Speaking of Okawa, yes! It's famous for its fried chicken! There are many fried chicken shops there, but my favorite is Taisho. The fried chicken dipped in sauce has a crispy and crunchy texture, and the sauce mixes perfectly with the chicken in your mouth. Then, dipping cabbage and shichimi into the sauce and eating it with the fried chicken takes it to the next level. I often take it home to eat, but this was my first time dining in. They also serve alcohol, but since I drove there, I had oolong tea. I hope to one day go on a fried chicken tour in Okawa.

I visited the origin of fried chicken that is eaten with dipping sauce, after hearing from the owner's grandson, whom I met through Instagram, that the restaurant will be closing at the end of January 2021. It seems that the closure is still on track as there is no successor to take over the business. I had boneless chicken pieces and gizzard with rice, as well as chicken neck soup. I also took home three chicken thigh pieces to enjoy with dipping sauce. The shredded cabbage is also meant to be eaten with the dipping sauce. Thank you for the delicious meal. The grilled chicken is no longer on the menu and is currently not available.

The history of the deep-fried chicken soaked in a half-century-old Oogawa broth has been uncovered. The owner of the yakitori restaurant "Taisho" had worked at a high-class restaurant in Tsukiji, Tokyo, and developed a traditional-style deep-fried chicken dish soaked in broth based on the knowledge gained during his training. The long-standing deep-fried chicken specialty store "Taisho," which has been in business for 55 years, was originally named "Toriichi." Other "Toriichi" branches were opened by the same meat supplier in Oogawa and Yanagawa. When asked, the 80-year-old proprietress of "Taisho" revealed that the "Toriichi" in Mizue, Saga City, was run by relatives of the founder. The founder's brother opened the shop. Both stores have been in business for about 50 years, so they seem to share the same history. The owner of "Manaka" in Oogawa, which has the same style, is said to be from "Taisho." During lunchtime, I visited and had a serving of deep-fried chicken for 500 yen, rice for 150 yen, and non-alcoholic beer for 150 yen. I received a soup with seseri (bone-in neck meat) which had a rich and delicious broth. I requested boneless breast meat for the hot deep-fried chicken, and the harmony of the hot deep-fried chicken and the Japanese broth was very delicious. It was also delicious to eat with commercially available garlic powder. There were no condiments for the cabbage, so I ate it by dipping it in the broth or sprinkling salt. Personally, I am very satisfied. The intense seasoning of the deep-fried chicken is unnecessary. The parking lot is 50 meters to the left across the street from the shop. More information on the historical background can be found in this article: [link provided].

Fukuoka's fried chicken is delicious, as I learned in Tokyo, so I bought fried chicken in the countryside of Fukuoka for the first time. It came with broth and cabbage without saying a word. I wondered what to do with this broth... I tried eating it with cabbage, hmm? I tried eating it with fried chicken, hmm. The broth was light in flavor. Did it make it slightly better? Hmm. I'm not sure. The fried chicken was delicious as usual, but it didn't bring back the nostalgic taste of garlic that used to be strong.

Let's go to the park near the Saga tidal flat. On the way there, while crossing the Hayatsu River Bridge from Ohno Island in Oto, Fukuoka Prefecture to Kawafuto-cho, Saga City, I saw another bridge downstream of the Chikugo River. It was not listed on my car's navigation system, but I found it on Google Maps, called the Kawafuto Ohashi. On the way back, I visited the bridge out of curiosity. I also took photos of the Nitta Ohashi and Kawafuto Ohashi bridges connecting Ohno Island in Oto to Nitta in Oto. I also stopped by a shop that sells fried chicken drumsticks, as recommended by a friend. The shop was actually a butcher shop that also sells fried chicken. I purchased two fried chicken drumsticks and boneless fried chicken. The shop also offers delivery services. The fried chicken drumsticks came with cabbage and sauce, and my family enjoyed them. The fried chicken was good, but not outstanding. I would like to explore more shops that sell fried chicken drumsticks closer to home.

On Friday, I worked around Okawa City until it got dark, then before returning to Kurume, I visited a newly opened ramen shop. Afterwards, feeling unsatisfied, I went to a long-established fried chicken restaurant in Okawa City. You can dine in at the restaurant. I ordered four servings of fried chicken to go and brought them home. It comes with shredded cabbage and a light kelp broth sauce. The fried chicken is seasoned with salt and pepper, but when you dip it in the sauce, it becomes a light and flavorful dish. I hope this restaurant continues to do well.

I had "fried chicken thigh" dish. The meat was large with a strong umami flavor locked in, and the meat juice flowed out slowly. The meat was fluffy and tender. It paired well with the crispy coating. Not only could I taste the richness of the meat, but also the flavor of soy sauce added a distinctive Japanese taste to the deliciousness.

Cheap and delicious, I will definitely go back. The takeout is also tasty! It's delicious even when it's cold!

The atmosphere is nice with an old-fashioned feel.

I am staying at a hotel near the Okawa River because of the Okawa Fireworks Festival, which has been postponed due to a typhoon. To pass the time, I decided to do some sightseeing and enjoy some local cuisine. I found this place after walking for a while. It's a takeout-only shop, which is quite rare in the city. When I asked about their fried chicken and grilled chicken skewers, I was told that the skewers would take 30-40 minutes to prepare, so I opted for 500 yen worth of fried chicken. The portion was surprisingly generous, with about 7 pieces. The fried chicken was juicy and delicious, especially when dipped in the broth and sprinkled with seven-spice seasoning. It was my first time trying fried chicken dipped in broth, and it was really tasty! The broth was lightly flavored and enjoyable to drink. The cabbage served on the side was fresh and crunchy, cut right before serving. Many customers came in cars to buy food from this place, and I can imagine that their grilled chicken skewers must be good too. It's a shame I couldn't try them.

After eating at "Kaisen Uoya" in Yume Town Okawa, I came here to buy some deep-fried whole chicken thighs and bite-sized chicken thigh tempura. If you order after arriving, it takes about 20 minutes, so it might be better to call ahead. The price is based on the weight, which is not specified, but I think it was around 600-700 yen.