WALKING 50 KM to every subway station in Fukuoka, JAPAN

WALKING 50 KM to every subway station in Fukuoka, JAPAN

[Music] Chio Gucci machijoy. [Music] It’s a Digimon card. Oh, a Yu-Gi-Oh card. Yu-Gi-Oh. [Music] [Music] [Music] Did you get it? Yeah, I got it. So, the highlight was having a seat on the road. Real great walk. Cheers. Today, we’re setting out on a 50 km walk to trace the entire Fukuoka City subway system, walking every line and stopping at every station along the way. Stick around to see if we actually make it and to hear Rachie’s review of each station. [Music] Wait, where are we walking? Fukuoka is the largest city in Kyushu with over 1.6 million people as a lively place with a well-designed transportation system that links the rest of Japan through airports, buses, the Shinkansen, and the JR network. Like many Japanese cities, Fukuoka is also an amazing place to explore on foot, which is why today we’re attempting to walk all 36 stops on the Fukuoka City subway. The Cuku line, the Hakoaki line, and the Nanakuma line. After some careful route planning, we came up with what we think is the most efficient way to connect all the stations on foot. And with that, we stepped out into the 40° Japanese summer heat to find out just how bad of an idea this really was. [Music] First subway stop of the day, Mayohama station. Uh Rachel, what do you think of that station so far? It was good. It was easy. Easy station. Easy station. And this is the only section of the Fukuoka subway line that is above ground. Could not see. Only here. [Music] Made it to our second station of the day, Maromi Eki. This is actually the station that we live at, so it’s very special. It’s my favorite station. Station number three, Fujisaki Station. Rachel, thoughts on that station? It was pretty good. It’s a hidden station, so it’s very special. Rachel likes it cuz it’s hidden. Going to be a long day of Rachie’s reviews, isn’t it? Very long. [Music] Fourth station, Nishidun station just outside of the shin guy. Rachel, thoughts? Nishiden station? Pretty Miyaka. Pretty lively lively station. Wow. A Japanese word that time too. Okay. Cheers. Station number five. Five. Five. Tojin Machi. Rachel, thoughts on that station? Pretty average. Pretty average station. Pretty average. There you go. [Music] Super fast. Station number six, seven. Six, Oh, Coen. Oh Park Station. Probably one of the best stations in the city cuz it has access to Ohi Park. Rachel, review thoughts. I was gonna say the same thing. A great station. Great station. [Music] [Music] Station number seven, Aasaka Station. Now getting into downtown Fukuoka. Rachel, you like that station? It was okay. It’s an okay station. It’s in a busy area. This is a pretty good station. [Music] [Music] Okay. Station number eight. Yeah. Eight. Tangent station. Right downtown. Main city station. Rachel review. Actually, I think maybe one of the best stations. This is where you want to be, right? This is where the action is. That’s a very high review from an otherwise, you know, an otherwise world of mundane reviews. [Music] Okay, that was station number nine actually. Nikatu Kawabada. Rachel, thoughts? Actually, I didn’t really know about that station. So, I think it’s pretty well located. New station. Oh, hidden. Yeah. [Music] [Music] [Applause] Station number 10, Gon station. Another super central downtown station. Kind of. It’s pretty downtown. Rachel’s review. What do you think of that station? Uh, it’s a hot station. It was hot, actually. Yeah. You probably don’t like that station cuz that’s where you got the udon that you didn’t like that day. I didn’t like that. Go Fuku Machi. Probably the most fun station to say. Yeah. Rachel’s review. What do you think of G Fukuum Machi? I think big sidewalks, easy walking, but very busy streets. Yep. And it’s still early, so going to get busier. And now also, we’re switching lines for a few stations. We just transferred from the airport line to the Hakuzaki line. Uh, and then we will link up with the end of the airport line later today. So, we’re following the most efficient path that I could create. [Music] Okay, next station. Chio Kenjo Chio Gucci Machi Kenio Kenjou Gucci Machi. I didn’t get the name of this one. Uh Rachel, review of this? Yeah, I like this station. It’s pretty open, ease of access, not that busy. Okay, long review. And close to Higashi Park, which is a nice park. Chio Kenjoi. You got it. I got it. I figured it out. [Music] Stop. [Music] Next station. Another super hard one to say. Uh my my dashi cy bachi. I just gonna have to uh put this one on screen, I think. Yeah. Uh Rachi, what do you think of that station? I mean, it feels like this is like people live here. Nice parks, big sidewalks again. So, pretty nice. Pretty nice. Okay, another long review. Yeah, they’re getting longer. Yeah, we’ll tighten those on. One thing that’s super nice about today is that it’s going to be 45° C. So, it’s a little hot. Okay, another station down. This was Hakoaki Miami. One thing I’ve noticed about the Hakoaki line is the station’s very difficult to say. Rachel, what was your review on that station? Beautiful, beautiful station. Beautiful station. Gated station. Gated station. Almost felt like you’re in an old shrine or something. Yeah. It’s Hakazaki Q, I believe. Another tricky one to say. Richie, what do you think of this station? What do you think of the zone? I like it. It’s airplane zone. Airplane. Yeah, we’re right under the air uh flight traffic here now going to Fukuoka airport. So, going to be some plane noise. Heat. Heat. And that was Kaizuka station. That’s the last station on the Hakazoaki line. So, kind of an exciting moment. Our first station that we fully complete. Now, we’re about to transition and do like a 6k transfer walk to the end of the airport line at Fukuoka airport. Before we go, Rachel, review of that station. Again, great station, airport, airplane, lots of stuff to see. Okay, another similar review is the last one. Good because the airplanes. [Music] Oh my god. Finally. [Music] That was very exciting. That was a bonus station. Hakazaki station on the Kagoshima line. So, not technically part of the Fukuoka City subway system. So, bonus station. Bonus station. I liked it because it was a bonus station. I loved it. Yeah. And actually one of our favorite stations. We’ve spent a lot of time. Very nostalgic for us. One day we had soup there. [Music] We’re almost through the transfer now. Almost arriving at Fukuoka airport station and back onto the airport line where we’ll walk backwards and catch up to where we left it before. Just looking forward to getting this transfer over. Raie, review of the transfer. Great transfer. Lots of planes. Lots of planes. Here we go. [Music] [Music] Five 8 [Music] We’re at the airport station, which is very exciting cuz as I said earlier, this is the only major airport in Japan that’s connected to a city subway system. So, very unique and part of what makes Fukuoka a great place to live. You can get to the airport. Uh, so yeah, we’re back on the subway line now. Walking the opposite direction back up the airport line back toward downtown city. Rachel review far. This station is far. Very far. But one of my favorites cuz we’re at an airport which is kind of cool. Uh but now a long hot walk back through the airport runway zone to the next station. We finally made it to the next stop after the Fukuoka airport stop. That was, I would say, the longest walking transfer of the day. That must have been five or six kilometers. Pure heat. That was a hot one. No shade. Higashi was the name. Now we’re heading back into the city. Rachel, what was your review of that station? Not my favorite. Not my favorite. Not her favorite. Still a great station. I think I could 3. [Music] [Applause] [Music] Hakata station kind of the jewel of the transportation network in in Fukuoka. Uh, and to us that means we have now completed two lines. We’ve completed the Hakazaki line and the airport line. So now we’re heading on to the Nanakuma line. First stop is the Kashida Shrine. But first, Rachie’s review. Rachie, what do you think of that one? Best station. Best station. Best station. I think too busy. No, best station. Lively. Best station. Okay, there you go. Okay, that was the next station. Station two on the Nanakuma line, Kushida Shrine. Uh, basically a proxy of the Hakata station essentially. Any thoughts on it? Good station. Good station. Station. Good station. Rave review. Yeah. Heat. Heat. [Music] Okay, another station down. That one was Tenjin Manami. Actually walked right past it and didn’t realize we were walking past it. I filmed the Tenjin Manami bus station instead. Rachel, what do you think of the Tenjin Manami area? Always interesting because there’s always big lines in front of it. So, I approve. I like it. Lots of good lines. There’s a doughnut line and a ramen line. Next station, Watanabe Dori. Super close to the last station. Rachel, thoughts? Great icon. What was it? A trolley. And you like that? I liked it. It was clean. Did you like the trolley? [Music] Next stop, another quick transfer between them. Yakuin Station, right, Gene? Busy. Lots to see, lots to eat. A KFC. Your favorite. [Music] Another station down. That was Yaku and Odori. Little symbol of an elephant because it’s close to the botanical garden and zoo. Yeah. What do you think, Rachie? Good station, bad station? Hot station, but I like the little market beside it. Good market, but it’s getting really hot right now. Another station down Sakura Zaka Sakura Hill. We’ve been here a few times cuz we always go up to a little lookout point that’s near here. Hey G, what do you think of this area station? Kind of like a flyby station. Like a flyby station. Ropeen Matsu that time. Rachie, what do you think? Do you like ropen matsu? I love this station. You love this station? Why? What do you like about Ropen Matu? A lot going on. Yeah, there is science museum. [Applause] Well, we’re about 35 km into the walk now and maybe I don’t know six or seven maybe eight more stations to go. Temperature’s risen a lot. Our legs are getting tired and we’re hot. Ra’s found some shade back there. Waiting for our light. Okay, it’s getting pretty hot in there. We took refuge in a laundromat for a moment. There seems to be some free AC in here. How you holding up? It’s too hot. It’s too late this walk. Are you loving the walk though? No. I hate the walk. You think we should keep going? No, no. Okay, now a new station. Chayama station. A new one for us actually. Never even heard of it before. Rachel, your thoughts? It’s just a necessary station. Necessary station for people who live here, those in the area. Ah, so necessary. The review on this one is necessary. Just get out of here. [Music] They’re squenched. new station for us. Kanyama Station. Uh, never heard of it. Also been here before, but didn’t recognize the station name. Any reviews? Any thoughts, Rachel, on that station? I think it has some nice old shops around it. It did have some nice old shops. An old classic grocery store and pharmacy. you. Just a little rest while we wait for the light to turn. Oh, we’re in trouble. Are you scared? I’m scared. Another [Music] rest. Another break. Time at a light. Another break. Another day. Another [Music] station down. Fukua May station. Fukuoka University Hospital Station. Any thoughts on that one, Rach? It was my dreaded station. She was dreading this all day cuz this one feels particularly out of the way for where we live, but it’s all on the up and up from here. Yeah, it was actually gotten nicer. T See this? It’s pretty southern. But Kakoshima Kumamoto. Maybe they’re not like It hurt. It hurts. Okay. And this one was super interesting. Our next one. Um ume byashi because apparently it’s the southernmost underground subway station in all of Japan. Uh touch a touch of elbows with fame with subway station fame. I almost forgot Rachie’s review. Soon as I turned the camera off, she noted upon that. She likes giving the reviews now. So what’s the review? I think it’s nice. Nice. Interesting. Interesting. Good. It was [Music] another station ticked off. Rachel says we have three more to go. Three. Three more. That was no K station. the review. What do you think of that area? Lots of great bike parking. Okay, there was pretty nice too under under a highway, but generally vibes are high around here. Sun’s gone down a little, so it’s way nicer out. [Music] [Music] Please. Hey T final station reached Hashimoto station and that’s it. 43k in and now we have about a 5 km walk back home. So, it’s not over yet. Rach, what do you think of Hashimoto Station? Happy it’s over. Happy it’s over. It’s a nice station though. It’s fine. It’s very nice. [Music] What is it? It’s a Digimon card. Digimon? Oh, a Yu-Gi-Oh card. Yu-Gi-Oh. [Music] That’s it. Almost back home now. 47k in. All stations ticked off. Pretty happy to be home. Little tired. Rachel, what about what was your highlight moment of the walk? There are not many highlight moments. Not many. No. One was that I can recall was sitting on the road taking a quick break being real light. So the highlight was having a seat on the road. Yes. So a real great walk. Super good. A sorry buddy. [Music]

We set out in the 40°C Japanese summer heat to walk all 36 stations of the Fukuoka City subway system. Our plan was to cover the 50km route across the Kuko, Hakozaki, and Nanakuma lines as efficiently as possible in a single day.

Audio Copyright
Kawaii Logo by SondreDrakensson — https://freesound.org/s/627800/ — License: Attribution 4.0