Having been to the major cities in Japan, Fukuoka is probably not the top of on everyone's list (where?). This is a real gem - situated in Northen Kyushu and a major transport hub to access other parts of southern Japan, I would strongly recommend this place for those who've seen the likes of Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka. There are direct flights daily from Singapore and price-wise, lots cheaper than Tokyo and Hokkaido both in terms of food and accommodation!
Fukuoka airport is centrally located, just a short 15mins train ride away to the city centre. Also from the airport, Hakata JR station, as well as the city Tenjin Bus Centre, one can hop onto connecting buses to travel to Kumamoto, Yufuin, Beppu, Mount Aso and Kurokawa Onsen to name a few. Hakata JR station is also where you can board a Shinkansen (bullet train) to get to Nagasaki, Huis Ten Bosch/ Sasebo & Kagoshima. The JR Northern Kyushu and JR Kyushu passes are a good economic way to hop from city to city on Japan Railway networks.
Kays & I spent year end there, and we took the opportunity to spend a couple of nights at the beautiful Kurokawa Onsen as well as a day trip to Nagasaki. English signs are everywhere, the only challenge is usually communicating with shop owners. We've managed to get around pretty easily with my limited japanese and sufficient hand gestures.
Some Must Dos/ MUST EATS:
Get yourself to one of the Yatais (Jap-style road-side stalls) - most of the stuff listed can be found there (though it's not that cheap).
The most convenient and popular ones are situated along the Hakata River (near Canal City). Take the underground subway to Nakasu-Kawabata station and walk 5 mins along the river. You'd notice rows of lanterns and brightly lit little stalls. Another supposedly more authentic (and I guess less touristy i.e. english-speaking) bunch of yatais can be found at Nagahana area which unfortunately we didn't manage to visit this time round.
Hakata River
1. Kyushu (Tonkotsu) Ramen
You CAN'T visit Kyushu and not taste the ramen! The pork bone broth is extremely flavourful and perfect for a cold winter's day when you're sitting outdoors! Our favourite was the one at the Yatais (stall #3) - simple with just a few thick slices of stewed Char Siu, scallions, roasted sesame and nori (500円).
Ramen @ Yatai
Other places to get your ramen fix are at
Ichiran and
Ippudo - 2 of the most famous chains where you purchase a ramen ticket from a vending machine and then you fill in an order sheet to specifiy exactly how you like your noodles done. We tried out Ichiran this time, but didn't get to try the latter which as since opened 2 branches in
Singapore. Noodles at Ichiran were done perfectly (780円), and if one portion is not enough, you can "top up" by asking for Kaedama, meaning an additional portion of noodles. Remember to leave some soup behind otherwise you'll be having the noodles dry!
Ramen @ Ichiran (一蘭)
2. Mentaiko Mentaiko Mentaiko!
Oh how we love these cod roes. Seen here are grilled ones at one of the yatai stalls, but you can also buy them as souvenirs everywhere!We bought some mentaiko home, and aside from eating it neat, mixed with white rice, I've also used it for
Mentaiko Spaghetti since!
Grilled Cod Roe (Mentaiko 明太子)
3. Oden
This is japanese's equivalent to our "Yong Tau Foo". Usually consisting of a thick tender chunk of Daikon (white raddish), various types of seasoned fried fishcakes, hard boiled egg, tofu served in a clear broth with mustard.
Oden おでん
4. Yakitori
Guess I don't need to elaborate much - seasoned skewered meats grilled on charcoal... perfect with an Asahi beer! Interestingly, my personal favourites are often the grilled leeks and peppers that usually accompany the meat.
Yakitori 焼きとり (150-200円 per stick)
5. Motsunabe (Cow Offal Stew)
Essentially beef intestines cooked in its own juices and stock. A tad too fatty for my liking but worth a try!
Cow Offal Stew (Motsunabe もつ鍋)
6. Gyutan (Ox Tongue)
Grilled with salt, these are super tender and tasty. I wonder if I can replicate this at home?
Grilled Ox Tongue (Gyutan ギュタン)
7. On-the-road Bentos
I've always loved the idea of bringing a pretty bento box on board the bullet train and enjoying the sights while savouring each delicately arranged "section" of the bento box. I'd chosen a scallop bento on our Shinkansen ride to Nagasaki this time, accompanied by my favourite milk tea. :)
Bento Box
8. Castella
This is something quite famous in Nagasaki - a type of sponge cake with a brown sugar base. Supposedly well-known because it's one of the first items westerners brought to Japan after the end of the Edo era. This was taken at the Glover House's Jyu-Tei cafe.
Sponge Cake (Castella カステラ)
9. Champon
Another popular choice when visiting Nagasaki - Champon is a noodle dish with pork bone broth, served with lots of veggies, fish cake and pork slices. In the menu the english translation was "chop suey" but I'm not sure how close this was to what's found in the US chinese restaurants. Almost every restaurant in Nagasaki's Chinatown served this dish. To be honest I wasn't a huge fan but I guess it's still worth a try. I personally preferred the "Nikuman" or their version of the "Kong Bah Bao" sold along the road side.
Champon チャンポン
So there you go! Of course there are also lots of fabulous sushi places which I won't cover here. Next up, Kurokawa Onsen so watch this space!
