There is no atmosphere in Japan quite like Fukuoka City’s. Located in the Kyūshū Region, a southwestern island region in Japan, Fukuoka City has a fun, laidback vibe with great food, great sightseeing, great shopping, great public transportation, a nice subtropical climate, and many historical sites. Thanks to its well-planned infrastructure, safety, cleanliness, good dining options, and abundant retail, it has been voted one of the world’s most livable cities. It is also the most populous city in Kyūshū with one of the fastest growing populations in Japan, serving as an important economic center with good incentives for startups. After visiting, I’m not surprised many people are flocking to live there.
Wherever you are in Japan, Fukuoka City is an easy place to get to. A bullet train ride from Shinjuku Station in Tokyo to Hakata Station in Fukuoka is only five hours on the Nozomi shinkansen, and a flight from the Haneda or Narita Airports into the Fukuoka Airport is only two hours. Other major cities like Kyoto and Osaka are even closer. For a less expensive transportation option, you can take an overnight train into the city.
Once you arrive in Fukuoka City, there are so many fun things to see and do. Here are some of the highlights.
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Sightseeing & History in Fukuoka City
Kushida Shrine
Kushida Shrine is one of the most important Shinto shrines in Fukuoka City. Originally built in 757, it was dedicated to Amaterasu, the goddess of the sun and the universe. The architecture is stunning, especially the gold accents that pop against the dark brown of the wood.
You can walk through the torii gates that alternate between painted vermillion and bare stone to symbolize the entrance of a sacred space.
The shrine is the spot of Fukuoka’s largest festival held every July, Hakata Gion Yamakasa. Next to the shrine is a kazariyama stationary float for the festival depicting scenes from Japanese history and folklore.
Ōhori Park
Ōhori Park is one of my favorite parks in Japan. It is designed around a large pond that used to serve as a moat for Fukuoka Castle. This free park has designated paths for walking, jogging, and biking, so it’s the perfect place for getting some fresh air and exercise. Running through the middle of the pond are three narrow islands named for their plant life: Sweet Flag Island, Pine Island, and Willow Island. These are beautiful to walk through, listening to the calm waters of the pond and smelling the fresh scent of pine in the air.
Jutting out from these islands is the red and green Ukimi Pavilion from which you can get a nice view of the surrounding pond, greenery, and cityscape.
If you’re up for it, rent a swan-shaped boat and make your way through the water!
>>Related Post: My Favorite Parks in Japan
Maizuru Park & Fukuoka Castle Ruins
A short walk from Ōhori Park is Maizuru Park, home to the Fukuoka Castle Ruins. This is a great spot for history buffs, and walking through this nationally designated historic site feels like taking a step back into feudal era Japan.
Some of the walls and turrets from the 17th century are still in tact, while other structures have been restored over time. Signage throughout the park lists each historic structure and its significance.
From the higher elevated areas of the park, you can see amazing views of Fukuoka City.
Momochi Seaside Park & Fukuoka Tower
Right along the water is Momochi Seaside Park, an attractive stretch of land designed so that no power lines are visible aboveground.
The focal point is Fukuoka Tower, Japan’s highest seaside tower standing tall at 234 meters. The building is covered in mirrors and lit up at night, sometimes illuminated in colors corresponding to a theme. For a fee, you can enter the observation deck to get panoramic views of Hakata Bay, Fukuoka City, and the mountains.
Near Fukuoka Tower is Momochihama, a manmade beach popular for swimming and beach sports like volleyball and soccer. The floating facility Marizon has a wedding hall, restaurant, and sports shop.
Another notable site is the Fukuoka Yafuoku Dome, home to the much-loved SoftBank Hawks baseball team. Aside from baseball games, it also hosts concerts and other large-scale events throughout the year. If weather conditions are bad, no worries – the dome has a retractable roof.
Railway Shrine & Observation Terrace
On the rooftop of Hakata Station is Tsubame no Mori Hiroba plaza. This unique outdoor area houses a small Shinto shrine dedicated to railways where people can pray for safe travels. There is also a train-themed play area for children and a little Japanese garden.
Climbing a flight of stairs will get you to the observation terrace, which offers panoramic views of Fukuoka City and the mountains in the distance. It’s a nice view even on a cloudy day.
Nokonoshima Island Park
Nokonoshima Island Park is by far one of the most beautiful places I’ve been to. To get there, you take a pleasant 10-minute ferry ride to Nokonoshima Island. Japan is all about harmony with nature, which is evident in this beautiful green space. There are spectacular land and sea vistas and beautiful flower gardens everywhere you turn.
I went in October and was met with a sweeping view of pink cosmos flowers overlooking the sea. Different flowers bloom at different times of the year, so make sure you check their blooming schedule before your visit to see what awaits you in the gardens.
The expansive park has many different sections, including a large lawn, multiple flower gardens, a wooden playground, little shops, a museum, an art gallery, a pottery studio, several restaurants, and a gift shop with island specialties. They even have a field for playing their unique croquet-like sport called nokonokoball.
One of its restaurants, Kochan Udon, serves light and simple (and delicious) udon noodles. I got a vegetarian-friendly bowl served with tofu skins.
Nokonoshima Island Park is a good place to spend a half-day exploring the natural beauty of Fukuoka.
>>Related Post: Beautiful Vistas at Nokonoshima Island Park in Fukuoka, Japan
Nightlife
Fukuoka City has a laidback nightlife scene with lots of bars and izakaya restaurants. The main areas for nightlife seem to be Daimyo, a hip area with cool boutiques, pubs, and sports bars, Nakasu, the riverside red light district with Fukuoka’s iconic yatai food stalls (more on those later), and Tenjin, the fashionable downtown district.
There are also many nighttime festivals and events held throughout the year. When I visited in autumn one year, there was a giant Oktoberfest celebration in Reisen Park complete with German food stalls, a beer garden, and a band playing traditional German music.
Shopping & Dining in Fukuoka City
Hakata Station
Hakata Station is a massive transportation hub serviced by many railway lines connecting Kyūshū with Japan’s other regions. However, trains aren’t the only things it contains. The giant building is packed with shops and restaurants. JR Hakata City, Hankyu Department Store, Amu Plaza Mall, and Deitos are all located here and have stores specializing in everything from books to fashion to hobbies. It even has one of my favorite stores, Tokyu Hands (which I wrote about in more detail in my guide to Ikebukuro, Tokyo). You can also find lots of restaurants and specialty food stores comprising all different kinds of cuisine. And, if you’re in the mood for catching a movie, there’s a cinema too.
For book lovers, the Maruzen bookstore sells a wide variety of books, manga, and magazines. According to its website, almost 600,000 books are on display and available for purchase. There are so many sections to peruse. It’s a reader’s dream come true!
For any Pokémon fans out there, this shopping complex has one of the 11 Pokémon Centers in Japan where you can buy official Pokémon-themed goodies. This is the southernmost one, and it sells cute Fukuoka-themed items.
If you’re traveling through Fukuoka and have some time before catching your next train, Hakata Station is a great place to find Fukuoka cuisine like tonkotsu ramen and Kyūshū sake. You can also pick up some packaged foods as souvenirs like the above Hello Kitty-themed Hakata ramen bowls.
Tenjin
Tenjin is a downtown district for shopping reminiscent of the popular shopping areas in Shibuya, Tokyo. It caters mostly to teenagers and young adults and has a lot of department stores carrying the latest fashion and accessories.
Tenjin Vivre has lots of trendy fashion shops for the younger set. Internationally popular music aimed at teens and young adults is usually blasting in the background while you shop. For anime lovers, a large chain store called Animate sells official anime goods and merchandise. There are several inexpensive restaurants here as well. I went to a quick and yummy omurice restaurant that served all different kinds of omelettes over rice.
Tenjin Core is a large department store spanning 10 floors with a rooftop terrace. You can find a lot of Japanese fashion brands like moussy, Cecil McBee, Ingni, and Angelic Pretty. There are also several restaurants.
If the weather conditions aren’t great, Tenjin Underground Mall (Tenjin Chikagai/天神地下街 in Japanese) has all sorts of stores – you guessed it – underground. Since the mall connects to so many different places in the Tenjin area, including public transportation stops, there are several entrances/exits aboveground. There are lots of eateries below ground as well, including Bake Cheese Tart for sweet and savory treats.
Kawabata Shopping Arcade
The Kawabata Shopping Arcade is a long, narrow walkway covered by a curved glass roof that houses more than 100 little shops and restaurants specializing in Fukuoka and Hakata goods. It’s a nice place to stroll through to grab some Fukuoka souvenirs. It reminds me a bit of the Ebisubashi-Suji shopping arcade in Osaka.
Canal City
Canal City wins the award for one of the most interestingly designed shopping and entertainment complexes. Its curving red façade mixed with balconies covered in greenery is easily recognizable. I’ve read that some people think the mall is past its prime, but I think it’s a pretty neat place to check out. With multiple levels, it holds lots of stores for domestic and international brands, restaurants, a game arcade, a hotel, a tourist info center, and a movie theater.
During operating hours, there are fountain shows in the canal that runs through it.
There are some adorable places here, like the Moomin Café where you can dine with stuffed animals modeled after the internationally beloved character. I had a bubble tea to go with a little Moomin character attached to the straw. So cute!
Ippudo Ramen
Ippudo has become a much loved ramen chain found all over Japan (and even overseas), but its origins are in Fukuoka. The main store is located in the Daimyo district, but there are of course many others that have opened in Fukuoka City since the first did in 1985. Its specialty is tonkotsu ramen, sometimes referred to as Hakata ramen, made with pork bone broth. Despite its high status as one of the best ramen restaurants in Japan, the dishes are inexpensive, making it the perfect spot even if you are traveling on a budget.
Yatai Food Stalls
Yatai food stalls are iconic to Fukuoka City, which has become a revered foodie scene in Japan. Because of Fukuoka’s pleasant weather, these stalls are located outdoors, so you can enjoy some food and fresh air at night. Most individual yatai specialize in a particular food item. One may serve yakitori chicken skewers, another ramen, another mentaiko cod roe. Drinks are offered as well. Each stall is relatively small and can seat only a few people at a time, so if you see a crowd of people waiting in line for a seat, it is polite not to linger too long once you’ve finished your meal so another hungry diner can take your place.
Though there are stalls located in many different areas, the majority are clustered in Nakasu, the riverside red light district of Fukuoka City. These stalls are usually open late into the night. After hopping from stall to stall and eating your fill, you can take a nice walk along the Naka River.
Final Thoughts
Fukuoka City really does have a vibe unlike any other city I’ve been to in Japan. There is something about it that feels welcoming and livable. It is easy to travel to from other places in Japan, it connects to a bunch of other cities in Kyūshū if you want to take a day trip to prefectures like Kagoshima, Ōita, and Kumamoto, and it is easy to get around the city due to the wide availability of buses, trains, and even ferries.
This guide just scratches the surface of what you can see and do in Fukuoka City. I know there’s a lot more! There is a historic region of Fukuoka Prefecture further south of Fukuoka City called Dazaifu that I have not yet explored, but it is on my list as it has a rich cultural history.
If you add Fukuoka to your next Japan travel itinerary, I hope you have a wonderful visit enjoying the laidback atmosphere of this great city!
(All photos taken by Clara Juliette)
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Clara hopes to share her love of exploring cultures and inspire others through the power of storytelling. In addition to writing and travel, she loves psychology, nature, green tea, and cats.