Whenever friends come to Fukuoka to visit me, they rent a car to drive to Yufuin—and the first thing they do is set the GPS to the Oita Expressway .When I see that, I usually say: “You’re missing the real treasure.” As someone who’s settled in Fukuoka, I spend my days off exploring the prefectural borders. And honestly, compared to a predictable expressway drive, National Route 210 , stretching across Fukuoka and Oita, is where Kyushu’s scenery really shines. I’ve “conquered”

I used to think the Huis Ten Bosch “Kyushu’s Biggest Fireworks Festival” (九州一 大花火まつり) was simple: buy a ticket, sit down, wait for the show, go home. After actually doing it, I realized the experience gap isn’t about how much you spend—it’s about whether you can control friction costs : crowd pressure, walking distance, time spent holding a spot, exit flow, and energy loss. If any one of those goes wrong, “dreamy” turns into “endurance mode.” The good news: make the right cal

I built my Yakushima schedule with a “hard first, soft later” rhythm: finish the main objective (Jomon Sugi) in one decisive push on Day 2, use Day 3 (Shiratani Unsuikyo) to reset both body and mood, then spend Day 4 cycling a half-loop to store the island’s everyday texture into memory. The last day is reserved purely for leaving the island—so the trip doesn’t end as a scramble. Quick Navigation Day 1 | Fukuoka → Yakushima: Front-load the Risks Day 2 | Jomon Sugi (Arakawa Ro

I’ve been in Fukuoka on a working holiday  for a while now. Living in Japan sounds dreamy—and it is—but after enough days of working nonstop and constantly budgeting to save money, fatigue inevitably sets in. A few weeks ago, I finally managed to line up several days off. This time, I decided not to travel like a “budget backpacker,” but to treat myself a little better . The plan was simple: head to neighboring Oita Prefecture , stop by Hita  to visit the Attack on Titan  pil

My first impression of Beppu was not comfort, but presence . Shortly after arrival, a faint sulfur smell followed me, while white steam rose from street corners, walls, and rooftops, as if the city were constantly exhaling. Beppu felt “unhealthy” —not in a negative sense, but like a body with a persistent low-grade fever, continuously steaming, always in motion. For a 2-day, 1-night trip to Beppu, most travelers try to cram all seven hells into one day. After walking the rout

For most visitors to Fukuoka, Dazaifu Tenmangu  is a daytime destination—crowded shopping streets, lines for umegae mochi , and students praying for academic success.Yet if you visit in late September, I strongly recommend experiencing Dazaifu after dark . Around the autumn equinox (September 20–25), Dazaifu hosts its most important annual ritual: the Shinko-shiki Grand Festival (Jinkōshiki Taisai) . Recognized as an Intangible Folk Cultural Asset of Fukuoka Prefecture, the f

Yutoku Inari Shrine → Ouo Shrine’s Sea Torii → Kaidomaru Seafood BBQ → Karatsu Kunchi Festival (No-Car, Real-World Travel Diary) A no-car travel diary from my working-holiday days in Japan: a day and a half from Fukuoka into Saga—Yutoku Inari Shrine’s striking vermilion “floating” hall, Ouo Shrine’s three sea torii that transform with the tide, a standout seafood BBQ lunch at Kaidomaru, and an unforgettable night at Karatsu Kunchi (Karatsu’s autumn festival). Honest notes on