Holiday Destination - Fukuoka Japan

Fukuoka is the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture situated in the southernmost island of Kyushu in Japan and it also happens to be Ipoh City’s Sister City. I was fortunate to have been there for two weeks on an exchange program between the 2 cities. It was a wonderful experience living with a foster family there and soaking up the essence of Japanese life first hand. Being a city by the sea it had a feeling of freshness and openness unlike the choking congestion of Tokyo and other major Japanese cities. It is a very livable city in that it is very clean, reassuringly safe and the people are ever so warm, friendly and helpful.

Tips for Travel

MUST DO

Sightseeing and leisure course

Arm yourself with a city map from the Tourist Bureau at Hakata Station and get on the 100yen (equivalent to RM 3),  Nishitetsu loop bus which starts from Hakata Station, the main transportation hub. This loop that the bus takes covers a number of places of interest like the Hakataza Theatre where Kabuki plays are staged, Fukuoka Riverain, a state of the art building which houses the Asian Art Museum, Robosquare and the Eeny Meeny Miny Mo shopping complex. Be sure to get down from the bus at Kawabata and take a stroll down this traditional arcade which specializes in all things traditionally Japanese, a good place to purchase some gifts. From Kawabata you can walk to the Hakata Machiya Folk Museum to learn about the traditional crafts and lifestyles of this region during the Meji and Taisho eras. You can purchase some authentic folk handicraft at the gift shop. A five minute walk will bring you to the famous Kushido Shrine, the starting point of the annual Hakata Gion Yamakasa festival which begins on 1 July and ends with the Oiyama race on 15 July The bus then takes you by the Fukuoka Akarenga Cultural Center a very chic British style building which is a nationally important cultural property designed by Kingo Tatsuno. It then goes by ACROS Fukuoka a truly spectacular building; its exterior design features a terraced garden like a hillslope, covered with plants and trees with a cavernous atrium inside. It houses the Fukuoka Symphony Hall and is an information center for international cultural exchanges. The  bus than goes into the Tenjin area which is Fukuoka”s Financial street and largest shopping district where designer stores are housed in towering swank retail blocks such as Solaria Plaza Vioro, IMS, Vivre, Tenjin Core, Iwataya, Daimaru and Mitsukoshi to name a few. Do not miss shopping at Tenjin Chikagai (underground city). The bus than passes some beautiful gardens and parks which are very well maintained, forming lovely oases of greenery before coming to Canal City a famous landmark. This futuristic three-dimensional city-within-a-city hosts a variety of attractions like the famous Grand Hyatt Hotel, the Fukuoka City Theatre and the Fukuoka Joypolis a futuristic amusement theme park and a plethora of shopping and retail outlets, with a 187meter long canal running through it thus its name. From here the bus heads back to Hakata Station.

 It is easy to get on and off the bus anytime because another one will come around at ten minute intervals. Taking a sightseeing tour will cost about RM70 for 3 1 /2 hour duration. If you are fighting for time then this would be a better option. The other option is to buy a one day travel pass which will give you access to the subway.

You can hop on a Nishitetsu bus or take a subway to the Momochi area where you will see the iconic Fukuoka Tower nicknamed “mirror sail” which at 234m is the symbol of the city. Within walking distance is the Fukuoka City Public Library, the Fukuoka City Museum and the Fukuoka Sky Dream Ferris Wheel, the largest in Asia. The 20 minute ride on it is especially spectacular at sunset. Within this area is also Hawks Town, wherein is The Fukuoka Yahoo Dome and the majestic JAL Seahawk Hotel and Resort.

The Historical and ancient cultural city of Dazaifu which is a half hour bus ride from Hakata Station is another interesting place to visit. The Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine dedicated to the God of Learning is a popular place for students and scholars yearning for some heavenly help in their studies. There are many historical places to visit in this ancient cultural city, there are some very interesting old architectural style buildings and the landscape is coloured with legendary plum tree blossoms, camphor trees and irises, a spectacular sight when they are in bloom.

Relaxing and Rejuvenating Course

Do not leave Fukuoka without experiencing a bath at a hot spring or Hosen as it is called in Japanese. The Ureshino Hot spring in Fukuoka is one of the best 3 hot springs in Japan and a favourite among locals. It is truly liberating to mind body and soul, a refreshing and sublime experience not to be missed.

A therapeutic Japanese massage would be lovely to relieve aching muscles and weary bones from so much walking.

  AVOID

Fukuoka like all of Japan is very environment conscious and to cut down the pollution from motor vehicles they discourage the use of cars by having very high prices on cars, petrol and parking. Taxis are therefore to be avoided at all times because the fares are exorbitant. The best mode of transport would be buses and trains, which are convenient and very reliable. Subways too are pretty expensive and you miss out on the sights and sounds of the city while travelling in them.

It is good to avoid spending all your shopping money in the Tenjin area as prices are inflated here due to the high rentals. It is much cheaper to shop in the malls found in the suburbs like at Hakata Denya in Momochi area, which is a mere 15mins by bus from Tenjin. Just to the west of Tenjin is Daimyo, an area with small independent shops and restaurants and prices are reasonable. The crafts and boutique stores at Hakata station are also good places to buy gifts and souvenirs

GOOD EATS

Try the Yatai stalls along the Naka riverside in Nakasu.. Yatais are a speciality of Fukuoka attracting people with a wide array of meals like Hakata Ramen Noodles, Oden (hotpot dish), Yakitori (grilled chicken), Tempura(deep fried seafood and vegetables), and gyoza (potstickers) among other delicacies. There are about 180-200 yatais in the Nakasu and Tenjin area alone.

Have your taste of the original Udon Noodles in one of the specialty Noodles shops, slurping up the soup from the bowl in authentic Japanese fashion!

This region is also famous for Karashi Mentaiko a spicy chilled cod roe, which is a specialty in this area, but it is an acquired taste.

TOP SHOP

The 100yen shop is a must as you can find all kinds of stuff that you need here. There is a good one behind the Tenjin station and another in Nishijinn in Pravel Plaza which is really big. Small 100yen shops can be found all over the city and suburbs.

The Underground Arcades that make up Tenjin Chikagai is a very interesting place to shop and browse around all year round, fashion is well represented here.

The shopping arcade and boutique shops at Hakata station is also very good and varied, especially convenient if you are leaving Fukuoka by train.

Canal City is another good area to shop as so many different shops and retail outlets are housed in this mega complex. You can easily spend a whole day there. It has quite a number of Asian restaurants if you are dying for some spicy home food.

INSIDER TIP

Eat a hefty lunch as lunch time prices are half the dinner prices and that would be a major saving as food is quite pricey in Fukuoka. A simple meal of noodles and a drink will cost around RM20 - RM30.

Don’t miss out on the exciting night life in Nakasu; it is the largest entertainment area in western Japan. It has more than 2000 eating and drinking establishments; it is nice just to take a stroll along the Naka River seeing all the lights of the city reflecting in it

Autumn or Spring is the best time to visit as the city trees are all in their beautiful colours and blooms and the climate is very conducive for sightseeing.