it myself. Nothing on this site is a comped meal.
One more for the road?
