Fukuoka City offers urban sightseeing in the Tenjin and Sumiyoshi districts, which are lined with numerous commercial facilities. The yatai stalls in Hakata's Nakasu district are famous throughout the country, where you can meet locals and other tourists. If you go during events such as Hakata Dontaku and Hakata Gion Yamakasa, which attract millions of people, you can enjoy the excitement of Fukuoka to the fullest.
Other cities include Kitakyushu City, where you can enjoy the modern atmosphere of Mojiko Retro, Dazaifu City, home to Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine, and Yanagawa City, where you can enjoy the world of Kitahara Hakushu and river cruising.
To enjoy sightseeing in Fukuoka Prefecture
Fukuoka City, the key city of Fukuoka Prefecture, allows visitors to enjoy walking around the city throughout the day. After enjoying shopping in the Tenjin district with its numerous commercial facilities or the Sumiyoshi district with Canal City, take a break in the lush Ohori Park.
In the evening, you can enjoy a panoramic view of the city from Hakata Port Tower or Fukuoka Tower, and after watching a night game at Yahoo!
There are also plenty of leisure spots, such as Marine World Umino-Nakamichi and Sashikaeen, which are recommended for families and couples. If you visit during events such as Hakata Dontaku and Hakata Gion Yamakasa, which attract millions of people, you can enjoy the excitement of Hakata to the fullest.
Other areas include Kitakyushu City, where you can enjoy the modern atmosphere of Mojiko Retro; Dazaifu City, where Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine is located; Itoshima City, where you can enjoy nature such as Aneko no Hama and Akutoya Daimon; Munakata City, where Munakata Taisha Shrine is located; Tagawa City and Nogata City, where you can experience the prosperity of Fukuoka as a coal mining town; Yanagawa City, where you can enjoy the world of Kitahara Hakushu and river cruising; Kurume Kurume City, famous for its ramen noodles, and Chikushino City, with its Futsukaichi hot springs, make Fukuoka Prefecture a tourist area full of diverse attractions.
History of Fukuoka Prefecture
From ancient times, Dazaifu was located in this region, which was close to the Korean Peninsula and the Chinese mainland, as a window for exchange with foreign countries. Dazaifu was given such great authority that it was called the "Imperial Court of the Far East," and became the political and economic center of the Chugoku and Shikoku regions of Kyushu.
In the late Heian period (794-1185), the port was built by Taira no Kiyomori, who laid the foundation for the Hakata merchants, and the city developed as a commercial center. In the modern era, Japan's first modern steel mill, the government-run Yawata Steel Works, was built in Kitakyushu, forming one of the leading industrial areas in Japan.
Later, when the Kanmon Tunnel opened in 1958, it became possible to travel to and from Honshu by car, and the growth of Fukuoka Prefecture accelerated dramatically. With two ordinance-designated cities, Fukuoka City and Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka Prefecture has become the center of Kyushu.
Fukuoka Prefecture's Local Gourmet, Food Culture, and Specialties
Fukuoka is a treasure trove of yatai (food stall) gourmet food, as typified by Hakata yatai, and tonkotsu ramen, once served at yatai stalls, is now a major local delicacy that can be found all over Japan. You can taste local tonkotsu ramen in the prefecture, such as Nagahama ramen in the Nagahama area and Kurume ramen in Kurume.
Fukuoka Prefecture is also home to some of Kyushu's most famous gourmet foods, such as mizutaki, a superb dish of cloudy chicken broth, yaki udon and chanraroo from Kitakyushu, yakitori from Kurume, hormone from Tagawa, and motsu nabe (motsu hot pot).
In terms of local cuisine, the prefecture is well known for okkyuta, a classic morning dish, gameni, the ancestor of chikuzen-ni, and kanagiri chirimen, dried squid roe.
Fukuoka Prefecture is surrounded by rich fishing grounds, with the Genkainada Sea to the north, the Suonada Sea to the east, and the Ariake Sea to the southwest, making it possible to enjoy fresh seafood such as mackerel, horse mackerel, squid, flatfish, puffer fish, oysters, and seaweed, and sushi made with these products is also recognized as a local delicacy.
As for fruits, brand-name strawberries such as Amaou and Hakata Toyonoka are recommended. Many specialty products such as yuzu kosho (yuzu citrus pepper), onion, and spicy red pepper are standard Fukuoka souvenirs along with spicy mentaiko (spicy cod roe).
Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine is the mausoleum of Sugawara no Michizane, the god of learning and the head shrine of Tenmangu.In addition to the flying plum tree that is said to have flown from Kyoto when Michizane was transferred to this area, there are about 6,000 plum trees of 196 varieties in the shrine grounds, making it a famous plum blossoming spot. On the approach to the shrine, visitors can buy...»
This shrine was built in 673 to ward off the demon gate of Dazaifu at the foot of Mt.It is well known as a god of marriage. The main deity of the shrine is Tamayorihime no Mikoto (Princess Tamayori), who is worshipped at the Kamakado Shrine. and many girls in love come to the shrine to pray for the fulfillment of their love. ...»
Munakata Taisha is the headquarters of Munakata Shrine, Itsukushima Shrine, and the three Munakata shrines enshrining the three Munakata deities.It is the general name for three shrines: Okitsumiya Shrine on Okinoshima Island, Nakatsumiya Shrine on Chikuzen Oshima Island, and Hetsumiya Shrine (the head shrine) on Tajima in Munakata City. There is also an Okitsumiya Haruhosho (Yeongtsumiya Shrine)...»
Kokura Castle is the symbol of Kokura, built in 1602 by Tadaoki Hosokawa after about seven years of work. The castle is known for its famous "Karazukuri" exterior structure, similar to the watchtowers of early castle towers, and is currently popular for its exhibitions that make full use of advanced technology. Cherry blossoms and azaleas abound at Kokura Castle, which is illuminated at night to ...»
This ancient shrine is dedicated to Emperor Nakai and Empress Jingu. Originally a government-run shrine, the main hall is a complex structure called Kashi-zukuri, and was rebuilt in 1801, or according to one theory, 200 years later....»
Sarakura, overlooking the city of Kitakyushu and the Wakato Ohashi Bridge, is the starting point of the northern section of the Kyushu Nature Trail. It is 622 meters above sea level. Sarakura-yama Hachimonji wareA symbol of peace in Yawata. The flashing light system is used. Same day every year....»
Hakozakigu is one of the three major Hachimangu shrines, along with Usa and Ishimizu. The main shrine, the hall of worship, the tower gate, and the stone Ichino-torii (first shrine gate), all in the 9-ken-sha-nagare-zukuri style, were rebuilt in 1546. The Hana-teien (flower garden) is a Japanese garden with a karesansui (dry landscape garden) circulation system, and the flowers of the four seaso...»
The 234-meter-high, crystal half-mirrored seaside tower. Visitors can take an elevator up to the middle of the tower (123m) and enjoy a panoramic view of Hakata Bay and Fukuoka City....»
The Kyushu National Museum is the fourth national museum established in Japan, and at the same time, it differs from the other three museums in its concept of "viewing the formation of Japanese culture from an Asian historical perspective....»
Marine World Uminonakamichi is a new type of aquarium that incorporates marine life and the marine environment of the East China Sea, Yellow Sea, Sea of Japan, and Sea of Okhotsk, where the warm currents of the Tsushima Islands circulate. In addition to a show pool where visitors can watch dolphins and sea lions perform tricks, the aquarium also features a 10-meter-high atrium tank, an ecological...»
Located in Uminonakamichi, a sandbar, this vast park is the fifth national park established in Japan.It has an amusement park, a campground, a permanent orienteering course, an outdoor theater, and other outdoor facilities. The main attractions are the Sunshine Pool with six swimming pools and a large lawn of 24 hectares. Marine World Umino-no-Nakamichi is equipped with underwater cameras and mon...»
This luxurious Western-style wooden building was built in 1908, at the same time as the opening of the Port of Miike, as a lodging facility for high-class foreign sailors.The elegant building is considered a masterpiece of Western architecture representative of the Meiji era. It is currently used as a wedding hall and restaurant.It is on the World Heritage Tentative List as a group of modernizati...»
This two-story wooden Western-style building was built in 1921 as a social facility for Mitsui & Co. It is a historical building where Einstein stayed in 1922, and is now a symbol of the Mojiko Retro District along with Mojiko Port Station....»
Gyorakuen is a garden with a pond and a circular garden, designated by the national government as a place of scenic beauty, built in the 1470s by Sesshu, an ink painter and Zen monk active in the Muromachi period (1336-1573). It is also called Fujie-ji Fish Paradise because it is managed by the Fujie family. The pond is surrounded by azaleas and old pine trees. At the time of the garden's constr...»
Yame Fukushima was an important transportation hub connecting Chikugo and Bungo, and prospered as a commercial and industrial center during the Edo period. Influenced by the castle town, the streets are neatly laid out and lined with large-scale buildings, as there were many offices and wholesale stores for various industries such as wax manufacturing, sake brewing, washi paper, and tea productio...»
The beautiful rows of 70 old houses with white walls and storehouses with namako (sea cucumber) walls continue along the former Yoshii-cho Route 210 and the old Yogo Kaido Road, which used to be a prosperous post town, and still retain the appearance of 100 to 200 years ago. Selected by the national government as an important traditional building district, the historic streets are lined with stor...»
This mountain stream park features a 50-meter-high, 150-meter-long suspension bridge, a restaurant, a craft center, and a walking trail. Visitors can try their hand at catching landlocked salmon and fishing for landlocked salmon swimming in the clear waters of the Soma River, and the fish they catch can be grilled over charcoal and eaten on the spot. Visitors can enjoy watching seasonal flowers,...»
Ohori Park was created in 1929 from an inlet called Kusakae, which was used as an outer moat when Nagamasa Kuroda built Fukuoka Castle, into the present park. The 39.7 hectares (including 22.7 hectares of water surface) of the park includes a Japanese garden in the Chikusan-Rinsen-Kaiyu style, with 3,000 azaleas, green willows reflected on the water surface, an island in the middle connected by a...»
Minami Park, built on a hill in Hirao in the southern part of the city, is famous for its cherry blossoms and has a zoo and an observatory. The zoo is home to approximately 160 species of animals. The botanical garden has the largest greenhouse in Asia with about 900 species, and another with about 1,260 species of plants and various gardens. The zoo and botanical garden are connected by an overpa...»
Munakata Taisha is the head shrine of Munakata Shrine, Itsukushima Shrine, and three other shrines enshrining the three Munakata Goddesses.It is the general name of three shrines: Okitsumiya Shrine on Okinoshima Island, Nakatsumiya Shrine on Chikuzen Oshima Island, and Henzumiya Shrine (the head shrine) on Tajima in Munakata City. There is also an Okitsumiya Haruhosho (Yeongtsumiya Shrine) on Chi...»
The Kyushu Railway Museum is located in Mojiko Retro, the birthplace of Kyushu Railway.Built in 1891....»
The main fortress of this mountain castle is located on the top of Mt.It is said to have been built in 1158 by his vassal Kagechika Ohba at the order of Taira no Kiyomori. Although not so high in elevation, the castle was built on a mountain that was a training ground for mountain asceticism, and was reputed to be "the most solid castle in Bizen" and "impregnable. Since its construction, however...»
There is a world-famous movable steel bridge on the Chikugo River in Kyushu. It is the Chikugo River Bridge in Morotomi-cho, Saga City. The bridge is one of the world's top-class elevating movable steel bridges over the Chikugo River, Kyushu's largest river. 507 meters long and 30 meters high, the central section between two steel towers rises up to 23 meters. This feature allows large ships to p...»