2 days in Fukuoka

Day by day

1. Day 1: Kushida Shrine and Tocho-ji

   Kushida Shrine, Tocho-ji, Shofuku-ji and Hakata Machiya Folk Museum, then Yatai food stalls in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Kushida Shrine

      One of the festival's towering, elaborately decorated kazari-yamakasa floats is displayed in the grounds for most of the year.

   2. Late morning

      Tocho-ji

      Behind the statue, a dark passage represents a journey through hell and paradise.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Hakata ramen

      Ramen shops around Hakata Station and Nagahama, yatai stalls and the Ramen Stadium in Canal City.

   4. Afternoon

      Shofuku-ji

      Its buildings are closed to the public, but the moss gardens, gates and tree-lined paths are open and quiet.

   5. Late afternoon

      Hakata Machiya Folk Museum

      Restored Meiji-era merchant houses near Kushida Shrine display Hakata's traditional life and crafts, with demonstrations of Hakata-ori silk weaving and Hakata doll painting.

   6. Evening

      Yatai food stalls

      Go early in the evening to get seats, order a drink plus one or two dishes per stall, and move on to try several.

2. Day 2: Ohori Park and Fukuoka Castle ruins

   Ohori Park, Fukuoka Castle ruins, Fukuoka Art Museum and Canal City Hakata, then Fukuoka Tower in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Ohori Park

      A formal Japanese garden, the Fukuoka Art Museum, swan boats and lakeside cafés make it the city's favourite green space.

   2. Late morning

      Fukuoka Castle ruins

      The platform of the former keep gives a wide view over the city, and the grounds are one of Fukuoka's main cherry-blossom spots.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Mentaiko

      Specialist shops at Hakata Station, Yanagibashi market and restaurants serving mentaiko set breakfasts.

   4. Afternoon

      Fukuoka Art Museum

      Reopened in 2019 after a major renovation, the museum on the edge of Ohori Park holds Japanese and Asian art alongside 20th-century works by artists such as Dalí, Miró and Warhol, and Yayoi Kusama pieces.

   5. Late afternoon

      Canal City Hakata

      A large mall built around an artificial canal with curving terracotta-coloured buildings, a theatre and cinemas, fountain shows set to music, and the Ramen Stadium, a floor of ramen shops from around Japan.

   6. Evening

      Fukuoka Tower

      Go up just before sunset, then walk to the Momochi seaside beach as the tower lights come on.

Before you go

If it rains

• Swap in Fukuoka Asian Art Museum (Nakasu): Check the resident artists' open studio on the same floor, which visitors can sometimes visit for free.
• Swap in Marine World Uminonakamichi (Uminonakamichi): Take the ferry from the Bayside Place pier for a scenic crossing instead of the train.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 12–13 hours of visiting over 2 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 9.9 hours in December to 14.4 hours in June, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

Getting between stops: Metro. The Kuko (Airport) line runs from Fukuoka Airport via Hakata, Nakasu-Kawabata and Tenjin to Ohori-koen and Meinohama; the Hakozaki and Nanakuma lines serve other districts.

More or fewer days

• One day in Fukuoka
• 3 days in Fukuoka
• 5 days in Fukuoka

Questions travellers ask