Kurume station is the main station of Kurume city, which is the third largest city in Fukuoka prefecture. It is the place where major global tire company Bridgestone was established. It is also a hometown of Japanese major rubber manufactures, therefore it is sometimes called city of rubber.
Fukuoka prefecture can be divided into 4 regions, Fukuoka city metropolitan area, Kitakyushu metropolitan area, Chikuho district and Chikugo district. Kurume is the biggest city of Chikugo region.
Kurume station is connected with Kagoshima main line, Kyudai main line and Kyushu Shinkansen. All Sakura shinkansen trains call at Kurume and it is just 18 minutes to Fukuoka city's terminal, Hakata station. Local rapid train is also 34 minutes to Hakata station. If you cannot find cheap accommodation in Fukuoka city, you can try Kurume or nearby Tosu city in Saga prefecture. Especially Shin-Tosu is connected with Kyushu Shinkansen and Nagasaki main line therefore if you want to go to Kumamoto and Nagasaki during your stay, you can stay at hotel nearby Shin-Tosu station and travel to these cities avoiding crowded Fukuoka city.
Although the core of the Chikugo district, many citizens commute to Fukuoka city to work or study by Nishinihon railways(Nishitetsu) which is 100% private company which JR pass holders cannot take. Nishitetsu is one of the biggest companies in Fukuoka and used to own professional baseball team Nishitetsu Lions which is now Saitama Seibu Lions owned by Seibu railways in Tokyo/Saitama prefecture.