Fukuoka, Japan | Cruise port of call | CruiseBe
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Fukuoka, Japan

Fukuoka (福岡) is the capital of Fukuoka prefecture and the largest city on the island of Kyushu.

Fukuoka is a modern city, divided historically by the central river into two separate cities, Hakata (博多) and Fukuoka (福岡). The main railway station and port are still known as Hakata Station and Hakata Port. There are city centers in both Hakata and Tenjin.
There is a Tourist Information Center in Tenjin with English speakers available under the Nishitetsu Fukuoka station. For information in English, visit the Rainbow Plaza, located on the 8th floor of the Inter Media Station (IMS) building. The IMS is accessible by subway and is just a three-minute walk from the Tenjin station. In the middle of Hakata JR train station, there is a Tourist Information Center (sometimes with English speakers) with brochures in English, Japanese... Read more

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Fukuoka, Japan

Destination:
Asia

Fukuoka (福岡) is the capital of Fukuoka prefecture and the largest city on the island of Kyushu.

Fukuoka is a modern city, divided historically by the central river into two separate cities, Hakata (博多) and Fukuoka (福岡). The main railway station and port are still known as Hakata Station and Hakata Port. There are city centers in both Hakata and Tenjin.
There is a Tourist Information Center in Tenjin with English speakers available under the Nishitetsu Fukuoka station. For information in English, visit the Rainbow Plaza, located on the 8th floor of the Inter Media Station (IMS) building. The IMS is accessible by subway and is just a three-minute walk from the Tenjin station. In the middle of Hakata JR train station, there is a Tourist Information Center (sometimes with English speakers) with brochures in English, Japanese and other languages. They can help with transport information and bookings. On the third floor of the ACROS building, near Nakasu, you can find more information in English.
The surrounding cities and towns make up the prefecture of Fukuoka.
Fukuoka is a good starting point for first-time visitors to Japan. Being a sizable, modern city it's still not hard to get around. A subway connects most of the city's main attractions, providing transportation between Hakata, Tenjin, Fukuoka International Airport, Meinohama, and Nishijin (where you can find Fukuoka Tower and the baseball ground of the Softbank Hawks: Fukuoka Yahoo Dome). The main station in Hakata marks the terminus of the Sanyo Shinkansen bullet train. The Kyushu Shinkansen line also terminates here, and links the Sanyo Shinkansen directly with Kagoshima, at the southern tip of Kyushu.
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Fukuoka, Japan: Port Information


Cruise liners dock at one of the 2 cruise terminals:
  • Chuo Wharf (2.5 miles to Tejin or Hakata Station)
  • Hakozaki Wharf (3.1 miles to Tejin or Hakata Station)
You can easily find a taxi.

The symbol of the port of Hakata, the Hakata Port Tower, has an observatory 70 meters above the ground, from which you can view the port and the streets of Fukuoka for free.
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Get around Fukuoka, Japan


Fukuoka is served by 3 subway lines. The Hakata subway station, located under the JR Hakata Station, can take passengers straight to Fukuoka International Airport, as well as to Tenjin, the city's de facto downtown district, and other major stops. The local rechargeable contactless smart card is called Hayakaken and is compatible with other smart cards like PASMO (Tokyo) et ICOCA (Kyoto and Osaka).
Fukuoka is well served by Nishitetsu buses.
Downtown is small and compact enough to potentially wander around on foot. In the Tenjin area, Tenjin Chikagai (underground city) runs under Watanabe street and has many shops. It also connects the Tenjin and Tenjin Minami subways stations with most major department stores and the Nishitetsu Fukuoka station. There is a passenger tunnel which connects Hakata and Gion subway stations and is useful during the frequent rains in summer and the bitter cold winds in winter, the latter of which is close to some of Fukuoka's temples and shrines.
Taxis are available. Some drivers speak English, but it's best to have your destination written down in Japanese if you do not speak the language. Velotaxis are also available. Also, an environmentally friendly option is the human-operated bicycle taxis.
If you can get a hold of a bicycle, it is probably the best way to get around. Parking does become a problem in some areas, but in Tenjin, there are long-term (6AM-11PM) underground parking areas, which are free for the first 3 hr. BIC Camera's 8th floor, which is opposite Kego shrine, has free bicycle parking from 10:00-21:00.
In addition to the free parking in Tenjin, street bicycle meters are another great spot to park a bike. For a safer bicycle parking, use two bike locks and chain the front and back tires to the body of the bike.

 
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What to see in Fukuoka, Japan


  • Nakasu. This area is next to Tenjin and is Fukuoka's red-light district, with over 3500 restaurants, as well as ramen stalls (yatai), shopping, pubs, hostess bars, rooftop beer gardens in summer, one last surviving movie theater, and sex trade. The neon lights on the Naka River are famous with over 60,000 visitors a day, and it has the busiest street in Kyushu.
  • Gion. This area has several historical shrines and Buddhist temples, including the 8th-century Kushida Shrine, a starting point for the annual Gion-Yamakasa Festival, Tochoji with its 10.8 meters wooden Great Buddha, and Shofukuji, Japan's first Zen temple.
  • ACROS (Tenjin Chuo Park). ACROS has a rooftop garden which is open during the day until 16:00, and makes for a good view of the city. The building has a terraced roof that merges with the park and contains some 35,000 plants representing 76 species. Just east of ACROS is the former Prefectural Guest House, featuring turn of the century architecture.
  • Oyafuko Street (親富孝通り). The street that comes alive with youth activity, especially on weekend nights. In Tenjin, it also has several ex-pat bars. It's only 400m long but swells with young people at night.
  • Nagahama (Just northwest of Oyakuko St.). Famous for Hakata's Nagahama ramen, with stalls (yatai) that get set up daily to handle the locals who are proud of their ramen. You will most likely smell it before you see it, and if you want a true Fukuoka experience is definitely worth a look if not a full meal.

  • Ohori Park

    . Tourists visiting Fukuoka should not miss this beautiful park located 2 stops west of Tenjin on the subway. The park has a 2 km jogging track that is popular with locals throughout the year. Also, next to Ohori Park is Maizuru park, featuring the ruins of

    Fukuoka Castle

    and a good view of the city.
  • Nishi Park (西公園) (About ten minutes on foot north of Ohori Park). A hilltop park with quiet walking trails, a shrine, an ocean and city view, and in springtime with over 3000 cherry trees is one of the finest places to see cherry blossoms in Kyushu.

  • Fukuoka tower

    (福岡タワー). This tower is 234 m, and the view from the tower is magnificent. For Christmas and the Star Festival (Tanabata) on July 7, this tower is decorated. During the rest of the year, the view is best at night time. This is an iconic symbol of Fukuoka. There is a restaurant. The menu is limited and the food is mediocre at best.
  • Momochihama (Near the Fukuoka Yahoo Japan Dome). A stretch of beach known as, where visitors can enjoy a bit of swimming and sun. While the water isn't as clean as the waters further west and east in Fukuoka, you can still take a refreshing dip. There are a few lovely patio restaurants and bars which are an ideal location to watch the sunset. The area behind the Seahawk Hotel is good. It's less crowded during the summer.
  • ROBOSQUARE (Tucked into a building near Fukuoka Tower). You can see and play with different kinds of robots as well as watch some of the engineers at work. Be warned, however, that despite the imposing sounding name ROBOSQUARE only consists of one medium sized room with a few robotics exhibits and some toy robots and is primarily aimed at children. Some English explanations are now available. Free.
  • Atago Shrine (愛宕神社). A hidden gem near the Muromi Subway Station, with a superb view of the city and Hakata Bay from a hilltop. You can also see many storks that fly by and nest in the area. Walk west from the subway station across the Muromi Bridge until you see the Atago torii gate with the stairs heading up. Alternatively, there is a side road you can walk up if you don't like stairs.
  • Nokonoshima (のこのしま). A small (about 12 km around) island in the middle of Hakata Bay and offers some splendid hiking, swimming, and camping. It is easily reached by a 10-minute ferry ride from the Meinohama Port. It also has the Nokonoshima Island Park that has several well-manicured gardens and fields of flowers that vary by the season.
  • If you are visiting in November, be sure to check out the sumo matches held in Fukuoka. You are bound to see some of the sumo wrestlers out on the streets doing a bit of tourism as well.
  • Kabuki theatre is also an experience worth checking out. Check times and prices at the Hakata-za near Nakasu. If you don't want to stay for the whole show, or don't have so much money to spend, you can watch part of a show for about. Ask at the ticket office.
  • Noh theatre is also a cultural experience that some may not want to miss. There is a Noh theatre in Ohori Koen. Many of the performances are free, get more information at the Rainbow Plaza (IMS building 8th floor). Don't worry, if you fall asleep during the play, it's almost expected. It's all part of the Noh experience.
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What to do in Fukuoka, Japan


  • Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks. The 2014 Japan Series champions. Check out a baseball game at the Fukuoka Yahuoku! Dome, which is about 15 mins walking distance from Tōjinmachi subway station. Ticket prices vary by day.

For a good listing of what's happening and places to eat and drink, the local monthly English language Fukuoka Now magazine is a great start.

  • Hakata-Dontaku(博多どんたく)This is a traditional festival. It is held in March. We can see traditional dance. "Dontaku" means "Sunday" in Dutch. People enjoy this festival.
  • The area is famous for 2 local annual festivals, the Dontaku (May 3–4) and the Yamakasa (July 1–15), both of which are some of Japan's oldest festivals and draw huge crowds.
  • For a view of the bay, check out the Bayside Place Hakata Pier: a marine terminal for the regular service ferries for Tsushima Island and Hakata Bay cruise boats. The terminal building has an 8 m tall "Aquarium," with 6,000 fish. The Hakata Port Tower has an observatory 70 m above the ground, allowing for a great view of the port and the streets of Fukuoka.
  • Rent bikes and tour about the city. There are a handful of shops that have reasonable prices. The cities best treasures are discovered while following any of the many paths or sidewalks.
  • In the summer, many of the department stores have beer gardens on their roofs, with buffet style courses and all you can drink for about 2 hours. If you have a bit of cash it's a nice way to spend a hot summer evening.
  • The park behind Solaria Plaza, Kego Koen, is a great place to go to experience Tenjin's youth culture and do some people watching. Don't be surprised if some of these kids try to approach you for a bit of random conversation.
  • If you haven't tried karaoke yet, why not try it now? There are many karaoke places to choose from, some with costumes you can borrow (just don't try to take them home). If you just want to go for a couple of hours, most places will charge by the hour; morning and afternoon hours being the cheapest.
  • Get out of the city. Although Fukuoka doesn't seem like the premier beach destination city, there are quite a few beautiful beaches in and around Fukuoka city. Most are an easy train ride away. While surfing isn't very good during the summer, a few waves can be caught around Mitoma (take the subway to Kaizuka Stn, then transfer to the Nishitetsu Miyajidake line to Mitoma Stn. Takes about 20 min or so. From the station, it's a 10-minute walk to the beach. West of the city, Nijinohama and Futamigaura, are supposed to have nice waves. To get to Nijinohama, you'll need a car. Also, Shikanoshima, which has pristine beaches, is an easy 30 min ferry ride.
  • Drive to Maebaru IC, head in the Shima(志摩) direction along Kendo 12. Go straight at the intersection in front of Shima town office and turn left at Nogita intersection in front of 7-Eleven. 50 min from Tenjin. To get to Futamigaura, take a SHOWA bus for Tani from JR Chikuzen Maebaru (so first take a subway to Chikuzen Maebaru if you are in Tenjin or Hakata). Get off the bus at Imuta (around 30 min). About a 15 min walk to the beach.
  • Check out Club Olympus Fitness Centre & Spa for some recreation or a massage. Equipped with a health and fitness club and relaxation lounges for men and women.
  • Club Olympus Fitness Centre & Spa, Grand Hyatt Fukuoka Hotel, 1-2-82 Sumiyoshi, Hakata-ku, ☎ +81 92 282 1234, e-mail: rsv@grandhyattfukuoka.com.

Hakata

  • From Hakata Station, head to the Machiya Folk Museum for a glimpse of the Hakata way of life. It's about 15 min away from the station on foot, or a bit less if you exit on Gion station. From there, head over to Kushida Shrine, which lies in the heart of old Hakata.
  • Canal City is just a hop and a skip away from Kushida Shrine. Canal City offers shopping, shopping, and more shopping. However, if you've worked up a bit of an appetite while wandering Hakata, Canal City also offers several dining options for the hungry tourist. Indian curry, Japanese lunch sets, pasta, the famous Hakata ramen, sushi, and fast food can all be found.
  • Walk along the river towards Hakata-za, Fukuoka's Kabuki theater. On the way, from about 16:00, you'll see the yatai (food stall) vendors setting up their booths and preparing ingredients for the evening crowds.
  • Alternatively, take a wander through the Nakasu Kawabata shopping arcade as you head towards Hakata-za. The arcade is a long, old-fashioned shopping street with a variety of shops selling traditional Japanese goods among other items. Good for picking up souvenirs and another randomness.
  • Hakata-za is housed in the Riverain complex, a luxury boutique shopping mall. Next door you'll find the Asian Art Museum which hosts exhibitions from all around Asia.
  • Wander back to the riverside for a yatai dinner, drink and a chance to experience Hakata life and culture. A few of the yatai vendors speak a bit of English. Just be careful about the prices, sometimes the yatai don't have menus, so be sure to ask what they have and how much things are.

Tenjin

  • Tenjin is very much about shopping, above and below ground. Starting from the Central Post office on Showa-dori, head downstairs to the underground shopping arcade. All of the major shops and department stores are connected to the underground.
  • Tenjin Core will provide you with a chance to see younger and more colorful fashion, ranging from frilly and cute to flashy and glam.
  • Solaria Stage houses Incube, a shop with a variety of kitsch toys and gifts.
  • IMS has quite a few clothing stores but also has the Toyota Gallery where you can check out the latest models, the Atrium gallery with new exhibitions every few weeks, Rainbow Plaza where you can get information about the city in English and the 12th and 13th floors with several dining choices.
  • Daimaru and Mitsukoshi, towards the end of the underground shopping, are large departments stores with more or less the same products represented in both. Both also house grocery stores and deli-style gourmet markets in their basements.
  • Heading back to the surface, if you are by Daimaru or Mitsukoshi, you'll find yourself on Kokutai Dohro. Walking up this street can be a bit of a challenge at times as the sidewalk narrows and widens but the crowds don't go away. Head towards Nishidori and on the way, on your right just past the drugstore, you'll find Kego Shrine and Kego Park. Across the street is Bic Camera, for your electronic needs.
  • If you continue on Kokutai Dohro, you'll get to Nishidori, easy to find thanks to the Apple store on the corner. Make a right and begin your wandering. The area to your left is Daimyo, full of funky little boutiques and shops. There are also a countless number of restaurants, lunchtime being a great time to try out their specials.
  • If it isn't too late (you haven't spent the entire day window shopping and being lost in Daimyo), head back to Nishidori and walk towards the Nishitetsu Grand Hotel. If you make a left and walk straight up that street, Meijidori, you'll eventually find yourself at the Fukuoka Castle ruins. They will be on your left just about 5–10 minutes walk past the Starbucks and McDonalds.
  • If you continue on down Meijidori, you'll find Ohori Park. There you can feed the ducks, fish or pigeons (if you so desire), rent a paddle boat to take on the pond or relax on one of the many benches in the shade of the trees. In the spring, check out the cherry blossoms. In the summer, around the beginning of August, a fireworks festival is held here.
  • The Fukuoka Art Museum is also located in Ohori Park. While it isn't huge, occasionally the exhibitions are worthwhile and not overly expensive.
  • Wander back to Meijidori and if you can't walk anymore, grab a bus back to Tenjin (天神). Get off at Daimyo 2 chome or Nishitetsu Grand Hotel Mae and head back into Daimyo for a bit to eat. A few places offer Happy Hour from 17:00-19:00 if you are looking for some refreshment before dinner.
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What to eat and drink in Fukuoka, Japan


Eat

Hakata is famous for its style of ramen, which has a very pungent smell thanks to a pork rib broth called tonkotsu (豚骨). Enjoy it with pickled ginger and lots of sesame seeds. 

  • Although there are restaurants all over town serving ramen at various price levels, some of the best joints are yatai, mobile food stalls. The stalls are set up early evening and can be found on major streets; particularly in Tenjin (near the post office), Nakasu and Nagahama-Dori. Also, along the river from Canal City, an entire strip of yatai can be found. Although ramen is the norm, you can find anything from yakitori to Italian cuisine. Brush up on your Japanese or pointing skills as these guys don't speak English at all. A few tips: respect other customers' space, don't go in large groups (split up and assault multiple stalls) and don't stay too long.
  • Ichiran (一蘭), 5-3-2 Nakasugawa, Hakata-ku (2 min from subway Nakasu-kawabata exit 2; five other outlets around town), ☎ +81 92 262-0433. 24 hr, 365 days. A well-known ramen chain, dedicated solely to perfecting tonkotsu. Buy a ticket from the vending machine outside (just hit the big top button) and take a seat at the counter. Each seat has a curtain in front and dividers on the side, so nothing distracts you from the noodle experience that awaits. Cellphones, children or conversation are not allowed. Hand over your ticket, receive a questionnaire on how you like your noodles (available in English at some outlets) and choose the middle option (基本 kihon, or "standard") for everything. In under a minute, a bowl of noodles will appear. If you want more noodles or an egg, press the button and ask for kaedama or tamago respectively.
  • Mana Burgers, 2-15-20 Kego, Chuo-ku, ☎ +81 92 986-0759. 10:00-21:00 M-Sa, Su/holidays, closed W. Entirely-vegetarian burger restaurant - several of the burgers and side orders are vegan, as are all the desserts (including ice cream). They make their own burger patties - many kinds - from soybeans. The owner, Tora, can speak English and they have an English menu. Health foods (including ground-on-the-premises peanut and almond butters) and eco-friendly cleaning products are for sale here as well.
  • Mami-chan (まみちゃん). Has ramen available, but is better known for the other excellent choices on their menu. Mami-chan's is unusual in this respect as many yatai don't have menus or listed prices so it's often best to find out how much an item is before ordering or you might find your bill a bit higher than you expected. At Mami-chan's, Mami, the proprietor is jovial and friendly, often serving a bit extra to customers and taking photos of everyone that passes through.
  • Ramen Stadium (5th floor of Canal City). Daily 11:00-23:00. This celebration of ramen offers 8 restaurants with every style of ramen between Kyushu and Hokkaido. Ballots collected at the center determine a monthly favorite. Place your order by purchasing a food ticket from the vending machine before entering the restaurant.
  • Yama-chan. Tasty ramen and late night hours off the streets of Oyafukodori. Cut through the park behind the police box and you're sure to find it. Yama-chan is the owner.

Another regional product Hakata is famous for is the spicy mentaiko (明太子), or cod roe condiment, though in actuality these days it is all imported. Both products are widely available for tourists in JR Hakata Station as well as major department stores, although the mentaiko needs to be refrigerated.

Fukuoka is also known for having good gyoza (pork dumplings) and there are many places to try some. (They are a perfect appetizer/side dish for ramen, incidentally.)

  • Asahiken Gyoza, 2-15-22 Hakata Ekimae, Hakata-ku, ☎ +81 92 451-7896.
  • Tetsu-Nabe (鉄鍋) (near Gion station in Hakata). There is another located in Nakasu, but the Hakata one seems to be the most popular. Be aware though that when you enter, you will be expected to be quick with your order as the place is usually very busy.
  • Sancho Panza, Daimyo building 11511 (enter from Nishidori). Has a fabulous lunch menu. Tasty wrap tacos and other Latin-American style food are available. On weekends, there is often live guitar music in the afternoon. In the evening the restaurant also opens the floor to dance: salsa, bachata, merengue, and the cha-cha-cha all make their appearance at some point.
  • Propeller Drive, 1-13-30 Imaizumi Fukuoka, Japan 810-0021 (nearby the Tenjin train station), ☎ +81 92 715 6322. Propeller has a trendy feel, with chandeliers and mirrors hanging all around. Sunday through Thursday they have Happy Hour until 20:00. Until 21:00 they serve the Venus Special.
  • Harinezumi (On Oyafukodori across from the police box). The sets are pretty standard Japanese teishouku style, rice, soup, meat or fish, veggie.
  • RingerHut. A chain restaurant that does Champon (a kind of Chinese noodle dish with seafood and vegetables). Some branches have a system where you put your money in a machine, push the button under the dish of your choice and give your ticket to the staff. Other branches you just order from the menu.

Lunchtime is probably the best value for the money. Most restaurants will do lunch sets at 1/2 or 1/3 the price of their dinner sets but serve the same course. If you have a bit more cash to spend and want to have a nice Japanese style lunch, the Grand Hyatt at Canal City and the Excel Hotel near Nakasu are both good. Most of the larger, nicer hotels in the area will serve beautiful lunch sets.

Drink

Yatai, or street stalls, are plentiful throughout Fukuoka and present a great place to grab a bite to eat and drink while mixing with the locals. Yatai are usually the last stop on a pub crawl since they provide cheap eats that taste better after a long night, and it's easier to start a conversation with a stranger after many beers. Don't rely on one for dinner! And bring your meishi (business cards) if you have any because they often get swapped here.
Tenjin, 100 yen by bus from Hakata Station or to the west of Fukuoka Nishitetsu Station, is one of the best places in the whole country to explore Japanese nightlife. This also includes Daimyo, a farther out area which is becoming the "new Tenjin". Unlike comparable areas in Tokyo, there are no scam bars in Tenjin, and the "snack bars" are not ridiculously overpriced. The area is aimed towards the locals but it is still large, new, fashionable, and full of unique experiences. This is one of the safest places imaginable to drop into a new bar, so why not give it a try?
This usually means you get a tiny bowl of nuts, chips or pickled octopus.
For extremely unadventurous groups, the area abounds with chain izakaya (Japanese pubs) that have picture menus which make it easy for the traveler who speaks no Japanese. Watami わたみ wara wara わらわら are two such chains. Shirokiya, another izakaya, is decent and fairly easy to find. It is on Nishi-dori, across from the Nishtetsu Grand Hotel above Kitamura Camera in the same building as Sam and Dave's, a nightclub popular with the hip-hop crowd.

  • Off Broadway (2F Beans Bldg, Oyafukodori. ☎ +81 92 724-5383) in Tenjin is run by a friendly American expatriate and is a favorite with navy personnel passing through the region. Serves a great hamburger, but don't expect it to come too quickly. Happy hour from 18:00-20:00 every day.
  • The Dark Room close to Off Broadway is the de facto hangout for foreign rock bands playing in the area. The proprietor, Moses, ensures a good time in this multi-level indie hangout. Also has an 8th-floor beer garden, which is a great place to kick back on summer evenings.
  • The ubiquitous Hard Rock Cafe chain has a Fukuoka outlet, situated at the Hawks Town mall, next to Yahoo Dome in momochi (subway: Nishijin)
  • Happy Cock, 9F, 2-1-51 Daimyo (5 minutes walk west from Tenjin Fukuoka Station). Ignore the suggestive name; this is a popular crowded spot for locals and gaijin alike. The British expat owner is very friendly. 

The Happy hour concept is just beginning to make its way into the bars in the area, so you can now find places that do cheap drinks.

  • Morris' British Pub in Daimyo does Happy Hours from 17:00-19:00. 
  • Tattoo (1-18-36 Imaizumi, Chuo-Ku. Open 6PM-4AM. ☎ +81 92 716-6119) and Propeller Drive (owned by the same guy and both located in Imaizumi) have Happy Hour from 18:00-20:00 Su-F.
  • Bar Bliss, Chuo-ku, Yakuin 2-choume 11-24 (19:00-02:00 closed Su) (5 min walk from Yakuin station, a 10-minute walk from downtown Tenjin), ☎ +81 92 713-2058. Bar/restaurant is a great place to meet interesting locals, a variety of shochus and a wide range of western style foods. Guinness is served on tap. Eclectic mix of local Fukuokans.
  • Three Kings British Pub, Chuo-ku, Daimyo 1-11-22 (5-minute walk from Tenjin Station, off Nishi-doori), ☎ +81 92 403-3622. 17:00-midnight, closed Monday. British-owned pub serving traditional pub food, and with a wide range of import beers on tap.
  • Blue Banana, 2F Bacchus House 3-4-15 Tenjin, ☎ +81 92 732-6232. An African themed bar in the same building as The Dark Room. The owner, Tim, is very friendly and will play the drums along with the music. On weekends they sometimes have live music.
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Shopping in Fukuoka, Japan


Tenjin (天神) is Fukuoka's largest shopping district. Here you can find designer stores housed in towering retail blocks such as Tenjin Core, IMS, Vivre to the east, and Solaria Plaza Vioro to the west. There are also several large department stores, Iwataya, Daimaru and Mitsukoshi (all with food available.) Also, there are boutique areas, including Tenjin Chikagai, housed in a pleasant underground area adjacent to the Tenjin subway station and under Watanabe street. Nishi-Dori and Oyafuko-Dori (actually the same street, separated by Showa-Dori) contain a multitude of stores and restaurants, both mainstream and independent.
The Shotengai or shopping arcades are also good places to shop. In Tenjin, to the west of Solaria Stage you can find a shotengai with great deals and a used kimono store. Near Nakasu, across from Eeny Meeny Miny Mo (a large mall), you can find the Nakasu-Kawabata shopping arcade. Here you can find traditional paper goods, Noren curtains and inexpensive bakeries.
Over the past few years, the main shopping, eating and drinking area has been moving away from north Tenjin and the Oyafuko-dori street south towards Daimyo, Kego and Imaizumi. With a different feel to the commercial district of Tenjin, just to the west (past Nishi-dori) is Daimyo, an area filled with small, mostly independent shops, bars, and restaurants. Plan on staying all day; for daytime shopping and eating dinner. On Sundays, this area is full of young people out shopping. For a similar feeling area, check out Kego and Imaizumi, two upcoming areas to the south.
A uniquely designed mall called Canal City, which houses clothing stores, restaurants, rare character shops - including a Studio Ghibli goods shop - and even a well-appointed theatre is located midway between Tenjin and Hakata, next to the Nakasu entertainment district. If you have time, be sure to catch one of the hourly fountain shows held in the centre of the bowl-shaped complex.
Another large shopping area is the recently renovated Hakata Station area, called Hakata City. It includes over 230 shops, restaurant floor, and roof observation deck. With regards to gift-giving, if you're pressed for time, take a quick look around the craft and boutique stores in Hakata Station before leaving. Many carry the white clay Hakata dolls that are unique to Fukuoka. Prices comparable to those found in Tenjin.
In case you are into cameras, computers or other electronics, you can find a huge Yodobashi Camera store right outside of Hakata station. Go out to the eastern side of the JR station (Chikushi Gate), go down 2 blocks and it will be on your right.
Don't miss out on the ¥100 shop. A great place to shop for souvenirs (although many items are made in China), dishes, toys and everything else you didn't think you needed. There is one located in the bus center building next to Hakata Station. Another is in Daiei, in Tenjin behind the MINA building.
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Safety in Fukuoka, Japan


In general, Fukuoka is safe, as well as the rest of Japan. However, you should always stay alert and use your common sense like in any other place in the world. Pickpocketing sometimes occur, especially in crowded areas, so you should always watch your wallet and documents.
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Language spoken in Fukuoka, Japan


Japanese is the national language. English is widely spoken in tourist places. 

LOCAL TIME

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July 2, 2022

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Kushida Shrine, Fukuoka, Japan
Average: 10 (10 votes)

Kushida-jinja (櫛田神社) is a Shinto shrine located in Hakata-ku, Fukuoka, Japan. Dedicated to Amaterasu and Susanoo, it is said to have been founded in 757. The Hakata Gion Yamakasa festival is centred on the shrine.  
Fukuoka Castle, Japan
Average: 9.4 (10 votes)

Fukuoka Castle (福岡城, Fukuoka-jō) is a Japanese castle located in Chūō-ku, Fukuoka, Japan. It is also known as Maizuru Castle (舞鶴城 Maizuru-jō) or Seki Castle (石城 Seki-jō). Completed in the early Edo period for tozama daimyo Kuroda Nagamasa, it has been decreed a historic site by the Japanese government. The castle lies in the centre of Fukuoka,...
Ohori Park, Fukuoka, Japan
Average: 9.9 (10 votes)

Ōhori Park (大濠公園, Ōhori-kōen) is a park in Chūō-ku, Fukuoka, Japan and a registered Place of Scenic Beauty. The name Ōhori means a large moat and it derives from the fact that Kuroda Nagamasa, the old lord of Fukuoka, reclaimed the northern half of a cove or an inlet called Kusagae which was facing Hakata Bay and made a moat for the Fukuoka Castle...
Fukuoka Municipal Zoo and Botanical Garden, Japan
Average: 9.3 (10 votes)

The Fukuoka Municipal Zoo and Botanical Garden (福岡市動植物園, Fukuoka-shi Dōshokubutsuen), also known as the Fukuoka City Zoological Garden, is a zoo and botanical garden established in 1953 and located within Minami-koen (En: "South park") at 1-1, Minami-Koen, Chūō-ku, Fukuoka, Fukuoka, Japan. The garden contains about 1,300 types of outdoor garden...
Tocho-ji, Fukuoka, Japan
Average: 9.8 (10 votes)

Tōchō-ji (東長寺) is a Shingon temple in Hakata, Fukuoka, Japan. Its honorary sangō prefix is Nangakuzan (南岳山). It was founded by Kūkai with support from Tadayuki Kuroda, the second lord of Fukuoka province, and construction was completed in 806, making it the oldest Shingon temple in Kyushu. Fukuoka Daibutsu (Great Buddhist statue) The carving...
Kyushu National Museum, Fukuoka, Japan
Average: 9.2 (10 votes)

  The Kyushu National Museum (九州国立博物館, Kyūshū Kokuritsu Hakubutsukan) opened on October 16, 2005 in Dazaifu near Fukuoka—the first new national museum in Japan in over 100 years, and the first to elevate the focus on history over art. The distinct modern impression created by the architectural facade is mirrored in the Museum's use of...
Fukuoka Tower, Japan
Average: 9.7 (10 votes)

Fukuoka Tower (福岡タワー, Fukuoka Tawā) is a 234-metre (767.7 feet) tall tower located in the Momochihama area of Fukuoka, Japan. It is the tallest seaside tower in Japan. Fukuoka Tower was finished in 1989, taking a total of 14 months to build at a cost of ¥6,000,000,000 (roughly US $50,000,000 in 2015 terms). It was designed by Nikken Sekkei. It was...
Fukuoka City Museum, Japan
Average: 9.2 (11 votes)

Fukuoka City Museum (福岡市博物館, Fukuoka-shi hakubutsukan) opened in Fukuoka, Japan, in 1990. The permanent exhibition, which tells the history of Fukuoka, is arranged in eleven sections, including those focussing upon the King of Na gold seal (National Treasure), the Kuroda clan, and the Hakata Gion Yamakasa.
Marine World Uminonakamichi, Fukuoka, Japan
Average: 9.5 (10 votes)

Marine World Uminonakamichi (マリンワールド海の中道, Marin-wārudō-Uminonakamichi) is a public aquarium in Higashi-ku, Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. Overview The aquarium focuses on the aquatic life of Tsushima's warm current and is made up of a total of 70 tanks. The three largest contain 2,000 m3 (530,000 US gal), 1,400 m3 (370,000 US gal) and 720 m3...
Fukuoka Japan Temple, Japan
Average: 9.1 (10 votes)

The Fukuoka Japan Temple (福岡神殿, Fukuoka Shinden) is the 88th operating temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). The temple serves more than 7,700 members in Kyūshū, Okinawa, Yamaguchi, Hiroshima and Shikoku Plans to build a temple in Fukuoka were announced on May 7, 1998. It is the second temple in Japan, the first...
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Latest travel blogs about Fukuoka, Japan




Views From Fukuoka Tower. P.2


I continued to admire the views from  Fukuoka Tower (Views From Fukuoka Tower. P.1). I found a vacant romantic sofa and plopped down on it. I sent greetings to Singapore in my thoughts. That's all, my mission was complete,so  I went to the elevator. In general, the...

Here's a little more of Japan. This is one of the main attractions in  Fukuoka  that intrigued me. I adore skyscrapers. The height of this tower is 767 feet (234 meters), the observation deck is stationed 403 feet (123 m). The construction was completed in 1989. Entrance cost 800 yen (...
I met this self-replenishing van near Maizuru Park (Fukuoka. Ohori Park, Gokoku Shrine, Ruins of the Castle. P.1) :) An elderly Japanese woman organized a business for herself. She had everything there: a refrigerator, stove, oven, money box, warehouse. And I became so...
I continued walking around the temple complex called Gokoku (Fukuoka. Ohori Park, Gokoku Shrine, Ruins of the Castle. P.1). Here's the shrine itself. Some preparations for a celebration were going on around it. Some buildings were scattered on the territory in the wood, you can also...
The subway Station is called  Ohori Koen . Koen in Japanese means "park". That's the way to learn some Japanese words :) In the middle of the park, there is a big lake where, during the good weather, you can take a ride on such swans. It was May 2nd, the weather was not very...
Being a little bit frustrated after visiting  Shofuku-ji Zen Temple (Shofuku-ji, Tocho-ji, and Fukuoka Subway. P.1), I went toward  Tocho-ji . It was nearby, only five minutes away. It is the oldest temple of the Shingon Buddhism school (it was built in 806). Its...
After a short walk around the city (First Day in Japan. Fukuoka), I determined that  Fukuoka had places worth visiting. Here's a brief history: a port appeared in Hakata Bay in the 8th century. It became a place for trade with China. Not far from it, in 1601, daimyo ...
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