Kyushu between Fukuoka and Nagasaki in autumn 2024 (Japan) (page 2 of 5)

Gorgeous sashimi platter! Glad the trip went well, from what I can see here.

It was beautiful and delicious!

We were really happy with our stay in Northwest Kyushu—it offered so much variety.

Day 2 continuation - Fukuoka city

After our good meal, and since we’re at the station, we take the opportunity to explore the Deitos shopping arcade we spotted yesterday but was closed.



It’s mainly divided into two parts:

- A section dedicated to food, where you can find regional specialties (super practical for souvenir shopping) as well as everyday groceries (supermarket, takeaway stalls with different dishes like yakitori, rice, pastries, etc.).

- A smaller section with leather goods, tableware, and more.

Strolling through is a great way to discover local and seasonal products, like sweets made from sweet potatoes or mentaiko, which alone takes up a huge amount of shelf space. 60% of Japan’s production of this culinary specialty comes from Fukuoka (Hakata), so it’s a must-try!

During our stay, we even saw restaurants dedicated to this specialty that we’ll get to taste.

But what *is* mentaiko? Well, it’s cod or pollock roe—fully formed fish eggs. The eggs are salted, seasoned with spices like red pepper, and then fermented. The end result is an orange-pink color. Flavor-wise, it’s salty, spicy, and slightly sweet. It’s enjoyed in different forms—raw or as a side dish, for example.

This specialty from Fukuoka, particularly the Hakata district, actually originates from South Korea, specifically Busan, which is just a 3-hour ferry ride from Fukuoka. It was introduced to Japan by Korean immigrants starting in the 1950s. The Hakata area developed a variant called *Karashi Mentaiko*, made from cod roe marinated in chili sauce. It’s usually eaten with a bowl of rice.



There are also some surprising finds, like this face mask made from local strawberries (Ito Kingu strawberries, according to Google Translate).



We also love the delicate pastries, like this chick-shaped cake in autumn colors. It’s called *Autumn Hiyoko*—another Fukuoka specialty dating back to 1912. *Hiyoko* was the name of the cake’s creator.



There’s also a fish market inside the station. We got to see a 100 kg bluefin tuna caught that day in Uwajima, displayed for everyone to admire. It was quite the attraction!



Another culinary surprise was waiting just a few steps away.

A small crowd gathered in front of a supermarket caught our attention. We went over and found a bin full of wagyu. People kept stopping to look and grab some. We love wagyu, so we lingered to drool a little. We asked a woman where it was from—Kumamoto. Got it. I noticed a label I couldn’t read but saw the interest it sparked, so I wondered if it was on sale. I asked the nearby staff, and she confirmed it was a promo. Good to know! She added it was only for today and not guaranteed for other days. Well, okay then—we’ll take some today. It’ll cost less than at a yakiniku restaurant. We opted for ribeye at 3000 yen instead of the usual 3300 yen, roughly 19.60 €.

But at checkout (our basket had other items too), we paid without thinking much about the total. A few moments later, we thought, *Hmm, that seems off*—I think the cashier made a mistake. We checked the receipt and got a nice surprise: there was a promo on top of the promo, bringing the ribeye down to 1500 yen instead of 3000 yen. What a great start to the trip!



At the supermarket, the impressive selection of miso sauces always amazes me. Here’s a small preview.



The stroll continues. In the center, there’s a pleasant green relaxation area and even a kind of lottery. Many Japanese people were queuing with a ticket to spin a wheel. I don’t know what the prize was, but it seemed like a fun little event.



Don’t forget the bakery corner with French touches—Breton, even...



After this stroll, we spent a good chunk of time on our usual Japan arrival ritual: hunting for Japanese liposomal vitamin C. We’d already scoped out some "shops"—usually medical clinics. For this, we asked the tourist office to help us locate one in Fukuoka. Then we headed to what seemed like the easiest spot. Normally, it’s no problem, but this time it was trickier. We relied on the friendly help of everyone we met along the way. After two clinics that didn’t have it, another trip to the tourist office, and a bit of a maze-like walk through a Uniqlo store, we finally reached Raffles Medical Clinic, located in the Kitte building accessible from the other side of the station.

Though the staff seemed both surprised and a bit concerned to see two Westerners show up, we were welcomed (with that lovely, gentle service) by two young women, later joined by a third, not counting the receptionist, to help us get the product we wanted. It was displayed in a small locked case at the reception, so it wasn’t hard to make ourselves understood. Since both the wagyu and the vitamin C needed to stay chilled, we headed back to the apartment.

More of the day’s adventures in the next post.

And thanks for reading and participating!

At least the bakery is correctly written in French. I noticed that some shops trying to sound French have literally translated their names, which results in some pretty surprising ones.

Otherwise, we also came across this Breton specialty:

Thanks for sharing, I’m really enjoying this travel journal.

I’d noticed that some shops trying to sound French end up with some pretty surprising names from literal translations.

That’s what we call Franglais—but in this case, *franponais*! There are *tons* of examples, and some are just hilarious. There are even books dedicated to it.

At least for the bakery, it's correctly written in French. I noticed that some shops trying to sound French have literally translated names, which results in some pretty surprising ones.

Otherwise, we also came across this Breton specialty:



Yeah, indeed—examples of *franponais* (Franglais) can be found just about everywhere. The same thing exists in some African countries too.

I noticed that some shops trying to sound French had to translate literally, which results in some pretty surprising names.

That’s what we call Franglais. There are plenty of examples, and they can be quite amusing... There are even books dedicated to it.

Do you have any book titles to share?

The *Anthologie du franponais* volumes 1 and 2 Not easy to find. Looks like volume 2 is available second-hand on Rakuten for cheap…

I noticed that some shops trying to be French translated things literally, which led to some pretty surprising names.

It’s not just shops—clothes, accessories, decor, etc., too. I actually have a little collection of *franponais* clothes. My favorite piece? A sweatshirt that says "Have some parsley. Make mistakes, but make them with enthusiasm."😂

Thanks for the clarification! Thanks also to BeneFukuoka and Nathalie971

End of Day 2 - Fukuoka City

After dropping off our things, we head out for a walk. As is typical when visiting Fukuoka, we make our way to a famous shopping center.

To get there, we have to go back through the station. At that moment, I spot a treat I particularly love—a daifuku mochi. I step closer to take a look, and just then, one of the vendors is putting up a sign saying "everything 50% off." Perfect timing for a little sweet snack.

When the sign goes up, a crowd rushes toward the small shop. I figure there won’t be much left in no time.

On the other side of the station is actually the main entrance, with "Hakata Station" written in large letters.



It’s around 6 PM. It’s dark and mild—really pleasant. On the street we’re walking down, I notice, for the first time on any of my trips, benches installed on the sidewalk along with flowers. It’s a nice touch to brighten things up. We take advantage of these rare benches to quietly enjoy our sweet snack.

A little later, at an intersection, I’m unsure which way to go.

I take the opportunity while waiting at a crosswalk to ask a young man who doesn’t react. Fortunately, one of his friends hears me. These guys are part of a small group of coworkers who are already a little tipsy. Two of them take my request seriously and look it up online because the name "Canal City" doesn’t seem familiar to them. Surprising. They point us to a street on the right. At the sound of the crosswalk signal, we move forward and part ways with a wave.

Five minutes later, we hear a noise. We turn around—it’s the two young men running after us, laughing. *Gomen nasai*, it’s not the right way. Follow us, we’ll show you. *Ok, daisobu desu.* They had passed a sign for the shopping center and realized they’d given us the wrong directions, so they rushed to catch up and let us know. A kind gesture that, while no longer surprising, still impresses us with its spontaneity and how often it happens. Chatting a bit, we learn they’d gone for drinks together after work and had some beer. They work in the area.

After the usual thanks and goodbyes, we continue on and enter Canal City shopping center. It’s a mall we’ll especially remember for its unique, colorful curved architecture, where you can enjoy a free water and light show that’s pretty cool.



There’s also a floor dedicated to ramen. We have some, along with slices of pork. Tasty and cheap.





There’s also a movie theater.

And the last thing that caught our curiosity: photo booths for teenagers. An entire space dedicated to beautifying photobooths, very girly.



We then leave the shopping center to stroll along the canal. Right in front of the mall, there’s a food truck area with lots of dining options. It’s popular with young Japanese people.



Not far from there, there are also the famous *yatai*, mobile food stalls. The vibe is busy—lots of people, touts... It felt like a tourist trap to me. We won’t eat there today or any other day.

We then walk through a livelier, more festive neighborhood: Nakasu. A few neon lights and big screens, lots of young people, bars—basically a nightlife hub.



To get back to our place, we take the canal, where a peaceful calm reigns.

We’ll notice several times during the trip that it’s not just the Chinese who do construction at night—Japanese construction workers do too.

The Tenjin district is also lively and decorated with Christmas lights.



We stop at a Don Quijote store that’s open 24/7. Despite the late hour, it’s packed. You’d better not be claustrophobic if you want to shop at Don Quijote—just a heads-up. On the other hand, you can find a huge variety of products, from dishes to cosmetics, clothes, and even pharmacy items...

At midnight, there are still people shopping at the supermarket. We take advantage of it too. While using the restroom, a poster catches my eye: *Stop taking upskirt photos!*



Tenjin is also full of *yatai* scattered in different streets, which seem more local and less like tourist traps.

Good to know: the restrooms in convenience stores (*konbini*) in nightlife areas are often closed at night.

The walk back to the apartment is a bit long since it’s a bit out of the way, but it’s really nice to walk through the streets in complete peace.

End of the day—or should I say, night...

Next up: Itoshima.

Day 3 - Itoshima

Early in the morning, we pick up the car we reserved for two weeks. Everything goes very smoothly, even though I’d say the welcome was quite cold. New development: the GPS doesn’t work with the phone number (no luck, it’s the second time this has happened), but good news—Google search is integrated. It’ll be super easy to use and really handy, especially when you want to change plans but don’t have internet and thus no phone number.

The plan for the day is to visit a few spots in the city of Itoshima, about an hour away. To get there, we need to leave Fukuoka. The drive gives us a better sense of how sprawling the city is. However, traffic isn’t heavy, so it’s manageable, though there are still quite a few red lights.

Once out of Fukuoka, the road is really pleasant, with the sea on the right and the forest on the left at times. Plus, the weather is sunny, which makes the scenery even more enjoyable.



Itoshima is actually quite spread out, and the different spots we want to see are scattered around. I’d say a car is recommended to make the most of it. Our first stop of the day is a temple, and the last stretch to get there is on a winding mountain road that exudes tranquility. We’re the second car there—no crowds yet.

Here we are at the Buddhist temple Raizan Sennyo-ji Daihōin. It’s located at nearly 1000 meters above sea level on the slope of Mount Raiyama. It’s said to have been founded by a monk from India in 178, but the current temple was only established in the mid-18th century to pray for good fortune and ward off bad luck, among other things. The visit was free.



As soon as we enter the temple, we’re struck by the beauty of the magnificent and impressive 400-year-old maple tree. We don’t get to see it with its reddening leaves, but even fully green, the tree is stunning. It radiates an incredible sense of zen. You just want to lie down under it and soak up its calming benefits.



We continue the visit, which includes several small temples, a garden of stone pilgrim statues, and a staircase leading to the inner temple. We won’t be going inside for that.









Even though it’s still a bit early for *koyo* (30/10), there are already a few red patches here and there, giving a very pleasant autumnal vibe.



Plus, we enjoy a visit with very few other visitors, even though we notice the parking lot fills up by the time we leave. We really loved this visit—the charm of temples tucked away in the Japanese mountains is not to be missed.

Day 3 follow-up - Itoshima

We get back in the car and head this time to Shiraito Falls, which we reach easily in 30 minutes with a photo stop for some lovely rice fields in the countryside.

Although we had the turn-off and had to make a U-turn on a very narrow mountain road that wasn’t busy, the waterfall is easily accessible. There are several parking lots. In front of the falls, a few restaurants serve noodles (nagashi somen) and grilled fish, among other things. The waterfall is 24 meters high and has a nice flow. The closer you get, the more water droplets spray your face. Refreshing!

You can also fish by renting equipment.







After this pleasant visit, we get back in the car to go to a nearby café I’d spotted on Google Maps. Everything here is written in Japanese, but it’s busy, and we quickly understand why—rightly so. From what I’d seen, I thought we could grab a drink on a platform extending into nature with a panoramic view. But an even more interesting adventure awaits us. We order some homemade quiches, desserts, and drinks. I have to say, it took us a while to figure out what to do since everything is in Japanese. We see folding chairs and hammocks in a locker but don’t see anyone using them on the terrace. Then, after a few minutes of confusion, we realize we’re supposed to take a chair or hammock each and head into the forest with it.



While my partner waits for our food, I’m tasked with setting up our spot. I take the dirt path, which is steep and has no visibility. Then, surprise—there are wooden terraces scattered throughout the forest where you can settle in. They’re at different tree levels. I choose one that’s more secluded but requires more effort to reach because you have to go down and then back up. The hammocks aren’t light, but I make it up there. What a place! I think the concept is incredibly cool. You sway with the trees and the wind. A real recharge! My companion discovers the spot later. He first has to find me before sharing my enthusiasm for this amazing place.

We enjoy a forest bath accompanied by treats served in a pretty wicker basket. The food is good. We especially loved the shiso and ginger drinks, as well as the sweet potato cake.

Nice, the snack in the trees!

Nice, the snack in the trees.

When the wind made the trees sway, we felt so small.

So many amazing experiences—thanks for sharing!

Day 3 wrap-up – Itoshima

Even though the forest café is perfect for endless relaxation, we leave the spot. Our goal is to see a bridge. We head that way, but our GPS takes us onto a mountain road where nature has reclaimed its space. Worried about the rental car, we decide to turn back and give up on the bridge idea.

We head to Hakoshima Shrine, a tiny sanctuary island. There’s no designated parking, but luckily, there’s a spot right in front of a house. The entrance is super discreet, but the place is really cute. The island is super small—you just cross the torii marking its entrance,



...climb up a tiny bit, and boom—you’re right in front of the altar.

While the altar itself isn’t anything special, the view of the sea and the long adjacent beach through the pine trees is lovely.



We make a quick stop at Keya Beach, but the weather’s not cooperating—it’s pretty windy and less sunny, so we don’t linger. Next up: Totoro Forest. It’s not the one that inspired the director but rather a nickname. The wind hits the forest from all sides, forcing the trees to grow in a dome shape, which supposedly resembles the forest in *My Neighbor Totoro*. Either way, it’s *windy*. We soak up some seriously fresh sea air. The nature here is wilder, with the black, volcanic look of the pebble beach.



It’s a bit of a climb to enter the forest, which forms a tunnel before opening up to a small platform with a clear view of the sea.



To wrap up the day, we head to Futamigaura Beach, a famous Instagram spot for its floating torii and the "married rocks." It’s touristy—all the parking lots are paid. Still, the place is stunning, especially at sunset. It’s so peaceful.



On the way back, we stop at a little shop we spotted earlier. It’s a café-store offering food and local products. We pick up some freshly grated wasabi and small farm-fresh milk creams.



The afternoon’s winding down. We’ve got about a 1.5-hour drive back to Fukuoka. We’ll grab an early dinner on the road before heading back to the apartment.

We really loved Itoshima and would love to come back to explore even more. It’s vast and packed with breathtaking natural spots.

Thanks for this refreshing travel story. I was in Japan around the same time as you, but not on the same island!

Day 4 - Ukiha

Today, we headed to the town of Ukiha, which is in Fukuoka Prefecture but not far from Oita Prefecture. We chose not to take the highways, but that day, the journey felt quite long. While it's true that the speed limit is low, the straight roads combined with numerous traffic lights reinforced that feeling of slowness. But what stood out the most was the "gloominess" of the towns we passed through, amplified by a very gray sky that day. There was a lot of urbanization without any harmony, little greenery, and lots of wires. It felt like we were driving through dull suburban towns rather than countryside villages.

A few images all the same:

of a patch of countryside,



and of a bus stop



Arriving in Ukiha, we felt, all things considered, the same disappointment. We thought we’d find a charming little town, but it seemed rather ordinary.

The small area with a few shopping streets isn’t very extensive. A few streets, including one on a road heavily used by drivers. The streets are empty or nearly so. Most shops are closed. This makes me think it might be more interesting to visit on a weekend than on a weekday. Maybe with more activity, the town would have seemed more pleasant.

We tried to find the tourist office but without GPS, it was a bit difficult. A Korean person we asked for help on the street gave us some directions. She had spent a night in the town. When we asked what she thought of it, after a brief moment of reflection, she replied: "It’s small, but it’s okay." Well, clearly, she wasn’t blown away either.

We continued but couldn’t find it. I had my doubts and asked a man who was repairing something near a door. The Korean person had mentioned turning near the hospital, so I asked for directions to the hospital. The Japanese man gave us some instructions, but he saw we weren’t entirely clear, so thinking we were sick, he asked us to wait and came back with his bag to accompany us. Worried about wasting his time, I explained that we weren’t sick and re-explained what we were looking for. We eventually understood each other, and luckily, because we had to turn back. Still, it was a nice opportunity to chat a bit more. This pleasant exchange brought a little sunshine to our visit. We continued on our way, exploring the other small streets, which were just as deserted but cuter.



We gave up on finding the tourist office and visited a shop selling glassware. It was very pretty, but the prices were steep—bordering on exorbitant—due to our lack of knowledge about the average cost of this kind of handcrafted work.

For a little anecdote, the shop door was closed when we entered. There was no one inside, but the saleswoman came in through the same door right after us. We had seen her just before entering—she was getting on her bike. We thought the shop was closed and that she had come back because she saw us. We didn’t realize it was closed; otherwise, we wouldn’t have gone in. But once again, it was a chance to appreciate the Japanese delicacy that refrains from any harsh or unpleasant remarks to say the shop is closed... no, nothing at all, not a word—just a smile and a warm Japanese welcome.

We decided to return to the car, which was parked in the lot of a drugstore. A quick stop at the restroom before hitting the road again. The restrooms were outside the store. When I came out, my companion was deep in conversation with one of the cashiers. He was 20 years old and from Hiroshima, which, according to him, is the most beautiful city in Japan. He’d like to visit Italy someday...

We got back on the road, and in less than 10 minutes, we reached the entrance to Ukiha Inari Shrine. There’s a climbing path with 91 torii gates and a clear view of the valley. It’s really nice, and on top of that, there were very few people. We only crossed paths with four people. Behind the shrine, there’s also a bamboo forest and several walking trails. We wanted to take another path to go back down to the car, but it was inaccessible.