JPN: Fukuoka Downtown

Fukuoka City, Fukuoka, Japan

As the largest city in Kyushu, Fukuoka is one of Japan's ten most populated cities. Due to its proximity to mainland Asia, especially South Korea and China, it has been an important harbour city for many centuries. The city today was actually born from two regions in 1889: the port city of Hakata and the former castle town of Fukuoka.


If you intend to take a train to town from Fukuoka Airport, take note that the subway station is located near the domestic terminal. There's a free shuttle bus service between the domestic and the international terminals.



It costs ¥260 (~S$3.20) to go to Hakata, which is two stops away from the airport.



As my BFFs and I were there last December, the area in front of Hakata railway station was transformed into a Christmas village with beautiful illumination after sunset. Here are some photos taken over the two nights we spent in Fukuoka.

Hakata remains the name of the main railway station and one of the central districts of Fukuoka.


The first Christmas market there was held in 2013.
 


The pleasant aroma of mulled wine was so inviting.

There's a Pokemon Centre on the eighth floor of JR Hakata City near the railway station.


Which of the three is your favourite?

I love the old style Pikachu!

I was given a Shibuya Pikachu card in Fukuoka. Haha...
From the railway station, we were headed to Hotel Sunline Fukuoka Hakata Ekimae by foot. After putting our luggage, we made our way to Nagahama Fish Market Centre.

Prior to the trip, it'd been so long since I saw autumn colours.


Musbo is the mascot of Fukuoka Chuo Bank.


Listen to the sound of church bells from a distance.


Our Lady of Victory Cathedral started out as a small wooden building in 1896.



The old building was demolished in 1986.
The main altar is the only part that's preserved in the current building.
After having lunch, we walked to Maizuru Park and Ohori Park, not forgetting to check out Korokan Ruins Museum within the former as well.

That police station looks like a huge mushroom.
 

 

"Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower." ~ Albert Camus
 

 

Given the name Tenjin Central Park, it doesn't look as pretty as expected.



I swear I wasn't posing. My friend happened to take a photo of me when I turned around.
Fukuoka City Red Brick Culture Centre is an interesting landmark in the city. Completed in 1909, it used to be occupied by Nippon Life Insurance until 1966.

It was then designated as an Important Cultural Asset by the government in 1969.


Kawabata Shotengai, which isn't far from  Kushida Shrine, Shofuku-ji and Tocho-ji, is one of Fukuoka's oldest shopping arcades.


The 400-metre shopping arcade is lined with numerous shops and restaurants.
We had dinner at one of the eateries there.


It looks like a lovely nursery school.
 

Canal City Hakata is a huge shopping and entertainment complex. I'm pretty sure you can shop till you drop there.



I think that's supposed to be an igloo.


Look, a Moomin café! Bring me back to Finland~


Kirby is one of my sister's most favourite characters although she doesn't like pink.

I'd really love to have such an adorable Christmas tree at home.
There's a show every 30 minutes from 10.00am to 10.00pm daily at the grand plaza. Some are fountain shows, while others are 3D projecting mapping shows.

Spread your bling-bling wings~



The circular shape of the building helps to provide great acoustics during the show.


Here's a video of the fountain show that I took, which I had to split into two as Blogger wouldn't let me upload something larger than 100 MB.




Below are the four eateries that we tried in Fukuoka:
- Ganso Hakata Mentaiju (Japanese)
- Ichiran (Japanese)
- Ni No Ni (Japanese)
- Okiyo Shokudo (Japanese)

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