Wednesday to Sunday
November 1 to 5, 2023

I was blessed with the opportunity to return to my favorite place in the world: Japan. It’s been four years since my last visit and instead of Tokyo, we went to Fukuoka, on the south-western side of the country. While my previous Japan post was more of a dump of specific values I loved about it, this one’s going to be a daily recap of the places I went to. Ikuzo!

Pre-Japan

Applying for a visa is always nerve-wracking, especially when it’s for a country as important to me as Japan. Thankfully, the embassy considered my previous visit and granted me a multiple entry visa this time.

The next hurdle was the Bureau of Immigration. I’ve heard so much about the abuses and power-tripping that takes place in this part of the travel and I was scared I would be paired up with an abusive officer. Thankfully, there didn’t seem to be any problem and after some generic questions, my passport was stamped and I was led into the pre-departure area.

We arrived extra early at the airport because we didn’t want to risk anything. Things went smoothly and we were finally on our way to Japan.

Day 1

We arrived at Fukuoka airport late in the evening and secured our Pocket WiFi device that we reserved via Klook. We also reserved the Fukuoka Tourist City Pass, but unfortunately, the kiosk was already closed. Bummer.

After taking some free brochures at the information center we took the free bus to the domestic terminal which is connected to the Fukuoka Subway. From Akasaka station, it was a short walk to our hotel, Plaza Hotel Tenjin. We checked in with some help from the English-speaking staff, although their check-in machine was user-friendly and also displayed everything in English.

Had to pay for this accommodation with my eyes closed. Almost 60% of my Japan budget went to the hotel.

We left our belongings and immediately rushed out into the cold night. Our first stop was the nearby 7eleven. There, we withdrew some local currency and then expored the nearby area, looking for some Yatai. These are portable food-stalls that are put up every night by the locals. They are one of the icons of Fukuoka and we were lucky enough to have dinner at one of these without queueing up.

One of the servers of Yatai Barakamon pointed out my Zoro shirt and gave us an English menu. We decided then and there to eat here. We had the most delicious and life-changing gyoza, as well as 5 sticks of various juicy yakitori.

I don’t think I’ll ever taste gyoza this delicious ever again. And those skewers are scrumptious. It explained the long line.

It was an amazing experience, being surrounded by the locals. The chef kept talking to everyone in Japanese while cooking, and the atmosphere was very lively. The customers ranged from older office workers to the young and hip students. We were the only tourists there at the moment but when we left, there was a long line waiting for the seats to open up.

It was a great welcome to Japan and we explored more of the area near our hotel afterwards. We went inside a Gigo, which had a lot of crane game machines as well as gacha machines. The temptation to spend so much money on the cute gacha toys was too strong.

We were also able to visit Don Quijote and survey the things we wanted to bring back to the Philippines. Finally, we bought some necessities at the 7eleven and returned to our hotel for some rest. That’s day 1 finished!

Day 2

Our breakfast for Day 2 was some rice balls and canned coffee we bought the night before.

The plan for the day was to walk around the Tenjin area, looking for thrift stores and cheap things to buy. I observed that most of the stores really like to sell American brands and items. Japan is weirdly obsessed with the USA as much as I am weirdly obsessed with Japan.

We reached the famous Kawabata Shopping Arcade and looked through all the stores, being amazed at the variety of things being put on sale. We bought some stuff at a shop that sells everything cat-themed! It was so cute.

Feeling hungry from all that walking, we had lunch at Hakata Ramen Hakataya. It was a quaint place that served ramen with delicious clear broth and firm noodles, just the way I like it. I enjoyed the self-service and clean-as-you-go system they had. The ramen was cheap and gave us enough energy for some more walking and shopping.

Finally, some OG Hakata-style ramen. And for only Y290 (P107)!!!

We crossed over to Canal City and admired the unique architecture of the mall. There were so many brands unfamiliar to me, and I think we could spend the entire day there and still not visit all the stores. We bought some cute socks and looked at some anime merchandise.

On our way to JR Hakata City, we felt hungry once more and this time, we had delicious Katsu Curry at Champion’s Curry in the Hakata train station.

Best Katsu Curry I’ve ever tasted.

I loved the food, the place, and the atmosphere. The place was a single counter with bar chairs and we could see the employees (sweet, old ladies) cooking in the kitchen. They were all smiles and very courteous with serving the food. The servings were big and the curry sauce was so savory. It made me want to eat so much rice and katsu slices.

At JR Hakata City, we explored all 8 Floors of the mall, but we stayed mostly in the Hands department store.

There were so many things to see and I’m glad that mall navigation in Japan is so easy. The list of stores as well as comfort rooms are easy to spot in every escalator and elevator. Things like these should be common sense but you’d be surprised how lacking that is in Manila.

After buying some more stuff here, and eating some more stuff there, we headed back to Akasaka to go to 2nd Street, a place that sells second-hand stuff. There I saw so many clothes and bags that are way above my pay-grade. A used bag costing over Y100,000? There it was in front of me.

Thankfully, I managed to snag a pretty pair of Pink Converse for only Y4,900 (P1,812). I inspected it and it looked good as new and for that price, it was very worth it.

We returned to our hotel to drop of our purchases and get a quick breather. After a few moments, we went out and walked to Tenjin Horumon for dinner.

This was absolutely delicious. I keep dreaming of this bowl.

Horumon is the Japanese term for beef offal. These are very chewy and delicious when grilled properly and I was so enamored by these that I liked them even more than the beef itself. I devoured the rice bowl so quickly and it was definitely worth waiting in line for.

We had some desert at Ueshima Coffee at the Tenjin Underground Mall. And after some more walking around, we went back to the hotel for the night.

Day 3

Day 3 was reserved especially for our travel to Ainoshima, the cat island of Kyushu. So again, I started the day with a can of coffee and a rice ball. Then it was a couple of train rides to Fukkodai-mae station where we waited for the bus to Ainoshima Port.

The ferry ride was very nice as the weather was sunny yet breezy. All round us were Japanese dads and their daughters playing around.

After arriving at Ainoshima, the chubby cats welcomed us immediately. They were very friendly and were well taken care of. Years of human interaction have made them approachable and playful.

Playing with the locals.

We hiked around for a bit and visited some local shrines before renting a bike and pedaling around the small island. It was a tiny island with the bike path only being 4km long. In the old days, I would have jogged around the island instead.

Cats aside, the island was very pretty, with some wonderful views of the sea and also serving as a prime fishing spot for locals. We rode around the rolling path and took some pictures while resting.

We also had some iced coffee and soft-serve ice cream at Shima Cafe. This was when we realized that the ferry going back to the mainland was already full! Therefore we had to wait for the next ferry which would arrive after a couple of hours.

This changed our itinerary but we didn’t stress too much about it. We learned the importance of “first come, first served” and queueing up when in Japan.

So while waiting, we had lunch at Diner Maruyama. I ordered Kake Udon which tasted exactly like what I order in Marugame Udon. We also had their sashimi set meal which consisted of fresh seafood that varied depending on the day’s catch, croutons, miso soup, soba, and rice. It was a good variety of delicious Japanese dishes and the raw fish was fresh and tasty.

This sushi set was delicious, especially the cold tofu side dish.

My Kake Udon bowl. Before and after.

Finally, our ferry arrived and we were back at the mainland port. We boarded the bus back to Fukkodai-mae and the train back to the city center. With some time left before the day ended, we decided to go straight to Fukuoka Tower.

This was the tallest tower in the city (234m) and third tallest in Japan next to the Tokyo Skytree and the Tokyo tower. I was expecting it to be a building with lots of office space, but it was just a metal frame with central elevators leading up to a viewdeck. It seemed to me that it was just built for aesthetic purposes and tourism.

After a long line for the tickets and elevators, we headed up to the viewdeck and were welcomed with the great view of Fukuoka at night. There were pictured guides on every side of the viewdeck so you can understand which part of Fukuoka you are looking at. There were also some games and activities to do like a stamp rally and fortune telling.

I bought a plushie keychain of their mascot, FuTa, as well as a commemorative coin of the tower. After some pictures, we went down and bought some food at the convenience store in the lobby.

We had dinner on the grounds outside Fukuoka tower while taking pictures of the tower’s lighted facade. Afterwards, we headed back to the hotel to end the night.

Day 4

This day was a solo trip for me as my companion decided to stay in the Tenjin area to do some shopping.

First order of business was to walk to Ohori Park. Along the way, I passed by the Fukuoka Castle Ruins. It was a cold morning, so I decided to climb up to the ruins of the main keep and admired the view of the city.

I imagined myself in ancient times and agreed that this hill would be the most advantageous position as you could see far away in all directions.

It was too bad that I went here in autumn as the sakura flowers were no longer blooming, but the trees and the orange leaves they had were still very beautiful to look at. The multiple gardens in the castle grounds provided the eyes some rest from all the stone walls and structures around them.

I finally reached Ohori Park, which was situated around Ohori pond. It was breathtaking and alive. There were so many runners preparing for the Fukuoka Marathon taking place this December.

People of all ages were plying the track, from old, blind runners and their guides, to groups of children running as fast as they can. The park reminded me of Baguio’s Burnham Park, which also had a pond as the main attraction.

I walked around the perimeter of the pond, taking short breaks to pee and buy some water from vending machines. I envied the locals who could run at this park any time they like as it was the perfect place to get some training done.

Lots of people were doing their own thing. Photographers were walking around with their thin and fashionable models. Old people were feeding the ducks. One person was playing the Kalimba and enjoining others to see his collection.

It was fun to just walk around and observe.

After taking in the view of the park, I walked to one of my most anticipated venues, the Mugiwara Store in the PARCO building.

There, I ooh-ed and aah-ed myself with all the One Piece merch I couldn’t afford. I was still unable to control myself and bought only the things I know I would really use (chopsticks, a towel, and a pouch). I had to pry myself away from the store to save my budget.

Afterwards, I took the bus to LaLaPort Fukuoka. This was the place with the life-sized Gundam. It was visible from far away and I was amazed at how big it was. I took some pictures and entered the Gundam store to look at the merch. After buying a Gundam-themed pen, I went out just in time to see the Gundam light up and move. Sugoi!

I went inside the mall since I was already there and discovered they had a Jump Shop! I went there to see some more anime and manga merch. I bought some souvenirs for friends and then had a Hokkaido Ice Cream cone for lunch.

I boarded the wrong bus back to the city center and it took me to the airport. Fortunately, I had something to do there and was able to get the Fukuoka Tourist Pass that we were unable to claim on the first day. LOL. Then it was the correct bus back to Tenjin.

From there, I was addicted to riding the bus, so I rode another one to Hakata Bayside Place, a mall with an aquarium inside it. There I watched the fishes and a shark swim around for a while before heading to the Hakata Port Tower (103m).

Entrance was free and there was even a museum at the ground floor which told the history of the port as well as model ships from the ancient times up to the most recent.

I boarded the elevator to the viewdeck and looked around the Hakata Port area. I was surprised to see that Fukuoka has its own boat racing stadium. That was so cool to me. How rich do you have to be to tell people that your sport is “speedboating”. Awesome.

After this short tour, I went back to Tenjin and walked to the hidden Ichiran for some late lunch. There were only around four other people eating ramen with me.

Fukuoka is the birthplace of Ichiran so being able to finally eat here seemed to elevate this location from the Ichiran I had in Tokyo. Location aside, it was still the same exact experience. Eating at the solo booth was great and the ramen was still something I couldn’t get enough of.

After emptying the bowl, it was more walking around the area with no destination in mind. I was able to see some temples and Yatai owners setting up, which was great.

I was able to reach Shintencho Shopping District for some reason and here, I perused the book stores and cheap item stores for anything to buy. I was also able to visit Oyafuko street which is famous for its nightlife.

With some time to spare and still full from my ramen earlier, I decided to go to Don Quijote and buy all the pasalubong for my peeps in the Philippines. There was a bit of a line at the tax-free counter but it was worth the wait as it slashed my Y17,000 receipt down to Y15,000.

A filled-up Ichiran and some naughty things from Don Quijote.

Loaded with so much plastic bags from my adventure, I decided to have dinner at Densetsu no Sutadonya inside the Shintencho arcade. I ordered their medium bowl because I was still full, but even then, it was way too much for me.

Look at that work of art.

It was mouthwatering though, and I can probably go about my entire day with just one bowl of this. I ordered the half-chicken karaage, half-sliced pork rice bowl and it was absolutely delicious. The raw egg makes the rice twice as nice every time.

I was already bursting at the seams, but the miso soup and the shredded cabbage helped push everything down. That was probably the most filling meal I’ve had in Fukuoka. No wonder their name is literally, Legendary Star Rice Bowl.

I waddled back to the hotel with all my purchases. There, I fixed up everything and got my belongings ready for the flight back to Manila the next day. Huhuhuhu.

Day 5

I believe that a 10am check out is too early but that’s how it is in Japan. One minute more and you would have to pay for the entire next day. So we fixed up as fast as we could and checked out. Fortunately, the hotel was kind enough to let us leave our things for the day while we went out for some last minute jaunts.

First up was a return to Ichiran for some brunch. We waited a bit for it to open at 11:00 since we got there at around 10:30. The popular 24-hour Ichiran branch still had a very long queue so we estimated that we still saved some time by walking and waiting at this other branch.

This time, I pushed my boundaries for the spiciness of my Ramen and I was rewarded with a runny nose and some tears in my eyes. It was still tasty enough for me to order some kaedama though.

Our next destination was Reisen Park in the Nakasu area to attend the Fukuoka Pride. There were a lot of stalls and sponsor booths and it was a fun time. We were given loot bags with the area map as well as free pride water. It was unfortunately too hot so we couldn’t stay some more.

We returned to the Kawabata Shopping Arcade and I was able to score my favorite purchase for this trip, a Pink Sukajan. This wasn’t cheap but I will take care of it and make it last for the rest of my life. Going to the Handa store was one of my secondary goals for this trip so I was ecstatic to go here and see their beautiful Sukajan collection.

I can spend all day just walking around the Fukuoka area.

We wandered around until we reached a MOS Burger joint. There, we shared a burger and got some iced coffee. We already had MOS Burger in Manila, but I’m sorry to say that the OG stores in Japan have so much more variety in their menu.

This burger was simple but the cheese was so delicious along with the meaty patty. The iced coffee was also great.

We also dropped by a Muji where my companion bought a carry-on bag and I got a steel ruler. Then we went back to the hotel for some last-minute repacking. After that, it was off to the airport.

We spent most of the day in line at the departure counter. After checking in our bags and getting our boarding pass, the rest of the process was quick. We also had our final meal in Fukuoka at the pre-departure area.

The last supper.

Sora Terrace Kitchen served us some Gyudon and Chicken Karaage rice bowls. Again, the runny yolk was the star of this dish. The pickled ginger also helped keep the oily flavor at bay. A solid meal before returning to the Philippines.

Finally, it was time to board the airplane and say goodbye to Japan. Arigatou gozaimasu, Fukuoka!

Miscellaneous Thoughts

• Japan has perfected the balance between self-service and convenience. I love how everything that I need is available, but it is still up to me to do them. For example, in most restaurants, they don’t serve the food to your table, you have to get it from the counter and return it once you’re done. But everything else that you’d need is at your table. Water, tissues, sauces, chopsticks, toothpicks, etc. The staff are also very observant and are there to assist you if and when you need it. This is how a good system should work.
• I love riding the bus and the trains! The ticketing system is so satisfying and once you figure out the process, you’re no different from a local. I adore the money-changer in front of the bus. The sounds they make are so satisfying.
• The amount of money you can potentially burn in Japan for the most mundane and cute things is scary. Self-control is absolutely needed. Gacha machines are crazily addictive and they are EVERYWHERE.
• I’ve already said this before in previous Japan blog, but I love the bowing culture! I miss bowing when I’m in the Philippines. :(
• I would really like to return to Fukuoka in the future. There are still some places I haven’t been able to go to as well as explore the other prefectures beside it. Thankfully, the ticket prices are lower than for Tokyo and Osaka so my comeback might just be one seat sale away. :)
• I just love how efficient the public transportation is. And how un-car-dependent Japan is. Most of the cars are tiny. The streets are mostly safe and people can go to where they want to go comfortably. The trains and buses leave almost always on time. It’s so easy to commute. Sanaol.
• I will also miss the short bouts of silence in public transportation. Japan is not a quiet country, with the beeps of the traffic lights, music from the stores and the ambient sounds of the city. But when commuting on the bus or train, there is a pocket of silence where you can just be alone with your thoughts. I find these moments pleasurable. These are nowhere to be found in Manila where people use their phones on maximum volume without consideration for others.
• The amount of consideration that Japan has for the differently-abled is also great to see. They had a dedicated personnel would put ramps on the train to assist someone with a wheeled walker. This is why I can see so many old people out and about. All their needs are taken care of and the people in general are patient with them. This is admirable, considering that they only take up a small amount of the population but are still looked after well.
• Lastly, the temperature of Fukuoka is so nice. People can wear layers of fashion because of how cool it is. It can still get hot in the midday, but nowhere as hellish as Manila. I think that having this temperature ion the Philippines would improve the way of life greatly. Walking everywhere is possible when you’re not sweating after only a few minutes.

It’s crazy how big One Piece is in Japan. It makes sense, but it’s still crazy to me.

Shoutout to these two for providing me my breakfast fuel every day in Fukuoka. I will miss you most.

Going back to Manila always feels like a downgrade. The traffic outside the airport is terrible (as usual) and it was only because we arrived late at night that we were able to book a Grab.

Nevertheless, I will do my best to keep my personal space as Japan-like as possible. We can always control our immediate surroundings and our mind so I’ll just imagine that I am still in Fukuoka. I have even started to convert the prices here into Yen just to see how much they would cost in Japan.

Needless to say, I will be back. I am now entering the office with renewed vigor and energy. The goal is to work as hard and efficiently as I can in order to return to Japan as soon as possible.

That’s it for this one, it was a long read, but it was more for me than for you. If you’re still reading, thank you! Let’s go to Japan!

Toire wa doko desu ka?

-jgzn

P.S. Thanks to Ming for providing me with pictures and for coming with me on this adventure.