What to do in Fukuoka · yatai, shrines, Kyushu day trips
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All 12 places on this map are pinned at their exact location. Each one comes with a short note on what it is and why it is worth your time. Browsing is free, and with an Ikuzo account you can copy the whole map and reshape it into your own trip.
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Nakasu yatai
Street stalls along the Naka River: ramen, yakitori, oden, elbow to elbow with your neighbor. About a hundred in the city, the must-do of Fukuoka. Open in the evening, closed when it rains.
Kushida Shrine
The spiritual heart of Hakata since 757, and the starting point of the Hakata Gion Yamakasa festival in July. A racing float is on display all year round.
Ōhori Park
Fukuoka's big central lake, a 2 km loop, a Japanese garden and the castle next door. The green lung where the city comes to run.
Fukuoka Tower
234 m of mirrors facing the bay, by Momochi beach. The evening panorama over the city and the sea.
Shin-Shin (Tenjin)
The locals' favorite tonkotsu: silky broth, ultra-thin noodles. The queue moves fast, like everywhere in Hakata.
Dazaifu Tenmangū
The great shrine of the god of learning, 30 minutes by train. Plum blossoms from February, and the famous grilled umegae-mochi along the approach.
Yanagawa canals
The Venice of Kyushu: a flat-bottomed boat ride under the willows, singing boatman included. 50 minutes by train, ideal with Dazaifu on the same line.
Ukiha Inari
91 vermilion torii climbing the hill above the orchards of the Chikugo valley. Kyushu's little Fushimi Inari, without the crowds.
Mifuneyama Rakuen
An 1845 garden at the foot of a cliff in Takeo: azaleas in April, maples in November, and teamLab installations in summer. 1h15 by train.
Motonosumi Inari
123 red torii running down to the Sea of Japan, on the Yamaguchi side. The offering box sits on top of the big torii: landing your coin brings luck.
Mount Aso (Nakadake crater)
One of the largest active volcanoes in the world, 2h30 by road: the smoking crater, the huge caldera and the grasslands. Check the alert level before you go.
Kurokawa Onsen
Kyushu's most charming hot-spring village, tucked in a wooded gorge: lantern-lit rotenburo, and the wooden tegata pass that opens three baths of your choice. Stay the night.