PALM BEACH

This guide to Palm Beach near Fukuoka opens with a puzzle: why real palm trees thrive on a Kyushu shoreline as far north as North Carolina, beside a sea locals have long called treacherous. It traces the ocean currents moving unseen beneath the water and their odd effect on both the climate and the clarity of the sea in front of you. You'll hear why the shallow shelf here has become one of Japan's richest fishing grounds, and what comes ashore each morning at the neighboring Nishiura fishing port. Look for the swing strung between two palm trees at the water's edge.