Fukuoka City | Hello from the Five Star Vagabond

Fukuoka Kyushu Island Japan

November 12, 2016 by David Herd

Sushizanmai

Fukuoka Kyushu Island Japan

Fukuoka Kyushu Island Japan was the sixth & last stop in my 2 week Shinkansen (Bullet train) adventure. I wasn’t sure what to expect of the city, but I’m glad to say I was very impressed. The Yatai (pop up restaurants) were excellent as was the Fukuoka Tower. I found some excellent restaurants including my favourite sushi franchise, Sushizanmai. To top it off my hotel was right next to Tenjin station which was a great location. I would certainly recomend the hotel Ascent, for a very good discount just book through THIS LINK.

Fabulous sushi

Sushizanmai never dissapoints, even though my favourite location is their Tsujiki branch I have also enjoyed Shinjuku & Osaka brances. My following video has been seen over 60,000 times on YouTube.

Fantastic chaotic Sushi restaurant in Tokyo.

Watch this video on YouTube

Bar Kitchen Fukuoka

Bar kitchen is 0nly a 4 minutes walk from my hotel this amazing bar is very impressive indeed. They stock about 1200 whiskeys & bourbon & the owner Tomoyuki Oka is very friendly and welcoming. I was drinking my normal Jack Daniel’s at 1200 yen a shot, this is about double what I pay in Thailand however the atmosphere more than made up for it.

Fukuoka Kyushu Island Japan

Here is Marilyn in her familiar pose, sixty two years ago, on 15 September, 1954, Marilyn Monroe stood on a subway grate in New York City wearing a little white dress and fought an upward breeze. The scene from the Seven Year Itch, went on to become one of the most iconic moments in movie history.

Naka river fukuoka

Plenty of life & action around the river at night, with the main focus Nakasu entertainment district.

Hotel Ascent

Hotel Ascent is in a perfect location for exploring the city, & it is adjacent to Tenjin station. For a very good discount just book through THIS LINK.

Currently a Japanese rail pass can only be purchased outside the country however from March 8th 2017 selected Japanese stations will sell them at a more expensive price.

As of January 2017 $100 usd = 11,695 Yen.

Specialising in Gyoza

Down a narrow winding staircase close to my hotel was a fabulous little restaurant serving excellent Gyoza, I went there on two occasions in 3 days. 🙂

Gyoza steamed or fried

Naturally I sampled both & leaned slightly toward the fried. Cost per plate about $6 aud.

Fukuoka Kyushu Island Japan, gyoza restaurant.

One of my favourite Fukuoka photos, I’ve name it “Only the Lonely”.

Yatai or sidewalk restaurants

Yatai Fukuoka sidewalk restaurants are really tiny “pop up” sidewalk restaurants that disappear by the morning. There are around 150 Yatai all across the city, however most are in and around Tenjin and Nakasu.

Craving a change of cuisine

As much as I love Japanese food after 2 weeks I was craving a change. The fabulous pizza is a speciality at Gorm’s, part of a Danish restaurant chain, opened 2014 in Nagasaki & shortly after in Fukuoka.

Gorm’s is very stylish

I dined in the Nagasaki branch 3 days before & was disappointed in my risotto. My friends however both had pizzas one was the seafood & mozzarella pictured above. After trying a piece of my friends I was hooked, it was sooo good. Consequently when I discovered they had a branch in Fukuoka I couldn’t wait to have a whole one to myself.

Ōhori Park

Ohori in Japanese means moat, thee large lake in the middle of the park was originally part of the moat system for the neighbouring Fukuoka Castle.

Canal City food court

Canal City is a fairly average shopping mall with a number of restaurants in the basement, for lunch I chose some premium beef washed down with a cold beer.