Attractions of Fukuoka and Hakata

Fukuoka is an energetic city with a population of about 1.41 million and takes a role of core city of politics, economy, culture and fashion in Kyushu. As "a gateway to Asia", it is well serviced by international air. It also has a great accessibility in the city, for instance it only takes 5 minutes to Hakata station and 11 minutes to Tenjin from Fukuoka airport. Fukuoka is expected to further leap forward when all the lines of Kyushu Shinkansen open in spring 2011, so come and take a look at this vibrant city!

Fukuoka City DATA

Population:　approx. 1.41 million
Area: 340 square kilometers
Currency:　Yen
East Longitude 130°24' 06'' North Latitude 33°　35' 24''
Major annual events and seasonal spots
Weather and Clothing
Access from overseas
Public Holidays in Japan

Nature

Many nature spots, such as Sea of Genkai and Mt. Sefuri, are located within a short range from the central part of Fukuoka city. You can rest at a sylvan park in the middle of the city or stroll around the Bayside area. There is good transportation access to Uminonakamichi, Shikanoshima Island or Nokonoshima Island. On a sunny day, you can enjoy a ship cruise and feel the most of your vacation.

Festival

Hakatakko (generic term of people in Fukuoka) loves to have festivals. Many festivals and events are being held throughout the year attracting a large crowd of visitors. One of the festivals, Hakata Gion Yamakasa (July) known as a big summer event in Fukuoka where local folks carry a portable shrine while running through the streets is worth seeing. Apart from that, there are many lively events such as Dontaku Port Festival (May) which is attracting approximately 2.1 million people every year and also Asian Month (Sept.).

History

Fukuoka city had its glorious days as a castle town under Kuroda clan and started trading with Asian countries from long ago. The best places for you to trace back the roots of the town are Kushida shrine, which has a temporal exhibition on the history of Hakata, Fukuoka castle ruins or Koro-kan (an ancient guesthouse for diplomacy). The gold seal (a national treasure) which was discovered in Shikanoshima Island is displayed at Fukuoka City Museum and it is also well worth seeing.

Traditional Crafts

Hakata Ningyo (doll), Hakata Magemono (container and lunchbox made with the skin of cherry and cedar trees) and Hakata Koma (spinning top) are Hakata's traditional craftsmanship. You can purchase these crafts at Fukuoka airport and JR Hakata station and also observe a live performance of Hakataori (Hakata style textile) at Hakata Machiya museum. Recently, souvenirs of these mini-sized Hakata dolls and wallets made with Hakata textile which are easy to get have become very popular among tourists.

Gourmet

Fukuoka is a gourmet city known as the birthplace of Hakata ramen, Motsunabe (beef or pork offal hotpot) and Mizutaki (chicken broth hotpot). There are also various kinds of local cuisine such as bite-size gyoza (pan-fried dumpling) and fresh seafood caught from the Sea of Genkai that make locals satisfy with great relish. If you feel like enjoying a local lifestyle, food stalls are the recommended spots at night.

Shopping

To enjoy shopping, let's go to Tenjin. There are many department stores and fashion-featured stores which offer a wide range of items from clothing & interior accessories to sundries in this area. It is also worth visiting shopping malls located in the suburb areas such as Marinoa City Fukuoka which houses a variety of outlet stores and Hawks Town Mall which tenants include a movie theater and spa.

Attractions of Kyushu, Nishinippon (West Japan) and the vicinity

The gateway to Kyushu is Hakata Station which has major terminals for railway, highway bus and subway. There are limited express trains to various places in Kyushu while the highway buses are very frequent and cheap. To go to Fukuoka airport, it only takes about 5 minutes from Hakata Station by subway. Currently, the Kyushu Shinkansen bullet train runs between Shin-Yatsushiro Station (Kumamoto) and Kagoshima Chuo Station (Kagoshima). When all routes are opened by 2010, it will only take about 2 hours from Hakata to Kagoshima and 4 hours from Kagoshima to Osaka.

From Kansai area to Fukuoka, it is faster by air. However, considering the additional cost to go to Itami and Kansai airport, shinkansen bullet train is more reasonable. Highway bus costs lower than airplane and shinkansen but it needs longer travel hours. For further cost savings, take the ferry from Osaka Nanko Port to Shin-Mojiko Port (Kitakyushu). From Hiroshima, you can take either shinkansen or highway bus to Kyushu.