「今年の旅行先」５２選に盛岡と福岡　景観や食文化紹介―米紙

　【ニューヨーク時事】米紙ニューヨーク・タイムズ（電子版）は１２日、「２０２３年に行くべき５２カ所」の旅行先リストに、日本から盛岡市と福岡市を選んだ。新型コロナウイルス禍に伴う入国規制が緩和され、東京や京都などを訪れる観光客が増える中、「見落とされがち」（同紙）だが魅力ある街として、２都市に焦点を当てた。
　リスト２カ所目に選んだ盛岡市について、東京から短時間で行ける「歩いて回れる珠玉」と紹介。和洋折衷の大正時代の建物が並ぶ市内で、わんこそばやコーヒーを楽しめると説明した。
　１９カ所目に選んだ福岡市に関しては、日本全国で屋台が減る中、「連なった屋台が見られる数少ない土地」と紹介。定番のラーメンや焼き鳥に加え、ワインやコーヒーなどを出す変わり種の屋台もあると取り上げた。
　リストでは１カ所目にロンドン、３カ所目に米ユタ州などにまたがるモニュメントバレー・ナバホ・トライバル公園を選んだ。（2023/01/13-10:39）

The Japanese cities of Morioka and Fukuoka have made The New York Times' 2023 list of 52 places to go around the world.
   Morioka, the capital of the northeastern prefecture of Iwate, "is often passed over or outright ignored," while Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto are attracting many foreign tourists following Japan's drastic relaxation of COVID-19 border control measures, according to the list released in the newspaper's online edition Thursday.
   Morioka is "a walkable gem without the crowds, just a short bullet train ride from Tokyo," the paper said, adding that the city is full of buildings combining traditional Japanese and Western-style architectural aesthetics built during the Taisho era in the early 20th century.
   The list also notes food-related attractions in the form of coffee and "wanko soba," buckwheat noodles in small bowls that are served one after another so customers can enjoy eating the noodles quickly.
   Fukuoka in the southwestern region "is one of the few remaining places in Japan where you will see rows of yatai," or street food vendors, the paper said, noting traditional ones offering ramen noodles and "yakitori" chicken skewers, as well as new types selling wine and coffee.