Fukuoka attractions: Twelve places grouped by area

Explore twelve officially documented Fukuoka attractions in Hakata Old Town, Tenjin, the seaside and nearby areas, with selected admission details, opening hours and links.

Last checked:

  • Fukuoka
  • Shrines, temples and parks
  • Day trips

This page lists 12 Fukuoka attractions covered by official information, grouped by area to help you choose stops for your itinerary. Information comes from Fukuoka City’s official tourism website, Yokanavi, and facility websites. Opening hours and admission fees are given only where officially published; check each facility’s website otherwise. See the Fukuoka travel guide for an overview.

Key points

Area Attractions
Hakata Old Town Kushida Shrine, Tochoji Temple, Hakata Machiya Folk Museum, Hakozaki Shrine
Tenjin and Ohori Maizuru Park (Fukuoka Castle Ruins), Nishi Park, Former Fukuoka Prefectural Public Hall Guest House
Seaside Fukuoka Tower, Fukuoka City Museum
Nearby areas Dazaifu Tenmangu, Sakurai Futamigaura in Itoshima
Families Fukuoka City Zoological Garden

Hakata Old Town

Kushida Shrine ()

  • Address: (location of the Hakata Gion Yamakasa Promotion Association).
  • Official introduction: Hakata’s principal guardian shrine. Decorated floats for the July Hakata Gion Yamakasa are displayed on the grounds throughout the year; the Setsubun festival in February has an Otafuku mask about 5 metres tall.
  • Related: Fukuoka festivals and event calendar.

Tochoji Temple ()

  • Official introduction: the first temple founded in Japan by Kobo Daishi (Kukai), and a family temple of the Kuroda clan.
  • It has the Fukuoka Great Buddha, among Japan’s largest seated wooden Buddha statues, with a dark corridor underneath called the Hell and Paradise Walk (admission 50 yen).

Hakata Machiya Folk Museum ()

  • Address:
  • Official introduction: presents life and culture in Hakata during the Meiji and Taisho periods; visitors can see Hakata weaving demonstrations in the machiya building.
  • Admission: adults 200 yen to the exhibition building; free for junior high school students and younger.

Hakozaki Shrine ()

  • Address:
  • Official introduction: one of Japan’s three main Hachiman shrines. Its annual Hojoya festival runs 12 to 18 September and, with Hakata Dontaku and Hakata Gion Yamakasa, is counted among Hakata’s three major festivals.

Free guided walk

Fukuoka City volunteer tourist guides offer free scheduled Hakata and Tenjin walking tours, without reservations:

Item Hakata route
Time Starts 14:00, about 60 minutes; meet 10 minutes before the start
Meeting point In front of the exhibition building at Hakata Machiya Folk Museum
Route (official) Kushida Shrine, Hakata Machiya Folk Museum, Ryuguji Temple, Tochoji Temple
Capacity First come, first served; about 6 people
No tours 4th Tuesday of each month, New Year period (28 December to 3 January), severe weather and event days, etc.

Enquiries: Fukuoka City volunteer tourist guides, 092-733-5050 (weekdays 9:30 to 17:00).

For more free-entry sights, see 5 free attractions in Fukuoka.

Tenjin and Ohori

Maizuru Park (Fukuoka Castle Ruins) ()

  • Official introduction: contains Fukuoka Castle ruins and the remains of Korokan, a Heian-period guesthouse; about 1,000 cherry trees.
  • The Fukuoka Castle Sakura Festival is held in spring. See Fukuoka cherry blossoms.

Nishi Park ()

  • Official introduction: opened in 1881; the only park in Fukuoka Prefecture selected among Japan’s 100 famous cherry blossom spots; about 1,300 cherry trees; 3 viewing terraces overlook the city, Hakata Bay, Shikanoshima and Nokonoshima.

Former Fukuoka Prefectural Public Hall Guest House ()

  • Official introduction: a Western-style building completed in 1910, an uncommon wooden building in French Renaissance style; designated an Important Cultural Property of Japan in 1984. It has a café inside.
  • Admission: adults 200 yen; children aged 15 and younger 100 yen.

Seaside

Fukuoka Tower ()

  • Address:
  • Official introduction: 123 metres tall; the observation deck offers night views with illumination.
  • Hours: 9:30 to 22:00 (last ticket sale 21:30); closed on the Monday and Tuesday of the last week in June.
  • Transport: get off a Nishitetsu bus at Fukuoka Tower or Fukuoka Tower South Exit, then walk 2 minutes.
  • Admission: see the official Fukuoka Tower website.

Fukuoka City Museum ()

  • Address:
  • Official introduction: permanent displays include the national treasure Gold Seal and the famous spear Nihongo.

Nearby areas

Dazaifu Tenmangu ()

  • Official introduction: enshrines Sugawara no Michizane, the deity of learning, and receives more than 10 million visitors annually; plum blossoms are seen from roughly late January to early March.
  • About 30 minutes and 480 yen from Nishitetsu Tenjin Station to Dazaifu. See Dazaifu day trip.

Sakurai Futamigaura, Itoshima ()

Families

Fukuoka City Zoological Garden ()

  • Address:
  • Admission: adults 600 yen; high school students 300 yen; free for junior high school students and younger (official zoo and botanical garden website).
  • Hours: 9:00 to 17:00 (admission until 16:30); closed Mondays (following day if holiday) and 29 December to 1 January.
  • Transport: from Exit 2 (Zoo and Botanical Garden Exit) of Yakuin-odori Station on the Nanakuma Subway Line, walk about 15 minutes or take bus 56 or 58.
  • For other family attractions, see Fukuoka with children.

Further reading

Sources