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Thursday, August 27, 2026

Hamakatsu Lunch Special: Affordable Tonkatsu Experience in Fukuoka

Hamakatsu Restaurant

As I mentioned in my previous entries, my husband and I visited Japan in March this year. One place I really wanted to return to was Hamakatsu (浜かつ), a well‑known tonkatsu chain from Kyushu. It’s especially popular in Fukuoka, and it had been many years since our last visit.

This time, we aimed to arrive before 5 p.m. because Hamakatsu offers an affordable weekday lunch menu from opening until 5 p.m. I love their long lunch hours, so we made sure to get there around 4 p.m. Even though we came for the “lunch menu,” it was basically our early dinner. The restaurant was quiet at that time, with only a few groups inside, so it felt relaxed and not crowded at all.

We sat at a table and ordered our meal using the tablet provided. In Japan, most franchise restaurants now use tablet menus, which makes ordering very convenient for customers. It’s especially helpful for international travelers, since many of these tablets offer multiple language options. That way, even if you don’t speak Japanese fluently, you can browse the menu and place your order with ease.

Lunch Menu

As you can see from the menu, the lunch specials are very affordable compared to the regular sets. For example, the pork loin cutlet combo on the lunch menu is 1,000 yen, while the same combo at regular price is 1,560 yen. Every combo includes rice, miso soup, shredded cabbage, and pickles, all with free refills, which makes the meal feel generous and satisfying.

On the table, there was a small pot filled with sesame seeds. One of the reasons Hamakatsu is so popular is that you can grind your own sesame while waiting for your order. Each table has a sesame grinding bowl (すり鉢) and a wooden pestle (すり棒), so you can add as many seeds as you like and grind them to your preferred texture. I really enjoyed the rich aroma that filled the air as I crushed the sesame — it made the meal feel even more special.

After grinding the sesame, you pour tonkatsu sauce into the bowl and mix it together. The freshly ground sesame blends with the sauce, creating a nutty aroma and richer flavor. This custom sauce is then used to dip the crispy cutlet, making each bite even more delicious.

Hamakatsu also offers two types of delicious salad dressings: Japanese‑style dressing (和風ドレッシング) and fresh vegetable dressing (生ドレッシング). Both pair perfectly with the shredded cabbage, giving you a choice between a light, refreshing flavor or a richer, more savory taste. Having these options makes the unlimited cabbage refills even more enjoyable.

Daily Lunch Special Combo (日替わりランチ)

We both ordered the Daily Lunch Special Combo (日替わりランチ) for 990 yen, which was only about $6.50 at that time. Instead of plain white rice, we chose barley rice (麦飯) for a heartier flavor. My husband selected white miso soup (白味噌), while I went with red miso soup (赤味噌). It was fun to customize our set meals with these small choices, and the variety made the lunch feel even more satisfying.

Daily Lunch Special Combo (日替わりランチ)

The Daily Lunch Special Combo (日替わりランチ) included a variety of items: crispy chicken cutlets, cheese‑filled pork cutlets, and deep‑fried sweet potato. It was a fun mix of flavors and textures — the chicken was light and crunchy, the pork cutlet rich with melted cheese, and the sweet potato added a touch of natural sweetness. Having all three together made the set feel balanced and satisfying.

We dipped the cutlets into the freshly ground sesame tonkatsu sauce, and it was absolutely delicious. Before heading back to my parents‑in‑law’s home, we also ordered chicken cutlets from the take‑out menu to bring to them. It felt nice to share a taste of Hamakatsu with family after enjoying our own meal.

Our visit to Hamakatsu was both nostalgic and satisfying, with the lunch special offering great value and flavor even late in the afternoon. If you love Japanese tonkatsu, you should definitely try Hamakatsu — it’s a must‑visit for a hearty and authentic meal.

There are my entries related to Fukuoka.

Top 3 Seafood Restaurants to Visit Around Hakata

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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♥Hotel Room Tour and Review - Hotel Villa Fontaine Grand Haneda Airport in Tokyo, Japan

♥5 Best Delicious Souvenirs from Fukuoka

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     My entries related to Best Japanese Beauty Products can be seen here.

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Thursday, July 16, 2026

Heart Bread ANTIQUE Hakata Marui: Mentai France and Other Bakery Finds

Heart Bread ANTIQUE

As I mentioned in my previous entries, my husband and I visited Japan this March. On our way back to the hotel to pick up our luggage, we came across a bakery called Heart Bread ANTIQUE inside Hakata Marui. The day before, we had discovered an incredibly delicious Mentai France (明太フランス) — a crusty baguette generously filled with spicy, salty mentaiko — at the depachika in Hakata Hankyu. Since that bread left such a strong impression on us, we couldn’t resist stopping by this bakery to see what they offered.

Heart Bread ANTIQUE

Heart Bread ANTIQUE (Hakata Marui)

Address: 9‑1 Hakataekichuogai, Hakata Ward, Fukuoka

Location: 1st Floor, Hakata Marui (connected to Hakata Station)

Hours: 8:00 AM – 9:00 PM

Mentai France (明太フランス) for 450 yen

When we saw their Mentai France (明太フランス) for 450 yen, we knew we had to try it — there were only a few left. It turned out to be amazing. The outside was crunchy while the inside stayed soft, and the texture was completely different from the Mentai France we bought at DONQ the day before, yet equally delicious. Honestly, it made me want to try Mentai France from every bakery we come across.

Yakiimo French (焼きいもフレンチ) for 280 yen

We also tried the Yakiimo French (焼きいもフレンチ) for 280 yen. It was a soft, sweet‑potato flavored French toast, and it turned out to be surprisingly good. My husband also pointed out how affordable it was for the quality.

Toro Nama Choco Pie (とろなまチョコパイ) for 158 yen

We also tried the Toro Nama Choco Pie (とろなまチョコパイ), which was originally 300 yen but on sale for 158 yen. The outside was crisp and flaky, while the inside had a soft, melty chocolate filling. We ended up loving this one too.

Heart Bread ANTIQUE ended up being such a fun stop, and every item we tried felt like a little discovery. This visit made me want to explore even more bakeries in Japan and see what other delicious surprises we can find.

There are my entries related to Fukuoka.

Top 3 Seafood Restaurants to Visit Around Hakata

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

These are my entries you might like.

♥Hotel Room Tour and Review - Hotel Villa Fontaine Grand Haneda Airport in Tokyo, Japan

♥5 Best Delicious Souvenirs from Fukuoka

♥My Shopping List for Japanese Beauty Products - What I Want to Get in Japan

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.

There are my entries related to Fukuoka.

Top 3 Seafood Restaurants to Visit Around Hakata

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

These are my entries you might like.

♥Hotel Room Tour and Review - Hotel Villa Fontaine Grand Haneda Airport in Tokyo, Japan

♥5 Best Delicious Souvenirs from Fukuoka

♥My Shopping List for Japanese Beauty Products - What I Want to Get in Japan

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.

These are also my entries you might like.

♥What I Ate in Oahu, Hawaii

♥Hawaii Haul - 9 Products I Purchased at Costco, ABC Stores, Lawson and Whole Foods

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