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 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

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

1. Clarifying the Terminology First: Which System Covers Which Routes? For first-time visitors to Fukuoka, the most confusing part of transportation is not how  to ride, but who operates what .In practice, transportation in Fukuoka can be divided into three major systems: JR (intercity / Kyushu-wide travel) Fukuoka City Subway (urban backbone) Nishitetsu (city buses + Dazaifu direction) Once you clearly understand the role of each system, choosing the right transportation pa