Fukuoka, Japan
If you’re looking for a cheaper holiday destination in Japan, then Fukuoka is probably one of the place you should be marking down. Its situated at the southern tip of the peninsula, on Kyushu Island. Due to its geographical location, Fukuoka is well known being a sea port city.
Fukuoka, Japan
Fukuoka City has a excellent weather a yearly average temperature of 16.3 °C. It’s also much less humid compared to Singapore, making it a perfect place just to walk about. Winter temperatures rarely drop below 0 °C while spring is warm and sunny. As of most prefectures in Japan, cherry blossoms will appear in late March or early April.
The time to avoid visting Fukuoka would be during June and July. Its the rainy season (tsuyu) then, and temperatures go beyond 30 °C. Many would recommend traveling there in Autumn, or Spring. I’d suggest avoiding Autumn though, as that’s also when the typhoon season is.
A good thing to note is that Fukuoka is only about a 6 hour plane journey from Singapore. Airfares aren’t too expensive either, ranging from S$400-S$500 for a round-trip. Hotels aren’t too expensive either. 4 star hotels start from about S$150 per night. After some research, I think the two value for money hotels would be Chisun Hotel, and Centraza Hakata Both aren’t the kind of luxurious living like Ritz, but are just as clean and fully furnished. Best of all, is that its located within walking distance to the train station, and some major landmarks.
Hotel Bedroom, Fukuoka
The main reason why I’ve decided to blog about Fukuoka is because of environment there. It’s actually a fully developed city, with extensive public transport networks, but yet it isn’t as busy as other major cities like Tokyo, Hong Kong, or even Singapore. Cost of living there is also relatively low compared to the capital. In fact Fukuoka city is ranked 16th in the 2009 “Worlds Most Livable Cities” by the Economist.
Before I talk about the attractions at Fukuoka, I must mention the abundant variety of seafood. I have to admit, I am a big sashimi fan, and if you’re one too, then Fukuoka cannot be missed. Reason being that this is a sea port, and hence fresh seafood is plentiful, and cheap!
Ramen, Street Stalls, Fukuoka
In addition Fukuoka is also famous for its ramen (Japanese Noodle Soup). In total, Fukuoka has more than 400 different ramen restaurants and shops, and almost 1,000 outdoor food stalls (locally known as yatai). Just like how I tell my friends who visit Hong Kong to skip the restaurants and go for the 大排档 (roadside stalls), I’d recommend the “Yatai” if you are looking for some authentic ramen in Fukuoka.
Cheap, and authentic!
So other than the seafood, below are two must tries when in Fukuoka city
- Karashii Mentaiko – hot and spicy pollock (type of fish) roe
- Fukuoka ramen – noodles in a tasty broth served with various toppings
Other than food, there are a few places of attractions you should visit in Fukuoka as well. Tenjin is said to be the center of Fukuoka city. In short, its equivalent to the Orchard Road in Singapore, shopper’s haven. Rainbow Plaza is one of the main shopping centres there. Nakasu on the other hand, is more for nightlife entertainment but the area tends to cater to the more affluent individual. There’s also a huge mall in Nakasu known as Canal City. (Singapore’s Ngee Ann City or Vivocity, is nothing compared to this)
Canal City, Fukuoka
If you’re into spas, then Shiyo Yu (Salt Onsen) is a must-try. Unlike most hot springs in Japan, Shiyo-yu uses salt water drawn from Karatsu bay in this onsen (hot spring) and boasts an excellent coastal view. Do note though its located on the outskirts of Fukuoka city, and the train ride there takes about an hour.
Maizuru Park, and Minami Park should be visited, if you’re there during the cherry blossom period, otherwise you may want to give this a miss.
Fukuoka Tower
One amazing architecture in Fukuoka, would be the Fukuoka Tower. It is the tallest coastal tower in Japan, boasting a height of 234m. There’s an observation deck, and a cafe / lounge just below it. An interesting fact though, is that the building consists of 8000 external mirrors. Here’s a quick thought. Assuming breaking one mirror gives you 7 years of bad luck, should the building come tumbling down, does that mean Japan would have 56,000 years of bad luck?
There’s actually an original Fukuoka tower prior to the one I mentioned. Its now known as the Hakata Port Tower, much shorter and older, but you may want to give it a go since it’s part of the city’s heritage.
Sky Dream, Fukuoka
Speaking of views and such, Fukuoka City also has its own Ferris wheel, known as the “Sky Dream”. Isn’t it a much cooler name than the “Singapore Flyer” ? Someone should feedback to STB about this. Each revolution takes about 20mins, and each ticket costs about S$12.50 (again, Singapore Flyer costs twice as much!)
There are many other places worth visiting in Fukuoka, so much so its impossible to cover in a blog post. For example, there are a number of ancient shrines within the city itself. Nevertheless, I hope this would entice you consider Fukuoka when you’re planning your next holiday.
Fukuoka is a different side of Japan, away from the hustle and bustle of the city. A place where you can enjoy, and indulge, yet without burning a hole in your pocket, or compromising on the comfort of living.
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