Though Fukuoka isn’t quite Kyoto, there are a handful of temples throughout the city that are definitely worth visiting.
I’ll admit that the two bowls of tonkotsu ramen I’ve had so far in Fukuoka threw me for a loop. I love that style of ramen… or do I? The two bowls I sampled in Fukuoka (the birthplace of tonkotsu ramen) were one-note porky in a way I found vaguely unsatisfying.
Since I happened to be in Fukuoka during cherry blossom season, I figured I should probably take advantage. So I headed to Uminonakamichi Seaside Park, which is about a half hour’s train ride outside of the city (it also costs 450 yen to get in, so it’s not kidding around).
Though Hakata Ikkousha is a chain (and apparently they’ve just opened a location in Toronto), they serve some seriously acclaimed ramen — it’s frequently called one of the best bowls in Fukuoka.
Though Fukuoka Castle, originally built in the 1600s, is long gone, parts of it still remain (mostly just some of the walls).