I read with some elation the June 26 article "Fukuoka world's best shopping city: Monocle magazine survey." Having lived in Fukuoka, I rate it the best-kept secret in Japan, a gem set beside a blue bay. The public transport system is good, and the subway system connects major centers of commercial business from the airport to Hakata, Canal City, Nakasu and Tenjin. The subway has been extended since I left.
In terms of customer service, Fukuoka is unsurpassed. The people look outward and are receptive to trade and the arrival of foreigners. Fukuoka's port opens out to trade with South Korea and China, and is closer to Seoul than Tokyo. Shanghai is about the same distance away as Tokyo.
Located where successful defenses were made against invading Mongols in the 13th century, Fukuoka and Hakata are proud and independent, a long way from the influence of Tokyo. The city's attractions speak loudly to tourists interested in a good time. Momochi Beach has a novel culture in summer.
Fukuoka Prefecture and Fukuoka City were the land and city of opportunity when I first arrived in Japan. The opportunity was seized when a few other foreign entrepreneurs centered their businesses in Fukuoka. To bridge the cross-cultural gap, a foreigner-organized International Business Exchange was started. This organization could not have flourished as it did outside Fukuoka. After a while, many Britons, New Zealanders, Pakistanis, Australians and other Commonwealth members found each other, and I was able to participate in the organization of the Fukuoka Cricket Club. The cricket culture still thrives there.
Congratulations from this Sydneysider to Fukuoka for having been recognized as a true flagship city of Japan.
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