After spending the past couple of weeks in relatively rural places, I was looking forward to arriving in Fukuoka, western Japan’s largest city. Setting foot there also meant I had arrived in Kyushu, another one of Japan’s four main islands – and as it would turn out, an absolute treasure trove of titillating tourist sites. I spent a fair amount of time in Fukuoka, even returning for a few extra days after leaving initially because I liked it so much. Consequently I managed to see a lot of stuff, so let’s get into it.

Fukuoka has a few temples and old buildings but it’s hardly the main draw of the place. I briefly explored Gokushomachi, the old town, and visited one temple outside the city too which was lovely. The main attractions here are more modern – stylish shopping malls like Canal City and the sparkling Fukuoka Tower are more popular; so that’s where I went.

Being by the coast means Fukuoka had a small but quite lovely beach accessible from the city, and taking ferries to nearby islands was also an option. I went on a small roadtrip with a friend where we explored some of the amazing scenery in the region; this is where I would begin to discover how wonderfully beautiful the landscapes of Kyushu were.

In addition to that, I took an overnight trip to Sasebo in neighbouring Nagasaki prefecture to visit the beautiful 99 Islands. I took a ride on a touristy pirate ship and enjoyed the fantastic scenery. Despite never having heard of this place and it hardly being famous at all, I was quite impressed with it. I’m so interested in seeing these typical towns across Japan – I feel like I’m finally understanding what it’s like to actually be from and live here.

I think the best part of Fukuoka for me was hanging around and soaking up the vibe. There are fewer western tourists here than in the larger cities in the East, so walking along the river at night, alongside the bustling food stands and grabbing cheap eats with the locals was a simple but delightful way to pass the time. It’s well located for exploring the rest of the island and has just enough attractions to keep oneself occupied for a few days. With a slower pace and lower cost of living than Tokyo it makes for a good place to visit to get the Japanese experience without stressing one’s back account too much. My travels through Kyushu in the coming weeks would cement it as one of my favourite regions of Japan. As a result, I know that I’ll be returning to Fukuoka before too long.