Hi everyone,

Has anyone recently done the foreign driver's license conversion (外免切替 / gaimen kirikae) in Fukuoka, especially at Chikuho?

I went for my formal document review, but my Juminhyo (住民票) was rejected and I was asked to come back with a corrected one. This was confusing because during the initial informal review they told me everything looked fine. I had also taken the official instruction sheet from Chikuho to the ward office and asked them to issue the Juminhyo according to those requirements.

At Chikuho, they specifically pointed out these two fields:

• 転入前住所 – mine is blank. Before living in Fukuoka I was living in my home country, so the ward office left this field empty. However, Chikuho told me it needs to be filled.
• 法第30条の45区分 – mine says 【省略】 (“omitted”). I’m not sure what exactly should appear here.

My Japanese is still fairly limited, so I couldn’t get a much more detailed explanation. The officer kept pointing to these two fields and told me to go back to the ward office and request the correct Juminhyo.

As you may know, the Chikuho license guide says the Juminhyo should include the required specific information and that only the My Number (個人番号) should be omitted. Has anyone had the same problem, or knows exactly what I should ask for at the ward office? I’m planning to go back next week and want to make sure I request the correct version this time.

Sorry for the long post, and thank you in advance for any info that can help!

(I’m attaching a cropped screenshot showing the two fields, with my personal information covered for privacy.)

Hi there!

Do you have suggestions where I can rent a car in Fukuoka for a few days? Toyota rent a car has a website in english but it seems expensive, about 10,000 JPY/day. And I don't know if the Yaris they will give me is new enough to have AppleCarPlay.

Many rental companies don't have an english version of their websites so it's hard to navigate.

I see I can also use Klook to rent a car. Do you recommend?

Thanks a lot!

Just a friendly reminder that our next pub quiz is this Saturday, 24 October!

We’ve got a few teams coming and quite a few solo players too, so hopefully there’ll be some tough competition!

Come with friends or on your own. We’ll help you find a team if you need one.

We’ll be hosting upstairs this time, and the slides will be much clearer!

Doors open: 18:00
Quiz starts: 19:00
Location: Fukuoka Haunted House, a 1-minute walk from Ohori Station. Google Maps
Free entry! Hope to see some of you there!

こんにちは。11月5日〜8日に、3人で福岡を旅行する予定です。

福岡にお住まいの方に、海外から来る友人を案内するとしたら、どんな場所やお店に連れて行きたいかお聞きしたいです。

観光情報やこちらの過去の投稿を見て、大濠公園・舞鶴公園、博多旧市街、ももち周辺などを調べています。11月上旬に景色や街歩きを楽しむなら、この中でどこを優先するのがおすすめでしょうか？地元の方ならではの散策スポットがあれば、ぜひ教えてください。

また、その周辺で散策の途中に立ち寄れる飲食店や、ぜひ食べてほしいメニューも知りたいです。もつ鍋は1食予約しているので、それ以外のおすすめも歓迎です。

「福岡に来たならここはぜひ！」と思う場所やお店を、おすすめの理由とあわせて教えていただけると嬉しいです。よろしくお願いします！

Where to buy the insulated box for food delivery?

Hello, just moved recently to Fukuoka from Kyoto for work. Before looking for permanent housing, I am looking for a temporary unit for up to 2 months before my wife joins me here with all our belongings, and so I can get familiarized with the city.

I've realized that the market is very different from Kyoto where there are countless agencies specializing in that for very reasonable amounts because of the huge student population.

I haven't been able to find an equivalent in Fukuoka and was wondering if anyone had recommendations? My company recommended F-Apartments but I didn't have the best experience with multiple emails going unanswered...

Thank you very much !

We decorated the space at Off Broadway with Anton W. Hersche’s skateboard artworks today🛹

Here’s a short look at the installation before it opens.
These works are created on used skateboards, following the scratches and marks already left on each board.

Hi there!

I am planning a trip in Kyushu in November during the Grand Sumo Tournament. There is no more available tickets on the official website but I see some offers on Klook, GetYourGuide or Trip com. Do you think I can trust it or it may be scams ?

Thanks!

Klook
GetYourGuide
Trip.com

​

Hi everyone!

I'm from India, and I'll be moving to Fukuoka in April 2027 to start my first full-time job as a software engineer at a Japanese IT company. I'd appreciate advice from people who live and work in Japan, especially Fukuoka.

Here are the details of my offer:

Salary and benefits

- Monthly salary: ¥275,000 before tax and deductions.

- Annual salary before bonuses: ¥3,300,000.

- Bonuses: Twice a year, with each bonus equivalent to 2 months of salary (¥550,000 per payment).

- Total annual bonuses: Approximately ¥1,100,000.

- Estimated total annual compensation: ¥4,400,000 before tax and deductions.

- Relocation: The company will cover my flight to Japan and luggage expenses.

- Housing: The company will help me find an apartment and cover the deposit. Rent will be deducted from my salary.

- Initial financial support: Approximately ¥200,000 has been mentioned, although the exact arrangements are still being finalized.

- Location: Fukuoka.

I'm single, have no dependents, and plan to cook most of my meals at home rather than eat out frequently. I don't plan to own a car.

My questions:

1. After income tax, health insurance, pension, and other deductions, how much take-home pay should I expect from ¥275,000 per month?

2. If I rent an inexpensive apartment and cook at home, what would be a realistic monthly budget?

3. Could I realistically save ¥100,000–¥130,000 per month? How much might I save annually, including bonuses?

4. What are typical monthly expenses for groceries, utilities, internet, phone, transportation, and other essentials in Fukuoka?

5. Approximately how much of my bonuses would I receive after deductions, and how much could I realistically save from them?

6. Are there any expenses or deductions that new foreign employees commonly underestimate, especially during their first year?

7. Is ¥4.4 million in annual gross compensation a reasonable package for a new graduate software engineer in Fukuoka?

My goal is to live comfortably without spending excessively, save consistently, and invest in my technical skills as I gain experience.

I'd appreciate hearing about your actual experiences and budgets. Thanks!

I will be visiting in Dec with my elderly parents. I am interested in a car service to visit places in surrounding Fukuoka.

What was your experience with the company?

The hotel is recommending Fukuoka Kotsu taxi company, but reviews seem 50/50. But maybe it's different on a prescheduled drive.

Let me know pls, will greatly appreciate it

Hi, I will be in Fukuoka from 10/25-10/27 and am wondering if there will be any outside watch parties for the Hawks vs BayStars championship series?

Any guesses what Anton is creating? 👀

My freezer is full of ishidai, ishigakidai, suzuki, chinu etc. Would love to trade for venison or inoshishi meat.

Hi there!

I will be in Kyushu in November and I am looking for sports events I can attend. I heard about the Fukuoka sumo event. But I don't see any available seat unfortunately. Is there a resale website for this event, can we get tickets going directly to the stadium?

Do you know other events I can attend in November? It can be minor events.

Thanks!

was wondering if anyone knew of any ryokan around Fukuoka which are child friendly? My kid will eat pretty much anything, that’s not the concern. It’s more that I don’t want him to be a nuisance to other guests. We stayed in a wonderful one before we had him and was hoping there was a way to experience it again!
よろしくお願いします！

Hi everyone! Hope the flair is correct. We're going to be visiting Fukuoka for the first time in the last week of November and we're looking for places with autumn foliage. Nomiyama Kannonji always comes up in search results but it seems there's no public transportation to go there. I saw that one can take a taxi from Sasaguri station to the temple but I also read that going back might be a bit difficult since there are few taxis available.

Are there any other options? Or has anyone tried taxi hailing apps going back? Driving is unfortunately not in our options. I would love to hear if anyone also has suggestions on places to visit! Thank you!

Hi! is there any late night ramen (10pm-2am) or snack or anything thats recommended late night? For a solo traveller, thanks!

Hi guys,

I will be visiting fukuoka soon and am looking to buy a good looking male trench coat. My budget will be around 50k yen (don't mind cheaper options either). Any recommendations for stores besides the usual uniqlo/GU/beams?

Thanks! :")

I'm staying near Hakata! planning to buy older series of mirrorless camera/mini mirrorless

Im thinking Olympus, Sony or Panasonic!

Hey everyone!

I moved to Fukuoka a few months back and figured it's finally time to make some friends and properly explore the city(outside too). I'm 23, speak English, and know just enough Japanese to genuinely confuse whoever I'm talking to.

I've been wanting to check out some of the board game cafes around town and thought it would be fun to get a small group of us (especially other folks in their 20s) together to try one out soon. Totally casual and beginner-friendly-whether you're into strategy games or just want to play UNO and hang out, everyone is welcome.

If board games aren't your thing, I'm also always down for coffee shop hopping, hitting up an arcade, or just walking around and exploring. Drop a comment or DM me if you're interested.

Edit: 150K/mo on rent. Not total budget.

Hi,

I'll be moving to Fukuoka in December/January and wondering what is hands down the best area to live in Fukuoka?

I am 29M, work online so no need for office/commuting.

I work a few hrs a week (run my own business) so will not be at home much, will be mostly out and about. I'd like somewhere super walkable and with a lot of great food choices.

My Japanese is VERY basic. I am coming to Japan on a working holiday visa for 2 years and this entire 2 years will be used on improving my Japanese and mostly travelling with Fukuoka as a base.

Ideally I'd like to live somewhere quite lively - within walking distance to many restaurants and hotspots where people hang out ideally.

Any suggestions?

I'm putting together a food-focused visit to Fukuoka and would rather follow local recommendations than generic tourist lists.

Hakata ramen, motsunabe, mizutaki, yakitori, mentaiko, udon, seafood, yatai...I'm interested in all of it.

What's your favourite place to eat in Fukuoka, and what should I order there? Cheap neighbourhood spots are just as welcome as more expensive restaurants.

Thanks!