Partners Information: Fukuoka City is quite famous as a food-lover's paradise, as it offers many local delicacies that have become extremely popular nationwide - Hakata ramen, anyone? Click on the Tsunagu Japan link at the bottom to learn more about five areas in the city, each with numerous casual eateries, where you can get your fill of Fukuoka's varied and special cuisine.
1. Food Stalls Galore at Nakasu
Image provided by Fukuoka City
The Nakasu area is Fukuoka's entertainment heartland. Come nightfall, it's the best place to rub shoulders with Fukuoka locals over some of the city's best street food at the yatai stalls. These stalls congregate around the southern part of Nakasu along the edge of the Nakagawa River, and are open year round.
Some food you should try while here include:
Tetsunabe gyoza (above left) and Hakata ramen (above right)
Images provided by Fukuoka City
2. Tenjin - downtown Fukuoka
Tenjin is Fukuoka's western hub and is packed with a diverse range of shops, bars, restaurants, and nightlife. Like the Nakasu area, Tenjin hosts its fair share of yatai, the iconic Fukuoka street stalls, which serve food until the early hours of the morning and are an integral part of the city's nightlife and food scene.
Some food you should try while here include:
Motsu nabe - a soy-sauce-based hotpot dish often containing beef or pork tripe, cabbage, garlic and chives
Image provided by Fukuoka City
3. Fresh Seafood at Nagahama Fish Market
Images provided by Fukuoka City
Nagahama Fish Market is Fukuoka's largest commercial fish market, and is packed with fishermen selling the best catches of the day to local traders and restaurateurs. Once a month the market opens its doors to the public, offering a rare glimpse inside this excellent local seafood market.
Some food you should try while here include:
Goma saba (mackeral sashimi with sesame; above left) and mackeral sashimi (above right)
Images provided by Fukuoka City
4. Yanagibashi Rengo Market - Fukuoka's kitchen
Image provided by Fukuoka City
Often referred to as the 'Kitchen of Fukuoka,' you can find butchers, fish mongers, green grocers and more in this bustling market. Chefs and residents from all around the city will travel to these markets to find the freshest and best produce for their kitchens.
Some food you should try while here include:
Yakitori (grilled chicken skewers; above left) and karashi mentaiko (spicy cod roe; above right © Fukuoka Prefecture Tourist Association)
5. Kawabata Shopping Arcade - Fukuoka's oldest shopping street
Image provided by Fukuoka City
The shops in this arcade are a stark contrast to the hundreds of other shops that line the centre of Nakasu. Many of the shops here sell traditional Japanese products, clothing, paper, art and sweets. Here are a couple of local delicacies you should try while you're here:
Mizutaki (chicken hot pot; above left) and goboten udon (udon garnished with deep-fried burdock roots; above right)
Images provided by Fukuoka City
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