Exploring FUKUOKA, JAPAN: A Day and a Half Itinerary
- Lani
- Nov 18, 2024
- 4 min read
Updated: May 26
Planning a trip to Japan and looking beyond Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto? Consider exploring Fukuoka! Situated in the southwest of Kyushu Island, Fukuoka is Japan's largest city on the island and ranks among the top ten most populous cities in Japan. Wondering if Fukuoka is worth visiting compared to Tokyo? We loved it and want to go back! Discover our day and a half itinerary for Fukuoka below.
Getting to Fukuoka
First, we got to Fukuoka via plane. We were in Korea for the weekend and started off our Japan trip in Fukuoka. Another way to travel to Fukuoka is by ferry from Busan, South Korea. If you are in Japan, you can also take the shinkansen from Tokyo to Fukuoka, which takes about 5 to 6 hours and costs around 23,000 yen. Alternatively, domestic discount flights within Japan can cost between 6,000 and 35,000 yen and take approximately 4 hours.
HAKATA STATION
From Fukuoka airport, we took a free shuttle bus that would take us to the train station nearby. Once at the train station, we made our way to Hakata Station. The station is massive and quite impressive! With numerous stores both inside and outside, we could have easily spent the whole day there if we had wanted to.
CANAL CITY
At the top of our agenda after arriving was...RAMEN! Our favorite comfort food during the cold winter months in Japan! Our destination was the Ramen Stadium in Canal City, a shopping complex featuring a section specifically for different ramen shops. Our goal was to try the renowned Original Tomato Ramen Sanmi 333, the highest-rated ramen spot according to Google reviews in this venue. It was delicious and a fantastic beginning to our journey in Japan. There are plenty of other ramen choices available, so enjoy exploring your options.
After that, we ventured into Canal City itself, which is a spacious open-air mall area. We enjoyed the water fountain show, known as Canal City Hakata Sun Plaza Stage. Check out our YouTube video to get a better look at what we did!
FUKUOKA GUNDAM
We headed to the Gundam Base Fukuoka located within Canal City. The Gundam base was massive, showcasing a wide variety of gunpla kits for display and purchase. It's a awesome destination for Gundam/Gunpla enthusiasts!
The following day, we visited Gundam Park at Lalaport Fukuoka. There is a large gunpla store and a small Gundam Side F Store nearby. However, the highlight is the Life-Size RX-93ff 𝛎 Gundam Statue located just outside the mall. It's insanely cool!
Random Tip: If you want to find more Gunpla kits, check out BookOff - an organized and better Goodwill of new and used item.
BOSS E · ZO FUKUOKA
On our full day, we visited Mizuho PayPay Dome FUKUOKA. The dome houses the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks baseball field. Due to our visit taking place in February, we couldn't go to a game. Within the dome is BOSS E · ZO FUKUOKA, a large entertainment complex offering a variety of attractions and dining options. Here are some of the places we explored there:
TeamLab Forest Fukuoka, is a digital art museum where you can capture, learn about, and release animals using your smartphone. We bought our tickets on the spot without prior reservation at the dome, but it is recommended to book in advance for weekends to secure your preferred time slots. Tickets are about 2,400 yen each.
MLB Café Fukuoka
A Major League Baseball-licensed restaurant offering casual American dining and a sports bar experience with a flair for creative culinary entertainment. We stopped by for an early lunch and were impressed by both the delicious food and the stylish decor.
Charcoal Latte, Latte, and Pudding at FUK Coffee FUK Coffee
Fuk ;) Coffee. Needed some caffeine before going to TeamLab. Seriously delicious coffee and pudding, a must visit for us!
ZEKKEI Brothers SMBC Nikko Securities Inc.
We decided to take a detour to the rooftop of the building after noticing a coaster! It starts from the highest point of E-ZO, approximately 60m above the ground - a single-seater suspended rail coaster. Enjoy an exhilarating ride through a course that spans over 300m! Priced at around 1,800 yen, it's definitely worth it for the breathtaking view and thrill.
Following our visit to TeamLab, we walked for 20 minutes to reach Fukuoka Tower. Fukuoka Tower is a 234-meter tall seaside tower with the highest observation deck at 123 meters, offering a 360° view of the surrounding area, popular at sunset. We loved the views and enjoyed a love lock spot. The entrance fee is around 800 yen, with a discount available when presenting your TeamLab Forest tickets.
Tip: Getting to the closest station requires either a lengthy walk or taking a bus, as this attraction is quite a distance away.
OTHER DESTINATIONS WE HAD PLANNED TO EXPLORE
Ohari Park
Nakasu Yatai Yokocho (Food Stalls Street)
Fukuoka Castle Ruins
Pokémon Center FUKUOKA
Our Stay
We stayed at ANA Crowne Plaza Fukuoka, an IHG Hotel for two nights. About 13 min train Ride from Fukuoka Airport and a 4 min walk from Hakata Station. The hotel offered amazing guest services. While the rooms have a classic style, they are spacious, clean, and comfortable. Overall, we had a great stay and would return when in the area.
Conclusion
Kyushu Island boasts stunning historic treasures, modern cities, and natural beauty. Fukuoka left a lasting impression on us, and we definitely intend to revisit with more time. We hope you get the chance to explore this region of Japan as well.
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