Heading down to Kyushu on vacation this summer? First, we're super jealous. Second, you won't want to miss the latest addition to our lineup of guide maps: hot off the press, 50 things to do in Fukuoka is your ultimate guide to exploring southern Japan's greatest city. In addition to major tourist sights, excellent restaurants and interesting shops, it'll help you find a bunch of local spots the internet won't tell you about. You're sure to come into close contact with this culturally rich, exciting city's unique personality.
One place featured in our guide is Yorozu, a must-visit for any serious tea enthusiast. This shrine to green tea offers a menu that's extensive but carefully curated, effortlessly elegant service, and an interior that makes for endless eye candy. Pick from three types of tea to go with your wagashi (traditional confection) and expand your knowledge of Japan's indigenous life-giving liquid.
When you start feeling peckish, head straight for the theatre-like ramen shop called Mengekijo Genei. A 'holy ground' for ramen aficionados, Fukuoka is littered with noodle joints, but none of them can match the individualist streak found here. Sit around the colosseum-shaped central area and look straight into the kitchen, where chefs prepare bowls of noodles at a dizzying pace. Don't forget to order the egg rice (tamago gohan) to go with your greasy treat, and jam to the background tunes created by the shop's resident DJ.
Another unmissable foodie adventure awaits in Hakata, where Fukuoka's yatai (open-air food stall) culture is very much alive. Every evening, you'll see scores of both locals and tourists wandering from one stall to the next on the hunt for ramen, gyoza, oden stew, barbecued organ meats or something even more exotic.
You can pick up a free copy of 50 things to do in Fukuoka at major hotels in the city, most tourist information centres and some of Fukuoka's larger shopping complexes. It'll also be distributed to all participants at the 99th Lions International Convention, opening in Fukuoka on June 24.