About Awaji Island Burger

Hello everyone! This is Ginjiro, writer for Sarukuma.

Today’s spotlight is on Awaji Island Burger, a brand-new arrival in Onoue, Higashi-ku, Kumamoto City — the very first Kumamoto location of this beloved burger brand!
From Jieitai-dori (Self-Defense Force Road), head toward Onoue. When you spot the Lawson convenience store, turn left and follow the road — the shop will appear on your left-hand side.

The bold Awaji Island Burger sign is impossible to miss.
Inside, you’ll find counter seats on one side and table seats on the other.
The shop only opened on January 21, and the celebratory orchids from opening day were still in full bloom when I visited.

Awaji Island Burger Recommended Menu

I ordered the Bacon Burger ¥1,050 (the signature Awaji Island Burger with extra bacon), the Onion Ring Set (Set A) ¥450, and an Island Lemon Soda to drink.

The owner insists on cooking everything to order so each burger arrives fresh from the grill, so I waited about 10 minutes — but both the burger and the onion rings arrived piping hot.
The bun, shipped in from Awaji Island, hugged juicy lettuce and thick tomato slices (both grown in Kumamoto), along with the star Awaji onion (also straight from Awaji) and a peppery Awaji beef patty — every layer making its presence felt.
The towering burger came secured with a skewer pin.
With this many indulgent layers piled high, the pin is essential to keep things from toppling.
There’s a knife and fork on the table if you want to eat tidily, but a burger is made for chowing down, so I slipped mine into the special grip-bag the shop provides.
Carefully, so as not to wreck the build, I had a friend hold the bag open while I slid the burger in.
It was so massive I never could have managed alone — can you tell from the photo?
Once it was safely in the bag, I pulled out the pin and tried to gently squish it down to a manageable height — but the springy bun bounced right back and refused to shrink.
So I steeled myself, opened wide, and went for it.
Delicious!
Even with my biggest bite, I couldn’t catch every layer at once, but the crisp lettuce, tangy tomato, intensely sweet onion, gently smoked bacon with just-right char, and the peppery Awaji beef patty glazed in a slightly sweet sauce — every mouthful was so good I went silent and just ate.
And those onions! Sweet — really, genuinely sweet. Not a hint of sharpness; it almost makes you wonder if it’s really an onion at all.
Even kids who normally hate onions should be fine with these.
With their high natural sugar, almost fruity flavor, and melt-in-your-mouth texture, they’re nothing like the onions I’m used to.

Apparently, when staff are prepping these onions, no one ever ends up in tears.
On busy days, the shop goes through about 50 of these huge onions.
They steam-roast them slowly the day before and let them rest overnight — a process that draws out even more sweetness.
I was lucky enough to peek at the steam-roasting in action, and even with that much pure-white onion cooking away, there wasn’t a trace of the typical onion aroma. It was almost magical.
In their raw state, the slices are seriously thick.
Now for the onion rings on the side.
You know how with most onion rings the entire onion ring slips out in one stringy piece when you bite? That doesn’t happen here. They cut clean every time.
The secret: the staff carefully peels off the thin membrane between every layer of onion before frying.
“Wait, so could I just do that at home?” I wondered — but apparently the fact that this membrane peels off cleanly is itself a special trait of Awaji onions.
The lightly salted, crispy batter combined with the melt-in-the-mouth onions paired beautifully with sharp Heinz tomato ketchup, light enough to keep eating without feeling weighed down.

It was my first time trying the Island Lemon Soda, and the fresh lemon brought a bright, clean kick — refreshingly delicious.
Crushing the lemon with the straw as you sip makes it even more refreshing, and apparently it’s a hit with male customers too.
Cola and ginger ale come in glass bottles — very photogenic.

Pictured here is the Avocado Burger ¥1,000 (the Awaji Island Burger with avocado) plus the Onion Ring Set (Set A) ¥450.
This combo is especially popular with women — my friend who ordered it said the creamy avocado paired exquisitely with the rest of the layers.

I left completely stuffed.
For a burger, the price might feel a touch high, but the volume satisfies even big appetites — easily filling enough to count as dinner.

Here’s how takeout looks.
I watched the staff carefully wrap the towering burger so it wouldn’t crush or fall apart — total pro-level skill.

Because each order takes about 10 minutes to prepare, the shop recommends booking ahead whether you’re eating in or taking out.
A heads-up for weekends: orders triple compared to weekdays.
Sundays in particular fill up by around 1 p.m., so if you want a specific time slot, call to reserve the day before.

They’re also currently testing a limited-time menu launching in late March.
It’s apparently themed around hanami (cherry-blossom viewing) — the launch date isn’t fixed yet, but I’m excited to see what they unveil.

Truly delicious.
Thank you for the meal!

The menu is built around the basic Awaji Island Burger paired with classic toppings (with a few exceptions).
Set A ¥450 pairs onion rings with a drink, while Set B ¥350 pairs french fries with a drink.
Fries don’t make Set A — proof the onions really are the star of the show!
The Fried Bun with Vanilla Ice Cream ¥350 from the SWEETS lineup caught my eye, but I was simply too full.
It’s similar to a Japanese deep-fried bread, but instead of the firmer rolls usually used, the shop fries the soft burger bun for a fluffy texture that customers adore.
I’ll definitely order it next time.

There are 2 parking spaces in front of the shop and 3 more behind.
The entrance to the rear lot is fairly narrow, so drivers of larger vehicles should take care.

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Frequently Asked Questions

*Information accurate at the time of reporting. Prices and hours are subject to change. Please confirm before visiting.