Spotlight on Fukuoka

While I can be quite nostalgic for the historical splendor of European cities or the excitement of a bustling metropolis, our current home base Fukuoka is actually not a bad spot to be living in. Apparently the word is out because in the current edition of Newsweek, 'Hottest Cities', Fukuoka is listed as one of ten cities to watch in the future! Here's an extract:

"Now the number of foreign tourists is on the rise, too, up 50 percent in the last six years. "There is no doubt that tourists from Asia are boosting consumption here," says Kazuya Matsuda, an official of the Economy Ministry who is based in Fukuoka. "And Fukuoka attracts young shoppers from across Kyushu, too. They are bringing energy to the city. It's enormous." So far the foreign visitors are coming mainly from nearby South Korea, but that could change if Fukuoka realizes its growing ambitions. The city is bidding to host the 2016 Summer Olympics, going up against much bigger rival cities—including Tokyo."

The city was the subject of another recent article, in the International Herald Tribune on July 6, which praised Fukuoka for its open-mindedness, easy-going lifestyle (compared to Tokyo at least!) & positive vibe. Waw, I had no idea this was such an up-and-coming place, time to stop dreaming about Paris, London & New York huh (I wish)...

A CITY WITH DESIGNS ON BEING DIFFERENT:

"Travelers in Japan often complain that every big city resembles Tokyo, with its ills: congestion, pollution, high prices and a general lack of private space. In the name of prosperity and urban development, cities all over the nation have thrown their money over the years into public works, construction projects and factory projects dictated by Tokyo politics, and once diverse and fiercely individualistic areas wound up becoming Tokyo knock-offs, operating on Tokyo logic. But Fukuoka, in southern Japan, has tried to think differently, and it has emerged in the past seven years as a regional hub moving to its own rhythm. Situated on the tip of the Kyushu Islands, Fukuoka is only about two hours from Pusan, South Korea, via high- speed ferry. Mainland China and Southeast Asia also are relatively close, and the number of students coming from these areas has increased 45 percent in the past decade. The yearly number of tourists pouring in from Asia has soared to one million, and the city now has an Asian Art Museum, which, given Japan's rocky relationship with the rest of Asia, is amazing. Yukio Koda, a Fukuoka-bred graphic designer working in Tokyo, said: "Fukuoka's best asset is its open- mindedness and willingness to accept outsiders. Part of the reason for that is that we've never had any historic heroes, and therefore we're free from the traditions and old-guard mindset that rules the rest of Japan. We have no legends to tie us down or people we have to live up to. Tokyoites are always surprised at how liberal Fukuokans are." Indeed, though the rest of Kyushu is known for its ultra-macho conservatism (in many households, men and women eat at separate tables), Fukuoka has cultivated a different image. It is perhaps for this reason that many of Japan's most visible creators, entrepreneurs and performers are Fukuoka- bred."