Hi again everyone!
Let's continue with my adventures in Fukuoka!
Today I will show everyone two interesting places to visit, and something you should try in the Birth place of Ramen!
The Hakata district isn't really that big and I would say that if you don't want to spend anything on transport to explore the city, it is definitely doable.
One of the nice sights at night in the central part of city is Canal City Hakata. The brightly lit sign can be seen from far away, so you wouldn't lose your way walking towards it.
It is rather beautiful at night, and you would have a very different experience walking around here compared to Tokyo or Osaka. Along the river, there are also many street stalls that sell food. This isn't something I usually see in Tokyo. People sit around the small stall, maybe up to 5 people and they eat freshly cooked noodles, skewers that the owner has prepared, coupled with beer.
As you pass by these stalls and continue walking straight you will soon reach Canal City Hakata. It is a pretty large shopping mall and it looks really nice. The colours illuminated make the place even more pretty at night.
Before I entered the Mall though, I saw one of my to-go places for a quick snack. St Marc Cafe! I always visit them for their chocolate and special seasonal croissants. Ask the assistant to help you heat it up and you will be in for a wonderful sweet treat!
I ordered the special strawberry chocolate flavour!
they have cute chairs
Inside the mall I heard some music and bright lights flashing so I quickly went to check out the commotion. I found out that they have light and water shows at specific timings, so we went to watch them in action along with some Japanese music.
such beautiful illumination!
At first when I heard the music, I thought that the artists were in fact live and singing at the mall. But again it was so late at night, so that didn't seem possible. Then I realised that it was just the recording being played with the MV on screen. I think that it was a song by one of the EXILE band members, but i can't remember which specific EXILE group it was. But before I saw the screen i guessed that it was probably EXILE, as the style is so similar and familiar.
We didn't really stay there too long, as we actually did not plan to go there this day, just wanted to check it out and go somewhere else to eat. The mall isn't super big, but it has enough for the average tourist to check out and shop. The mall is not the newest here, and it is actually a little out of the way of the main city, but it's not too bad. I didn't really like one of the food they served here, but I will leave that for another post. The main shopping district I would say is at the JR Hakata station area, where most of the malls are close by.
So we were so hungry, even after the croissant snack, and we decided to eat some Ramen!
The HQ of Ichiran Ramen is in Fukuoka, and we were not that far away, so we decided to have that for late dinner. When you walk pass the branch, you will know why it is the HQ. It is 4 storeys high, and you can see the Ichiran logo from far away. To make it even more obvious, when we reached, they had a traditional japanese music group playing music at the 3rd storey of the building. There is a transparent glass window where they performed and everyone downstairs was filming and watching intently. Ichiran definitely got the attention that they wanted.
spot the musicians at one of the levels!
Level 1 is for customers who want to sit together at a normal dining table and order Ramen to eat there. We went to the second level as the waiting time was less, but we had to sit at the more 'traditional' style counter tables.
we ordered through a Ramen ticket machine
I like to eat the ramen with a medium-strong dashi taste, medium richness and very firm noodles.
For Ichiran's ramen I prefer them to be slightly spicy. It is more tasty to me that way.
you can then modify your order through this sheet, this is not my order sheet, the noodles aren't firm
One thing I did not expect was that the divider between the counter tables couldn't be removed so that you could see your friend when eating. When I was in the Osaka and Tokyo branches they were able to be removed. It could be that only my counter table was not able to be tweaked.
There will be an assistant behind those curtains that will serve you your bowl direct from the kitchen. You will probably be only able to see the server's hands and torso. They will bow after serving to you and wish that you enjoy your meal.
Itadakimasu! いただきます！
I had such a good meal!
Ichiran is a really big brand in Japan, and people normally have a tough time deciding whether Ichiran or Ippudo is the 'best'. Let's just say that I like them both, and that I have also tasted better. You might have also seen Instant Ichiran ramen available for sale. If you forgot to buy them before going home, do not worry, you will be able to find tons of them at the Fukuoka airport.
Hope you enjoyed the post! Let's visit more sights in Fukuoka next!
For my introduction post please check here!
Where else have I travelled to?
Check Seanytan's SteemitWorldMap!
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TrufflePigthanks! but i doubt it can hit 12 sbd haha
Haha i was just replying you on my post telling you how good a cheap ramen place can be in Japan!
Nice i have found your blog, looks i find a lot of inspiration here for future visits to Japan!!
Have a nice day!
@luckyme03200 yes I just saw! thank you so much for following me too!! yess precisely! My favourite ramen joint is actually at this place called Ban Nai Ramen in Tokyo, which is also my steemit display picture ahaha (i use that picture at many sites)
are you currently still in Japan? or back home?
I will check the place out next time im in tokyo!
Rigth now im at home in The Netherlands....my gf lives in takamatsu ( few hours from Osaka) but she will come to the Netherlands for 3 months from end of april.
Ofcourse i follow you, you seem to really do your best on your posts and i like them!
Good luck on steemit!
when i checked apparently its a chain ramen store but only locals frequent it. its quite hard to find at the main stations..
that is really nice! hope you have many more fun adventures soon and with your gf!
im normally very far from europe and netherlands. but now im in finland so im much nearer to where you are! ahaha
Ah Finland isnt that far hahaha! I hope spring started there already cos im pretty sure its super cold there in winter time!
I think i will start writing blogs about my own country soon also, so if you ever visit the Netherlands you have some inspiration already ;-)
that ramen looks yummy!
it really is!
nice article ;) upvoted. I've never been to japan and unlikely to be able to visit for a very long time.. but its nice to see the sights and "taste" via your blog
oh man why unlikely to visit! I am very biased, but i really recommend you to visit at least once, for the food! haha
If you want them to microwave the croissant, ask "renji-renji onegai shimasu."
Also, that ramen looks dope. I personally love the tonkatsu at Kyushu Jangara in Akihabara. So good...
i need it to be warm to eat hehe, i always request that. renji renji onegaishimasu sounds like something from an anime ahahha
Oh yea!! I tagged you in this post, if you haven't seen it hehe
https://steemit.com/travel/@seanytan/4279q01e
Interesting. When did you post that? I don't think I got any notification from Ginabot on that one...
I think a few days ago!
Yea i think tagging is quite iffy
The canal city is quite boring. Not many people also. Overrated by those magazines.
Can't decide between Ichiran and Ippudo.
I guess Ippudo during winter and Ichiran during summer.
ya it's quite boring, i went to ramen stadium to try out.. but it seems singapore ramen champion also better. but i'll leave it for another post. I think the most interesting taste ramen i ate was at Mutekiya, and probably the best-ish one is at Ban Nai Ramen (my DP!) but I think not many people know this, but its actually a chain!
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ramen looks really delicious!
Yes its really tasty!
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