A day-by-day plan with timetables, costs and effort levels. 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 ~6–19°C, forecast warmer than normalGetting 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 where you are based.
Hakata Nov 21–22Onomichi Nov 23–26Hiroshima Nov 27–Dec 1Hakata + Kyushu day trips Dec 2–12
Effort 1–3 easy4–6 moderate7–8 full day9–10 heavy
Effort counts walking, stairs and hills, time on trains, carrying luggage, and early starts or late finishes. The hardest stretch is Nov 22–25 (Dazaifu, the Onomichi move, Senkoji at sunrise, Tomonoura), so Nov 26 stays a rest day.
Weather & what to wear
Normal temperatures for late November to mid-December: Fukuoka about 19°C by day and 6–10°C at night; Hiroshima and Onomichi about 12–18°C by day and 4–8°C at night, close to Tokyo in the same weeks. This year the Japan Meteorological Agency expects above-normal temperatures through December because of a strong El Niño, with normal or above-normal rain.
Daytime: a shirt plus a light jacket will usually be enough, as in Tokyo.
Early mornings and nights: pack one warm mid-layer (a fleece or thin down) for Senkoji at sunrise, the Miyajima torii after dark, and the Mt Sarakura night view, which is at 622 m and windy.
Rain: a compact umbrella; convenience stores sell them for about ¥500–800 if you forget.
Autumn leaves: a warm autumn delays the colour, so the maples should still be good on Nov 27 at Miyajima and Nov 30 at Iwakuni.
Day by day
Each card opens with a headline and what the place is about, 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
Effort 3 Easy
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.
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.
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 before noon, drop your bag and explore; sunset over the channel.
Timetable
Breakfast near the hotel, then check out.
Eat
Shinkansen Hakata → Fukuyama (~1h40).
Transit
JR Sanyo Line Fukuyama → Onomichi (~20 min, ~¥420).
Transit
Drop your bag with your Onomichi host in Sangenyacho, 10 min on foot from the station.
TransitTip
Onomichi ramen: Tsutafuji or Shukaen. Soy broth with bits of pork back-fat (~¥800–900).
Eat
Yakuza 6 walk: the Hondori arcade (the model for Jingaicho), the backstreets and the waterfront. Bring in-game screenshots.
Photo
Harbor Rd and Onomichi U2, a converted waterfront warehouse with a café and bakery. Check in when your room is ready.
Eat
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.
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.
A small harbour town 30 min from Fukuyama with stone steps, a lantern lighthouse and island views. Said to have inspired Ponyo, and quiet midweek.
Timetable
JR Onomichi → Fukuyama (~20 min, ~¥420).
Transit
Fukuyama Castle, right beside the station. The grounds are free.
Photo
Tomotetsu bus to Tomonoura (~30 min, ~¥560).
Transit
Old streets, the stone harbour steps (gangi), and tastings of Homeishu (the local herb liqueur).
PhotoShop
Local snacks and a sea bream (tai) set lunch, or fish cakes if you're keeping it cheap.
Eat
Taichoro guest hall (¥200). Its window frames Bentenjima and Sensuijima like a painting.
Photo
Optional: 5-min ferry to Sensuijima (~¥240 return) for the coastal trail.
Photo
Sunset (~16:55) at the Joyato lantern and harbour.
PhotoNight
Bus back to Fukuyama. Optional: taxi to Surugaya Fukuyama in Alti Fukuyama 2F (~10 min, ~¥1,500 each way; open to 21:00), the biggest Surugaya in the region. Then JR to Onomichi.
Recovery day. Optional 40-min boat through the islands to Setoda for a white marble hilltop garden and lemon snacks.
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.
TransitPhoto
Hard Off and Hobby Off Onomichi Shinhama (10:00–20:00), 12 min on foot from Onomichi Station. Junk bins for cheap cartridges and accessories.
The sacred island an hour from Hiroshima, on a weekday and at an easy pace. Maples in Momijidani, Daisho-in, and the floating torii at sunset. Taxi with your bag, no uphill hike.
Timetable
Check out. JR Onomichi → Hiroshima after the morning rush (~1h20, ~¥1,340), so you can sit with your bag.
Transit
Taxi from Hiroshima Station to your Tokaichimachi stay (~10 min, ~¥1,000–1,300) and drop your bag.
TransitTip
Hiroden tram line 2 from Tokaichimachi to Hiroden-Miyajimaguchi (~60 min, ~¥280), bag-free.
Transit
Ferry (10 min, ¥200) plus the ¥100 Miyajima visitor tax.
Transit
Lunch on Omotesando: grilled oysters, age-momiji (fried maple cakes) and an anago onigiri.
Eat
Momijidani Park and the Momiji Bridge, then Daisho-in Temple (free, maple-lined steps).
Photo
Optional: ropeway up and down Mt Misen for Inland Sea views (~¥2,000 return). Or skip it and rest at a café.
Photo
Itsukushima Shrine (¥300) and the O-torii. Check the tide table for the 'floating' torii.
Photo
Sunset and blue hour at the torii. It's lit up after dark.
NightPhoto
Ferry and tram back, check in, then okonomiyaki near your stay.
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.
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.
Kintaikyo's five wooden arches over a clear river on a quiet weekday, then spicy tsukemen and a standing bar back in Hiroshima.
Timetable
JR Hiroshima → Iwakuni (~50 min, ~¥770), then a bus to Kintaikyo (~20 min, ~¥310).
Transit
Kintaikyo Bridge. A set ticket (bridge + ropeway + castle, ~¥970) is the deal. The maples are in Kikko Park.
Photo
Ropeway up to Iwakuni Castle for the view down onto the bridge.
Photo
Iwakuni-zushi, then the soft-serve shop with 100+ flavours.
Eat
JR back toward Hiroshima and get off at Shin-Inokuchi: Surugaya Alpark (Alpark North Bldg 2F, ~5 min walk, 10:00–21:00). Then JR on to Hiroshima and rest.
Toy huntTransit
Blue hour on the Motoyasu riverbank, or rest.
NightPhoto
Hiroshima tsukemen: spicy cold dipping noodles (~¥900–1,000). Check Club Quattro and Namiki Junction for a gig.
EatGig
A standing bar (tachinomi) in Ebisu-cho for a nightcap. Cheap drinks, counter seats, a local crowd.
Laundry, a slow afternoon in Ohori Park, and Fukuoka's Christmas market in the evening.
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.
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
Optional: Pokémon Store at Amu Plaza Oita, one stop past Beppu (local train ~12 min, covered by the pass). Then catch the Sonic from Oita instead of Beppu.
Toy huntTransit
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.
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.
A Hakata-to-Tenjin loop of retro game shops, from Surugaya to the specialist Culture Arts, and a last night of yatai.
Timetable
Nishitetsu bus from Hakata Bus Terminal to Yumita-cho (~25 min): Hard Off Hakata Mist (10:00–20:00), Fukuoka city's only Hard Off. Dig through the junk bins.
Toy huntTransit
Bus back to Hakata Station: Pokémon Center Fukuoka (Hakata Marui 2F) and Surugaya Hakata Marui (6F) in the same building.
Toy hunt
Book Off Hakata-guchi (2 floors), 3 min away.
Toy hunt
Ganso Nagahamaya: a ¥550 tonkotsu bowl; order a cheap noodle refill (kaedama).
Eat
Culture Arts (Tenjin-minami, 12:00–19:00): boxed Famicom games and modded consoles. It's a quiet apartment shop.
Toy hunt
Don Quijote for snack souvenirs (Ichiran packs, KitKats). The ¥5,000 tax-free minimum is per store, per day.
Shop
Last Nakasu night photos and a second round of yatai.
Market breakfast, a final ramen and souvenirs, then the airport by 5pm for the tax refund. The flight leaves at 20:00.
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. Last chance for Pokémon Center Fukuoka (Hakata Marui 2F).
ShopToy hunt
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
¥170,180
≈ ₱67,221
Average per day
¥7,740
≈ ₱3,056
Optional extras
¥18,640
sumo, Setoda, Sensuijima
With 10% buffer
¥187,180
≈ ₱73,936 + shopping
Transit ¥69,770 (41%)Entry & other ¥7,910 (5%)Food ¥92,500 (54%)
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 ₱68,701 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)
₱73,936
¥187,180
Optional extras
₱7,363
¥18,640
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
₱1,701
¥4,307
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 the day?
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
Pokémon Center Fukuoka
Hakata Marui 2F, Hakata Station
Mall hours
Dec 11, plus Dec 12 for last-minute buys.
Surugaya Hakata Marui 6F
Hakata Station
10:00–21:00
Biggest range near the station; slightly tourist-priced. Dec 11.
Book Off Hakata-guchi
Hakata Station, 3 min
10:00–22:00
Two floors; good for Switch/PS used games. Dec 11.
Hard Off Hakata Mist
Morooka, bus ~25 min
10:00–20:00
Fukuoka city's only Hard Off; junk bins. Dec 11 morning.
Culture Arts
Tenjin-minami
12:00–19:00, closed Mon & Thu
Specialist retro shop: boxed Famicom, modded consoles. Dec 11.
Mandarake Fukuoka
Tenjin / Akasaka
12:00–20:00
Figures, toys, some retro games. Dec 10.
Book Off Super Bazaar Mina Tenjin
Tenjin
10:00–21:00
Dec 10.
Surugaya Shintencho
Tenjin
Weekdays from 14:00
Cards and hobby goods. Dec 10.
Hard Off + Hobby Off Onomichi Shinhama
Onomichi, 12 min walk
10:00–20:00
Nov 26 afternoon.
Surugaya Fukuyama
Alti Fukuyama 2F, taxi ~10 min
10:00–21:00
Optional on Nov 25 after Tomonoura.
Pokémon Center Hiroshima
ekie 2F, Hiroshima Station
Mall hours
Dec 1.
Surugaya MEGA Nakasuji
Astram Line Nakasuji, 8 min walk
10:00–22:00
Hiroshima's biggest used-game store. Dec 1.
Book Off Super Bazaar Otemachi
Hiroshima centre
10:00–22:00
Dec 1.
Surugaya Alpark
JR Shin-Inokuchi, 5 min walk
10:00–21:00
On the way back from Iwakuni, Nov 30.
Book Off Super Bazaar Danbara
15 min walk from Hiroshima Station
10:00–21:00
Not scheduled; extra stop if you have energy.
Surugaya Aruaru City + Book Off Chacha Town
Kokura
11:00–20:00 / to 21:00
Dec 5.
Pokémon Store Amu Plaza Oita
Oita Station
Mall hours
Optional on Dec 8 after Beppu.
Book Off JR Kami-Kumamoto Station
In the station, tram line B
10:00–20:00
Dec 9.
Book Off Plus Itoshima / Book Off Beppu
Maebaru / Beppu port
10:00–20:00
Not scheduled; too far from the day's route.
Tax-free needs ¥5,000+ at one store on one day. Group your purchases instead of spreading them across stores.
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 stay for sunset at the torii. The ropeway is optional.
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.