4 Dishes to Try Out When Visiting Fukuoka

As one of the closest cities to the Asian mainland, Fukuoka has developed a unique and interesting food culture that has been influenced by Korean and Chinese cuisine. Some Fukuoka dishes, such as Hakata Ramen and motsunabe, have swept Japan by storm and become widely popular across the country.

1. Hakata Ramen

Hakata Ramen is a local ramen dish that features thin noodles in a thick, creamy tonkotsu soup, topped with slices of chashu. Some of the best places to enjoy Hakata Ramen are the city's emblematic yatai food stalls. Hakata Ramen can also be found at any of the numerous ramen-ya in Fukuoka, especially around Hakata Station.

2. Mentaiko

Mentaiko, the spicy version of salted cod roe (tarako), is a common Japanese food that can be found nationwide accompanying rice or alcohol, used as filling for rice balls, or as a seasoning in pasta dishes. Mentaiko is particularly famous in Fukuoka, where it originated by way of Korea, and is a typical menu item at the yatai food stalls and izakaya around the city where it is usually served raw or lightly seared.

3. Motsunabe

Motsunabe is a local hot pot dish typically made up of beef or pork tripe, cabbage, garlic, chives and togarashi peppers in a soy sauce or miso based soup. The inexpensive, slightly spicy stew is usually cooked at the table on portable burners and served together with a bowl of white rice. Noodles or additional rice may be added to the leftover soup in the pot at the end of the meal to finish the dish.

4. Tetsunabe Gyoza

Gyoza are pan-fried, Chinese style dumplings, which are typically stuffed with a mixture of ground pork, cabbage and green onions. While gyoza appear on the menus of ramen-ya, izakaya and other restaurants nationwide, they are also a popular Fukuoka specialty where they are served in large batches on ceramic or hot iron plates. Fukuoka, or Hakata, style gyoza can be found at specialty gyoza shops around the city, especially around Hakata Station.

The local specialties are probably best sampled at one of the popular yatai food stalls found around the city. But there are also countless restaurants in Fukuoka especially around downtown Tenjin, the Nakasu entertainment district and Hakata Station where some nice restaurants are located on the upper dining floors of the station building.

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Yatai (屋台)

Fukuoka's open air food stands (屋台) are possibly the city's best known symbol. Yatai can generally seat about seven or eight people and provide an atmospheric outdoor environment to enjoy various foods that are generally simple and filling. There are over 150 yatai scattered across Fukuoka but the best place to find them is on the southern end of Nakasu Island. Located in the middle of the city, Nakasu Island has a long row of around 20 yatai that are attractively situated along the water.

Typical dishes enjoyed at yatai are grilled chicken skewers (yakitori), hot pot (oden) and most famously Hakata Ramen, a local noodle dish featuring relatively thin ramen noodles in a pork bone based soup (tonkotsu). Various alcoholic drinks are also available, and help make the yatai a great place to get in touch with the locals, although many of the "locals" happen to be Japanese tourists visiting Fukuoka from other parts of Japan.

Yatai are typically open from around 6pm to around 2am, except when the weather is very bad. Many stands close one day of the week. The closure day varies from stand to stand, but is often Sunday. There can be waiting times for popular stands, especially on Fridays and Saturdays.

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Dazaifu (大宰府)

Dazaifu (大宰府) was established in the late 7th century and served as the administrative center of the entire island of Kyushu for over 500 years. The city was built slightly inland from Hakata, whose port was one of the main points of interaction between Japan and mainland Asia. Although the imperial court ruled the country from the Kansai Region, Dazaifu was pivotal for Japan's diplomatic relations and organizing the country's defenses.

Tenman-gū shrine in Dazaifu

Nowadays, Dazaifu is a small, quiet city on the outskirts of the large city of Fukuoka, from which it is perfect for a day trip. There are a number of temples and shrines, the most famous of which is the Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine, as well as sites related to Dazaifu's role as the region's administrative center, such as the Government Office Ruins. In 2005 the massive Kyushu National Museum was opened to the public, making a great new addition to the city's attractions.

Stone garden at Kōmyōzen-ji

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Canal City Hakata

Canal City Hakata is a large shopping and entertainment complex in Fukuoka, Japan. Called the "city within the city," it boasts numerous attractions including shops; cafes; restaurants; a theater; game center; cinemas; two hotels; and a canal, which runs through the complex.

Located adjacent to Fukuoka's entertainment district and between the commercial and retail core of the city, Canal City has become a tourist attraction and commercial success for Fukuoka. It is the largest private development in the history of Japan ($1.4 billion). It is built with a distinctive fanciful style, with many curving sculptures and fountains and city of Fukuoka hardly visible, to create an atmosphere like an oasis away from the rest of the town.







キャナルシティ博多、福岡、日本では大規模なショッピング、エンターテイメント複雑です。いわゆる「都市内の都市、 「それはお店を含む多くの観光スポットを誇っています。カフェ。レストラン。劇場。ゲームセンター。映画館。 2つのホテル。と複合体を介して実行されます運河、 。

福岡のエンターテイメント地区に隣接し、市内の商業と小売コアとの間に位置し、キャナルシティ福岡ための観光の名所と商業的成功となっています。それは、日本（ 14億ドル）の歴史の中で最大の民間開発です。それは離れて、町の残りの部分からオアシスのような雰囲気を作成するために、多くの湾曲彫刻や噴水、ほとんど見え福岡市と、独特の空想的なスタイルで構築されています。

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