Ichiran - Hakata Ramen

Tell a Japanese person you've visited Fukuoka and they will invariably ask you if you've eaten two things: mentaiko (明太子 marinated fish roe, typically spicy) and/or ramen (ラーメン hot noodles).  These are the two delicacies Fukuoka is known for, and while most foreigners might pass on the fish eggs, no visitor should pass on Hakata ramen (博多ラーメン).

Hakata ramen is characterized by its white, almost milky soup made from pork bones, or tonkotsu (豚骨), and thin noodles, topped with green scallions and thin-sliced pork, or cha-shu (チャーシュー).  And my favorite restaurant for Hakata ramen would easily be Ichiran (一蘭) (www.ichiran.co.jp/english/).

What separates Ichiran from other ramen places is the unique experience.

Some shops serve you in a standard round bowl, others in a rectangular box.

Unlike most ramen shops, each seat is an individual booth, so that every customer can focus solely upon his/her bowl of noodles. There is a call button for when you want to give your order tickets to the attendant or when you're ready for a second bowl of noodles.  You have your own cups and water dispenser.  Everything is set up so that you have no distractions, no outside influence on your enjoyment of your ramen.

Also unlike most ramen shops, Ichiran hands out a form that allows patrons to customize their ramen.  Pictured above is an English version (available upon request) and it shows how much thought goes into personalizing your dining experience.  Ichiran's recommendation for first-timers is "medium" and "regular" for most options.

My wife's recommendation is their soft-boiled egg.

After all the build-up leading to your ramen, Ichiran does not disappoint.  The first time I visited one of their locations, I thought I had eaten ramen before, but this just blew my mind.  The broth is rich and garlicky and the noodles, firm and chewy.  I had been shoyu ramen lover all my life, but Ichiran converted me to tonkotsu.

Ichiran may be a restaurant chain, but there is a reason why it's consistently ranked as one of the best ramen shops in Japan.  And don't fret if you're not visiting Fukuoka, they have locations across Japan, so if you're in Tokyo, you can stop over their Ueno shop for some hot, steamy, heaven in a bowl.

Masa's tip:  Order an extra bowl or half-bowl of noodles so you can enjoy your leftover broth.  When you do, they give you a little metal plate (pictured in the collage) for your seconds (kaedama (替玉), in ramen-shop-speak).  When you're ready, ring the bell and place the metal plate on the button.  The attendant will take the plate and bring you back a fresh, hot bowl of noodles!

Mister Donut - Best Donuts in Japan

I am not a donut snob...as long as it's not too old, I'll eat it and probably enjoy it.  I've had Krispy Kreme, Dunkin Donuts, donuts from bakeries...but my favorite donuts in Japan are from Mister Donut!  They may not have the "best tasting" donuts, since everyone's tastes are different, but my heart firmly belongs to Mister Donut in Japan.



I grew to love Mister Donut while I was living in Japan.  I would visit Sendai on the weekends and stop by Mister Donut in the station to grab a few donuts or sometimes a dozen.  It always felt like their donuts were on sale for a 100 yen a piece!  My favorites were the Angel French (a cruller dipped in chocolate with whipped cream in the middle) and the chocolate Pon de Crunch ring.  Then I joined the Misdo Club and accumulated points so that I could get their special logo merchandise.  I managed to get a squishy pillow and an Elmo date book.

After moving back home, I really missed Mister Donut, since there aren’t any in Hawaii.  On subsequent visits to Tokyo, I would always keep my eyes open for a Mister Donut, but could never seem to find one in the places I visited.



Then a year ago, we made our first trip to Fukuoka and I rediscovered my love for Mister Donut.  They have a Mister Donut in Hakata Station!  And everywhere we visited in Kyushu, I found another Mister Donut store!  They seemed to be everywhere and I couldn’t be happier!

Now, if you ask my husband, he’ll say that I mostly love Mister Donut because they have Snoopy goods and promotions (I am a huge Peanuts fan!).  And he’s absolutely right about that!  I ended up buying a ton of donuts so that I could get 2 limited edition Snoopy appointment books (they are adorable).  But I say that I loved Mister Donut before they partnered with Peanuts…the partnership just solidified my love even further.

Currently, Mister Donut is doing a promotion with Hello Kitty and we got to try some of the cute new donuts they are offering.  I tried a Hello Kitty strawberry cupcake, a Pon de Lion chocolate donut and a Pon de Chocolate Crunch ring.  And because we spent more than 700 yen, I received a cute Hello Kitty bow phone plug!  Delicious donuts and a free gift…gotta love Mister Donut!

Fukuoka Tower – Japan’s tallest seaside tower

I had the chance to visit Fukuoka Tower (http://www.fukuokatower.co.jp/, English site available) on my last trip to Japan. Being afraid of heights, it’s a wonder that I like to visit these tall structures at all, but Fukuoka Tower is definitely worth a visit.

Standing at 234 meters, it is Japan’s tallest beachside tower and located in the Seaside Momochi area. It offers stunning 360 degree views and only takes a little more than a minute to get to the 123 meter observation room. A nice touch for the non-Japanese speakers is that the introductory tower information is also offered in English by the elevator personnel.

Be ready to have your picture taken before you get onto the elevator to the observation deck. You can then purchase this photo in a cute paper frame for 1,000 yen after taking the elevator back down.



There are also 2 restaurants, a 7-11 convenience store, a few specialty stores and a souvenir store in the lobby area.

There are a number of ways to get to the Tower. We caught the high speed ferry from Uchinonakamichi (20 minute ride for 1,000 yen), but you can also catch the bus from Hakata Station (takes approximately 30 minutes) or the subway.

Blogger’s Tip: Foreigners with a valid passport and coupon (we got our coupons at our hotel) or those using a valid JR Rail Pass can receive a discount to their entrance fee – from 800 yen to 640 yen.

Fruit Picking

While it may not be something that pops into the mind of many visitors to Japan, fruit picking is a fun, family-friendly activity that can be enjoyed year-round.

I recently visited Pooh's Strawberry Garden (http://gennousya.com, Japanese-only) in Fukuoka, where I got to eat the "Amaou" strawberry, which is a regional specialty.  I was also able to sample other varieties of strawberries, such as the "akahoppe," "saga honoka," and "tochi otome."  I've never had fruits that were so juicy and sweet until I had the chance to pick them myself!



Of course, as with all places with four seasons, the fruits available change with the season  and the prices also vary depending on the fruit, with most operations charging a flat fee for 30-60 minutes of fruit picking and this includes whatever you eat on the premises, plus an additional charge for any extra you want to take with you.  For example, I paid 2100 yen per person for 30 minutes of all-you-can eat strawberry picking, with an additional 500 yen/100 grams for any amount I wanted to take home.

While that sounded a little expensive at the time, considering the price of fresh fruits in Japan and the fun, unforgettable experience (plus the delicious fruit!), it was a price well-worth paying.  If you're looking for a family-friendly activity and a chance to eat delicious fresh fruit, think about going fruit picking on your next visit to Japan!

For more information about fruit picking, including what fruits may be in season when you visit, check out Japan-guide.com (http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2268.html)

Directions to Pooh's Strawberry Garden via train:

• From Hakata Station, catch the 8:41AM JR Kagoshima Line Rapid bound for OMUTA on Track 6 (49 minutes)


• Get off at JR Hainuzuka Station


• Catch Horikawa Bus to BENGARA-MURA

*Specific times are due to the limited number of buses running to Pooh's Strawberry Farm.