Before I left for a visa run to Fukuoka, I trolled the internet finding contradicting information, incorrect information, and a lot of old advice that dated back to 2002 and 2004. It was hard to get up to date, accurate information about a good way to go about doing this. I got a lot of info from Gabijim and the visa run forum on Daves ESL cafe. Both of these were worth taking a look at, but also provide a lot of stuff to sift through.
To make it easy, here is a simple, straight-forward guide of what exactly I did. It provides all of the information that you may need in one place without giving you an overwhelming list of options and links. Use what you like and leave what you dont. My visa run ran smoothly, so I am passing on this advice for anyone who wants to follow in my footsteps. There may be cheaper/better/faster ways to do it, but this is what I found to be convenient, effective, and fairly cheap considering the circumstances (the circumstances being a trip to one of the most expensive countries on earth). I did my visa run in early Feb. of 2012. I hope this helps!
Getting there
You have two options here: flying or taking a ferry
You may immediately discount flying as an option, but dont. Especially if you are living in Seoul or the surrounding areas, flying could save you money and/or time. Following are some details about your options.
1. The Ferry from Busan
There is a cheap overnight ferry, but I didnt even consider it because that sounds awful. If you are going to take the ferry, the JR Beetle is the quick, 3 hour ferry that runs a few times per day. I think prices vary depending on how cute you are, because I can never get a straight answer about its price. Their website has the current fare at 370,000KRW but some guys I met at the hostel got theirs for 240,000KRW. You will have to play that one by ear. If you live in or around Busan, this could be a great option. The Beetle website can be found here for more information and to view vacant seats.
If you dont live in Busan, you will need to take a bus or train down there to catch the ferry.
The train
As for the train, the KTX is the quickest way to get down there, and also the most expensive. It takes 2.5 hours. Reserved tickets are 75,200KRW one way, standard class is 53,700 and a standing room ticket is 51,000.
There are slower trains that take a bit longer but are also a bit cheaper. They probably take just as long as the bus, but are a bit more comfortable.
To see current fares book Korail tickets online, click here. The website is really easy to use, shows information about the different classes of trains, and accepts foreign credit cards.
The bus
The bus is a much cheaper option if you aren't on a time crunch. It takes 5 to 7 hours and costs about 25,000KRW one way. For updated bus times and information, click here
The free shuttle bus
To promote tourism, the Busan Municipal Government is running a free shuttle between Seoul and Busan. It runs every day except Mondays. The shuttle starts in front of the Dongwha Duty Free Shop in Gwanghwamun (Seoul) and makes stops at the Lotte Hotel and Paradise Hotel in Busan. Reservations have to be made 10 days in advance, so you'll have to plan ahead. For more information, click here. To search available seating and make reservations, you can go to the Visit Korea Year website here.
Keep in mind, I didn't do the Busan ferry route, so I can't give too much information about it. This is just what I found when I was doing my research and considering my options.
2. Flying
Flying is easy, direct, and convenient. Living close to Seoul but far from Busan, flying was the best option for me. Check prices before you immediately rule it out. I usually use kayak.com because it aggregates the flight prices from all of the other websites such as orbitz and expedia. A Belgian girl living in Japan showed me an even better option: skyscanner.net. Flights that she showed me were way cheaper than I have ever seen. It is definitely worth taking a look at if you want to fly to Fukuoka.
Once you land in the international terminal, you will have to take a 15 minute free shuttle to the domestic terminal. From there, you can get on the subway and head into the city. The airport is located conveniently close to the city center, which is awesome.
Getting your visa
The Korean Consulate is at Tojinmashi Station (orange line on the subway), Exit 1. For the awesome directions that I used to get there, click here. It has pictures and detailed descriptions of how to get to the consulate from Tojinmashi Station.
The visa is 4,500 Yen (approx 65,000KRW). Bring cash.
Drop off hours are 9 to 11 and 1:30 to 3:30.
You can pick it up the next day between 10 and 12 or 1:30 and 3:30.
You need:*
1. Your contract
2. Notice of Appointment
3. 1 passport photo
4. Your passport**
5. The fee (4,500 Yen in cash)
6. The application (which you can get there)
*This is what you need for an EPIK visa.
You can email the consulate for updated or personalized information if you are working an a hagwon. fukuoka@mofat.go.kr.
**Make sure you have a blank visa page available in your passport!
The process of getting a visa was quick and easy. No stress necessary.
Sleeping
Chances are, youre going to need a place to stay. hostelworld.com is a perennial favorite and that is where i booked mine. i stayed at the Khaosan Fukuoka hostel. It was 33,000KRW per night for a dorm, which I actually only shared with one other person. The hostel was basic but good and I recommend it. It was clean, the beds were comfy, the wifi was free, and the showers were hot. The location was not the best but it was not awful either. It was a ten or fifteen minute walk from Hakata Station, which is two subway stops away from the airport and on the same line as the Korean consulate (only six stops away). There was also a bus right outside of the hostel that ran directly to the consulate and took 40 minutes (bus 44, runs every 20 minutes).
Getting Around
I think a pretty a pretty cardinal rule of being in Japan is this: Do not get in a cab, ever. They are insanely expensive. That being said, you will learn to rely on public transportation, which is pretty convenient and easy in Fukuoka.
The bus:
The bus is easy enough if you speak Japanese. Even if you don't, it still is not impossible as long as you know what bus number to get on, and what direction you need to go in.
Tips for using the bus: (these may be obvious, but the first time I did it I embarrassed myself)
-Get on in the back of the bus and take a ticket from the machine. It will have a number on it.
-Pay attention to your surroundings because it is the only way you will know when to get off. The bus driver will most likely only speak Japanese.
-To know what your fare is, look up at the front of the bus and match the number on your ticket to a corresponding fare on the lit-up grid of numbers. It sounds confusing, but it is really simple and actually a pretty cool set-up. The fares change depending on your origin and how far you've gone.
-Pay when you are getting off the bus. Drop your ticket and fare money into the box next to the driver. If you need change, you get that first from the change machine- paying and getting change aren't one smooth transaction. Drop what you want to change into a different slot, collect your new change, and then put your money into the fare box.
The subway:
The subway is simple and easy to use. Best of all, it is in English! For a subway map, click here. Fares are determined by how far you are going, and can be between 200 and 300 yen. You can also buy an all-day pass for 600 yen, which is what I did. That way, you can hop on and off the subway at your leisure without having to pay every time.
To buy a ticket, find the ticket vending machines located near the subway entrance. The machines have an English option and are really easy to use.
What to eat
I was only in Fukuoka for 4 days, so I cant give too many recommendations, especially because I went to each of these places twice. But, the places I did go are definitely worth searching for.
West: Great noodles and tempura
Head to Nakasa-Kawabata station on the orange line. Exit 5. Walk down the arcade strip. West is pretty far down on the left. It is right past an intersection. The sign is in Japanese (white sign, black writing) but you should see pictures of udon bowls and tempura outside on the window. I found out later that this place was actually written up in lonely planet. It had delicious noodle bowls and all sorts of tempura.
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| look for this while walking down the arcade strip |
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| my amazing meal |
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| the inside of west.. cozy! |
Genko Sushi: Conveyor belt sushi
If you stay in the Khaosan Fukuoka hostel, this will be close. Make a right out of Hakata Station exit 5. On the same block on your right, you will see Yodobashi Camera, a electronics mega-department store. On the 4th floor, there are a bunch of restaurants, including Genko Sushi. As you are going up there, it seems kind of tacky but the sushi is pretty good. And cheap. 105 Yen per plate (a few of the more expensive plates are 157 yen but there arent many of those). They had good sashimi/nagiri, shrimp tempura rolls, etc... all on a conveyor belt, which is especially convenient if you dont speak japanese. It isn't the best sushi in the world, but during lunch time, the place is packed with japenese people so it gave me confidence that it is actually acceptable.
Ramyen Stadium: Fukuoka style ramyen
Fukuoka/Hakata is famous for its distinct ramyen. It is delicious. Ramyen stadium is a cool place to go because there are a bunch of ramyen restaurants in one place, so you can browse menus and choose your favorite. Then, order from a vending machine.
To get there, go to the 5th floor of C
anal City.
What to do
While you are waiting for your visa, chances are you are going to have some time to kill. I came in the winter and it rained the whole time, so I cant say I had the best touring experience. There would be a lot more to do in the summer when you can go to the beach, but I guess that isnt always an option when youre doing a visa run. I cant say anything I did was too exciting, but it kept me busy.
The Asahi Brewery Tour
Definitely the coolest thing I did. Plus, it's rainy day friendly. Have your hostel call them to make a reservation for you. 3 free draft beers at the end! Just make sure you drink them within 20 minutes, because that's when they kick you out.
The Park at the Ohorikoen subway stop
If you want to sit outside and relax with a good book or go for a run, this is a beautiful park with a big lake in the middle. There are benches everywhere to sit and a lot of places to explore. If you want to bring your running sneakers, there are plenty of people jogging on a path around the lake. |
| the lake |
Canal City
I had high hopes for canal city because I thought it would be a funky shopping center on a canal with fun food stalls and vintage shops. It was actually just a standard mall, and everything was super expensive. Canal City's only redeeming qualities were Ramyen Stadium on Floor 5, and a cinema on Floor 4. They play a lot of English films and tickets were 1,000 Yen (about 14,000 KRW). When it's raining, and you're alone and bored... a movie at the theatre is the perfect fix.
Tenjin
Tenjin is the city center, so it's worth checking out. Its pretty much just a lot of restaurants and shopping. When I say shopping, I mean super trendy clothes and shoes that you probably can't fit into, and accessories that you could never afford. As a girl, it's still fun to browse. As a boy, I'd maybe skip it.Fukuoka Tower and the Beach (close to the consulate.. you can walk)
Like I said, it was raining when I was in Fukuoka so I couldnt do much except look at the beach from afar. I didnt go up the tower because of the weather (plus, it costs 800 Yen) but its still an option of something to do. Robosquare
You may see advertisements for this around and think its going to be awesome. Its not. Its a room filled with robots that arent even turned on. But, if you go at the right time of day, you may be lucky enough to catch a robot dog dance show. |
| bride and groom robot dogs |
Hawks Town Mall
I went in here just because it was across the street from the consulate. Again, its pretty much filled worth stores you would never but anything at. And dont get too excited about the Toys R Us... its filled with baby toys and strollers.Museums
There are also quite a few museums around town. Art museums, folk museums and history museums to name a few. Check a guide book or the internet for exact locations. I tried the art museum but it was closed on Wednesdays, and I didnt manage to stumble upon any others.
Etc
If you have an extra day or can make time for it, Nagasaki is only 2.5 hours away by bus. Would probably be worth a day trip if you have the time.
Like I said, I went in winter, so nothing about my trip was too exciting. Summer may have been nicer, seeing as the beach is here and there are islands near by. You could definitely make a holiday out of your visa run if you have a few extra bucks. Also, I was alone, which Im assuming you will be too if you are going on the not-so-exciting visa run. That being said, its always nice to plop down in a comfy chair at a coffee shop and pull out a good book. Japan is also a gold mine for people watching, so never rule that out as an option.
Money
Since the exchange rate at the airport usually sucks, I'd recommend changing your won to yen at your local bank before you leave. I exchanged 300,000W and used exactly that much. You could definitely get away with spending less but I ate well and didn't skimp too much on entertainment or sleeping arrangements.
In conclusion
I hope that this guide helps you on your trip. It isn't perfect, but this is what I did, and it worked for me. Good luck!!
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