Appeal of Fukuoka apparent in this NY Times article

If you would like to know why Fukuoka is so appealing, this article from the NY Times might help.

http://travel.nytimes.com/2012/08/26/travel/uncovering-the-secrets-of-fukuoka.html?smid=pl-share

The following paragraph probably best sums up why Fukuoka continues to be a popular place to live and why the real estate market thrives...

"But even finer than these sights are Fukuoka’s intangibles: the laid-back atmosphere, the friendly people, the relaxed pace of a city large enough, with about 1.4 million people, to have its own attractions but not so large as to be overwhelming. "

You don't have to take the word of the New York Times for this.  Ask anyone you bump into when you visit how they like it.  Chances are, they'll point out even more appealing points.