LOCALS ARTICLES

Kyushu Olle, To Munakata Oshima Island: A trip to the sea and mountains to experience a special world heritage site even before your walk.

The Munakata Oshima Island Course is where you can enjoy a special journey even before you start walking. In addition to it’s being an isolated island, it is also a land of faith that constitutes the world heritage site“Sacred Island of Okinoshima and Associated Sites in the Munakata Region.” During your visit, you can pray the Sacred Island Okinoshima from afar, depending on the weather. As you follow the island's history to Nakatsu-miya, Okitsu-miya Yohaisho, and the remains of the Houdai Ato Battery, you will also be able to enjoy the sea and mountains.

Featuring Tourist Attractions Throughout The Prefecture②

As the largest city in Kyushu and one of the oldest in Japan, Fukuoka abounds with outdoor activities, traditional handicrafts, and an exuberant food culture.

Featuring Tourist Attractions Throughout The Prefecture①

Welcome to Fukuoka, a prefecture in northern Kyushu, abounding with outdoor activities, traditional handicrafts, and a food culture that’s entirely its own!

Culture and Heritage

In the rural south of Fukuoka prefecture, Yame is a historical city that offers a rich taste of Fukuoka’s traditional crafts and culture, featuring the famous Yame tea. This area has long prospered thanks to its natural resources of abundant water and fertile soil. As an important transport hub between Bungo and Chikugo, Yame was a lively town where merchants built their houses and artisans set up their workshops.

History Through the Eyes of a Samurai

The city of Yanagawa was made for exploring. Nicknamed the "Venice of Kyushu" for its hundreds of kilometers of canals and the many small boats steered by boatmen that traverse them, it is one of Japan's most picturesque cities.

Traditional, Sustainable Products and You

Fukuoka is home to two of Japan's most beloved forms of traditional handicrafts: Koishiwarayaki pottery and Kurume Kasuri textiles. Join us as we explore the origins of these two beautiful and centuries-old crafts in the beautiful towns and villages of Fukuoka Prefecture, located in the northern part of Kyushu Island in western Japan.

Expand Your Sense of Wonder

Get your outdoor gear ready because we’re about to head deep into Fukuoka’s bountiful landscape for some unrestricted nature-loving fun and adventure! This edition of our Fukuoka visit is about appreciating the bounty of the region’s mountainous and coastal landscapes, as well as local community efforts to preserve them.

Culture Through Food

Fukuoka prefecture has long been considered a gourmet destination for food lovers. From coastlines abundant with delicious seafood to the prefecture’s optimal green tea growing environments, there is much to titillate a foodie’s appetite, including hands-on experiences and a little adventure. Follow us on our journey through Fukuoka prefecture for a culinary discovery of the southern green tea region of Yame and northward for a fishing boat excursion in Kitakyushu.

A Mindful Moment

Lace up your trekking shoes on this fine weather day and join us for a scenic hike around the island of Oshima, located 7 kilometers off the northwestern coast of Fukuoka prefecture.

Visiting the origin of Kurume Tonkotsu Ramen, one of Fukuoka’s most well-known specialty dishes

Tonkotsu ramen – a particularly popular dish, both in Japan and abroad, even when compared to the many other fine specialty dishes that Fukuoka has to offer; A close look into the ramen culture of Kurume, the town where tonkotsu ramen developed.

Blossoms that Charm Viewers Across Time and Borders

Cherry blossoms announce the arrival of spring. When and why did these blossoms capture the hearts of the Japanese people? Let’s take a close look into the history and appeal of cherry blossom viewing, a custom of inspired by these alluring blossoms.

Connecting with others through nothing but toys

An interview with Shintaro Segawa, owner of YAMABIKO YA; A close look at what drew him into the charms of local toys and the connections people have made through him

Admiring the Best Scenery that Nature Has to Offer in Itoshima

A Luxurious and Historical Getaway at Yame and Chikugo in Fukuoka

Luxury accommodations, world-class tea, spiritual experiences, and hands-on craft workshops are the ingredients in Yame and Chikugo City’s recipe to rejuvenate your body and soul.

Fukuoka Prefecture, Kyushu’s Architecture Wonderland

Fukuoka’s bustling art and architecture scene can be traced back to its strategic coastal position as Japan’s prime gateway for commerce with Asia and the West since the beginning of the 20th century. As Kyushu’s largest city, far from Tokyo and Osaka, Fukuoka radiates its own strength as a prime destination for design and architecture lovers through its visionary approach to urban planning.

A Human Connection Through Everlasting Coffee Tools

What’s the secret behind this small coastal town that has slowly become a rising star among the world’s small cities? This small revolution is where a top Apple engineer switched from transient mobile technology to everlasting barista tools.

Ukiha, The Charming Spell Of The Countryside

Surrounded by the Mino Mountain range, Ukiha City is a prime destination for nature lovers. Its beautiful landscapes, a rich architectural heritage since the 17th century, a river promenade lined with 2 km of cherry blossoms, an interesting shrine with stunning views, and charming cafes offering the best traditional Japanese cuisine make Ukiha a true hidden gem of the southeastern part of Fukuoka Prefecture.

The World's Best Sushi and Unique Food Experiences Await You in Fukuoka

In Japan, it's no easy feat to stand out from the crowd based on culinary prowess alone. Famed as the country with the most Michelin-starred restaurants in the world, the land of the rising sun is heaven on earth for foodies from all walks of life and all budget levels. Kyushu’s largest city of Fukuoka is a dynamic cultural hub, thanks to a privileged position that has historically made it a gateway between Japan and Asia and the rest of the world. Here, eating out consists of equal parts of tradition, quality and excitement.

The timeless appeal of Yamecha

An interview with key young people working to preserve the traditions of Yamecha, a brand of tea grown in Yame, Fukuoka, one of Japan’s leading tea producing areas; A close look into their thoughts and feelings toward Yamecha.

Japan’s top eel chef continues to innovate while preserving tradition

An interview with Dai Ogata, the fourth generation to run Inakaan, in business for 90 years; A close look at Japan’s finest eel dishes and the techniques that earned their reputation as the best in Japan

Keeping a tiny passion alive…

An interview with Toru Hideshima, the second generation to run the hanko shop Hideshima, which has been in business for 91 years; A close look at the thoughts and feelings of a craftsman who conveys the profoundness of the Japanese language and the playfulness of the Japanese people through the appeal of hanko

In the direction of the warm and gentle light

An interview with Hiroki Ito, the eighth generation of the Ito family to run Ito Gonjiro Shoten, a more than 200-year-old lantern shop; A close look at the appeal of Yame lanterns and the pride held by this young craftsman.

Fukuoka Is For Foodies: A Guide To Exploring This Delicious Culinary Destination

As the historical gateway to Asia, Fukuoka Prefecture has been on the receiving end of multiple and multicultural influences which have coalesced into a delicious melting pot of flavours. So, if you're a foodie looking for the best grub in Japan, you can't go wrong here…

A Crossroads Of Cultures: A Guide To Fukuoka's Cultural Landscape

Sitting on the northern edges of Japan's southernmost main island, Kyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture is characterised by its rich and varied culture. It's kind of what you'd expect when you've been evolving a unique cultural identity over literally thousands of years...

Nature Lovers! A Guide To The Good Vibes Of Fukuoka's Great Outdoors

Go beyond the neon lights of Tokyo, step outside the hustle and bustle of Osaka, and venture past the traditional temples and geishas of Kyoto by adding Fukuoka to your adventure and experience the good vibes of Japan's great outdoors.

A cultural engineer behind Fukuoka’s coffee scene

There is a number of good coffee shops in Fukuoka, but manucoffee is one of the few leading the city’s coffee scene.

Authentic and traditional taste of Hakata, passed down by a mother and a daughter

What comes to your mind when you hear ‘Fukuoka’? Is it Mentaiko, Motsunabe or Tonkotsu Ramen? Udon is actually also a soul food for people in Fukuoka.

Made with local producers,
delivering Fukuoka’s four seasons

Kyoko Hirosawa, a food stylist, is among those who made the move from Tokyo to Fukuoka,
choosing ten years ago to settle in Itoshima. In this interview, she reveals the charms of Itoshima through her lifestyle.

Local Life in Kitakyushu:
Enter a World of Wild Adventure and Fascinating History

The northern part of Fukuoka — and Kyushu as a whole — is, in many ways, a wild sprawling space.
If you’re hankering for some rugged mountains, breathtaking views and diverse historical sites,
then Kitakyushu is the place to be.

Local Life in Fukuoka City:
Art, Beaches and Coffee

There’s a lot to a city that’s easy to miss when you first visit.
Here’s a guide to experiencing Fukuoka like a local.

Local Life in Yame City:
Green Tea, Traditional Crafts and Endless Stars

For whatever may ail you, the slow life in Yame City in southern Fukuoka Prefecture may be the cure.
Here are some ways to experience a slice of tranquility in an otherwise busy world.

Fukuoka Soul Food:
Mouthwatering Local Meals

Fukuoka Prefecture is a gourmet’s dream — it has countless homegrown dishes and fresh ingredients from both land and sea in spades.
What better way to get to know Fukuoka better than by digging into some of its beloved local fare?
Here are just some of the prefecture’s famous soul foods that you’ll find at restaurants, bars, and Fukuoka City’s famous yatai (street food stalls) while you’re here.

Fukuoka Artisan Profile:
Shiro Araki, Costume Designer

Shiro Araki is a master manipulator. By taking natural and industrial cast-offs and recreating them into fantastical costumes, he challenges our perception on both costume design and what qualifies as clothing material.
His costumes have been worn by the likes of international and domestic artists Lady Gaga, Misia and Kou Shibasaki, and his client list includes major companies like Sony Music, Shiseido and more.

Fukuoka Artisan Profile:
Yusuke Kumagae, Ceramic Artist

Deep in the south of Fukuoka Prefecture lies Toho Village, a treasure trove of historic pottery and creative excellence.
It is home to Takatori and Koishiwara Pottery, both traditional ceramic art styles that have histories spanning over 350 years.
There are about 50 potteries in this small village and Kaneha-gama, a small pottery with a tall brick chimney nestled at the edge of a dense forest, is one of them.