Fukuoka (福岡) is the 6th largest cities in Japan and the largest city in Kyushu. It’s very close to other Asian countries like Korea and China, which makes it an important harbor city.
Table of Contents
Getting There
Fukuoka was our first stop of the trip. We first arrived at Haneda Airport in Tokyo, then connected to another flight to Fukuoka Airport. The flight from Tokyo to Fukuoka was about 2 hours. The alternative is to take the Shinkansen (bullet train), but it will need about 5 hours, plus extra time for getting to the train station from airport in Tokyo. It’s easier for us to take a flight and arrive to our actual destination as soon as possible.
Fukuoka Airport is located within the city, so you can get to your destination quickly. We took a subway from the airport to Hakata, which took just 5 minutes. We were carrying 2 medium luggages and we didn’t feel awkward carrying them in and out the subway. Many people were doing the same thing.
Getting Around
For this trip, we didn’t rent a car, so we relied on public transit. In general, Japan’s public transport is very easy and convenient. Fukuoka is no exception. There are subway, train, and bus operations throughout the city.
Although you can buy individual tickets (for train/subway) or passes (day pass/subway pass), it’s so much easier just to get a IC card. IC card is a rechargeable prepaid card that can be used by tapping. There are many different IC cards that operates by different region train companies, like Suica, Pasmo and Icoca. In general, all these IC cards can be used in most regions and on most public transport (except for some Shinkansen). A physical card can be bought in a machine at subway/train stations. If you have an iPhone, you can even add a digital Suica card to your apple wallet app. That’s what we did.
We used Google map and Apple map on our phones to see what kind of public transit we should take. Even though arrival time may not be the most accurate, the stops and exits are very reliable. It’s a good way to keep track of where we were going and when we should get off.
One important tip is to wear comfortable walking shoes. Even though public transit is easy, we still walked a lot. Sometimes, it’s just faster walking.
Accommodation: The Blossom Hakata Premier
Our hotel is located in Hakata. It’s a business hub, so it’s busy and there are many restaurants and convenience stores. And most importantly, it’s only a 10-min walk from Hakata train station.
When we arrived at the hotel, it was only 11am. Check in time is at 3pm. So we left our luggages at the front desk and headed out to explore. We came back to check in later.
The hotel is modern, new and clean. We got a twin bed room, as double bed is smaller than American queen bed. And a king bed is more expensive. So it’s more comfortable to get twin beds. The room is pretty spacious. I love that there are a coffee table and a small sofa, so we can have cozy sitting space.
There are also 2 washers and 2 dryers at the same floor as the lobby. We did one small load of laundry during our stay. That was convenient. Out of all the hotels we stayed at this trip, Bryan likes this one the most. Thanks to its location and easy access.
Address: 2 Chome-8-12 Hakata Ekimae, Hakata Ward, Fukuoka
Day 1
We were starving after leaving the hotel, so we went to a restaurant nearby for a quick lunch.
Lunch: Hajimari Wa Spice かわはらすぱいす食堂
This little curry shop only opens a few hours a day for lunch. We ordered at the window next to the entrance and found seats inside. There are only counter seats. We both ordered Itoshima pork tonkatsu (fried pork loin cutlet) curry. The pork was tender, fatty with a thin crust. The curry was flavorful and hearty. We finished our food so quickly. No doubt the perfect meal to start our trip!
Unfortunately, from what I have found on Google Map, this shop may have closed permanently in late March 2024. I’m soooo sad!
Address: Fukuoka, Hakata Ward, Kamikawabatamachi, 1−8 古賀ビル
Ohori Park 大濠公園
After lunch, we took the bus to the park. We came on a Sunday, so the park was buzzing with locals and tourists. It was a decent size park with a large pond in the center. There were lots of wild birds, like cormorant, heron, coot, and duck. You can also hop on a swan boat (with a fee) to enjoy the view in the pond. We walked through the islands and bridges to the other side. It’s a great place for fresh air and nice walk. Unfortunately, it was a cold day and we were feeling sleepy from jet lag, so we couldn’t enjoy the park to the fullest. We forgot to take any picture.
Address: Fukuoka, Chuo Ward, Ohorikoen, 公園管理事務所
Snack: Gariguette ガリゲット
We took the bus back to Hakata area. We stopped at this dessert place. They’re like mille-feuille sandwiches. Fruit, pastry cream or savory ingredients stuffed in between 2 layers of mille-feuille. We ordered the Napoleon (custard cream & strawberry). We got see the chefs assemble the dessert right in front of us. There were also almonds on the mille-feuille, so it had a nice toasted flavors, but also overpowered the strawberry a bit. Either way, it was really good! Amazing texture. I’m open to try other flavors.
Address: Fukuoka, Hakata Ward, Hakataekichuogai, 7−26, Hakataeki Center Tower, 1階A区画
Shopping Centers
There are a few major shopping malls in Hakata area. Each one has different kind of shops. Uniqlo (casual clothing brand) is located in KITTE Hakata. Muji (home goods store), Hands (lifestyle store), and Pokemon Center are located in AMU Plaza Hakata City. Ramen Stadium (a food hall with 8 ramen shops from all across Japan) is located in Canal City Hakata. The options are endless.
We did some window shopping at KITTE Hakata after the snack. Then, we headed back to the hotel to rest a bit.
KITTE Hakata Address: 9-1 Hakataekichuogai, Hakata Ward, Fukuoka
AMU Plaza Hakata City Adress: 1-1 Hakataekichuogai, Hakata Ward, Fukuoka
Canal City Hakata Address: 1 Chome-2 Sumiyoshi, Hakata Ward, Fukuoka
Dinner: Denko-Sekka 電光石火
For dinner, we wanted to eat Hiroshima style okonomiyaki (savory pancake). This restaurant is a chain restaurant from Hiroshima. Osaka style okonomiyaki is more common and that is usually what you see. It has cabbage, meat, sometimes seafood and batter. Everything is mixed together and cooked together on a flat grill. Hiroshima style also has the same ingredients, but noodles and fried egg are added. Also there is less batter and the ingredients are layered instead of mixed.
We got lucky and seated in front of the chefs and teppanyaki (flat grill). We ordered 2 okonomiyaki. It was fun to watch our chefs prepared our food, but it did get very warm sitting in front of the grill. Food was pretty good though.
After that, we went back to hotel because we were exhausted. We got a very needed sleep.
Address: Fukuoka, Hakata Ward, Sumiyoshi, 1 Chome−2−1 キャナルシティ博多ノースビル B１F
Day 2
Because of jet lag, we woke up pretty early. We started our day with breakfast.
Breakfast: Koohii Fujita 珈琲ふじた
This was our favorite breakfast place in our Japan trip this year. This small shop is run by an older couple. The breakfast menu is small. I got a set with scrambled eggs, ham, toasts and salad. Bryan got one with a fried egg. The coffee was good, and the food was cooked perfectly. The toasts were buttery and fluffy. So simple, but satisfying. We would come back without a doubt. The only negative is that smoking is allowed inside.
Address: Fukuoka, Chuo Ward, Watanabedori, 2 Chome−8−29 都地ビル
Day Trip – Dazaifu
After breakfast, we took 2 train rides to Dazaifu, about 45 minutes. Dazaifu is one of Fukuoka Prefecture’s best-known cities. It was once a capital in Kofun period and it was a trading center for centuries. Now, it is a popular tourist destination.
Dazaifu Tenmangu 太宰府天満宮
One of the must stops is this Shinto shrine, Dazaifu Tenmangu. It’s one of the main shrines that dedicated to Tenjin (Sugawara no Michizane). Michizane was a scholar and poet, but was treated badly. With a series of natural disasters occurred, people believed it was Michizane’s vengeful spirit. To appease Michizane’s spirit, the government built this shrine over his grave. Also, Michizane was given the honorary title of Tenman-Tenjin, the God of learning and scholarship. To this day, students come from all over to this shrine and pray for good results in their upcoming exams.
The main hall of the shrine is currently being restored right now (expected to finish in 2027), so we didn’t get to see it. They have built a temporary hall in front, but it’s different and on the modern side.
The shrine area is surrounding by tori gates, bridges, and koi ponds. There are also tons of pink and white plum blossom trees, which bloom at end of winter, around February. We actually were there at the end of February, so we saw some plum blossom, but not a lot.
We arrived right before 9am, so it was pretty quiet and empty. When we were leaving at 10am, the crowds started to come. So arrive early if you can.
Address: 4 Chome-7-1 Saifu, Dazaifu, Fukuoka
Next, we explored the street that leads to Dazaifu Tenmangu. There are tons of restaurants, snack shops and unique shops. We love the Miffy Kitchen Bakery みっふぃーおやつ堂 and Sumikko Gurashi shop すみっコぐらし堂. These shops often have special edition items for that specific location, so don’t miss out.
Snack: Kasanoya かさの家
Umegae mochi is the specialty treat in Dazaifu. It has an imprint of Japanese plum blossom on the outside. It’s a rice cake filled with azuki bean paste. The cake has nice crust with a roasted rice aroma. The Azuki bean paste was just perfect and not too sweet. There are many shops that sell these, but not all taste the same. We tried 2 different shops, and we love this store way more. We bought an extra one immediately after the first bite. Enjoy them while they are hot and fresh.
Address: 2 Chome-7-24 Saifu, Dazaifu, Fukuoka
Lunch: Ichiran Dazaifu Sando 一蘭 太宰府参道店
Ichiran is a chain ramen shop with its headquarter in Hakata. Their specialty is the Tonkotsu ramen with a rich and creamy pork broth. Don’t forget the spicy red sauce! Even though I usually don’t eat spicy food, this sauce is a must. It’s not that spicy and it brings an extra layer of flavors.
This location serves their ramen in unique pentagon shape bowls. In Japanese, “gokaku” means “five-side” and also “success”. It’s said that it would bring you success if finishing the bowl of ramen.
Another fun thing about Ichiran is their seating, it is cubicle-like. Your table is surrounded by walls and barriers. It’s solo dining, but of course, you can talk to your family or friends who are sitting next to you. Buy a ticket outside, then sit down and circle your preferences. Ring a bell and your server will come and take the papers. You won’t be able to see your server’s faces, just his or her hands mostly. It’s a nice experience to enjoy some alone time with delicious food.
Address: 2 Chome-6-2 Saifu, Dazaifu, Fukuoka
Homangu Kamado Shrine 宝満宮竈門神社
After lunch, we wanted to head to Homangu Kamado Shrine, a Shinto shrine. To get to there, we can either take a community bus or walk. 45-minute uphill walking? No, thank you. We can take the bus.
The bus stop is right across Dazaifu train station. There are a few buses that stop there, but the signage is not very clear. We happened to be the only foreigners waiting at the stop, and we were definitely a bit confused. I think we missed a few buses because we didn’t know if it was the right bus. If you’re going, make sure to look for buses going to Uchiyama 内山, look for this Japanese writing on the bus.
After asking a couple bus drivers, we finally made it on the right bus. Once we were on it, everything was very straight forward. We got off at the last stop where there is a large parking lot.
Then we walked up a good amount of stairs and reached the lower Homangu Kamado Shrine. Homangu Kamado Shrine has an upper sanctuary and a lower sanctuary. If you hike up Mt. Homan, you’ll find the upper one. We were already a bit tired and the weather wasn’t looking too good. We walked around for a bit and headed back down.
Homangu Kamado Shrine is a popular spot for matchmaking. It’s also very popular during cherry blossom season and fall foliage for the stunning views.
Address: 883 Uchiyama, Dazaifu, Fukuoka
Snack: Toffee
Once we got back down to Dazaifu, we walked back to the shopping street and got some more treat.
Plum blossom soft serve? Yes, definitely have to try it! What does plum blossom taste like? It was a bit tart and floral. Bryan got a strawberry. The texture of the ice cream was a bit icy and not very smooth. It was fun to try, but it was just ok overall.
Address: 3 Chome-2-46 Saifu, Dazaifu, Fukuoka
Snack: Tenzan 太宰府参道 天山 本店（てんざん）
This snack shop is the most popular one on the entire street. Although the line was quite long, it was moving at a reasonable pace. The shop is renowned for its strawberry mochi treats, available only from November to March when strawberries are in season. We ordered an Amaou Strawberry Daifuku Monaka to share. Crispy wafer filled with sweet white bean paste, fresh chewy mochi, and an extra sweet strawberry. It was exceptionally delicious! We should have bought another one, but we were rather full.
Address: 2 Chome-7-12 Saifu, Dazaifu, Fukuoka
After all these snacks, we took the trains back to our hotel in Hakata. We needed to rest our feet a bit.
Dinner: Tetsunabe Gyoza (博多 祇園 鉄なべ)
This gyoza place is pretty famous in the area with their iron skillet gyoza. We arrived at 6pm and waited for about 20 minutes. Other than gyoza, we ordered chicken wings, potato salad and daikon from oden. The gyoza were really hot and crispy on the outside, but the filling was only ok. The texture was a bit mushy. There are better gyoza out there. But all the side dishes were incredible, especially the chicken wings.
When we were there, it felt very understaffed. Tables started to empty out, but no one was seated for at least 20 minutes because everyone was so busy serving other customers. Also, make sure to order everything at once, because no reorder is allowed.
Address: 2-20 Gionmachi, Hakata Ward, Fukuoka
We went back to our hotel for a good rest.
Day 3
Breakfast: bills Fukuoka
Started off the day with an Australian breakfast. We came here because I wanted to try the ricotta hotcakes, which is fluffy like soufflé pancakes. It did not disappoint. The pancakes were very light and flavorful with the honeycomb butter. Bryan got salmon toast with poached egg, avocado, cherry tomatoes and labneh. It was also really tasty. The Yame matcha latte was fantastic too, which uses Fukuoka famous Yame matcha. I love the laid-back and relaxing vibe of this restaurant.
Address: Fukuoka, Chuo Ward, Nishinakasu, 13−1 水上公園内 SHIP’S GARDEN 1F
Kushida Shrine 櫛田神社
Next, we walked to one of the oldest shrines in Fukuoka. It was built in 757. It’s located in the heart of Hakata old town. Other than checking out the main building of the shrine, look for the sacred 1000-year-old gingko tree near the entrance. The decorative float (yamakasa) is on display all year round, except June. We were so impressive by the height and details. In July every year, there is Hakata Gion Yamakasa Festival (Decorated Float Festival). Decorated heavy floats are being carried around the city and the course starts right at this shrine.
Address: 1-41 Kamikawabatamachi, Hakata Ward, Fukuoka
Tochoji Temple 東長寺
This Buddhist temple is a few-minute-walk away from Kushida Shrine. It’s a pretty small ground with a five-storied red and gold pagoda. When we were there, the main building was closed. At first, I was a bit disappointed. But then, we went upstairs to see the massive wooden seated Buddha. It was really impressive, but no picture was allowed. We also did the quick “hell and paradise tour” in the Buddha’s pedestal. It was very unexpected and memorable. I highly encouraged anyone doing that tour.
The temple is free admission, but a small fee (¥50/person) is required for the Buddha and tour.
Address: 2-4 Gokushomachi, Hakata Ward, Fukuoka
teamLab Forest Fukuoka
We took a bus across the street from the temple and headed to teamLab.
This was my first ever teamLab. TeamLab is an interactive art installation. There are different kinds of interactions, like using phones to interact with the room, lights would move around based on where you walk or stand, and walking on uneven ground or bouncy objects. We were there for about 1 hour. I heard this one is smaller than the ones in Tokyo, but we thought it was pretty cool. We got there around 11:30am on a Tuesday and it wasn’t crowded at all, which was really nice. The staff offered us to do it once again if we wanted, but we decided to continue to our next stop.
Address: Fukuoka, Chuo Ward, Jigyohama, 2 Chome−2−6 BOSS E・ZO FUKUOKA 5F
Rec Coffee Tenjinminami レックコーヒー 天神南店
It’s coffee o’clock! Coffee shops are essential in Japan, but most of the specialty shops don’t open until 10 or 11 am. We picked REC Coffee, a favorite in Fukuoka. Bryan ordered a latte, and we split a purin (Japanese custard pudding). Bryan enjoyed his coffee, but the purin was kinda dense and lacked that strong caramel kick.
Address: Fukuoka, Chuo Ward, Watanabedori, 5 Chome−1−19 1F Hotel the Park
Tenjin Underground Mall 天神地下街
After coffee, we came to check out this underground mall. This mall stretches 12 avenues and connects to Tenjin subways stations and multiple department stores. It has a European vibe with a arabesque design ceiling. It’s a perfect place to go when raining, hot or cold outside.
If you want to buy some edible souvenir, walk into one of the department stores. They usually have a floor that has a supermarket and a huge sections that sell all kind of snacks and treats.
Address: Fukuoka, Chuo Ward, Tenjin, 2 Chome, 地下1・2・3号
Bake Cheese Tart Tenjin Underground Mall
While we were walking, we noticed one of my favorite Japanese snack shops, Bake Cheese Tart. It’s a chain that sells cheese tarts. The tart has a sweet crust, then fill with a creamy cheesecake-like batter. We ordered 2 tarts, yuzu honey and strawberry & milk. They were still warm and cheesy. So good! There is actually a shop in Los Angeles too.
Address: Fukuoka, Chuo Ward, Tenjin, 2 東4番 天神地下街4番街 街 第225号
Dinner: Hakata Hanamidori Hakata Station 水たき料亭 博多華味鳥 博多駅前店
For dinner, I made a reservation ahead for this chicken restaurant. Their chicken are all from Kyushu region. The menu offers a few options of multi-course sets. We picked the Hana course, which is recommended. Everything was so incredible. The chicken was juicy and flavorful. We even had raw chicken too and it was delicious. Raw chicken in Japan is being prepared with extra care and hygiene, so it’s safe to consume. The highlight of the dinner was the Hanamidori Mizutaki. It’s like a chicken hot pot using chicken broth as the base. Then, add chicken meatballs and vegetables to cook. I know it may feel complicated to cook your own food, but don’t worry. Majority of the cooking is being done by the server. Also, there is a paper guide at each table to teach customers how to cook and enjoy the food. I really love this meal! It was fun and the food was exceptional. Highly recommended to anyone who is visiting Fukuoka!
Address: Fukuoka, Hakata Ward, Hakata Ekimae, 3 Chome−23−17 第二福岡ＯＮビル 1F
Day 4
In the morning, we packed up our luggages and checked out our hotel. We were heading to Kumamoto.
Breakfast: Mikadukiya 三日月屋
Before we got on a Shinkansen (bullet train), we bought some bread from this bakery at the train station. Mikadukiya sells mostly croissants with all many flavors, like matcha, black tea, adzuki bean, and kinako (soy bean powder). Bryan got a cheese one and I got black tea. They were not the traditional croissants. They were not super crispy, but have a flavorful bread flavor with slight chewy texture. We liked them.
Address: 1-1 Hakataekichuogai, Hakata Ward, Fukuoka
Other Points of Interest:
Yatai (Food Stalls)
Yatai are very common in Fukuoka, which are not seen often in other areas. These open-air food stalls open mostly at night. Each serves different kind of foods, like ramen and yakitori. We visited Fukuoka during late winter/early spring. It was still pretty cold and rainy, so we didn’t get a chance to try Yatai. If you are interested, definitely look into it.
Uminonakamichi Seaside Park 海の中道海浜公園
This massive park is located on a peninsula. It has multiple gardens, playgrounds, sports fields, a zoo and a water park. During the spring, all kind of flowers bloom in the park, including cherry blossom. This park is a bit out of the way, so we just didn’t have enough time to stop by.
Our Favorites:
- Point of Interest: Kushida Shrine
- Meal: Hana Course from Hakata Hanamidori
- Snack: Umegae mochi from Kasanoya
This summed up our Fukuoka guide. Fukuoka is a big city. We didn’t have enough time to explore any further. Hope to come back some day! Kumamoto Travel Guide will be coming next. Sign up for my newsletter to get the latest!
Leave a Reply