Hakata tonkotsu ramen博多ラーメン
Thin noodles in creamy pork-bone broth; order kaedama for an extra serving of noodles.
Kyushu
Fukuoka Travel Guide
Local tips, regional food and places off the tourist trail
Kyushu’s gateway and its liveliest city. Fukuoka city is known for Hakata ramen and open-air yatai stalls, with Dazaifu Tenmangu shrine and Yanagawa’s canals an easy day trip away.
Open Fukuoka on the map42 places on the map · 6 local favourites
Local tips
- TipFukuoka Airport is just a few subway stops from Hakata Station, so you can be in the city within minutes of landing.
- TipUse Nishitetsu trains from Tenjin for Dazaifu and Yanagawa; discounted combo tickets are often sold for both.
- DoAt yatai, order food as well as drinks, keep groups small, and don’t linger too long when people are waiting.
- Heads upEarly to mid July brings the Hakata Gion Yamakasa festival, but also the tail end of the rainy season.
- TipFor a relaxed escape, the Itoshima coast west of the city has beaches, cafés and sunset views.
What to eat
Motsunabeもつ鍋
A hotpot of beef offal, cabbage and garlic chives, usually finished with noodles or rice.
Mizutaki水炊き
Chicken simmered in a rich white broth, eaten with ponzu, a Hakata classic for colder months.
Local favourites
Places mostly visited by people who live here — quieter, and often the highlight of a trip.
Tsuzura Terraced Rice Fields
つづら棚田 Nature & SceneryStone-walled rice terraces cascading down a mountain valley in Ukiha. In late September red spider lilies line the paddies.
● Mostly localsHarazuru Onsen
原鶴温泉 Hot SpringsRiverside hot-spring town on the Chikugo River known for smooth alkaline water and cormorant fishing on summer nights.
● Mostly localsYame Central Tea Garden
八女中央大茶園 Nature & SceneryA lookout over rolling rows of tea bushes in Yame, the region behind gyokuro green tea. Striking in spring during the first harvest.
● Mostly localsFutsukaichi Onsen Hakata-yu
二日市温泉 博多湯 Hot SpringsSimple old-fashioned public bath in one of Kyushu's oldest hot-spring towns, a short train ride from Dazaifu.
● Mostly localsMichi-no-Eki Munakata
道の駅むなかた Local FoodShoppingOne of Kyushu's busiest roadside stations, packed with fish landed that morning off Genkai-nada and local produce. Go early before the best catch sells out.
● Mostly localsUomachi Gintengai
魚町銀天街 ShoppingSaid to be Japan's first covered shopping arcade, in the heart of Kokura. It leads right into Tanga Market.
● Mostly localsThe famous sights
The places most visitors come for. Worth it — just go early.
Dazaifu Tenmangu
太宰府天満宮 Temples & GoshuinchoSights & HistoryThe head shrine of Tenjin, god of learning, surrounded by thousands of plum trees. The approach road is lined with shops grilling umegae mochi.
Nakasu Yatai Stalls
中洲屋台 Local FoodNightlifeOpen-air food stalls lining the Naka River at night, serving ramen, oden and yakitori elbow to elbow with strangers. Pick a stall with a queue of locals and share the…
Kawachi Fujien Wisteria Garden
河内藤園 Nature & SceneryPrivate garden famous for its tunnels of multi-coloured wisteria and, in autumn, red maples. Tickets must be booked in advance during the wisteria season.
Kushida Shrine
櫛田神社 Temples & GoshuinchoSights & HistoryHakata's guardian shrine, home to one of the towering decorated floats of the Hakata Gion Yamakasa festival year-round.
Nakasu Entertainment District
中洲 NightlifeKyushu's biggest nightlife district on an island in the Naka River, packed with bars, izakaya and neon reflections on the water.
Kasanoya, Dazaifu
かさの家 Local FoodA classic shop on Dazaifu's approach road selling umegae mochi, grilled rice cakes filled with sweet bean paste. Eat one hot from the griddle.
Ippudo Daimyo Honten
一風堂 大名本店 Local FoodThe original shop of the ramen brand that took Hakata tonkotsu worldwide. The main-branch bowl has a slightly different recipe from the overseas branches.
Miyajidake Shrine
宮地嶽神社 Temples & GoshuinchoShrine with a giant sacred rope and a stair approach aligned to the sunset over the sea. On a few evenings a year the sun sets exactly along the 'Road of Light'.