A review of your Notion itinerary with a proposed plan beside it, day by day. Your plan is left as it is; every suggestion sits next to the original so you can pick what you like. Built for street photography by day and night, ramen and street food, retro game hunting, and good scenery without paying tourist-trap prices.
Land Sat Nov 21, 19:00Fly out Sat Dec 12, 20:00Sunset ~16:55–17:15Weather 8–16°C, bring layersGetting around trains, buses, boats, taxis and walking; no driving or cyclingBudget assumes solo, hotels already paid, ₱ at 0.395/¥
Trip at a glance
All 22 days as headlines. Tap one to jump to its timetable. The colour marks how it compares with your Notion plan.
Keep 4 Your plan works as is; small additions only.Tweak 8 Same places, better timing or logistics.Fill 6 Blank or light day in your plan; new suggestion.Swap 4 Reordered for geography or opening days.
Biggest changes
Dec 5–6
Kitakyushu split in two
Five far-apart stops on one short December day becomes Miyajidake + Kokura + Sarakura night view on Dec 5, then Mojiko + the Karato sushi market on Sunday Dec 6.
Dec 8–9
Yufuin pairs with Beppu
Yufuin and Kumamoto are in opposite directions. Yufuin + Beppu go together on Dec 8, Kumamoto gets Dec 9, and a ¥15,000 JR Northern Kyushu pass covers it all.
Nov 27–Dec 1
Hiroshima ordered around crowds
Your host will hold your bag, so Miyajima stays on Friday Nov 27 (a weekday). The Peace Park and the Dome at night are on Sat Nov 28, Kure on Sun Nov 29, Iwakuni on a quiet Mon Nov 30, and a slow shopping day on Tue Dec 1.
Nov 23 & Dec 2
Transfers timed to check-in
Onomichi: a later train, with the bag in a station locker. Hakata: the guesthouse takes bags from 11:00, so you arrive mid-morning and get a free afternoon.
Nov 22 & 24
Earlier starts
Kushida Shrine at dawn before holiday crowds hit Dazaifu, and Senkoji lookout at sunrise before the ropeway opens.
Dec 12
Departure day planned
The flight is at 20:00, so you get a market breakfast, souvenirs, and time for the new airport tax-refund step.
Keep 4 Your plan works as is; small additions only.Tweak 8 Same places, better timing or logistics.Fill 6 Blank or light day in your plan; new suggestion.Swap 4 Reordered for geography or opening days.
Day by day
Each card opens with a headline and what the place is about, then a review of how it differs from your Notion plan, then the timetable. Times are a guide. Transit prices are approximate adult fares; check them on the day.
Hakata Nov 21–22 · 2 nights
Day 1Sat Nov 21Hakata
Fill
Touchdown and first yatai night
Fukuoka's riverside Nakasu district. Land at 7pm, check in near Kushida Shrine, and eat at the open-air stalls along the neon-lit Naka River.
Review
Blank in your plan. You land at 7:00pm, so you get one good evening. Your first hotel (Reisenmachi) is a short walk from Nakasu and Kushida Shrine, so use it.
Timetable
Land at Fukuoka International Terminal. Allow ~45 min for immigration and customs.
Transit
Nishitetsu bus from the International Terminal to Hakata Station (~20 min, ~¥310). Get an IC card (Hayakaken / nimoca / Sugoca) at the airport and top it up with cash.
TransitTip
Check in at Reisenmachi and drop your bags.
Nakasu yatai row along the Naka River. Take a counter seat at a small stall for your first bowl of tonkotsu and some oden; stall owners like to chat.
Eat
Photograph the yatai lanterns and the neon reflected in the river, from the Fukuhaku Deai Bridge. Walk back through the Kawabata arcade.
Dawn at Hakata's oldest shrine, then Dazaifu, the shrine town 45 min south, at peak autumn colour. Camera shop and game-shop scouting in Tenjin.
Review
Good day, but it's a Sunday on a 3-day holiday weekend (Nov 23 is Labour Thanksgiving Day), and it's autumn leaf season. Dazaifu will be packed after about 10:30, so reverse the order: the shrine at dawn, Dazaifu early, shopping in the afternoon. It's also the last day of the Kyushu sumo tournament, and Hotei plays that night.
Timetable
Kushida Shrine plus the old-town temples (Tochoji, Shofukuji), 5–10 min from your hotel. Soft light and nobody around. Free.
Photo
Subway to Tenjin, then the Nishitetsu line to Dazaifu (~45 min, ~¥430 each way).
Transit
Dazaifu Tenmangu. Umegae-mochi hot off the grill (~¥150–200 each).
EatPhoto
Komyozenji moss and rock garden. The maples should be at or near peak, and it's the best photo spot in Dazaifu (~¥200 donation).
Photo
Kanzeonji and Kaidan-in: quiet and free. Or walk the Kyushu National Museum's glowing escalator tunnel.
Photo
Back to Tenjin for lunch: Shin-Shin ramen (~¥900).
Eat
UV filter: Yodobashi Hakata for new, or Camera no Kitamura for used.
Shop
Scouting trip to the Tenjin game shops (Mandarake, Book Off). Just note prices; buy on Dec 10–11.
Toy hunt
Blue hour on the Naka River bridges in Tenjin and Nakasu.
NightPhoto
Evening options: Hotei Tomoyasu at Fukuoka Sun Palace (¥11,000), the final day of the sumo tournament, or a small-group Hakata night food walk through the yatai (book ahead on Klook or KKday, ~¥10,000+). On a budget: Ganso Nagahamaya (a ¥550 bowl), then a yatai counter.
A hillside port on the Seto Inland Sea, all stairways, temples and cats, and the real-life model for Yakuza 6's Jingaicho. Arrive after lunch; sunset over the channel.
Review
It's a national holiday, so reserve a Shinkansen seat. Buy JR West's foreign-visitor one-way ticket, Hakata ↔ Fukuyama/Onomichi (¥8,300); a regular fare is ¥12,000 or more. Assuming no early bag drop, take a late-morning train so you reach Onomichi close to check-in, and keep the bag in a station locker while you eat.
Timetable
Easy Hakata morning: breakfast and the Tochoji temple area, 10 min from your hotel.
Photo
Check out and walk to Hakata Station.
Transit
Shinkansen Hakata → Fukuyama (~1h40).
Transit
JR Sanyo Line Fukuyama → Onomichi (~20 min, ~¥420). Put your bag in an Onomichi Station coin locker (~¥500–700), or ask your lodging if they'll hold it.
TransitTip
Onomichi ramen near the station: Tsutafuji or Shukaen (~¥800–900).
Eat
Collect your bag and check in at Sangenyacho, 10 min on foot.
Transit
Yakuza 6 walk: the Hondori arcade (the model for Jingaicho), the backstreets and the Harbor Rd waterfront. Bring in-game screenshots.
Photo
Sunset (~16:55) over the channel and the Mukaishima shipyard cranes.
Photo
Blue hour: arcade lights, then the hillside houses as they light up.
Onomichi's signature day: the hilltop lookout at dawn, cat-lined lanes, the pagoda-over-rooftops shot, and a ¥100 ferry across the channel.
Review
Right places, but timing matters. The cats are out in the morning, and the Senkoji viewpoint is best at sunrise, before the ropeway opens at 9:00. Walk up in the dark, then ride down (or up) later for ¥500.
Timetable
Walk up to the Senkoji Park lookout (free, 20–25 min uphill, always open). Sunrise is ~06:50 over the channel.
Photo
Walk down through Cat Alley (Neko-no-Hosomichi) and past the painted 'lucky cat' stones.
Photo
Bakery breakfast near the station.
Eat
Senkoji Temple on its boulders. Ropeway one way ¥500, return ¥700.
Photo
Temple Walk: frame the Tenneiji three-storey pagoda above the rooftops, the classic Onomichi shot.
Photo
Lunch at a second ramen shop to compare.
Eat
Take the ~¥100 ferry to Mukaishima (5 min, frequent) for shipyard views and the view back to Onomichi's hillside. The cheapest scenic ride of the trip.
Photo
Lantern-lit slopes after dark, then dinner at a small counter bar near the station. Onomichi's bars are tiny and friendly.
Recovery day. Optional 40-min boat through the islands to Setoda for a white marble hilltop garden and lemon snacks.
Review
Resting after three busy days is smart. If you feel good, a boat to Setoda gets you island scenery with no cycling needed. The ride itself is the scenic part: 40 minutes through the islands.
Timetable
Sleep in and do laundry.
Optional: Setouchi Cruising boat from Onomichi Station Pier to Setoda (~39 min, ¥1,500 each way, cash, card or IC card).
TransitPhoto
Setoda: Kosanji temple and its white marble 'Hill of Hope' garden (~¥1,400), all within walking distance of the port. Setoda lemon cake and lemon snacks on the shopping street.
PhotoEat
Boat back to Onomichi, with the islands in the afternoon light.
The sacred island an hour from Hiroshima, on a weekday. The floating torii, the end of peak maple season in Momijidani, and a hike up Mt Misen for Inland Sea views. Your bag goes to the Hiroshima stay first.
Review
Your Hiroshima host will hold your bag, so Miyajima is back on Friday, as in your plan. It's a weekday at the end of peak maple season, with fewer people than Saturday. They didn't give a time, so message them the day before that you'll arrive around 9:00.
Timetable
Check out early. JR Onomichi → Hiroshima (~1h20, ~¥1,340).
Transit
Drop your bag at the Tokaichimachi stay.
TransitTip
Hiroden tram line 2 from Tokaichimachi to Hiroden-Miyajimaguchi (~60 min, ~¥280).
Transit
Ferry (10 min, ¥200) plus the ¥100 Miyajima visitor tax.
Transit
Momijidani Park and the Momiji Bridge, then Daisho-in Temple (free, maple-lined steps, fewer people).
Photo
Snacks on Omotesando: grilled oysters, age-momiji (fried maple cakes, ~¥200) and an anago onigiri. Skip the hour-long queues for anago-meshi.
Eat
Hike up Mt Misen on the Momijidani trail (~90 min, free), then ride the ropeway down (¥1,100).
Photo
Itsukushima Shrine (¥300) and the O-torii. Check the tide table: high tide for the 'floating' torii, low tide to walk out to it.
Photo
Sunset and blue hour at the torii. It's lit up after dark.
NightPhoto
Ferry and tram back, check in, then okonomiyaki for dinner.
Hiroshima's memorial heart in the morning, Shukkeien garden and the Hondori arcade in the afternoon, then the A-Bomb Dome at blue hour and the Dreamination winter lights.
Review
Essential. It's a Saturday, so be at the museum when it opens. Hiroshima Castle's main keep closed for good in March 2026 (the grounds are still open). BUMP OF CHICKEN plays the Green Arena on Nov 28–29, so the castle area will be busy in the evening.
Timetable
The A-Bomb Dome and Aioi Bridge in the morning quiet.
Photo
Peace Memorial Park and the Children's Peace Monument.
Peace Memorial Museum (¥200, allow 2 hours).
Okonomimura, a building with floors of okonomiyaki counters (~¥1,000–1,300).
Eat
Shukkeien garden (¥260) for autumn colour.
Photo
Hiroshima Castle grounds: moat and gates only.
Photo
Street photography in the Hondori arcade and its side streets.
Photo
Blue hour: the Dome from across the Motoyasu River, with trams crossing Aioi Bridge.
NightPhoto
Dreamination lights along Peace Boulevard (free, ~17:30–22:30).
NightPhoto
Dinner, then the neon alleys of Nagarekawa and Yagenbori.
Hiroshima's naval harbour, 40 min away. The Yamato battleship museum, a real submarine to walk through, and a street-stall dinner.
Review
Blank in your plan. Kure is a working naval port: submarines up close, the Yamato Museum (open Sundays; closed Tuesdays), a free submarine museum, and the Hiroshima area's only street of yatai stalls. A few stalls take Sundays off, so have a backup for dinner.
Timetable
JR Kure Line Hiroshima → Kure (~40 min, ~¥510).
Transit
Yamato Museum (¥1,000): a 1:10 model of the battleship Yamato.
JMSDF Kure Museum, the 'Iron Whale' (free). You walk through a real submarine.
Photo
Kure navy curry (~¥1,200).
Eat
Alley Karasu-kojima: a free waterfront where submarines are moored right in front of you.
Photo
Kure yatai: ramen, gyoza and oden from the stalls (~¥1,500–2,500). Most open from ~18:00, and a few take days off, so have a backup.
Bag dropped at 11:00, Hakata Issou for lunch, Momochi seaside at sunset, and Kenzo yatai at night.
Review
Keep it easy. Your Hakata guesthouse takes bags from 11:00, so leave Hiroshima mid-morning and you get a free afternoon. Use JR West's foreign-visitor one-way ticket (¥6,300, vs ~¥9,000 regular).
Timetable
Check out. Tram to Hiroshima Station (~¥240).
Transit
Shinkansen Hiroshima → Hakata (~65 min).
Transit
Drop your bag at the Taihakumachi guesthouse.
TransitTip
Hakata Issou, from your list (~10 min from Hakata Station).
Eat
Coffee at JAB or Megane (from your list), then check in when your room is ready.
Eat
Momochi Seaside Park at sunset (free). Fukuoka Tower is optional (~¥1,000, discount with a foreign passport).
Okawachiyama, the hidden kiln village of Imari ware in the Saga hills, by scenic coastal train. Karatsu Castle at sunset on the way back.
Review
A great photo village: kiln chimneys, a porcelain-tiled bridge, and cheap Imari ware. Buses are thin, so take the scenic JR Chikuhi Line along the coast and stop at Karatsu on the way back.
Timetable
Subway → JR Chikuhi Line through-train to Karatsu (~80 min, ~¥1,160). Sit on the right for the sea.
Transit
JR Karatsu → Imari (~50 min, ~¥760).
Transit
Taxi to Okawachiyama (~15 min, ~¥2,000). Buses are infrequent.
Transit
Okawachiyama: kiln lanes, chimneys, the porcelain bridge. Small plates cost ~¥1,000–3,000.
PhotoShop
Lunch in Imari, then the train back to Karatsu.
EatTransit
Karatsu Castle (~¥500), then sunset over the Nijinomatsubara pine forest.
Fukuoka's beach-and-café peninsula. The white torii and wedded rocks at Futamigaura, plus lunch at Ichiran's factory site.
Review
Two things to plan around. Ichiran no Mori is open 11:00–16:00, and the couple rocks look best at sunset (~17:10). Buses are sparse: the West Coast Liner (Hakata Bus Terminal, platform 32, ¥1,150, ~1h) runs about 7 times a day, and the last one back leaves around 18:00. The plan below uses buses and short taxi rides only. If you'd rather not deal with the connections, several Hakata day-bus tours (Klook, KKday, Veltra) cover both stops, but they usually leave before sunset.
Timetable
West Coast Liner from Hakata Bus Terminal to Futamigaura.
Transit
Futamigaura in the morning: the white torii and the rocks, with few people.
Photo
Taxi to Ichiran no Mori (~¥2,500, check at the tourist desk). Walk through the factory and have the ramen (¥980).
Eat
Taxi back to the coast. Beach cafés and a walk along the Futamigaura shore.
Photo
Sunset between the couple rocks.
PhotoNight
Last West Coast Liner back. Confirm the time that morning.
Miyajidake's stairway to the sea, Kokura's old covered market and game shops, then Mt Sarakura's famous night view.
Review
Five stops spread over ~60 km in a December day with a 17:10 sunset is too much. Miyajidake is halfway, Mojiko is at the far end, and Sarakura is in Yahata. Split them across Dec 5–6 (your Dec 6 already says 'Kitakyushu?'). Mojiko moves to Dec 6.
Timetable
JR Hakata → Fukuma (~25 min, ~¥480), then bus or walk to Miyajidake (~25 min).
Transit
Miyajidake Shrine: the stone stairs look straight down the road to the sea. Free.
Photo
Miyajihama beach, 15 min on foot.
Photo
JR Fukuma → Kokura (~50 min, ~¥840).
Transit
Tanga Market, a 100-year-old covered market. Graze on oden, nukadaki (fish simmered in rice bran) and tempura (~¥1,000–1,500).
EatPhoto
Aruaru City: Surugaya on 2F and 4F (11:00–20:00), plus anime and game shops.
Toy hunt
Kokura Castle (~¥350) and the garden.
Photo
JR Kokura → Yahata (~15 min, ~¥280), then a taxi to the cable car (~¥1,000).
Transit
Sarakura cable car and slope car (¥1,230 return). December hours run to 20:00 (last trip up 19:20). Closed Tuesdays.
Transit
Sunset → blue hour → one of Japan's 'New Three Great Night Views'. Bring a mini tripod.
A retro port at Kyushu's northern tip. The weekend sushi market across the strait, a walk under the sea to Honshu, and bridge lights at dusk.
Review
Nanzoin is in Sasaguri, east of Fukuoka, not in Kitakyushu, so it moves to Dec 10. Use Sunday for Mojiko, because Karato Market's sushi stalls across the strait are busiest on Sundays (8:00–15:00).
Timetable
JR Hakata → Mojiko (~1h30, ~¥1,500).
Transit
Mojiko Retro: the old customs house and the Blue Wing Moji drawbridge (it lifts several times a day).
Photo
Kanmon ferry Mojiko → Karato (5 min, ~¥400).
Transit
Karato Market's weekend sushi stalls (Iki-iki Bakangai): pick your own pieces, fugu included (~¥150–500 each), and eat by the water.
Eat
Walk the Kanmon Pedestrian Tunnel under the strait back to Kyushu (free on foot).
Photo
Mekari Park: the Kanmon Bridge from below.
Photo
Mojiko yaki-curry (~¥1,000–1,300) and banana sweets.
Eat
Mojiko Retro Observation Room (~¥300, 31F) for the sunset (~17:10).
Photo
The retro district and Kanmon Bridge lit up.
NightPhoto
JR back to Hakata. Or head back by 17:30 if you want to catch Soala at Drum Logos.
Laundry, a slow afternoon in Ohori Park, and Fukuoka's Christmas market in the evening.
Review
Well placed. Add one easy evening out.
Timetable
Laundry and repacking.
Coffee at Megane or JAB (from your list), then Ohori Park and the Fukuoka Castle ruins (free).
EatPhoto
Christmas market at the Hakata Station plaza or Tenjin (usually mid-Nov to Dec 25). Free entry; mulled wine ~¥800.
NightEat
Ichiran HQ (from your notes).
Eat
Live jazz at Backstage in Daimyo, running since 1974. Sets start at 21:00 (closed Sun and holidays). Expect a music charge plus a drink (~¥2,000–3,000).
A scenic train to Yufuin's lake and snack street, then Beppu's steaming Kannawa streets and a ¥300 wooden bathhouse.
Review
Yufuin and Kumamoto are in opposite directions from Hakata (east and south). Pair Yufuin with Beppu, which is only ~50 min away by bus, and give Kumamoto its own day. A JR Kyushu Northern pass (3 days, ¥15,000, Dec 8–10) covers both days plus the Nanzoin trip, and saves about ¥6,000.
Timetable
Yufuin no Mori limited express from Hakata (~2h15). Reserve a seat with the pass (6 reservations included).
Transit
Yunotsubo street snacks: B-speak roll cake, croquettes, beef skewers. It's commercial, so keep it short.
Eat
Lake Kinrin with Mt Yufu reflected in it.
Photo
Bus Yufuin → Beppu Kannawa (~50 min, ~¥1,000).
Transit
Kannawa: steam pours out of street grates and bathhouses. The best street photography in Beppu.
Photo
Jigoku-mushi Kobo: steam-cook your own eggs and vegetables (~¥500–1,000).
Eat
Dusk in Kannawa, when the steam glows under the street lamps.
NightPhoto
Takegawara Onsen, an 1879 wooden bathhouse (~¥300), then toriten (chicken tempura) for dinner.
Eat
Sonic limited express Beppu → Hakata (~2h, covered by the pass).
Nanzoin's giant bronze Buddha in the forest, a regional ramen showdown at Canal City, and Tenjin's big hobby shops.
Review
Last pass day, so use it for Nanzoin (JR Fukuhoku-Yutaka Line). The Culture Arts retro shop is closed Thursdays, so do Tenjin's big shops today and the specialist shop on Friday.
Timetable
JR Hakata → Kido-Nanzoinmae (~25 min, covered by the pass).
Transit
Nanzoin: a 41 m bronze reclining Buddha and forest paths. Free.
Photo
Ramen Stadium at Canal City (from your list): 8 regional ramen shops side by side.
Eat
Mandarake Fukuoka (12:00–20:00), Book Off Mina Tenjin, and Surugaya Shintencho for cards and hobby goods.
Toy hunt
Blue hour around Tenjin and the Nakasu riverfront.
NightPhoto
Check UTERO or Graf for a weeknight gig (~¥2,000–3,500 plus a drink). Small shows usually keep the bar open after the set. Or take a counter seat at a Tenjin yatai.
Market breakfast, a final ramen and souvenirs, then the airport by 5pm for the tax refund. The flight leaves at 20:00.
Review
Blank in your plan. Your flight leaves at 20:00, so you have most of the day. Be at the International Terminal by ~17:00: Japan's new tax-free system (since Nov 1, 2026) means claiming your refund before check-in.
Timetable
Yanagibashi Rengo Market ('Hakata's kitchen'): mentaiko onigiri and fish-cake snacks.
Eat
Check out and leave your bags. Final photos in the Kawabata arcade and around Kushida Shrine.
Photo
Last ramen: Hakata Ikkousha or Shin-Shin.
Eat
Souvenirs at Hakata Station (Ming / Deitos): mentaiko, Hakata Torimon, Tsukushi mochi, menbei.
Shop
Pick up your bags, then the Nishitetsu bus Hakata → International Terminal (~20 min, ~¥310).
Transit
Tax refund at the customs kiosk (Visit Japan Web). Keep every tax-free item and receipt together.
Daily spend on transit, entry fees and food, excluding hotels and flights (already booked) and shopping. The food allowance is ~¥4,000–5,000/day: a konbini breakfast, a ramen lunch, snacks, and an izakaya or yatai dinner.
22-day core
¥169,600
≈ ₱66,992
Average per day
¥7,710
≈ ₱3,045
Optional extras
¥13,640
sumo, Setoda, Sensuijima
With 10% buffer
¥186,600
≈ ₱73,707 + shopping
Transit ¥67,090 (40%)Entry & other ¥10,010 (6%)Food ¥92,500 (55%)
Your ₱150,000 cash budget
Hotels and flights have their own budget, so this covers everything else. The planned trip uses about half of it, which leaves ₱70,905 after optional extras. Here's a suggested split; you don't need to spend it all.
Where your ₱150,000 goes
₱
≈ ¥
Planned trip spending (with 10% buffer)
₱73,707
¥186,600
Optional extras
₱5,388
¥13,640
Toy hunt
₱25,000
¥63,291
Souvenirs
₱12,000
¥30,380
Gig tickets and nights out
₱10,000
¥25,316
Emergency reserve
₱20,000
¥50,633
Unassigned
₱3,905
¥9,887
Total
₱150,000
¥379,747
Buy the two JR West one-way tickets and the Kyushu pass online by card before you fly. That's ¥29,600 (≈ ₱11,692) of the budget you won't need to carry as cash. Cash still matters for yatai, small shops, lockers, temples and topping up your IC card. 7-Eleven ATMs take most foreign cards if you run low.
Spikes: Nov 23 and Dec 2 are the Shinkansen legs, and Dec 8 includes the full ¥15,000 Kyushu pass, which also covers Dec 9–10. Gig tickets (¥5,500–11,000) and your toy-hunt money are on top of this.
Gigs & concerts
Big shows found for your dates, matched against where you'll be. Arena tours (Kenshi Yonezu, BUMP, Mr.Children) sold through fan-club lotteries months ago, so only official resale is left, and that usually needs a Japanese phone number. Small live houses are the realistic and more fun option.
Date
Show
Venue
Price
Fits your plan?
Nov 22 Sun
Hotei Tomoyasu
Fukuoka Sun Palace
¥11,000
In Hakata
Nov 22 Sun
Grand Sumo Kyushu Basho — final day
Fukuoka Kokusai Center
Chair C ¥2,500
In Hakata
Nov 22 Sun
Neguse. (ねぐせ。)
Zepp Fukuoka
—
In Hakata
Nov 23–24
Mr.Children arena tour
Hiroshima Green Arena
Lottery / resale
Onomichi, 1h20 away
Nov 27–28
Kenshi Yonezu — GHOST tour
Marine Messe Fukuoka
¥9,900 (lottery closed)
You're in Hiroshima
Nov 27 Fri
Atarashii Gakko! / TK from Ling tosite sigure
Zepp Fukuoka / Drum Logos
—
You're in Hiroshima
Nov 28–29
BUMP OF CHICKEN arena tour
Hiroshima Green Arena
Lottery / resale
In Hiroshima
Nov 28–29
YOASOBI / Saito Kazuyoshi
PayPay Dome / Sun Palace
¥8,800 (Saito)
You're in Hiroshima
Dec 2 Wed
Nogizaka46 6th gen tour
Zepp Fukuoka
—
In Hakata
Dec 5 Sat
Shibutani Subaru 30th Anniv.
Zepp Fukuoka
—
Clashes with Sarakura night
Dec 6 Sun
Soala
Drum Logos
—
Leave Mojiko by 17:30
Dec 12 Sat
BUMP OF CHICKEN
Marine Messe Fukuoka
—
Flight at 20:00
Local live houses to check
Venue
Area
What to expect
UTERO
Daimyo, Fukuoka
Punk, alt, indie. Small room, local bands most nights.
Fukuoka Graf / Drum Son / Drum Be-1
Tenjin–Imaizumi
Rock and indie live houses; weeknight bills with 4–5 local bands.
Voodoo Lounge
Tenjin
Mixed rock, reggae and DJ nights; the most foreigner-friendly room in town.
Jazz & Cafe Backstage
Daimyo
Jazz café running since 1974. Live sets from 21:00, closed Sun and holidays.
Hiroshima Club Quattro / Namiki Junction / Cave-Be
Hiroshima centre
Touring indie acts plus local bills; walkable from your Tokaichimachi hotel.
Small shows usually keep the bar open after the last set, and regulars tend to stick around. Staying for a drink is normal and a good way to hear about other gigs that week.
Booking from the Philippines
Small gigs: reserve by email or DM
Check the venue's schedule page 1–2 weeks out. Email the venue or DM the band to ask for a torioki (取り置き, a ticket held at the door), then pay cash at the door. Expect ¥2,000–3,500 plus a ¥600 drink charge.
Official overseas ticket pages
e+ International (ib.eplus.jp), Lawson Ticket English (l-tike.com/en) and Ticket Pia's inbound list (sell.pia.jp/inbound). Inventory is limited, but these take foreign cards and don't need a Japanese phone.
Zaiko / Tokyo Gig Guide tickets
Some indie shows sell here in English and can be bought from overseas.
Sumo
Buy on the official English site (sumo.pia.jp/en). Chair C seats are ¥2,500 on weekends. The final day (Nov 22) usually sells out, so check official resale.
Walk-up
Many small live houses sell same-day tickets (当日券, tōjitsu-ken). Arena shows almost never do.
Avoid
Unofficial resellers. Big tours check ID at the door, so a resold ticket can get you turned away.
Replace ○○ with the date, band and venue. It says: "I'm visiting Fukuoka from the Philippines; please hold 1 ticket for [date/show] under my name. I'll pay cash at the door."
Photography spots
A mini tripod or a clamp is worth packing for Sarakura, the Dome and Mojiko. Your UV filter won't help much on a digital sensor; a circular polariser (CPL) is more useful for water and glass, and Yodobashi has both.
Area
Spot
When
Tip
Hakata
Nakasu yatai + river neon
Night
Fukuhaku Deai Bridge at blue hour, 17:15–18:00. The lanterns come on as the sky goes deep blue.
Hakata
Kushida Shrine & Kawabata arcade
Day
Before 8:00. Empty grounds, and the giant Yamakasa float inside.
Dazaifu
Komyozenji garden
Day
Autumn colour over the raked gravel. No tripods inside; shoot from the veranda.
Onomichi
Senkoji lookout → channel
Sunrise
The shipyard cranes and the Mukaishima ferry lanes. Walk up at 6:20.
Onomichi
Tenneiji pagoda over rooftops
Day
The classic frame from the temple lane below. A 50–85mm focal length compresses it nicely.
Tomonoura
Joyato lantern
Sunset
A stone lantern in silhouette with the harbour steps. Stay 20 min past sunset.
Miyajima
O-torii at tide change
Blue hour
Check the tide table. Low tide gives reflections in the wet sand.
Hiroshima
A-Bomb Dome + trams
Night
From the Motoyasu riverbank. Use a slow shutter for tram light trails on Aioi Bridge.
Iwakuni
Kintaikyo arches
Day
Shoot from the riverbed stones for the full five arches with the maples.
Kure
Submarines at Alley Karasu-kojima
Day
Free, and closer to the subs than anywhere else in Japan.
Kitakyushu
Miyajidake stairs to the sea
Day
The road runs in a straight line to the horizon. Great at any hour.
Kitakyushu
Mt Sarakura night view
Night
The city spreads out below. Needs a tripod or railing rest; the cable car runs to 20:00 in Dec.
Mojiko
Kanmon Bridge from Mekari Park
Night
Bridge lights with ships passing underneath.
Beppu
Kannawa steam streets
Dusk
Steam lit by street lamps. The most atmospheric street scene of the trip.
Kumamoto
Castle + Shimotori arcade
Day/Night
The restored keep by day, arcade life after dark.
Ramen & street food
Where
Area
What
Price
Note
Hakata Issou
Hakata
Tonkotsu, frothy rich broth
~¥900
On your list
Ganso Nagahamaya
Nagahama
The classic cheap bowl; cheap noodle refills (kaedama)
¥550
Deal
Shin-Shin
Tenjin
Light, clean tonkotsu with thin noodles
~¥900
Hakata Ikkousha
Hakata Station
Creamy 'foam' tonkotsu
~¥900
Ramen Stadium
Canal City
8 regional shops under one roof, good for comparing
~¥1,000
On your list
Ichiran HQ / Ichiran no Mori
Nakasu / Itoshima
The famous chain; Mori is the factory site
¥980
On your list
Yatai (Nakasu, Tenjin, Kenzo)
Fukuoka
Ramen, oden, yakitori at street stalls
¥1,500–2,500
Kenzo on your list
Tsutafuji / Shukaen
Onomichi
Onomichi ramen: soy broth with pork back-fat
~¥800–900
Tsukemen shops
Hiroshima
Spicy cold dipping noodles
~¥900–1,000
Okonomimura
Hiroshima
Floors of okonomiyaki counters
~¥1,000–1,300
Omotesando snacks
Miyajima
Grilled oysters, fried momiji manju
¥200–600
Kure yatai
Kure
Stall ramen and gyoza by the port
¥1,500–2,500
Tanga Market
Kokura
Oden, nukadaki, tempura grazing
¥1,000–1,500
Karato Market
Shimonoseki
Pick-your-own sushi incl. fugu (Fri–Sun)
¥150–500/pc
Kokutei
Kumamoto
Tonkotsu with black garlic oil
~¥950
Jigoku-mushi Kobo
Beppu
Steam-cook your own food over the vents
¥500–1,000
Toy hunt: second-hand games
Before you buy: Japanese Switch and PS4/PS5 games play on Philippine consoles, but 3DS and older handhelds are region-locked. Japanese consoles run on 100V, so they need a step-down transformer on PH 220V. Look for 箱説付き (box and manual included); ジャンク (junk) means untested but can be a bargain.
Shop
Area
Hours
Notes
Surugaya Hakata Marui 6F
Hakata Station
10:00–21:00
Biggest range near the station; slightly tourist-priced. Use it to compare.
Imari porcelain: small plates, soy dishes, chopstick rests
¥500–3,000
Kumamoto
Kumamon goods, ikinari dango (eat fresh)
¥300–1,500
Beppu / Yufuin
Bamboo crafts, yuzu kosho, bath salts
¥500–2,500
Kitakyushu / Mojiko
Banana sweets, Kokura-ori textile goods
¥500–3,000
Deals, passes & skip list
JR West foreign-visitor one-way ticketsSave ~¥6,500
Hakata → Fukuyama/Onomichi ¥8,300 and Hiroshima → Hakata ¥6,300. That's about ¥6,000–7,000 less than regular fares. Buy from travel agents online (Klook, KKday, etc.) before you fly and show your passport when you exchange them. You can't get off at stations along the way.
JR Kyushu Northern pass, 3 days (¥15,000)Save ~¥6,000
Use Dec 8–10: Yufuin no Mori, Sonic, the Kumamoto Shinkansen and the Nanzoin line. The same trips paid separately come to ~¥21,000+. Six seat reservations included.
Skip the Hiroshima-Yamaguchi passAvoid
Its Shinkansen coverage stops at Mihara, so it doesn't reach Onomichi. One-way tickets are cheaper for your route.
Hiroden 1-day tram pass (¥700)Deal
Worth it on Nov 28 and Dec 1 in Hiroshima city.
Free, and worth itFree
Nanzoin, Miyajidake, Daisho-in, the Kanmon tunnel, the Iron Whale submarine museum, Dreamination lights, Senkoji at sunrise, the Mazda Museum (book ahead).
Orizuru Tower (~¥2,200; the park view of the Dome is better), Beppu's 7-hells combo ticket, sit-down anago-meshi with hour-long queues on Miyajima.
Tax-free changed Nov 1, 2026Important
You now pay tax in the shop and get it refunded at the airport before check-in (customs kiosk / Visit Japan Web). Minimum ¥5,000 per store per day. Keep every item and receipt, because a missing item voids the whole receipt.
Tourist trap check
Place
Verdict
Why
Miyajima
Worth it
Go on the Friday (a weekday), and hike instead of queueing for the ropeway.
Dazaifu Tenmangu
Worth it
Only before 10:00. Komyozenji is the real prize.
Yufuin Yunotsubo street
Brief
Snack street. Spend 1 hour, then go to the lake.
Beppu 'hells'
Mostly skip
Kannawa's free street steam is more photogenic than the ticketed ponds.
Ichiran HQ
Optional
Same ramen as any Ichiran. Worth it only if you like the booth experience; the Mori factory site is more interesting.
Mojiko Retro
Worth it
Go at blue hour, when the buildings and bridge light up.