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Hakata Station in Fukuoka, Northern Kyushu, is as far west as Japan’s
ultra-modern Shinkansen trains will take you and, like other cities on the Tokaido
line, it has benefited greatly from all the high speed to-ing and fro-ing. With
plenty of real vitality and character, as well as easy access to the sea and
some beautiful countryside, it is little wonder that Fukuoka regularly appears
as one of “Asiaweek’s” top three cities in which to live in
Asia.
In Japan, the city of Fukuoka is renowned for its nightlife and its noodles,
both of which you’ll find around the riverside area. After sundown the
neon-lit walkways buzz with street musicians, food stalls and revellers spilling
over from the bars and hostess lounges of nearby Nakasu. Also by the river is
Canal City, an ambitious new shopping and entertainment complex that rises in
curves around an indoor waterway. With a 13-screen cinema and numerous shops
and restaurants, it is fast becoming a hive of activity.
The city is also home to one of the most famous of Japan’s summer festivals,
the Hakata Gion Yamakasa. The highlight of the festival is a high-speed parade
of improbably tall festival floats shouldered by pumped-up loincloth-clad local
men. One of the fabulously gaudy floats is on permanent display in a tea shop
on Kami Kawabata Dori, a covered arcade that was once the city’s main shopping
strip. Another is on display at Kushida Jinja shrine at one end of the same arcade.
For a break from all this bustle, a visit to Ohori Koen is in order. This spacious
public park incorporates a large pond and a pleasant walk can be had along the
series of interconnected islets that span the centre. Art lovers should then
head for the impressive Fukuoka Bijutsukan (art museum) which is situated within
the park.
From the park and pretty much everywhere else in Fukuoka you will be able to
see the mirror-clad, 234m needlepoint of Fukuoka Tower. On a sunny day it’s
a dazzling sight. Empty and functionless save for clusters of radio antennae
towards the top and an observation floor at 123m, it looms over an area of land
reclaimed from the sea called Momochi. Also in the area is the Fukuoka Hakubutsukan,
a superb museum of local history.
Within easy reach of the city are some worthwhile day trip destinations. One
is the charming town of Dazaifu, home to the first of Japan’s many Tenmangu
Shrines. These are shrines dedicated to the aggrieved spirit of an esteemed statesman
who was banished here as a result of court intrigue during the Heian Period (794-1192).
The shrine shares its grounds with a number of mighty, 1000-year-old camphor
trees and a number of delightful sculptures of animals. Make time also for Kyomozen-ji,
a temple famed for the only two dry gravel Zen gardens in Kyushu. |
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Accommodation |
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| ANA Hotel Hakata |
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092-471-7111 |
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092-471-1109 |
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3-3-3 Hakata-Ekimae, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka 812-0011, Japan |
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| The perfect base for business or pleasure, the well-appointed,
spacious guest rooms compliment the hotel's modern, functional beauty. Hospitality
reflecting the warmth and friendliness of the people of Fukuoka awaits you at
the ANA Hotel Hakata. |
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| ANA has no control of how your personal information is
handled by other sites. Please refer to the privacy statement on each new site
you enter. |
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Amusement |
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| Canal City Hakata |
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1-2 Sumiyoshi, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture |
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Stores 10:00-21:00, restaurants until 23:00 (vary by facilities
or season) |
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Varies by facility |
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| A gigantic amusement complex that attracts visitors from all
over Japan. There are various types of stores, cinemas, and amusement facilities.
The center of the site is a man-made canal that is about 180 meters long. |
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| Hakata Riverain |
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3-1 Shimo-kawabatamachi, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka City, Fukuoka
Prefecture |
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Vary by store and facility |
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Varies by store and facility |
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| A commercial cultural complex that consists of three large buildings.
It houses a wide variety of facilities such as a theater, an art museum, and
a hotel as well as brand goods shops and restaurants. |
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| Drum Logos |
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092-751-3811 |
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1-8-25 Maizuru Chuo-ku, Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture |
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15:00-21:00 |
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Varies by performance |
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| One of the largest live houses in Kyushu with standing room for
about 700 people. Beer, soft drinks, and light snacks are available at the bar
in the corner of the hall. |
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| Hawks Town |
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2-2-2 Jigyohama, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture |
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Vary by facility |
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Varies by facility |
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| Hawks Town consists of Fukuoka Dome, Japan´s first stadium
with a retractable roof, and the "Sea Hawk Hotel & Resort" with various
amusement facilities. |
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| Ohori Park |
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1-7 Ohori Koen, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture |
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Always open (Japanese garden 9:00-16:45) |
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Rental boats (30 minutes): pedal boat ¥800, rowboat ¥500, Nessie
boat ¥1,000; Japanese garden: ¥240 for adults and ¥120 for children |
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| This park was built around the moat of Fukuoka Castle. It is
one of only a few water parks in Japan and has a pond with a perimeter of about
2 km. Various types of rental boats are available. |
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| Garden Chef |
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5th and 6th floor, River Site, Hakata Riverain, 3-1 Shimo-kawabatamachi,
Hakata-ku, Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture |
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11:00-23:00 (Vary by store) |
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Vary by store |
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| Restaurants on the fifth and sixth floors in River Site at Hakata
Riverain. The fifth floor is connected to the atrium garden and has ten restaurants.
The sixth floor has established restaurants from all over Japan. |
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Sightseeing |
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| Kushida Shrine |
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092-291-2951 |
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1-41 Kami-kawabatamachi, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka City, Fukuoka
Prefecture |
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Always open |
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Free |
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| Kushida Shrine is the main shrine of Hakata and is loved by the
people in the community. A large gingko tree at the shrine has been designated
as a natural treasure. This tree is sung about in the "Hakata Celebration
Song" and is known as " ;Kushida-no-Ginnan (gingko) ". |
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| Remains of Fukuoka Castle |
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Jonai, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture |
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Always open |
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Free |
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| Fukuoka Castle was built by Nagamasa Kuroda, the first lord of
Fukuoka. Construction started in 1601 and it took seven years to complete. The
remains are now a part of Maizuru Park, which attracts many people in the spring
to view cherry blossoms. |
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Restaurants |
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| Ichiran, Hakata Sunplaza Branch |
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092-473-0810 |
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B2 Fukuoka Center Bldg. 2-2-1 Hakata Ekimae, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka
City, Fukuoka Prefecture |
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10:00-22:00 |
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Ramen (Chinese noodles) ¥650 |
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| A very popular ramen restaurant where you fill in an order form
to specify noodle hardness, soup concentration, whether or not you want garlic,
and the amount of secret sauce. |
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| Kawabata Zenzai |
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092-281-6223 |
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10-254 Kami-kawabatamachi, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka City, Fukuoka
Prefecture |
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11:00-17:00 (Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and during events of the shopping
street) |
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"Zenzai" (rice cakes with adzuki bean sauce) ¥400,
ice "zenzai" (summer only) ¥400 |
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| Serves "zenzai" in an open space on Kamikawabata Street
on weekends and during special events. Kawabata "zenzai" was popular
among people in Hakata a long time ago and has made a comeback among residents
of the community. |
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| Fukagawa |
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092-771-3584 |
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3-23-22 Haruyoshi, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture |
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17:00-22:00 |
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Stewed giblets (for one person) ¥650 |
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| Several types of giblets are cooked in a "shouyu (soy sauce)"
based broth to create a rich taste. The restaurant ships stewed giblets all over
Japan. |
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| Hakata Wadamon |
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092-761-2000 |
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B1 Ricchu Bldg. 5-15 Nishi-nakasu, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka City,
Fukuoka Prefecture |
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11:30-14:00, 17:00-21:30 |
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T-bone steak (100 g) ¥5,500 and up, dinner ¥6,500
and up, beef curry set ¥1,350, tongue stew curry set ¥1,800, scallop
curry set ¥1,900, beef stew curry set ¥2,000 |
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| A steak and French food restaurant. Dinner courses with organic
chemical-free vegetables and in-season seafood as well as T-bone beef steaks
from Hirado Goto are popular. |
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Shopping |
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| Masuya |
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092-281-0083 |
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6-138 Kami-kawabatamachi, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka City, Fukuoka
Prefecture |
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10:00-19:00 |
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Hakata doll ¥800 |
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| This doll shop has been selling Hakata dolls, Hakata brocade,
and Japanese crafts since its establishment in 1952. Over 50 Hakata dolls are
on display inside. |
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Spa |
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| Hakata Hot Spring Yaoji-no-yu |
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092-413-8881 |
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4-9-2 Hakata Ekimae, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture |
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6:30-9:00, 12:00-23:30 |
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¥700 for adults, ¥350 for children, towel set ¥200,
single room ¥7,300 and up, twin room ¥13,000 and up |
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| A hot spring located on the first floor of Yaoji Hakata Hotel.
The hot spring is effective to reduce neuralgia and muscle pain and is open to
the public. Bath towels and face towels are available for an extra charge. |
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