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Thursday, June 18, 2026

Koga Sengyō Fukuoka Review – Fresh Seafood Bowls at Yanagibashi Market

Koga Sengyo (古賀鮮魚)

As I mentioned in my previous entry, my husband and I visited Japan in March this year. One of our main reasons for the trip was to undergo a complete medical checkup, known as ningen dock (人間ドック). This time, we chose to have it done in Fukuoka.

After arriving in Fukuoka, we dropped off our luggage at the hotel and went out to find lunch. Since our checkup was scheduled for the next morning, we wanted something not too heavy but still satisfying. We decided to return to Koga Sengyō, located inside the Yanagibashi Rengo Fish Market (柳橋連合市場), about a 20‑minute walk from JR Hakata Station.

We had visited Koga Sengyō in 2024 and instantly fell in love with it—the freshness, the simplicity, the warmth of a true market eatery. Coming back felt comforting, almost like revisiting a small ritual we didn’t realize we had started.

Koga Sengyo (古賀鮮魚)

Koga Sengyo (古賀鮮魚)

1-6-4 Haruyoshi
Fukuoka Chuoku
Fukuoka

Open Monday through Saturday

Hours 10 am through 3 pm (Last Order 2:30 pm)

We arrived around 11 a.m. on a weekday, and there were already several people seated. Before coming, we had promised ourselves we would stick to something light for lunch, but the moment we sat down and looked at the menu, our plan almost disappeared. “Oh no… everything looks amazing.” We looked at each other and nearly changed our minds on the spot.

Tuna Bowl (マグロ丼)

I chose the tuna bowl (マグロ丼), which came with nine thick slices of fresh tuna for 1,500 yen ($9.50). It also included a bowl of wakame seaweed soup. Each slice of tuna was so big, tender, and incredibly fresh. I loved every bite.

Tuna Bowl (マグロ丼)

Kaisen Don (海鮮丼)

My husband ordered the Kaisen Don (海鮮丼), which cost just 1,100 yen and also came with wakame seaweed soup. The sashimi was incredibly fresh and the quality was honestly impressive—we couldn’t believe it was only about $7. For a seafood bowl like this in the U.S., we would easily expect to pay over $50. If you visit Koga Sengyō, the Kaisen Don is an absolute must‑try.

Kaisen Don (海鮮丼)

Fresh Scallop Sashimi (ホタテの刺身)

Finally, we decided to order the fresh scallop sashimi (ホタテの刺身) for 1,500 yen. We hadn’t planned on getting this at all, but my husband loves scallops, so we couldn’t resist trying it. And for only $9.50, it felt impossible to pass up.

Our fresh seafood lunch came to a total of 4,100 yen ($26), which felt almost unbelievable for the quality we received. In the U.S., a meal like this would easily cost several times more, so we couldn’t help feeling a little amazed at how reasonable it was. If you’d like to read more about Koga Sengyō, feel free to take a look at my earlier entry.

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Hakata’s Udon Gems: Two Must-Try Udon Restaurants in Hakata, Fukuoka

A Tempura Lover’s Guide to Hakata: Two Must-Try Restaurants in Fukuoka, Japan

Best Breakfasts in Hakata: 3 Must-Try Restaurants

5 Best Delicious Souvenirs from Fukuoka

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Thursday, June 11, 2026

Spring Japan Travel Notes: Korean Air & United Airlines Meal Experience

Cherry Blossom in 2026

My husband and I visited Japan in late March this year. This time, we flew to Fukuoka from Los Angeles with Korean Air. We had a layover in Seoul and spent some time shopping at Incheon Airport. I remembered my Korean friend once telling me that the seaweed sold at the airport is much higher quality than what you usually find in supermarkets — so we bought some. She was right; it was incredibly good.

Anyway, my husband and I ended up loving Korean Air. Even though we were in economy class, their service felt thoughtful and comfortable. They provided disposable slippers for all passengers, and the bathrooms had toothbrushes, Korean skin lotion, and toner. I usually don’t enjoy airplane bathrooms, but somehow I did this time. The Korean Air cabin attendants were also very kind, which made the whole experience even nicer.

Korean Air In-Flight Meal (Los Angeles → Seoul)

We also really enjoyed the in‑flight meal on Korean Air. During our flight from Los Angeles to Seoul, we chose the bibimbap, and it was fun mixing all the ingredients with the rice and adding the gochujang. It turned out to be pretty good and surprisingly satisfying.

Korean Air In-Flight Meal (Los Angeles → Seoul)

Korean Air In-Flight Meal (Seoul → Fukuoka)

Flying from Seoul to Fukuoka took less than an hour, but even on such a short flight they still served a light meal — a Paris Baguette sandwich and chips — which tasted much better than I expected. I also didn’t realize that the Paris Baguette we often see in Southern California is actually a Korean chain. The sandwiches were so good, and the chips were surprisingly delicious too. AI says they’re a Korean non‑fried potato chip made by Nongshim. I want to look for them at a Korean grocery store someday.

On our way back to Los Angeles from Japan, we flew with United Airlines. This time, we were able to use the United Airlines Lounge at Narita Airport. I’ll write more about the lounge next time.

United Airlines In-Flight Meal (Narita → Los Angeles)

I usually love flight meals departing from Japan because they often include more Japanese‑style dishes. Our first meal was a kind of yakitori bento, which felt comforting and familiar. The second meal was chicken omelet rice with demi‑glace sauce — simple but satisfying in that cozy, Japanese‑airline way.

United Airlines In-Flight Meal (Narita → Los Angeles)

Overall, we truly enjoyed our flights on this trip. I usually don’t expect too much from in‑flight meals, but each one turned out better than I imagined. It was a nice way to wrap up our journey.

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Thursday, June 4, 2026

How We Turned a 10‑Hour Transit in Oahu into a Perfect Mini‑Adventure

As I mentioned in my previous entries, my husband and I visited Japan last summer, and for this trip, we flew with Hawaiian Airlines. Normally, we fly directly to Tokyo before heading to our hometown, Fukuoka, but this time the most affordable option was a round‑trip between Los Angeles and Fukuoka with a connection in Honolulu.

On our return from Fukuoka to Los Angeles, we had a 10‑hour transit in Honolulu — longer than we usually prefer, but perfect for enjoying a little time on Oahu. Today, I’m going to share how we spent those 10 hours during our layover.

We landed on Oahu around 10 a.m. Because we were on a transit flight, we had to pick up our suitcases first, but we were able to check them in again right away before leaving the airport. Thanks to that, we could walk out without carrying any heavy luggage, which made everything so much easier and let us move around freely during the layover.

Rental Car Shuttle Bus

Car Rental

We took the shuttle bus to the Budget rental car office around 12:20 p.m. We had booked our car in advance, so the process was already simple, but it became even smoother because my husband had joined Budget’s Fastbreak program beforehand. We were able to pick up the car at 12:30 p.m. with almost no waiting at all.

Before he joined Fastbreak, we used to wait for more than an hour at the counter, and they often tried to sell extra insurance. The Fastbreak program completely changed that experience. If you plan to use Budget, I really recommend signing up — it saves so much time during a layover.

This time, we wanted to enjoy driving around Oahu, so we chose to rent a standard convertible instead of an affordable compact car. It’s simply more fun to drive with the top down, especially on an island. We were assigned a Ford Mustang, and it was actually our first time trying one.

Usually, convertible cars have smaller trunk space, but since we weren’t carrying any heavy luggage, it wasn’t a problem for us at all.

Hawaiian Poke

We decided to have lunch at Ono Seafood, a famous spot for poke. We had really enjoyed their poke on a previous visit, so we wanted to come back again this time. We arrived around 1:20 p.m., and because it’s such a popular place, especially during lunchtime, finding a parking space was quite challenging.

We ordered a poke bowl with #1 Shoyu Ahi and #8 Wasabi Ahi for $17.80. Both were incredibly fresh and flavorful — just as good as we remembered. It really hit the spot.

#1 Shoyu Ahi and #8 Wasabi Ahi for $17.80

Finding Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles

After lunch, we grabbed coffee at Starbucks and headed toward Papa‘iloa Beach to look for wild sea turtles. We had seen a sea turtle once in the San Gabriel River in Long Beach, California, but seeing wild sea turtles in Hawaii had been on our bucket list for a long time. During our last trip to Oahu, we couldn’t find any, but this time it was August — a season when sea turtles are often spotted — so we were hopeful.

We arrived at the beach around 3 p.m., and sure enough, there were many sea turtles. They were calmly eating seaweed close to the shore — maybe around twenty of them — and it felt almost unreal to see so many in one place.

It felt so good to finally experience something we had been hoping to see for so long.

Kahuku Shrimp

Then we suddenly had a strong craving for Kahuku shrimp, so we decided to stop by Giovanni’s Shrimp Truck. We arrived around 4:50 p.m. We had enjoyed their shrimp before, so we were excited to try it again.

Giovanni’s Shrimp Truck

We ordered the Shrimp Scampi for $17.50. It came with a dozen jumbo shrimp in a rich garlic‑lemon‑butter sauce and two scoops of white rice. The shrimp were garlicky, a little olive‑oily, fresh, and absolutely delicious.

Shrimp Scampi for $17.50

Driving to Airport

Then we stopped by Kualoa Regional Park at 5:50 p.m. Up to this point, my husband had been driving around the island, but from here I took the wheel for a while.

The view of the island while driving was beautiful — the lush green mountains rising around us. I especially love the mountains here; they reminded me of the hikes we enjoyed in Oahu on our previous trips.

We filled up the gas and arrived at the airport rental car drop‑off around 7 p.m. Our flight was scheduled to depart at 8:43 p.m. Since it was a domestic flight from Honolulu to Los Angeles, the timing worked out fine, but ideally we should have given ourselves a little more buffer.

Overall, our 10‑hour transit turned into a surprisingly rich little adventure. We circled the island in a Ford Mustang, tasted fresh poke and buttery Giovanni’s shrimp, and seeing the sea turtles up close became one of the most memorable moments of the day. Even though it was a short visit, we felt like we experienced a small slice of Oahu — the beaches, the mountains, the food, and the relaxed island atmosphere. Since accommodations in Hawaii are so expensive, making the most of a long transit can be a great option, as long as you’re not too tired. If you plan to do the same, I recommend resting well on the flight before arriving in Oahu so you can enjoy every hour of your mini‑trip.

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