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Fukuoka City is truly cosmopolitan. The South Korean cities of Pusan and Seoul are closer than Tokyo; passenger ships ply their way between the city and East Asia; and international flights extend the city’s reach far across the Pacific. An average of 15.7 million tourists visit Fukuoka City each year and its streets echo with the sounds of just about every Japanese dialect as well as many foreign languages. Tourists are lured not only by high-tech amusement facilities and fashionable cafes, but also by pleasantly landscaped river banks and the opportunity for seaside strolls.
At night, a miniature village of open stalls spreads out along the banks of the Naka River flowing through the center of the city. Some 200 eating and drinking establishments serve local specialties of ramen noodles, grilled chicken and oden stew. The area is equally popular with local businesspeople and tourists alike. Each stall can accommodate only about 10 at best, so getting into one can be a real squeeze. Total strangers sit shoulder to shoulder. They may not even speak the same language, but the cozy quarters and delicious food and drink serve to envelope everyone in a wonderful warm glow of camaraderie.
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The people of Eisen Realty Co., Ltd.'s
Fukuoka Branch |
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| Fukuoka City’s numerous festivals are a part of its allure. Kushida Shrine, believed to have been first built in 757, is the focal point of several of these crowd-gathering events, among them the setsubun festival in early February, marking the beginning of spring on the traditional calendar; the Hakata Gion Yamagasa festival in July; and the Hakata Okunchi festival in October. |
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