Practicalities
The easiest way of getting to Dazaifu from Fukuoka is a private Nishitetsu train from Tenjin's Nishitetsu-Fukuoka Station direct to Dazaifu (40min; Y390). Alternatively, Japan Rail pass holders can save a few yen by travelling via Futsukaichi ; from JR Futsukaichi Station it's a ten-minute walk north to Nishitetsu-Futsukaichi Station, where you can join a Nishitetsu train for the last five minutes to Dazaifu (Y150). The town's tourist information office (daily 8.30am-5pm; tel 092/925-1880) is located right outside Dazaifu Station, where you can pick up local maps and brochures in English. Though no one speaks English, they do offer bike rental (Y200 per hour), which is worth considering for the western sights. The only place to stay in town is the Dazaifu Youth Hostel (tel 092/922-8740, fax 920-1963; Y3000-5000) in a grand position up on a hill ten minutes' walk north of the station. It's a relaxed, welcoming hostel with four tatami rooms, laundry and cooking facilities, though no evening meals. The English-speaking manager is a mine of local information. There's more choice when it comes to restaurants . By far the best is Ume-no-hana (daily 11am-3pm & 5-9pm), east of Komyozen-ji, which is worth tracking down for its melt-in-the-mouth tofu creations served in tatami rooms overlooking a pretty garden. Prices rise steeply in the evening, but their set lunches and bento are reasonable at just over Y2000; try to arrive before noon or be prepared for a wait. Youth hostel members can get a small discount at Rankan (daily 8.30am-10pm), on the main road south of the station, which serves good coffee and a basic selection of meals. Otherwise, there are a number of places along Kazami-dori, including a couple of cheap noodle restaurants behind the tourist office. Matsuya , second on the right walking east from the station, is a good place to sample the local delicacy, Umegae-mochi , a steamed rice-cake stuffed with sweet, red-bean paste.
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