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Renovation Museum Reizensou
Built in 1958, Reizensou is a former apartment building located next to the Kawabata Shopping Arcade. In 2002, it was converted into a facility where young creatives can learn about and practice the art of renovation, and through the years, its rooms have housed galleries, eateries, bars, cafes and various other spaces where people can congregate and communicate. The rooms are renovated by their respective tenants, giving the entire building the feel of a do-it-yourself renovation gallery. Reizensou holds an open house twice a year (once in the spring and once in the fall) and various other events, such as workshops, film viewings and photo exhibits, on a rolling basis.
Renovation Museum Reizensou
Address: 9-35 Kamikawabata-machi, Hakata-ku
Open: Differs from tenant to tenant (Office / Bagel Cafe: 11:00~19:00)
Closed: Differs from tenant to tenant (Office / Bagel Cafe: Tuesdays)
Tel.: 092-985-4562 (Renovation Museum Office)
http://www.reizensou.com/
Nana’s Green Tea
Japanese tea runs the gamut from ryokucha (steamed green tea leaves) and hojicha (roasted green tea) to genmaicha (a green tea-roasted brown rice mix) and matcha (powdered green tea). At Nana’s Green Tea, you can try them all! Located inside Solaria Plaza, the cafe boasts a large window looking out over Kego Park, making it the perfect pit stop during the winter holiday light-up. Menus are available in English, Korean and Chinese and feature a range of tea-themed desserts as well as a few rice bowl and udon dishes – perfect if you fancy a light meal to accompany your tea.
Nana’s Green Tea
Address: Solaria Plaza 4F, 2-2-43 Tenjin, Chuo-ku
Open: 10:00~21:00
Closed: New Year’s Day
Tel.: 092-733-7312
http://www.nanasgreentea.com/
Menu: Matcha (with wasanbon sugar) ¥570, matcha latte ¥460, oshiruko ¥390, hojicha & fresh cream chocolate parfait (shiratama +¥50) ¥950, wild tuna & avocado w/ grated Japanese yam over rice ¥1,050, boiled shirasu (whitebait) & mentaiko over rice ¥800, plum, onion and sesame udon ¥680
Minematsu Honke
Of course, we all know Fukuoka is a ramen paradise, but have you ever heard of donmen? Donmen is the brainchild of Mineya, a kamaboko (fish sausage) merchant in business since 1910. Inspired by champon, it is udon served in a Japanese broth made from bonito and sardines and topped with pork, handmade kamaboko, and a hearty helping of vegetables. The udon noodles are super firm and thick—they won’t go soft!—and the whole shebang is served in a whopping 32-cm diameter bowl. The kamaboko and other ingredients add a rich flavor to the subtle Japanese broth, making donmen a healthy and nutritious treat that is sure to fill you up. Can’t handle a whole bowl? Try the mini donmen, with 30% fewer veggies and half the noodles. Located in the basement of the Fukuoka Building in downtown Tenjin, Minematsu Honke gets crowded during the weekday lunch rush, but there are also spacious private rooms if you’re dining in a group.
Minematsu Honke
Address: Fukuoka Building B1F, 1-11-17 Tenjin, Chuo-ku
Open: 11:00~21:00
Closed: New Year’s Day
Tel.: 092-714-0146
http://mineya.co.jp/
Menu: Donmen ¥950, mini donmen ¥800, spicy donmen ¥950, kamaboko udon ¥650, fresh fried kamaboko ¥200~, bottled beer ¥500
Originally published in Fukuoka Now Magazine (fn204, Dec. 2015)
