The Calm of Fukuoka
When you think of Japan, you tend to think of the popular cities of Tokyo or Osaka. But who could blame you, these are the top two largest metropolitan areas in Japan and they both have a psychedelic tapestry that continues to attract tourists. Despite this, there are so many other lesser-known locations in Japan that have its own magic. One of these lesser-known locations includes Fukuoka, Japan. Because I had a few days free and was looking to discover a more unknown area, I decided to book my plane ticket for Fukuoka. The following is a general recap of the calming yet intriguing experience I had while visiting Fukuoka.
I first started off on this journey flying from the Daegu International Airport. Since my flight left late in the day, I decided to handle some chores around the house before packing and setting out for the airport. Trying to take care of so many chores before taking that flight, I ended up arriving to the airport 2 minutes before my airline closed check-in—whew! After swiftly passing through TSA and securing my location in the line for onboarding the plane, I noticed one thing. There were so many young Koreans waiting in line with me! Thinking to myself I wondered, was this a popular destination point for Koreans? The answer is yes. Many young Koreans love to go to Fukuoka because of it close proximity to South Korea (it only being a 45-minute flight from Daegu.) In fact, most of the tourists that I saw in Fukuoka were Korean.
Ramen at Ichiran Hakata Sun Plaza Undergound
Fukuoka has quite a few attractions located in different areas of the city, but because interest in Fukuoka is lower among travelers, these areas are a dream to visit and navigate throughout. As we all are aware of, Japan is renowned for its delicious Ramen, and Fukuoka is no different. One famous Ramen chain in Japan includes Ichiran Hakata Sun Plaza Underground. This chain is famous because it offers customers the ability to customize the texture of their Ramen as well as the specific flavors they wish to include. Also, this restaurant is unique because of its booths where customers can individually enjoy their meal. There are a couple of locations in Fukuoka, but the one I visited is the Ichiran Hakata Sun Plaza Underground. As the name suggests, it is indeed located underground and upon arrival you more than likely will have to wait in a short line. But don’t worry, this line moves pretty fast. Once you get inside, there will be a casino-styled machine where you will select what menu item you want. Then, the waiter near the door will hand you a paper where you select how you want your meal served (you’ll need a pencil or pen for this.) After being guided to your booth, you’ll hand over the paper to the waiter on the other side of the veil that is separating the kitchen from your booth. And from there you can start anticipating the fast arrival of your Ramen! Although there are many Ramen spots around town, I would recommend dinning here at least once during your visit!
Ohori Park is another attraction that garners a smaller crowd. This park is expansive and includes a more than 2-kilometer jogging track that circles a large pond. The park also features a traditional Japanese Zen Garden. It is located in the Chuo Ward of Fukuoka and is very easy to locate. One the most popular, and instagramable areas of the park is the hexagonal red pavilion that connects to one of the islands of Ohori Park. It’s very simplistic in its beauty and there are a few people who hurry on and off the pavilion for their own pictures. It is very easy to get a personal photo of yourself here sans other tourists, you just have to be patient for a few minutes!
Me sitting in the Pavilion located in Ohori Park
The Reclining Buddha at Nanzoin Temple
The Reclining Buddha is also quite a feat to see while in Fukuoka. The first modern Reclining Buddha is located inside the Wat Pho Temple in Thailand and is made of pure gold. On the contrary, the Reclining Buddha in Fukuoka is located in the mountains in the Nanzoin Temple. It is the world’s largest bronze Reclining Buddha and is possibly the world’s biggest bronze statue. Not including those visitors who participate in the Sasaguri Pilgrimage, there is relatively a small number of crowds that visit this lesser-known worldwide wonder. This is good for us as visitors because we can enjoy a nice walk on the temple grounds and capture the image of the statue with ease. You can get to the Nanzoin Temple from the Kido Nanzoin-mae Station on the JR Sasaguri Line. I got there by taking an express train from Hakata Station. But remember to get to the temple early; it is only open to the public from 9am to 5pm and there is a slight hike to see the Reclining Buddha!
The Kazari Yamakasa Stationary Float at Kushida Shrine
Shrines seem to be around every corner of the city. One day while I was walking to find a shrine that I had on my “to-visit” list, I stumbled upon the Tochoji Temple. Coming across historical sites by accident is always a pleasant surprise, and I of course had to stop to explore. Tochoji Temple has the biggest wooden statue of Buddha placed on a pedestal in Japan. Another shrine I visited was the Kushida Shrine, which is home to the highly recognizable Kazari Yamakasa stationary festival float. This float is decorated according to the theme of samurai warriors inspired by anime and Japanese fairy tales. In addition, there is a festival held in February each year called the Setsubun Taisai Festival. In welcoming the festival, there is a huge otabuku mask that is placed on the tori gate in front of the shrine’s main entrance. Although I visited Kushida Shrine too late in February to see this mask, passing through this mask is said to bring good luck! So, when visiting Fukuoka, be sure to visit a few of the beautifully unique shrines.
If you are looking to visit Japan in the future, please don’t be afraid to visit other lesser-known cities. I plan to make multiple visits to Japan in the near future, and I hope to discover other less popular areas like Fukuoka. Fukuoka certainly has all the wonderful traditional attractions of any other Japanese city but with a much calmer vibe.
Thanks for reading! Where would you like to visit in Japan? Let me know below!
Once I got notified that I would be teaching English in South Korea, the next big decision to make would be to decide where I would be living in South Korea. Historically, many foreigners interested in traveling here are primarily concerned with living in Seoul. In fact, many people who are even somewhat familiar with South Korea are often times only aware of Seoul.