⚠️ Golden Week — Japan's Golden Week starts Apr 29. You'll be in Fukuoka on that day — it'll be lively but manageable. Flying back to Seoul that evening keeps you clear.
Arrive SeoulLand at Incheon — Settle In & First DinnerWed, Apr 23
5:30 PM
Incheon Airport (ICN)
Land, clear customs, grab a data SIM (KT or SKT, ~$25/10 days) and T-money card
🚆AREX Express Train · 43 min · ₩9,000
6:30 PM
Hongik University Station
Express train from airport direct to Hongdae area
🚶Walk · 5 min
7:00 PM
Hotel Check-in (Hongdae area)
Drop bags, freshen up. Hongdae is young, indie, lots of street life (~$80–120/night)
🚇Subway Line 6 · ~20 min
8:00 PM
Korean BBQ Dinner (Itaewon) Food
First meal: samgyeopsal grill-it-yourself. Maple Tree House (upscale) or any Mapo-gu grill spot. Order soju, wrap meat in perilla leaves
Floor-to-ceiling bookshelves inside a massive underground mall. Great photo spot + calm decompress after DMZ
🚇Subway · ~25 min to Jongno
6:30 PM
Tosokchon Samgyetang Food
Legendary ginseng chicken soup near Gyeongbokgung — restorative after a big day
🚇Subway + walk · ~20 min
8:30 PM
Amazing Brewing Co. Craft Beer
Small-batch taproom in Seongdong-gu — one of Seoul's best. Friday night here is great
Seoul Day 3Han River, Namsan & Design DistrictSat, Apr 26
9:00 AM
Han River Park (Yeouido)
Rent bikes and cruise along the river. Late April = flowers blooming, locals picnicking. Pick up chimaek (fried chicken + beer)
🚕Taxi · ~20 min
12:30 PM
Namsan Seoul Tower
Hike or cable car up — 360° city views, iconic padlock fence. The forest walk in April is lovely
🚇Subway Line 2 · ~25 min
3:00 PM
Seongsu-dong
"Seoul's Brooklyn" — ex-industrial now packed with specialty coffee roasters, creative studios, galleries. Very late-20s crowd
🚇Subway · ~10 min
6:00 PM
DDP — Dongdaemun Design Plaza
Zaha Hadid's futuristic building — dramatic after dark when lit. Night market with street food stalls nearby
🚇Subway · ~20 min back to hotel
Busan Day 1KTX to Busan — Culture Village & Coastal EveningSun, Apr 27
8:30 AM
Seoul Station — KTX Book Ahead
Bullet train to Busan — 2h15m, city center to city center. Book at letskorail.com. Especially important for Sunday
🚅KTX Bullet Train · 2 hrs 15 min
10:45 AM
Busan Station — Arrive
Drop bags at hotel (Haeundae or Nampo-dong area)
🚕Taxi · ~15 min
12:00 PM
Gamcheon Culture Village
Colorful hillside labyrinth of painted houses, murals, art installations in tiny alleyways. Built by Korean War refugees. Genuinely unique
🚕Taxi · ~10 min downhill
2:30 PM
Jagalchi Fish Market Must-Eat
Korea's largest seafood market — pick live seafood from tanks downstairs, pay to have it served as sashimi upstairs. Outstanding and interactive
🚇Subway Line 2 · ~40 min
5:00 PM
Haeundae Beach
Walk the famous strip at sunset. Late April = uncrowded. Marine City skyline across the bay looks incredible lit up at night
🚕Taxi · ~25 min
7:30 PM
Galmegi Brewing (Yeongdo) Craft Beer
Busan's best-known craft brewery — waterfront taproom with harbor views. A genuine trip highlight
💡 Sunday KTX seats sell fast — book the Seoul→Busan leg before you leave home
Busan → FukuokaSeaside Temple, Last Busan Meal → Fly to JapanMon, Apr 28
8:00 AM
Haedong Yonggungsa Temple
Buddhist temple built directly on ocean cliffs — one of the most photogenic spots in Korea. Go at 8am before tour buses. Hot hotteok from vendors at the gates
🚕Taxi · ~30 min
10:30 AM
BIFF Square / Nampo-dong
Busan International Film Festival zone — film history murals, street snacks, indie shops
🚶Walk · 5 min
12:00 PM
Dwaeji Gukbap Lunch Last Korea Meal
Busan's iconic pork bone & rice soup — Ssangdung Dwaeji Gukbap near Nampo-dong
🚇Subway + Light Rail · ~40 min
2:00 PM
Gimhae Airport (PUS) Book Ahead
Flight to Fukuoka ~1 hr. Korean Air, Jeju Air, or Air Busan. Check in by 1:30pm
✈️Flight · ~1 hr
4:30 PM
Arrive Fukuoka Airport (FUK)
5 min subway to downtown Hakata — one of the world's most convenient airports. Check into hotel in Hakata or Tenjin
🚇Subway · 5 min to Hakata
5:00 PM
Hotel Check-in (Hakata/Tenjin)
Drop bags, grab a Suica card from the station for transit. Freshen up
🚶Walk · ~10 min to river
7:00 PM
Yatai Street Stalls (Nakasu/Tenjin) Must-Eat
Open-air food stalls along the Naka River — Fukuoka is the only Japanese city with this culture. Tonkotsu ramen at tiny outdoor counters. Shin-Shin or Ippudo (original location) for a benchmark bowl
💡 Book the Busan→Fukuoka flight early — budget carriers (Jeju Air, Air Busan, Peach) are cheapest. US passport = visa-free Japan entry, 90 days
Fukuoka DayRamen, Parks, Craft Beer & Back to SeoulTue, Apr 29 — Golden Week Day 1
8:30 AM
Ohori Park
Calm lake park in the center of the city — morning greenery, joggers, peaceful before Golden Week crowds pick up. Breakfast: mentaiko onigiri from any konbini
🚶Walk · 5 min
9:30 AM
Fukuoka Castle Ruins
Adjacent to Ohori — free to wander, decent views of the city. Good photo spot
🚶Walk / Subway · ~15 min
10:30 AM
Kushida Shrine
Ancient Shinto shrine tucked among neon — incense smoke and modern commerce coexisting
🚶Walk · 5 min
11:30 AM
Canal City Hakata
Shopping complex around an actual canal. Ramen Stadium on 5th floor — 8 ramen shops from different regions of Japan
🚶Walk · ~10 min to Tenjin
2:00 PM
Craft Beer (Tenjin) Craft Beer
Beer Base Hakata or Craft Beer Buzz — local Kyushu taps, genuinely underrated scene
🚶Walk · 2 min
3:30 PM
Last Ramen — Shin-Shin Final Japan Meal
Proper hakata tonkotsu — ultra-rich creamy broth, thin noodles, chashu pork. Order kaedama (extra noodles) like a local
🚇Subway · 5 min to airport
5:00 PM
Fukuoka Airport (FUK) Book Ahead
Fly to Seoul Incheon ~1h20m. Korean Air, Asiana, Peach, or Jeju Air. Target 5–7pm departure
✈️Flight · ~1 hr 20 min
8:30 PM
Arrive Seoul Incheon (ICN)
Head to hotel near airport or in city for last night
⚠️ April 29 = Showa Day — Golden Week Day 1 in Japan. Fukuoka will be busier than normal. Flying out by early evening means you escape before it peaks
Last Morning + DepartureSeoul Buffer Day → Fly HomeWed, Apr 30
10:00 AM
Gyeongui Line Forest Park (Yeonnam-dong)
Converted rail line → linear park with café strip. Low-key, locals-favorite morning spot
🚶Walk / Subway · ~10 min
12:00 PM
Last Meal — Bibimbap Final Korea Meal
Jeonju-style stone bowl bibimbap at Gogung near City Hall. Pick up snacks (honey butter chips, instant ramen) for the flight
🚶Walk · ~10 min to station
3:30 PM
AREX to Incheon Airport
Leave by 4:15 PM at the latest. AREX takes 43 min, then allow 2.5 hrs before international departure
🚆AREX Express · 43 min
7:35 PM
✈️ Depart Incheon (ICN) → Seattle (SEA)
~11 hr flight, arrive same day due to crossing the date line
✈ Why Fukuoka for the Japan leg?
Fukuoka is the closest major Japanese city to Korea. A ~1 hr flight from Busan gets you there effortlessly. Fukuoka is exceptional: birthplace of tonkotsu ramen, famous for yatai (open-air food stalls), great craft beer, and compact enough to enjoy fully in 1.5 days. A short flight back to Seoul closes the loop.
🌋 What About Jeju Island?
Jeju is spectacular — volcanic craters, lava tube caves, dramatic sea cliffs, black pork BBQ, abalone sashimi. But it requires a ~1 hr flight and deserves 2+ full days. Save it for a dedicated return trip where it can be the centerpiece — you won't regret it.
📋 Practical Notes
🔴 Book Before You Leave Home
DMZ / JSA Tour — passport details, 1+ week out
KTX Seoul→Busan — Sunday Apr 27 sells fast
Busan→Fukuoka flight — Jeju Air, Air Busan, or Peach