Kyushu/Chugoku Japan Day 1 - Fukuoka

We love Japanese food and have always wanted to go again.
However after the Fukushima incident, we were a little unsure whether it's safe to go and if it's OK to eat the food there.. especially when there are several signs that the Jap government are definitely hiding something! (I don't want to die yet :p)

 Did quite a few research online and found this site, which I thought it is quite a fair description of the risk exposure:  http://blog.safecast.org/2014/01/faq-contaminated-food-in-japan/
I suppose - as long as I'm not living there permanently / for a long term.. it can't do me THAT much harm...

We've decided to go there for 10 days - going around the Kyushu island. (as far from Fukushima as possible)
We stayed at the cities for the first half of the holiday - mainly eating and shopping.
For the second half, we hired a car and drove around the countryside which was an extremely nice experience - HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!



We flew to Fukuoka via Amsterdam by KLM. The plane was old with outdated movies/system. However, the food was surprisingly nice!! (maybe because I've been taking BA a lot in the past and the food is known to be poor. so I have a low expectation)
The flight was long and it was draining. We left home at 4am and arrived at Fukuoka 9am! (so not quite bed time yet... )
The queue at customs was also longgggggg but we made it at the end.

A week before the trip, I have bought a sim card (10 days unlimited) from bmobile and asked to have it picked up from the post office at the airport.
It was a very straight forward process and it has proven to be extremely helpful ( especially when we were in the countryside) http://www.bmobile.ne.jp/english/
You just need to make sure your phone isn't locked to a specific network.

We stayed in a hotel next to Hakata station called Nishitetsu Hataka Inn which was extremely convenient. It's nothing fancy - just a typical small room in Japan. It was just 2 stops from the fukuoka airport by subway. There were a few shopping malls / underground shopping street nearby. However, it's not as bustling as Tenjin - which is the main shopping area.

First things first - FOOOOOD!
We were starving but not many shop were opened.
We just walked around the shopping mall at the station

Ramen packs to bring home 

This was really nice.  Its like two pancakes stuffed with a super sweet strawberry and your choice of filling - be it red bean paste / cream / matcha cream etc.  

Tree log cake

Lunch - Ramen at Ichiran 

Hakata is famous for its ramen! - the white milky pork bone soup base. 

We have actually had Ichiran before in Osaka but we want to have it again!! (and again) 

It's a bit of a strange setting - you buy your ticket from the vending machine at the entrance and you are allocated individual counter - with wooden panel in between each person (which could be opened)  

Their ramen is world famous 

http://www.ichiran.co.jp/english/html/oshinagaki.html

As soon as you sit down you will be given a form where you can specify your preference

- if you want your ramen firm / extra firm/ normal/ soft 

- if you want your soup to be rich 

- if you want garlic / spring onions / their in house chilli sauce 

- Extra toppings?  e.g. soft boiled egg/ extra spring onions / extra noodles etc

Below is the premium version of their ramen

Afternoon sushi @ Hakata station

Dinner at Yatai - Mama chan

Small street stalls (Yatai) scattered around Fukuoka.  It can only fit less than 10 customers at a time.  

Apparently Fukuoka is one of the few places in Japan that still allows yatai.  

We've been told that the existing holder can still pass on their license along their family but they don't issue new yatai license anymore.  

Many of them only have Japanese menu except Mami chan - which has been highly recommended online

Their website with map:  http://yataimamichan.daa.jp/

There's English pictured menu and Mami chan herself can speak pretty good English.  

It's run by a couple who cooked everything on the spot! 

Complementary chicken wing to start 

These are called Oden - with varies different ingredients e.g. fish cake, turnips, dumplings, tofu etc stewed in a light soya based dashi stock.  I've seen it so many times on TV but have never tried it out :p 

It was lovely

After all it's a street food stall so the hygiene standard isn't at its best but it's definitely good enough given what's available.  

Grilled rice ball with kimchi 

- it was a little too burnt that made it bitter

Hakata style stirred fried ramen 

This was really good - Charcoal grilled pork trotter with yuzu pepper sauce on the side! 

Homemade gyoza, wrapped right in front of us 

The food wasn't amazing but it was the friendly cozy atmosphere : ) 

This guy sitting next to us happens to speak perfect English so we were asking him lots about the background of Yatai and Fukuoka itself.  

This is what they look like in the morning - all packed up

Fukuoka Castle Sakura Festival 

Afterwards we went to Fukuoka castle and walked around the park.  

It's one of the best sakura spot in Fukuoka.  

Looks amazing when lit up :) 

You have to pay entrance fee to get into this sakura corner.  

More food stalls - we were too full to try out any :(