7 best day trips from Fukuoka

Day trips compared

The day trips

16 km · About 30–45 minutes by train

1.Dazaifu

Dazaifu Tenmangu shrine, dedicated to the scholar Sugawara no Michizane, is visited by students praying for exam success and is surrounded by thousands of plum trees. Its main hall has been under long-term restoration with a striking temporary hall in front. The Kyushu National Museum is linked by an escalator tunnel.

Getting there

Nishitetsu train from Tenjin via Futsukaichi

Best for

First-timers, Culture, Families

45 km · About 50 minutes by train

2.Yanagawa

A canal town where boatmen pole flat-bottomed donkobune boats along willow-lined waterways for about an hour. Afterwards, try unagi no seiromushi, steamed eel on rice, a local speciality.

Getting there

Nishitetsu limited express from Tenjin

Best for

Couples, Families, Food lovers

30 km · About 40 minutes by train, then bus or car

3.Itoshima

A coastal peninsula west of the city with surf beaches, cafés and the white torii and Meoto Iwa wedded rocks at Futamigaura, best at sunset. A car or bicycle helps, as buses are infrequent.

Getting there

JR Chikuhi line from the subway to Chikuzen-Maebaru; car recommended

Best for

Couples, Beach, Food lovers

70 km · About 20 minutes by Shinkansen to Kokura

4.Kitakyushu and Mojiko

Kokura has a reconstructed castle and the Tanga market; Mojiko Retro preserves early-20th-century port buildings facing the Kanmon Strait, with a pedestrian tunnel under the sea to Honshu.

Getting there

Shinkansen or JR to Kokura, local train to Mojiko

Best for

Culture, Couples

15 km · About 20–30 minutes by train

5.Nanzo-in

A forested temple complex in Sasaguri with a bronze reclining Buddha said to be about 41 m long, among the largest bronze statues in the world, plus hillside paths dotted with statues.

Getting there

JR Sasaguri line to Kidonanzoin-mae

Best for

Culture, Quiet stays, Families

50 km · About 1 hour 20 minutes by train

6.Karatsu

A castle town on the coast of Saga known for Karatsu ware pottery, a rebuilt castle above a pine-forested beach, and the Karatsu Kunchi festival in early November.

Getting there

Subway Kuko line through-running onto the JR Chikuhi line

Best for

Culture, Quiet stays

150 km · About 1.5–2 hours by train

7.Nagasaki

A harbour city shaped by centuries of trade with Europe and China, with the Peace Park and Atomic Bomb Museum, Dejima's restored Dutch trading post, Glover Garden and the night view from Mount Inasa. It is a long day; an overnight stay is better.

Getting there

Limited express to Takeo-Onsen, then Nishi-Kyushu Shinkansen

Best for

Culture, First-timers

Day-trip tips

• Leave early: most trips are more relaxed with a morning departure and a return before dinner.
• Nishitetsu operates one of Japan's largest bus networks, including frequent buses between Hakata Station and Tenjin and routes to Momochi and Fukuoka Tower.
• JR trains and the Kyushu Shinkansen leave from Hakata Station; Nishitetsu trains from Tenjin serve Dazaifu and Yanagawa.
• For trips over about 150 km, an overnight stay or an organised tour saves a lot of travelling.

Questions travellers ask