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Bayside Hakata
Here you can stroll along the boardwalk, take in a great view from atop the 100 m tall Hakata Port Tower, or visit the aquarium: all for free! Kids love eating at Big Umbrella, an Alice in Wonderland themed restaurant, but if you want to try some fresh, inexpensive sushi, Wangan Ichiba offers a pick ‘n’ mix sushi bar at only ¥97 a piece. Or just relax at Namiha no Yu; their baths use naturally hot mineral water pumped up from 800 m below! At Bayside Place you can also buy all sorts of omiyage, or catch a ferry to Iki and Tsushima islands. More details and photos here!
Bayside Hakata
13-6 Chikkohonmachi, Hakata-ku
Opening hours vary
092-281-7701
Access: no.90 bus from Tenjin (15 min.), no.99 or no.88 from Hakata Sta. (20 min.)
http://www.baysideplace.jp/eng/
Jab
If you love swing jazz music or old-fashioned Japanese coffee shops, then Jab is for you. Akiba-san opened the cafe sometime around 1969, and not much has changed. The nostalgia-prone will love the crackle and pop of the vinyl records (he has hundreds), while audiophiles will be impressed by the two massive JBL speakers. This is not a trendy spot, but a place to forget about the modern world: indulge in drip coffee, racks of jazz magazines, and their selection of light dishes, such as omu-rice (omelet on rice, ¥700). Smoking is allowed, but mobiles aren’t; it’s just that kind of place.
Jab
5-2-13 Watanabe-dori, Chuo-kuJ
12:00~24:00
Closed: Sun.
Music charge: no
092-712-7413
Menu: Blend coffee ¥400, cafe au lait ¥450, lemon squash ¥500, soft drinks ¥450, Yebisu ¥700, Guinness ¥800, hayashi rice ¥600, omu-rice ¥700, meat sauce pasta ¥600, curry ¥600, yakisoba ¥600 (after 19:00 all items are +¥100)
Bunryu
If you know ramen, then you know some of the best places, like Bunryu, are found in the warehouse districts. Instead of a snazzy decor, Bunryu focuses on getting the food right: from the handmade pork broth (made from Japanese pork bones) and noodles made on the premises, to the braised pork and boiled eggs. The super thin noodles pair perfectly with the light yet rich pork bone broth. What’s more, compared to other tonkotsu ramen, Bunryu’s is surprisingly odourless and light. The bowls are slightly smaller (like back in the day), so you can drink your soup to the last drop without getting too full. Feel free to season your ramen with tare (sauce), pickled red ginger and sesame seeds. And this being Fukuoka, you can also order kaedama (noodle refills). Bunryu’s ramen evolved to accommodate the busy wholesale market workers who wanted a quick, light meal. So if you prefer a less heavy bowl of ramen, this is the place for you.
Bunryu
4-2-8 Nanotsu, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka
11:00~18:00 (Mon. ~ Sat.), 11:00~15:00 (Sun./Hol.)
Closed: irregular
090-2588-7691
Menu: Ramen ¥550, ramen w/boiled egg ¥650, ramen w/ veggies ¥650, 五目酸辣麺 ¥750, pork rice w/ takana ¥300, ramen set +¥280 (incl. half bowl of fried rice), Special Set +¥380 (incl. half bowl of fried rice & 4 gyoza), broiled pork ¥380, fried rice ¥550
Originally published in Fukuoka Now Magazine (fn202, Oct. 2015)
