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The Selfish Years

~ Over 200 cities, 42 countries, 6 continents and counting.

The Selfish Years

Tag Archives: Fukuoka

Satiating Our Sushi Lust in Fukuoka at Uotoku

15 Wednesday Jan 2014

Posted by mrsselfish in Asia, Food & Drinks, Fukuoka, Japan

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Asia, Food & Drinks, Fukuoka, Japan, Otomezushi, Selfish Year, Selfish Years, Sushi, Sushi in Fukuoka, Uotoku

Ever since feasting on the freshest and best sushi we’ve ever had in Kanazawa at Otomezushi, Mr. Selfish and I have been a bit shy to eat sushi. It’s all relative, and we know that most sushi won’t stack up to Otomezushi. We’ve mostly stuck to eating rolls instead of actual sushi since you don’t have to be as concerned with freshness.

On our trip back to Japan, we figured that we would get our fill of  sushi. We had read rave reviews of a sushi restaurant named Uotoku (17-14-1 Imaizumi 1-chome, Chuo-ku) in Fukuoka, particularly about the sushi chef who had worked in Hong Kong and New York. We made a reservation for lunch, which is always cheaper for sushi, and had high hopes for sushi.

Fukuoka 066Fukuoka 074

We opted for the chef’s selection and gave him a budget of about $35 USD per person. It’s always a good idea to trust the chef to choose the freshest and best sushi of the day.

The first item served was snail. I wasn’t really expecting it, but it was pretty good and tender. Mr. Selfish and I each received two snails and a toothpick to pry them out.

Fukuoka 067Fukuoka 069

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The Selfish Guide to a Ramen Run in Fukuoka, Japan

14 Tuesday Jan 2014

Posted by mrsselfish in Asia, Food & Drinks, Fukuoka, Japan

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Asia, Canal City, Chiba, Food & Drinks, Fukuoka, Ichiran, Japan, Ramen Stadium, Selfish Year, Selfish Years, Shin Shin, Tontoro

Mr. Selfish and I remember the days when we were ramen newbies and could genuinely enjoy most ramen bowls. Those days are long gone, and we’re now ramen snobs. It was bound to happen. If you keep eating something over and over again, you start to develop a palate for it. Unfortunately, once this happens, your discerning palate knows when a ramen bowl isn’t up to snuff.

So when we decided to come back to Fukuoka for a couple of nights, we knew that we had to do a ramen run. Fukuoka is, after all, where tonkotsu ramen originated.

Shin Shin: Good Broth but a Little Fatty on the Pork

Mr. Selfish and I had added Shin Shin to our Google map during our first trip to Fukuoka back in April. We didn’t make it there but had read from many sources that it had some of the best ramen in Fukuoka. We made sure to go to Shin Shin this time around.

Ramen 03Ramen 04Ramen 06

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Heading back to the Grand Hyatt Fukuoka

13 Monday Jan 2014

Posted by misterselfish in Accommodations, Fukuoka, Hyatt, Japan

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Fukuoka, Fukuoka Castle, Grand Hyatt Fukuoka, Hyatt, Japan, Ohori Park, Selfish Year, Selfish Years

During our selfish year abroad, Mrs. Selfish and I made a pit stop to Fukuoka, on our way to idyllic Kurokawa Onsen Town. As Japan’s 7th largest city, Fukuoka is often overlooked in favor of Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka. Most visitors I’ve talked to aren’t even aware it exists!

Fukuoka is a thriving city with a unique food scene, and the birth place of gyoza and tonkatsu style (pork broth) ramen. Having only spent one half day in Fukuoka on our previous go-around, Mrs. Selfish and I decided to stay two days this time, in order to better explore the city (and it’s ramen scene!).

We decided to stay at Grand Hyatt Fukuoka once again, since we had enjoyed it so much our previous time around. On the previous visit, Mrs. Selfish was a diamond member, thanks to a diamond challenge, but this time we were lowly platinum members. Since we had enjoyed the GHF’s lounge so much on the previous go, however, we decided to pay in cash and use one of Mrs. Selfish’s diamond suite certificates!

Check-in and Room

Checking in in pretty much any Japanese hotel usually goes smoothly, in my experience, and the Grand Hyatt Fukuoka was no exception. After arriving in the lobby, we were escorted to the lounge to complete the check-in process. A few minutes later, we were in our suite.

Grand Hyatt Fukuoka 001

Upon entering, I was immediately struck by the size of the living room. While our previous stay had been pleasant, the standard room was a bit cramped by Western standards. The suite, on the other hand, was large and modern.

There was a thermostat in each room for individual temperature control, motion detector lights in the closet that lit up upon entry, and a classy wall-mounted CD player playing welcoming jazz music.

The living room also had a welcome amenity: a small bottle of wine, some grapes, and green tea flavored cookies.

Grand Hyatt Fukuoka 004Grand Hyatt Fukuoka 005

The room itself was modern and clean though a bit sparse, which I find to be quite typical in Japanese hotels.

Grand Hyatt Fukuoka 002

The bathroom came with a bathtub and separate shower and a glass sink – a feature I’m still obsessed with.

Grand Hyatt Fukuoka 003

Only a wide angle camera could capture the majesty of the glass sink.

While we didn’t snap any pictures of them, I should mention that the amenities kits in Japan tend to be pretty slick. Especially the shaving cream, which comes in a miniature can and foams up. Probably not that impressive to some of y’all out there, but typically hotel shaving creams come out of a little tube more like a lotion or cream – it’s always these little differences that I enjoy about traveling.

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I Need a Vacation!

27 Friday Sep 2013

Posted by misterselfish in Accommodations, Asia, China, Hilton, Hyatt, IHG, Japan, Marriott

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

Conrad Maldives, Doubletree Naha, Fukuoka, Intercontinental Hong Kong, Maldives, Okinawa, Ritz Carlton Okinawa, Selfish Year, Selfish Years

When we first started traveling abroad, I figured our year long wanderings would end one of two ways:

1) After traveling for a year we’d be so sick of it, that we’d immediately settle somewhere and never leave.

2) Our travel obsession would get worse and we’d have problems staying anywhere for longer than a month.

Unfortunately, it looks like it’s #2.

Mrs. Selfish and I have been settling into San Francisco for two weeks now, and I’m already starting to get antsy. While it’s nice to have a slightly more permanent home (at least for the next few months), I miss the call of the open road.

Fortunately, I anticipated this outcome and booked a new trip back in July. Come late November, we’re heading to the Maldives and Okinawa for scuba diving, by way of Hong Kong and Fukuoka, Japan!

The Maldives

Let’s see if the Maldives is everything it’s cracked up to be!

Okinawa

Okinawa, Japan’s Winter Paradise.

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One Night to Sample the Delicious Food in Fukuoka

25 Saturday May 2013

Posted by mrsselfish in Asia, Food & Drinks, Japan

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Asia, Food & Drinks, Fukuoka, Gyoza, Ichiran, Ippudo, Japan, Ramen, Selfish Year, Selfish Years, Tonkotsu, Yatai

Upon leaving Seoul, Mr. Selfish and I flew to Fukuoka, which is the sixth largest city in Japan and is located about 680 miles southwest of Tokyo. We had read online that tonkotsu ramen originated from Fukuoka and knew that we had to try it there.

Tonkotsu ramen is made from boiling pork bones, fat, and collagen for an extended period of time. The broth is typically thick and creamy. The first place we tried was Ichiran (1-2-22, Sumiyoshi, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka). Ordering your ramen at Ichiran is an interesting process devoid of all human contact. First, you pick what you want to order and pay for it at a vending machine.

Fukuoka 028Fukuoka 029Fukuoka 030Vending Machine

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Lovin’ Japan Already!

25 Thursday Apr 2013

Posted by mrsselfish in Asia, Japan

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

Asia, Day Trips, Fukuoka, Japan, Kanazawa, Kobe, Kurokawa, Kyoto, Mount Koya, Nara, Osaka, Selfish Years, Tokyo

Mr. Selfish and I arrived in Kyoto last night and are staying in an apartment here for a glorious 22 nights. After so much fast traveling through China and Korea, we were glad to unpack our bags, do some laundry, and buy some groceries to make home cooked meals.

We started our trip in Japan at Fukuoka for one night and then went to Kurokawa, which is an amazing onsen town, for two nights. After Kyoto, we’ll visit Kanazawa for a couple of nights and then Tokyo for two weeks.

japan

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Who’s Selfish?

Mr. and Mrs. Selfish are an obsessively organized couple who sold all their junk to travel abroad for a year. Now settled in San Francisco, they have since visited over 200 cities in 44 countries over 6 continents. This site chronicles their travels.

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