Top 10 Fukuoka Attractions
Fukuoka is a great city for people who are new to Japan to explore, this is because it is easy to get around and if you stay in a Fukuoka hotel in the city, you are never far from a subway station and trains. . They are connected to almost all the main attractions. The metro is relatively easy to navigate and inexpensive, although many people cycle and this is another great way to see the city outdoors.
As you ride the subway or cycle through the city, here’s a guide to Fukuoka’s top ten attractions.
1. Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine
The most important shrine in Fukuoka and second only to Kyoto’s Kitano Tenmangu Shrine as the most important in all of Japan. Dedicated to Sugawara Michizane, a notorious scholar now celebrated as the god of scholars and culture, Temman Tenjin. The sanctuary grounds have 6,000 plum trees and this is the place to be when they bloom about a month before cherry blossom season. Shops around the shrine sell all kinds of good luck charms and the site is popular with students who come to pray at Michizane for good luck in their exams.
2. Fukuoka Tower
A building with iconic status that has a magnificent presence on the Fukuoka skyline. The tower has an impressive height of 234 m, is built with 8,000 mirrors and its construction cost 60 million dollars. For anyone who wants a spectacular view of the city, the observation deck offers just that and is located at 123m. There is also a cafeteria that serves food and the terrace offers a 360-degree experience.
3. Kyushu National Museum
A truly huge building and visitors can walk there from the Tenmangu Shrine in Dazaifu. Inside are hundreds of exhibits showcasing Japanese culture and significant artifacts from history. There are only three others in Japan in Tokyo, Nara, and Kyoto, which makes the museum even more special.
4. Canal City
A shopper’s paradise and the building itself is quite unusual with bright pink colors and a canal in the center that puts on a water show at various times of the day. Designer labels hang with the trendiest Japanese designs in around 250 stores and there are plenty of restaurants for shoppers who work up an appetite after exploring the five levels of retail heaven.
5. Momochi Beach
If it’s hot and the sun is out, try Momochi Beach for a swim and Maruzon Pier has some nice restaurants and shops if the heat gets too much.
6. Ohori Park
Popular with locals because of the beautiful pond in the middle and the 2km track around the outside where people often jog or take a leisurely stroll if too many people are in town.
7. Hakata District
Previously a separate city, Hakata was joined by the castle town to form Fukuoka in 1889. The district has many things to see and do, including the Hakata Machiya Folk Museum, which provides an insight into what life was like in the past. To sample the flavors of Fukuoka, street vendors will set up food stalls called Yatai at night that serve excellent food and Hakata Ramen is a dish you should definitely try.
8. Tenjin District
Another shopping mecca with two department stores in Mitsukoshi and Daimaru. There is also an underground shopping mall that connects to the subway, and the Daimyo area has many trendy boutiques.
9.Shofukuji Temple
The first Zen temple in Japan when it was built in 1195. Since then, it has been damaged by fire and has needed reconstruction, but the Zen principles always remain.
10. The dome
A must-see for baseball fans, as the people of Fukuoka go crazy for their local team, the Softbank Hawks, when they play at the Dome. Games at the stadium are not too expensive, costing around 1,000 yen to sit in the outfield.