Feel the rush from Fukuoka’s unbridled energy (or maybe it’s from the caffeine in your flannel drip coffee at Cafe Bimi). From stately Tōchō-ji and its impressive great Buddha statue to 1200-year-old Kushida, see the temples and shrines that put the city on the map – and the sights you couldn’t even find on a map. Stroll serenely through a traditional Japanese garden, or explore the city’s up-and-coming otaku scene at Marble Choco, a store dedicated to impossibly intricate dollhouse furniture. At dusk, as reflected city lights turn Naka River a thousand shades of neon, you might sample street food from the yatai (mobile stalls) popping up along Nakasu Island, or grab a vending machine ticket and cash it in for “umami” personified: Fukuoka’s famous tonkotsu ramen.

With your host as your own personal GPS, Google Translate and elite Yelp reviewer, you’ll be in good hands as you swivel your head from one LED screen to the other in downtown tech hub Tenjin, or weave through throngs in Kyushu’s largest underground mall. You could head to neighboring Daimyo, a hub of trendy twentysomethings, hip-hop culture, and cool cafes, or explore the buzzing city center – starting with a lazy stroll from the museum to the castle ruins in Ōhori Park, then heading further west into Nishijin’s tightly-packed traditional shopping street. Not quite ready to leave yet? You could pop to Japan’s tallest seaside skyscraper, Fukuoka Tower, just down the street for a sunset view to end all sunset views.