Fukuoka may not be on your radar (yet), but it is currently the fastest growing city in Japan. Located on the shores of the Hakata Bay, and close enough to Busan South Korea that you could take a ferry there, Fukuoka is a very young and thriving city. As an important note for foodies, Fukuoka’s location on the water ensures that the selection of fish for sushi chefs is outstanding. Keeping that in mind we booked our dinner the first night at Sushi Zaisho which is noteworthy in that it is the training ground for the 3 Star Michelin Sushi Sakai which is world renowned. Booking at Sushi Zaisho was the brainstorm of my youngest son who assured us that it would be a 3 star Michelin meal at a 1 star Michelin price, and in a more relaxed setting. Reading the reviews it seems others are in on this secret, but the consensus is that Sushi Zaisho is out of this world, so we couldn’t wait.
If you read my last post on Kurashiki you may remember that our train was delayed; we had hoped to have time to check into the hotel and then get to our 5:00 reservation, but this was not meant to be. We pulled into Fukuoka station 90 minutes late at 5:00pm and after reading the fine print on our pre-paid reservation noted that if we didn’t get to the restaurant by 5:15 we would forfeit our seats. We all transferred from the train to a subway which seemed to be the quickest way, and then bags in hand ran (ok jogged) to the restaurant, which was not too easy to find.
We arrived sweaty and a little frantic at 5:25 and they graciously took our bags, seated us at the 10 person counter and encouraged us to order some drinks. Somehow they managed to pace our dinner to match the other diners and all was right with the world. We were grateful the stars aligned because the meal was truly incredible, the best sushi we have had in Japan.
Pictured below is just a sampling of some of the freshest and most tender morsels of fish we had ever enjoyed. Everything was delicious, even the petite offering of soft roe we were presented as our first bite. The cost was also a fraction of what a meal of this caliber in Tokyo or Kyoto would be which enhanced the experience even more. The service too was perfection; all in all it was sublime.
Following our delectable meal we took cabs to our hotel whose luxury was the perfect contrast to our last hotel in Kurashiki. The Ritz-Carlton is brand new and hands down the nicest hotel in the city. Anticipating a need for some real splendor I booked us a suite with club access (along with a large room for our boys, also with club access) which was truly appreciated when we arrived with our bags following dinner 6 hours later than anticipated. We were quickly whisked upstairs for check- in and after dinner drinks; and I was very happy.
Our suite was located on the 21st floor, and following a brief tour we settled in for some tea and welcome snacks, took a lengthy soak in the sumptuous tub with a fabulous view and fell right to sleep. The room was gorgeous as were all of the details and amenities; I am usually not a Ritz customer, but I might be a convert after this stay.
Our stay included breakfast either in the main dining room or in the club, we opted for the club as it was much calmer and quieter, and the food options were extensive and beautifully presented.
The first order of the day following brekkie was for my boys to do some laundry (we had been away for more than 10 days at this point); while we were trying to find a laundromat we happened to stumble on some yummy “American- style” donuts which of course we had to sample. The consensus? They looked better than they tasted. The hotel is located in the Daimyo area which is the trendy, hip part of the city and is totally walkable.
After the laundry and lots of exploration my sons were anxious to try ramen at Shifuku which has a cultish following. Because all they have is ramen, which I do not eat, I opted for some onigiri and chocolate covered almonds from Lawson (like 7-11) and then strolled around the neighborhood while the guys ate lunch. Contrary to what some might believe, I am actually very easy going. Following lunch (which the guys deemed to be delicious) we went deep into vintage shops as well as small street-wear shops and luxury designer resale shops. There are scores to choose from, it is truly a shoppers paradise.
I was flagging a little after all the shopping and my light lunch so we popped into the artisanal chocolate shop green bean to bar which has many outlets in Japan. The incredibly rich hot chocolate was just the thing to revive me, along with some samples.
Dinner night two was a break from Japanese, my guys wanted Italian (?!) and we were told that Pizzeria Farina was pretty authentic. There was a wood burning oven as well as a good selection of Italian wines and some gluten-free options, all in all pretty good!
It was where we went after dinner that really was unique and left quite an impression, a bar dedicated to James Brown and other American soul artists that we couldn’t resist checking out. JB’s is tiny, and absolutely jam-packed with all matters of soul music memorabilia. Run by three generations of women the bar is homey and welcoming and turns out great cocktails while spinning soul and funk tunes non-stop. It really was like a trip down the rabbit hole, we stayed a couple of hours and absolutely loved it.
The next day (our last full day in Fukuoka was reserved for cultural exploration) began at 9 am when our guide Hiro (sourced by Zenses) met us in the lobby. We had a driver as well which allowed us to cover a great deal of ground. We started the day at Kamado Shrine on our way to Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine. Kamado is tiny but remarkable as it is set at the base of a small mountain surrounded by beautiful trees and trails; unfortunately it was quite windy so we only had time for a cursory exploration. In the spring the cherry blossoms are supposed to be unbelievable.
As we approached Dazaifu our guide instructed the driver to go the back way to avoid the crowds. Dazaifu is second only to Kyoto in importance as far as Shinto shrines go, and because we were visiting on what is considered school holiday time there were loads of people paying their respects. We were thankful for Hiro’s strategic planning in that we managed to avoid the crowds and have a relatively peaceful experience. There was a lot to see and Hiro was concise and knowledgable in all of her explanations.
As expected after extensive exploration it was time for coffee, and Hiro recommended Rankan, an institution near the shrine for true coffee aficionados. The owner is recognized as one of the best coffee tasters in the world so he knows his stuff. We sat and perused the menu and each opted to try beans from a different area of the world brewed just for us, along with some killer egg salad sammies. We all thought our choices were the best, so we all left happy.
Hiro knew food was a top priority so she took us to her personal favorite Udon spot which was very unassuming, but absolutely delicious. We ordered via the machine at the front, took our tickets and found seats at the counter. I was able to enjoy the deep fried tofu along with vegetable broth and passed the noodles on to my son. Unfortunately I have no idea what the name of the restaurant was so I am unable to share it with you.
Following lunch Hiro took us to explore the remains of Fukuoka Castle and walk through Ohori Park, an oasis in the city. There were many families and sportsmen and women enjoying the track and playgrounds that surround the lake which originally served as part of the moat system surrounding the castle.
We were at a loss for where to dine the last night in Fukuoka and so we turned to the Ritz’s concierge who provided us with several options. We went down the list and cross referenced with reviews online ultimately settling on Hakata Robata Fishman which bills itself as a modern Izakaya but in truth was so kitschy it was more like a Barton G takes Japan. The quality was good but every dish was cuter and more clever than the last, and the staff was constantly shouting and hollering, this was pure theater.
In keeping with the histrionics of the restaurant, mid-meal an “exotic”dancer entered the restaurant, did her thing and passed her card out to all the patrons.
Our final course was warabi mochi made table-side which was cool, but to be honest we were all sort of exhausted from this dinner; it was a little too much effort and we were stuffed.
Although our final meal in Fukuoka was not my favorite, I really loved this city; our hotel was terrific, the shopping was outstanding and we had some unbelievable food (the sushi dinner in particular).
When planning our itinerary our intention had been to take the ferry from Fukuoka to Busan, South Korea but it seems as though the ferry is not currently in service. At the last minute we booked flights between the two cities which was a little stressful only because it was days after a fatal plane crash in South Korea and everyone was a little on edge. That coupled with the extreme political unrest in Seoul was setting the stage for a visit filled with drama, but we forged ahead. Stay tuned!
