Kouge Town is located in the easternmost part of Fukuoka Prefecture. It is a small town with a population of just under 8,000 people. Kitakyushu Airport is built on an artificial island, and the main is-land of Japan can be reached via a bridge that spans two-kilometers long. It takes just under an hour by car to Kouge Town from the airport. When we opened a map to search for the route to our destination, our current location read: “Kitakyushu Crab and Oyster Road.” Apparently it is named so because it is a production area for “Buzen Hongani” Crabs and “Buzen Sea Hitotsubu” Oysters. These are the seafood specialties that Kitakyushu boast of, and thus the unique name.

Kouge is a town located on the prefectural border of Fukuoka and Oita, and the Yamakuni River, which is classified as a class-A river, it is the symbol of the prefectural border. With this river as a border, a beautiful rural landscape and nature extends before us. Nakatsu City in Oita Prefecture can be accessed immediately upon crossing the river. Nakatsu is said to be the “holy land” for karaage fried chicken, with over 50 establishments specializing in it. We were surprised by its contrast to Kouge Town, but found that by going to spots like “Yaba Gorge” and “Mount Hachimen,” we could experience the great abundance of nature.