There are some great perks attached to being a consultant with the Taiwan Cyclist Federation and running my own cycling tour company in Taiwan (more tours in Asia coming soon). In fact there are quite a few – showing people beautiful places by bike and going to the Taiwan KOM each year being but two – and another is getting invited as part of the TCF to head to Japan a few times a year to work with local prefecture tourism boards to promote Taiwanese and other nationals to visit these places.
This trip that I’m currently on is to Fukuoka Prefecture, which is located in the north of the island of Kyushu. The capital city shares its name with the prefecture, is the 6th largest in Japan and has a population of 1.6 million. The city was ranked 12th in a ‘world’s most liveable cities’ in Monocle magazine in 2015.
Fukuoka holds a lot of great memories for me as I lived just an hour south of the city for 7 years, when I worked as a teacher in neighbouring Tosu City. This is the area I spent hours training in when I got back into cycling again at 36 years of age, after an 18 year hiatus from racing. It was in the hills and valleys here that I sweated and suffered as I got myself fit to join the pro and elite cycling events all over Japan, before heading to Taiwan to race in the UCI Asia Tour. It’s an area I am very familiar with and that has a special place in my heart.
So, I jumped at the chance to head back here for this trip!
FOOD, NIGHTLIFE & ARCHITECTURE
I can’t recommend a visit to this wonderful city and the wider prefecture enough. The variety and quality of food is incredible, there are some great coffee shops and bars, and all kinds of stores to spend your hard-earned cash in too.
This is the renowned Hibachi, near Hakata Station.
Aho-Dori’s grilled chicken. See store front below, a nostalgic and delicious spot~!
If you’re looking for a cafe to stop by and do some work or relax, Manu Coffee has two great little spots, my favourite being in the heart of Tenjin. It’s down a little alley and a bit hard to find (as all great coffee shops should be!), and has a chill, funky vibe.
The real delight of this city for me, on top of all that I’ve mentioned, is that you can walk around the entire center of it very easily, unlike for example Tokyo, which though astounding (and a must-see) is sprawling, huge and at times overwhelming.
Fukuoka: in the foreground is Ohori Park (Koen), in the heart of the city.
Another plus are the beaches nearby. Momochi Beach is literally part of the city and a ten minute bike ride from Hakata Station.
A little further west is the famed Itoshima Beach, a beautiful, long expanse of soft sand that is great for a day out. The area has some fine restaurants and some funky cafes in which to while away an hour or two.
Fukuoka is also well know for its architectural delights too, with some fantastic work on display, both inside and out.
ACROS Building, Emilio Ambasz 1995
The Riverwalk, with the castle to the left and the red Canal City center.
One other factor that makes Fukuoka so attractive for locals and travellers alike is the temperature, its warmer for longer than the northern areas, and the winter is much milder as a result.
Furthermore, Fukuoka, often cited as Japan’s most modern hi-tech city, lies on the edge of the rest of the island, which is more rural and offers a true Japanese countryside experience. Also, last and very important this point – in Fukuoka, people are very friendly and less conservative than usual, it’s a real plus and you can feel a relaxed move as you stroll around.
KEIRIN!
No, not the beer, Kirin, but Keirin track cycling! The famous Japanese cycling sport began in 1948, and it actually began in Kitakyushu, the northern-most city in Fukuoka, at the Kokura track.
I will be discussing this more in my next post – I just returned from a VIP tour there – so here are some images from my visit. A visit to the track will be included in my tour next year.
As you can see, I love it here! I’ve gone on a bit too long and could go on even more about the other great spots in the state. Now let’s check out some of my favourite cycling routes in Fukuoka!
RECOMMENDED RIDES
- The Gokayama Ride is a decent shortish ride that will get the legs acclimatised to some climbing, with 1000m+ of elevation, a nice run out from the city into the countryside. See here on Strava.
2. The Itoshima Ride, this is a must-do! Apart from a few kilometers on a straight and busy road, you will fins this route a real delight, with amazing views of the beaches as you go. Flatter than the previous ride, it’s longer and another highly recommended cycling route. If you’re there in the right season, you can buy oysters fresh out of the ocean by the roadside…
3. The Sefuri Route – just go do it and thank me later… or better still, do it with my in May on my Fukuoka Tour!
View from Mt. Sefuri
The summit by road.
4. The Shikanoshima route, close to Fukuoka, flat, beautiful out and back around the island. I won a race here in 2009, if I remember correctly! A really nice ride, easy, lots of interesting things on the island and some nice cafes.
There are many, many more great routes out and around Fukuoka Prefecture – join me in 2024 by emailing lee@crankpunk.com.
Arigatou gozaimasu!
I’d like to thank the team from KyudenSangyo tour company in Fukuoka, and CrossRoad Fukuoka for all their support!
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