If Japan is one of the major destinations for Filipino tourists, then Fukuoka is Japan’s new hot spot, the city to discover. Sure, Tokyo and Osaka will get the lion’s share of Filipino visitors; but in the search for new Japan experiences, Fukuoka reigns! A city in Kyushu, Fukuoka is actually geographically nearer to Seoul than to Tokyo. It’s a seaside "big" town that entails just three hours 40 of flight time, and is highly regarded for the variety of its food offerings, laid-back atmosphere compared to say, Tokyo; and for tourist spots that highlight nature and Japanese culture.
On this trip, we stayed at the Grand Hyatt, which is part of the Canal City Hakata complex. Other ideal, convenient hotels to choose from would be those situated near the massive Hakata JR Station or those in the central Tenjin district. And I say ideal, as I’d venture to say that Filipino tourists want food and shopping always nearby.
Japanese cuisine is foremost about the freshness of the ingredients, the production technique, and about taste and texture. One Sushi-Tasting Menu dinner we tried brought this home in a really good way. Kawashou Honten is like a family-owned establishment, with one sushi chef assigned per party. The prawns on ice were still moving when brought to us. The Tai (Red Snapper) and Yariika (Spear Squid) were my favorites, while Issa loved the Kannpati (Amberjack) and the Anago (Conger Eel). The Anago wasn't even placed on one’s plate, but straight from the chef’s hand to ours’, and directly to our mouths—that tender!
The Kurumaebi (Tiger Prawn) was eventually soft-boiled, and we enjoyed how the chef would struggle to make sure we knew whether or not to dunk the pieces he had prepared in the soy sauce. For several, he was recommending that the fresh wasabi was more than enough to savor the sushi course.
At the Gyukatsu Motomura, located in the basement of the Parco New Building, we got to experience a beef lunch that was a perfect mid-day treat. We all know Tonkatsu, so this is Wagyu Beef (Gyu) lightly breaded, and which we cook on a stone to achieve our personal preferred doneness.
Between Daimaru and Daimaru East, there’s Aux Bacchanales, a replica of a Parisian sidewalk cafe on Champs Elysee. The Mitsukoshi Fukuoka is right beside this, and the stretch extends to Solaria Plaza, where you’ll find Les Trois Chocolats, a French-Japanese Chocolate concept store. We all know the fascination of Japan with things French, so here were two French-themed entities. Both worth the visit when in Fukuoka.
Ramen Stadium at Canal City Hakata is your Ramen Heaven, as it houses eight Ramen stands, each offering Ramen from a different region or cooking style. Shodai Hide-Chan (Hakata) was the one we tried… and really liked—extra heavy on the pork broth.
For temples and shrines, visit the Kushida Shrine, or the Buddhist Temple on Zaimoku-Cho-Dori Ave. I mention these two as they were happy discoveries we stumbled upon while walking around, as opposed to making the temple a destination for the day.
At the Hakata JR Station, the 9th floor is full of quality eateries, and we really enjoyed Teppanyaki Ten Hakata. Their seared scallop, asparagus, and sirloin hit the spot and reminded us of that first fine-dining Teppan experience.
Il Forno del Mignon is mini-Croissants with extravagant fillings. There’s almond, strawberry, chocolate, and sweet potato, and the reason they get a mention is because of the long lines of customers they enjoy throughout the day. Issa got super-curious, as this is a good a sign as any that they’re serving something special.
Bills by the river is the place for breakfast and brunch. Their fluffy Ricotta pancakes are the best, and the Big Aussie breakfast is brunch as we like it! Loved the atmosphere with the books, and congenial service.
For an out-of-city-center experience, be impressed by Fukuoka’s Marine World at the Umi-no-Nakamichi JR stop. It may be smaller than the ones you’ll see in Osaka or Okinawa; but if you’re traveling with kids, they’ll surely enjoy this stop.
To bring this report to a close, enjoy these two photos. One is of public toilet facilities by the river, and how public art is incorporated in the depiction of which side is for ladies, and which for men. The second is self-explanatory, but no, while we didn't try this restaurant, it was nice to notice it exists.