CONCLUDED
Kyushu Basho
1957
Fukuoka Kokusai Center · 10-24 Nov · Fukuoka
The venue
Hosts Kyūshū
The largest city on Kyūshū, the southernmost of Japan's main islands. Closer to Seoul than to Tokyo, with a markedly different feel - warmer, more casual, exceptional street food. The Kokusai Center sits on the Hakata Bay waterfront, ten minutes from the central Hakata station.
Near the arena
- Hakata Station↗ - Itself a destination - JR Hakata City complex has the best department-store food halls.
- Canal City Hakata↗ - Massive entertainment-and-shopping complex along an artificial canal.
- Ōhori Park↗ - Former castle moat, now a beautiful walking-and-jogging loop.
- Dazaifu Tenmangū↗ - Shrine to Sugawara no Michizane, deity of learning. 30 minutes by train.
- Nakasu yatai↗ - Open-air food stalls along the Naka River - quintessential Fukuoka after-dark experience.
Local specialties
- Hakata ramen↗博多ラーメン - World-famous tonkotsu - the rich, milky pork-bone broth from this very city.
- Motsunabe↗もつ鍋 - Offal hotpot with cabbage and garlic chives. Hearty winter food.
- Mentaiko↗明太子 - Spicy marinated cod roe. Locals put it on everything.
- Hakata gyoza↗博多餃子 - Smaller and crispier than Tokyo or Chinese versions - eaten by the dozen.
Getting there: 10-minute walk from Gofukumachi Station, or 15 minutes from Hakata Station.