By the time this goes to press, I’ll be back in Japan after two months in rural USA. Being a freelancer, I go home every year for an extended period, and while I never really got to take a vacation, I did find some time between jobs (and oh-so cheap American beers) to ponder the many things I like and miss about Fukuoka from my makeshift “office” in Podunk, Pennsylvania.
First and foremost, Fukuoka has great food! As much as I like to tell my friends in Japan about the wonders of the Wedgie (a sandwich made on a pizza shell; not to be confused with the underwear pulling prank), the food in Fukuoka beats standard American fare hands-down. One ill-fated attempt to doctor a package of instant ramen with whatever my dad had in his spice rack reminded me how awesome a bowl of Hakata ramen is. I am still blown away that there are ramen shacks that serve bowls for less than ¥300. And with fall fast approaching, I am glad to know I’ll be back just in time for nabe season. Let’s not forget fresh fish. I wouldn’t even use the “salmon” in the supermarket here to feed stray cats. About the only thing Fukuoka might be missing in this category is peanut butter pie.
Second, Fukuoka is safe. Let’s face it. America is awash in guns. In the 20 years that I lived in America, I never had a run-in with a gun-wielding criminal, and most of the people I know who have guns (i.e., almost everyone) are responsible with their weapons, but with approximately one gun for every, man woman and child in the US* and over 32,000 gun deaths a year*, the United States now ranks 99th on the Global Peace Index ** compared to Japan’s 6th place. I’m not anti-gun, but I have to admit it has been nice to have lived in a relatively gunless society for the past 15 years, 10 of those with kids.
Let’s talk service. Every time I go through US airport security or stop at McDonalds at the behest of my 10-year old, I am reminded of how well Japan does service. For the most part, workers are friendly and take pride in what they do, no matter how humble, and they keep their workplaces clean. While the clerks at my local supermarket in the US are friendly, there are some places here—namely, fast food joints—where you do not expect to get good service. I think even some Japanese people take service for granted. In my opinion, it’s one of Japan’s strongest points, and shrewd businesspeople would be smart to export it.
Last but not least, Fukuoka is convenient. To be fair to my hometown, I really can’t compare a hamlet of 7,000 to a bustling city of 1.5 million, but compared to other major US cities, Fukuoka is the clear winner. When I moved here six years ago, I sold my car and haven’t felt the need for one since. The city is compact and easy to navigate, and public transit options are plentiful. My preferred mode of transportation is, in fact, my own two feet. I love walking through the city, taking new routes home and finding new bars and restaurants. The US is still very much a car-oriented society, and save for a handful of huge metro areas, you need a car to get around.
So these are just a few things I like about Fukuoka (I’ll save my gripes for another column). It may sound hackneyed, but every place has its good points and bad points. Many foreigners, newbies and lifers alike, may need to vent about Japan now and again, but when your bitching becomes chronic, maybe you need to stop and remember all the good things Fukuoka has to offer. Are you taking them for granted? Dodesho.
* http://www.gunpolicy.org/firearms/region/united-states
**http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_Peace_Index
by Joel Dechant, Translator/Interpreter
Originally published in Fukuoka Now Magazine (fn178, Oct. 2013)
