The Least Useful Guide to Fukuoka

Accessible Establishment

I can’t imagine myself living in Tokyo, but there is one thing that makes me envy the Tokyonians: there are many long-standing eateries, most of which are quite accessible.

  In Fukuoka, restaurateurs tend expand their business in an aggressive manner once they catch a smell of success, and will either go upmarket (more costly, less enjoyable), or (usually) go bust as the result of their greedy expansions with huge debts. You see, the Fukuokans could get bored at something as quick as they got enthusiastic.  

On the other hand, Tokyo seems to retain many restaurants and shops that are doing their business as their ancestors did. Many of them (not all of them, sadly) are not  costly (costing between JPY2,000 and 3,000 per head, with a bottle of beer, slightly extravagant for my budget).

Also, the staff in these establishments are very kind to a rural woman like me. With the homely atmosphere of the venue, you would feel as if you were in your grandmother’s home built fifty years ago.

Their kindness is not pushy at all (I don’t like conspicuously designed service, such as toothbrushes at toilet or customers’ satisfaction questionnaires—“would you recommend this to your friends” type things), but you may well feel warmly looked after. This may be because the majority members of the staff are a bit senior to me, probably in their late sixties or something. They might know how to deal with their customers through their long career.