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The original was posted on /r/japantravel by /u/sirotan88 on 2024-12-02 18:26:46+00:00.
This is our 3rd time to Japan but first time visiting Kyushu! The focus of our trip was shopping and eating, and one night at a ryokan. I loved that Fukuoka and Kumamoto are not as crowded or big as Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka, and it’s easier to find your way around by bus or train. Surprisingly, a lot of people spoke a bit of english and many restaurants had English translated menus. My favorite part was how festive everything is! We happened to go to multiple Christmas markets, and all the malls are decked out in winter decorations.
Hope this trips report helps anyone planning to travel to Fukuoka or Kumamoto. Feel free to ask any questions!
Day 1 (Fukuoka, Hakata)
- Arrived in Fukuoka Airport in the evening and took the bus into the city
- Explored Hakata Station which has a lot of underground food courts, as well as several department stores (Hands, Hankyu, AMU) and shops all interconnected by the station.
- Spent time at the Christmas Market which was right in the outdoor plaza by Hakata Station. Caught a live opera solo performance on stage.
- Stayed in ANA Crowne Plaza which is about 5 minutes walking from Hakata Station.
Day 2 (Ohori Park, Tenjin, Canal City)
- Visited Ohori Park and the Fukuoka Art Museum (we went in mainly because it was raining, otherwise might have skipped it and explored or biked around the park). After the rain stopped we walked around the Fukuoka Castle Ruins. There were many birds at the park!
- Went to Bayside Place and had sushi at Hakata Toyoichi. We got the to-go option where you pick up a plastic box and fill it up with nigiri from a buffet-like set up. Also checked out the mini aquarium fish tank inside one of the buildings, which was quite nice. (Originally wanted to take the ferry to an island but due to rain we skipped it.)
- Spent the afternoon shopping around Tenjin Underground Mall. The underground mall has a European vibe, and is even more beautiful during Christmas season. We shopped at Muji, Uniqlo, Daiso, Mitsokushi.
- Got soufflé pancake from A Happy Pancake Fukuoka Tenjin store. It’s a bit hidden as its entrance is a hole in the wall stairwell. Very nice spot to rest, away from the hustle and bustle.
- Went to Canal City and shopped at Snow Peak inside Alpen Fukuoka (it’s like REI in the US, but even bigger)
- Omakase at Hakata Sushi Matsumoto. We got the special weekday omakase which was the cheapest option (around $60) which is a steal… booked in advance through Tabelog
- Christmas Market “Forest” next to Fukuoka City Hall. It’s so magical with all the picnic tables set up under the fairy lights and trees, but we only walked through it since it was raining pretty heavily
- Canal City Fountain Show. Really cool design of fountains and light projections. There is one Gundam show, and the second show has a Christmas story.
- Late night snack at Yakitori Hachibei in the underground of Hakata Station, and had a honey lemon sour
Day 3 (More shopping, Asakura)
- Shopped at Maru-Take Kitchen Supplies for some sake cups, and walked around the Yanagibashi Rengo Market which is a small traditional food market. We had tuna donburi at one of the food stalls but the portions were quite small and pricey. (Probably better value to just eat tuna sashimi from a supermarket.)
- Ramen Stadium at Canal City. The ramen was good but nothing super special. We passed a tempura restaurant that looked really good.. wish we went for that instead
- Returned to Hakata Station for more shopping in the lower level food shopping areas. Tried Daimyo Soft Cream ice cream.
- Took a bus to Asakura for our stay at a traditional ryokan and onsen. Felt amazing to soak in the onsens after so much walking. They served Kaiseki dinner in our tatami room, the service was really great and food very satisfying.
Day 4 (Kumamoto)
- Took the train from Asakura to Kumamoto. Always love traveling by train in Japan!
- Had conveyer belt sushi at Sushi Restaurant Mekkemon which was one of the best meals of the trip. The sushi just kept coming (you can take it from the conveyer belt or order on an iPad). We ordered all kinds of premium stuff like tuna, sweet shrimp, uni, scallops… and it was super affordable and delicious
- Shopping at AMU Plaza. It has a really beautiful atrium with a multiple-story waterfall and waterscaping, and many indoor trees and plants
- Visited Kumamoto Castle. The park is quite beautiful and you can go inside the reconstructed castle. However all the exhibits labels are Japanese (they provide QR code for translated text, but personally I recommend using Google Translate’s camera option). It got pretty crowded and stuffy inside so I recommend going early in the morning.
- Got Tofu Skin Ice Cream at one of the shops in Sakura no baba Josaien near the entrance of the castle
- Shopping at Sakura Machi mall. We went to the upper roof garden as well which has a view of Kumamoto Castle in the distance.
- Walking and shopping around Shimotori Shopping Arcade a large covered shopping street
- We got turned away from a few restaurants in the area (busy Saturday night) so we returned to AMU Plaza. The 7F has a bunch of restaurant options along with window displays and menus to help you decide what to eat, and waiting lists, so we decided to try a yakitori restaurant. It turned out pretty good!
- Walked around Kumamoto Station Christmas Market and enjoyed some hot chocolate brandy and live music
- Stayed at The Blossom Kumamoto, it’s a fancy new hotel with beautiful indoor/outdoor architecture. There’s also a modern style public onsen for hotel guests.
Day 5
- Had breakfast buffet at The Blossom before taking the bus to Kumamoto Airport
- At the airport we did some shopping for snacks to bring back home
Overall it was a really awesome trip and we returned with our suitcases and bellies full. 5 days (more like 4 and a half) were definitely not long enough to slow down and enjoy Kyushu, and I know we missed a lot of the major attractions. We loved both Fukuoka and Kumamoto, and would likely come back to see more of the nature and cultural attractions in the future and try to make it to Kurozawa Onsen and Mt Aso.
Tips:
- Lots of places are still cash only.
- Get Suica on Apple Wallet so you can just tap your phone for bus or subway
- You can buy an eSIM (eg Ubigi) before the trip (it’s more expensive than getting a SIM in Japan but worth it for the convenience)
- Bring your passport with you for Tax Free shopping
- We walked a lot (4-10 miles per day), my shoe actually got a hole in it mid-trip so I bought a new pair… bring sturdy and comfortable shoes!
- Use Google Translate’s camera feature to translate signs and menus
- Always check out vending machines for interesting drinks. My favorites were almond milk tea and a hot maple latte.
- It’s surprisingly annoying figuring out how to flush the toilet (could be a button/multiple buttons on the bidet control board, a separate button above or next to the control board, a traditional flush handle but it’s hidden behind the toilet seat, automatic flush, motion sensor/hand wave to flush). But at least every toilet is very clean and well maintained