Hakata-ku (Higashi-Hie), Higashi-ku (Chihaya, Kashiihama), Kasuya-gun (Chojabaru)
Area Leader for 2024 - 2025: Eolann Davis
Hello, my name is Eolann Davis! I’ve been living in Fukuoka for two and a half years and I'm delighted to be this year’s area leader for Fukuoka East!
For those of you I already know, I hope you are all doing well and that we have another great year! For those who I haven't met yet or who are soon to arrive, I hope I get the chance to meet you soon and that you have a safe journey here!
First, here's a little information about me. I’m originally from Dublin in Ireland but before coming to Japan I lived in Canada for some time as well. I studied law in university but most of my professional experience so far has been in the nonprofit and fundraising sector. I didn’t study Japanese (apart from Duolingo and Terrace House) before coming to Japan but I’ve been studying since I arrived which has really enhanced my experience here. I go to free classes in the city and attend language exchange events regularly which are a great way to make friends and improve your Japanese, so if you would like to know more about either of these, please get in touch! Aside from studying Japanese, I spend most of my free time exploring Fukuoka and the rest of Japan, which I absolutely adore.
When I first came here, I only thought that I would be staying for a year, and initially I struggled with setting up my new life while dealing with the new environment and language barrier. Thanks to the help of my colleagues and friends though, I settled in, and Fukuoka went from feeling completely alien to feeling like home, and somewhere I’m excited and grateful to wake up every single day. I hope you all have the smoothest, easiest time in Japan but it's totally normal for issues to arise in our lives from time to time. I think we're at our strongest as a community when we each know we have multiple people we can go to for help when we need it.
So, while your PAs should be the first people to contact if anything major comes up, please know that I am also here to help any JETs in Fukuoka but particularly those living in Fukuoka East should you need it, so don't hesitate to get in touch! Now, with that out of the way, I will tell you a little bit about the area!
Area Introduction:
I’ve been lucky enough to see quite a lot of Japan but I’m yet to go somewhere that I like more than Fukuoka. It has all the advantages of a big city while still being very close to nature, with the added advantage of being hyper-connected, so going anywhere else is extremely easy!
This is particularly true of our area, Fukuoka East, which includes Hakata-ku, Higashi-ku and Kasuya-Gun. Irish people aren't known for being brief so I apologize for the length of this, but I figured it's a good chance to give you an idea of our area and share some places that I really think are worth seeing.
However, you're busy people so if you are already sick of my nonsense, I've included a list of places and events throughout the year compiled by my Area Leader dai-senpai Matthew Deans which you can peruse at your pleasure.
As a preface to this area introduction, I want to say that Fukuoka East is amazing but so is Fukuoka West, and Chikuho, and Kitakyushu, and Kyushu in general, and basically everywhere else I've been in Japan. With that in mind, I would encourage you to know your locality well but also explore other areas whenever you get the opportunity, and don't be afraid to venture out to places that are a little ways off the beaten track!
Hakata-ku is the closest to the city centre of these three and is where I’ve called home for almost three years (as much as my financial advisor would welcome it, we can’t all live in Chojabaru unfortunately!)
Compared to Higashi-ku and Kasuya, this area is a little lacking on the nature front, but who needs nature when you have a Life-Size RX-93ff v Gundam Statue just outside Lalaport Shopping Mall? Hakata-ku also boasts Hakata Station, Fukuoka Airport and Hakata Port, so whether you feel like grabbing a ferry to Busan, hopping on a Shinkansen and visiting another prefecture, or jetting off to faraway lands, you are in the best position to do all of that, which you will come to appreciate more and more the longer you live here! For any fellow LGBTQ+ folks who might be reading this, Fukuoka’s gay quarter, Sumiyoshi, is also in Hakata-ku and there are a bunch of spots and events throughout the year, along with some local support organizations that you can enjoy! If any of this interests you, a more detailed account of Fukuoka's LGBTQ+ scene can be found here.
Higashi-ku is more of a mix in terms of development, and much bigger than Hakata-ku. It runs from one of my absolute favorite places in Fukuoka, Shikanoshima, all the way down to Kamata in the East and Hakozaki at its southernmost point. At the risk of this already too long area intro sounding like a travel brochure, this area really has a little bit of everything. From pristine beaches in Shikanoshima and Uminonakamichi, to Teriha in Island City, which I have been told is the nicest onsen Fukuoka has to offer, to Hakozaki Shrine which hosts amazing events like a regular flea market and Hojoya festival every September.
Last but definitely not least, there’s Kasuya-Gun, which in all likelihood most of the people who read this will know far better than i ever will, as most people in Fukuoka East live in the Chojabaru jutaku which is slap bang in the middle of it! Aside from Chojabaru I know the eastern part of this area the best. We will all go to Sasaguri at least once for the annual Skills and Development Conference (SDC) that is held at the Education Centre there. Just past this, you have Nanzoin which has one of the largest bronze statues in the world and the largest reclining Buddha in Japan. This is a truly amazing place. I've been about five times and jump at any excuse to go again because it is so much more than just a statue. The temple complex is huge and just above that, there are almost 100 kilometres of hiking trails with 88 small shrines that are a miniature replica of the Shikoku pilgrimage that covers the entire island of Shikoku. So this is a must visit for nature lovers and large bronze statue appreciators alike!
Congratulations if you have made it to the end of this bio and area intro. I hope
you found the information useful and if you would like more information about
anything I have discussed, please don't hesistate to contact me!
If you have questions about Fukuoka East and would like to contact Eolann, click here to send an email to the Area Leader Liaison.
Some places to visit in our area, courtesy of former Area Leader Matt Deans:
- Canal City Hakata (Hakata-ku)
- Uminonakamichi Seaside Park and Marine World (Higashi-ku)
- Nanzoin Temple and the Reclining Buddha (Kasuya-gun)
- Sasaguri Pilgramage (Kasuya-gun)
- Yakuoji Hot Spring (Koga-shi)
- Miyajidake Shrine (Fukutsu-shi)
- Munakata Taisha (Munakata-shi)
Notable events:
- Fukuoka Castle Cherry Blossom Festival (Fukuoka Castle Ruins (Maizuru Park), Mid-March to Early April)
- Hakata Dontaku Port Festival (Around the city, May 3-4)
- Hakata Gion Yamakasa (Kushida Shrine, July 1-15)
- Hojoya (Hakozaki Shrine, September 12-18)
- Nakasu Jazz (Around Nakasu, Mid-September)
- Asian-Pacific Festival / Asia Focus / Fukuoka International Film Festival / The Creators (Around Tenjin and Hakata Area, Mid-September to Mid-October)
- Christmas Market and Illuminations (Hakata Station/Tenjin, Mid-November to Mid-January)