7 Different Ways to Spend a Day in Fukuoka
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When my boyfriend came to visit me in Japan in September, he commented specifically on the lack of blog articles relating to Fukuoka. Oftentimes, when people visit Japan for the first time, they are concerned with what I like to call the four wonders of Japan. These are the cities of Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka and Hiroshima. Though these cities are absolutely beautiful, Japan is an extremely vast country and many places don`t enter some peoples` radar. One of my biggest aims with my social media presence while living in southern Japan was to promote the country and some of the hidden gems scattered across the country. With that, I thought it was about time that I wrote about the beautiful prefecture of Fukuoka.
Fukuoka - Where is it and what is it!
Fukuoka is the northernmost prefecture on Japan`s southern island of Kyushu. The prefecture is renowned for its ancient temples, beaches and modern shopping malls. The northernmost city in Fukuoka is Kitakyushu which connects the southern island of Kyushu with the main island of Honshu. Its airport is one of the main hubs to the rest of Asia (which luckily for me makes travel very easy and accessible).
Please read on for 7 different ways to spend a day in Fukuoka!
7 Different ways to spend a Day in Fukuoka Prefecture
Did you know that the world`s largest reclining buddha lives in Fukuoka prefecture? Merely a 25-minute train journey from Hakata Station, Fukuoka will take you to Nanzoin Temple which houses the buddha. Make sure you are dressed discretely to ensure you'll get entrance to the temple. Luckily I brought spare clothes in my bag with me!
Head to the beach in Itoshima
If you`re heading to Japan in spring, when flowers come to life, then I would recommend coming to Nokonoshima Island. Unfortunately, when I visited in early September, much of the flower life was gone. The Nokonoshima Island park is the main attraction of the island and houses lots of these flowers. I would recommend walking around the island (though it takes a while) to get the best of the sites and to catch the cherry blossom lane that exists on the island when they`re in bloom. Make sure to take plenty of cash on to the island (especially if you're travelling on the weekend) as ATMs are sparsely available.
Take a cooking class
If you`ve always wanted to have a go at making Japanese food, why not try taking a cooking class. Recently, a service called AirKitchen got in touch and wanted me to tell you about their service. They provide foreign travellers with the chance to visit normal Japanese family homes to cook and eat home-made meals with local hosts. There is an Airbnb style to the service and you can book cooking classes in most regions across the country.
If you`d like to book a class in Fukuoka please click here.
If you`d like to book a class somewhere else in Japan click here.
Have a Family Day at The Seaside Park
If you`re looking for an alternative to Nokonoshima Island, then I would recommend considering Uminonakamichi Seaside Park which I plan to visit in spring. The seaside park is a large leisure space with an amusement park, campgrounds, a pool as well as several seasonal flower festivals. I`d recommend renting out some bikes to cycle through the park as its so big!
Explore Fukuoka City
Fukuoka city is a big surprise because there simply isn`t a big enough hype about the city. It is certainly worth spending a day or two here and soaking in some of the main sights. Some of these include Canal City Shopping Mall, Ohori Park, Fukuoka Castle Ruins and many of the ancient shrines scattered across the city.
The northernmost city of Kyushu, Kitakyushu, is the city which connects Kyushu to Honshu and is well worth spending a day there. Though I`ve not visited yet, I have lots of plans to in the future.
One of the main highlights in Kitakyushu is the wisteria tunnel at Kawachi Fuji Gardens. The wisteria tunnel opens for one week in the year (golden week). Unfortunately, it can be difficult to get tickets, so if you want to head to the tunnel, you must snatch those tickets fast! If you cant get a hold of those tickets, it is still worth visiting Kitakyushu for the famous Kokura Castle, Tanga Market and much more.
Have you heard of Fukuoka?
Is it on your radar now?
Is it on your radar now?
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