The food is ravenously delicious, the weather pure bliss, the greenery rolls on and on as the scenery enraptures while the thousands of therapeutic hot springs offer pure tonic for the forlorn soul and, for the next month or so, there is also world class rugby. The only things missing in Kyushu are the maddening crowds, and maddening costs. So get thee to Japan’s southernmost major island, a little more than a three-hour flight from Hong Kong, because there has never been a better time to visit, particularly if you want to be a last-minute part of the 2019 Rugby World Cup . Between the main city of Fukuoka, which will host three pool matches, and Oita, some two hours down the road hosting three pool matches and two quarter-finals, there will be eight Rugby World Cup matches in Kyushu, starting with Canada vs Italy today at the intimate Hakatanomori Stadium in Fukuoka. “Fukuoka has become a mid-tempo town,” says Luis Matos, who should know. Born in the Dominican Republic but raised in New York City, Matos is the owner of Off Broadway bar and has been in the hospitality business for close to 30 years in Fukuoka. “You are not going to get in too much trouble here, there is a lot of variety to enjoy, nothing is too packed and there are small spaces and pubs where it’s easy to talk to the owners. It’s a very quaint and attractive place to be and easy to navigate for both locals and foreigners. It’s also the launching point for this great and diverse island. Tokyo and Osaka have energy and are vibrant, but while Fukuoka is not nearly as frenetic, make no mistake, you can have lots of fun here. Loads of fun.” As stories begin to spread that rugby fans and their insatiable appetite might be drinking Japan’s beer supply dry, Luis is quick to spring into action. “Where are they man?” he asks. “Send them to me. They won’t go dry in Fukuoka, I can tell you that.” Indeed, it’s pretty clear, if you want to get kooky in Fooky – and who wouldn’t especially with the World Cup in the house – then Luis is your man. Of course, no trip to Fukuoka would seemingly be complete without a visit to a yatai , the renowned open air food stands that line the city. “There’s a culture shift with yatais that happened in the last couple of years because of tourism,” says Luis. “Near the hotels with that strip of yatais by the water, take a picture but don’t eat there. They’re tourist traps and are overpriced, locals don’t eat there. You want to get in the city, by Daimaru department store, where it’s better. But the real yatais are in the real old neighbourhoods.” And never mind sake, if you want to get into the local vibe order shochu, a traditional Japanese hard liquor made from sweet potato, barley, rice, buckwheat and sugar cane. “Shochu is the Kyushu drink, they will smile at you when you order it,” says Luis. In the middle of the city is the belly of the beast and the best place to start the evening. “This town is known for its food so hit a yakitori place in Tenjin area,” says Luis. “It’s light, it’s friendly and Fukuoka is renowned nationally for its yakitori.” A grilled cuisine primarily featuring chicken on a skewer with other meats and vegetables, “yakitori is menu friendly, doesn’t matter what language you speak, just point and pick,” he says. After eating, lose yourself in the Daimyo area, right next to Tenjin, for drinks and chuckles. “It’s like Greenwich Village in New York, no street signs and just get lost,” he says. “You can’t get hurt in Fukuoka so just get lost. Ask a local for directions and they may take you for a drink.” Even the danger is colour coded in Fukuoka and since nothing is ever too far, merely saunter across the canal to the “red light district” in the Nakasu side for music and companionship. “The red light district, for us it’s actually pink, it’s not red,” says Luis. “Again you’re not going to get in much trouble because that area is not overrun with prostitutes and gangsters. It’s stays open late, there are some girlie bars, but it is relatively tame.” And there is music, another Fukuoka staple. While a few jazz and rhythm and blues bars dot the downtown core, there are a number of smaller clubs featuring epic vinyl collections with turntables spinning the tunes well into the night. The vaunted All Blacks are down here in Kyushu and have set up camp for a week in Beppu, a steaming small town next door to Oita where they will play Canada on October 2. Located between the sea and the mountains, Beppu has eight major geothermal hotspots and more than 2,000 onsens – Japanese hot springs. “Kyushu is a geothermal wonderland,” says Luis, “perfect for any ache or pain. No wonder the All Blacks are camping out there. In fact, all the solar companies have flocked to this island because there is more sunshine in Kyushu than any other part of Japan.” There you have it and as the matches get closer more and more tickets are showing up on the secondary market. There is also a huge dedicated fanzone with big screens, food and, apparently, no shortage of beer set up in downtown Fukuoka that promises to be absolutely insane any time the national team play. It’s all here – and then some.