Rainy day · Fukuoka · Japan
6 things to do in Fukuoka when it rains
Indoor sights that make a wet day feel planned rather than lost.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Saigen Jiro, CC0
_haiden-1.JPG){kind=link}
Quick answer
Start with Tocho-ji, Canal City Hakata and Fukuoka Asian Art Museum. Together the 6 picks below take roughly 8–10 hours across 4 areas; 2 are free. June is usually the wettest month, with about 12 rainy days.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 6
- Free entry
- 2
- Time to see them all
- 8–10 hours
- Areas
- Gion and Hakata Old Town, Nakasu and Ohori Park and Ropponmatsu
Fukuoka on a rainy day
Religious site · Gion and Hakata Old Town
1.Tocho-ji
Walk the short pitch-dark tunnel behind the Buddha with one hand on the wall, as visitors are asked to do.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Rainy day
- Off the beaten path
Architecture · Nakasu
2.Canal City Hakata
Catch an evening fountain show in the central canal, then compare bowls at the Ramen Stadium.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Shopping
- Rainy day
- Kids
- Food
- Free
Gallery · Nakasu
3.Fukuoka Asian Art Museum
Check the resident artists' open studio on the same floor, which visitors can sometimes visit for free.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Art
- Rainy day
Gallery · Ohori Park and Ropponmatsu
4.Fukuoka Art Museum
Stop at the museum café's terrace overlooking Ohori Park's lake.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Art
- Rainy day
- Architecture
Museum · Gion and Hakata Old Town
5.Hakata Machiya Folk Museum
Pair it with Kushida Shrine across the street for an hour on old Hakata.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Rainy day
- Art
Aquarium · Uminonakamichi
6.Marine World Uminonakamichi
Take the ferry from the Bayside Place pier for a scenic crossing instead of the train.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Gion and Hakata Old Town | Tocho-ji and Hakata Machiya Folk Museum | 45 minutes + 45 minutes |
| Nakasu | Canal City Hakata and Fukuoka Asian Art Museum | 2 hours + 1–1.5 hours |
| Ohori Park and Ropponmatsu | Fukuoka Art Museum | 1.5 hours |
| Uminonakamichi | Marine World Uminonakamichi | 2–3 hours |
Booking and timing
Of these 6, 2 free, 3 low cost, 1 mid-priced. None needs booking far in advance. The longest visit is Marine World Uminonakamichi; group the rest by area to save travel time.
How to fit them into 3 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Gion and Hakata Old Town and Nakasu): Tocho-ji → Hakata Machiya Folk Museum → Canal City Hakata, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Nakasu and Ohori Park and Ropponmatsu): Fukuoka Asian Art Museum → Fukuoka Art Museum, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 3 (Uminonakamichi): Marine World Uminonakamichi, at least 2 hours.
The wettest months
- June: highs of 27°C (81°F), about 12 rainy days, quiet crowds. The rainy season usually begins in early June, with humid, showery days.
- July: highs of 31°C (88°F), about 11 rainy days, busy crowds. Rainy season usually ends mid-month; the Yamakasa festival builds to a dawn race on 15 July.
- January: highs of 10°C (50°F), about 10 rainy days, quiet crowds. Cool, often cloudy and occasionally snowy; quiet after New Year, and strawberry and oyster season is under way.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Hakata Station — Shinkansen hub with department stores, ramen floors and direct airport subway
- Nakasu — River island of yatai stalls, neon bars and the Canal City complex nearby
- Gion and Hakata Old Town — Temple district between Hakata Station and Nakasu
- Ohori Park and Ropponmatsu — Leafy residential area around the lake park and castle ruins
More of Fukuoka
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Fukuoka?
Tocho-ji. Founded by the monk Kukai in the early 9th century, this temple near Gion station has a vermilion five-storey pagoda and the Fukuoka Great Buddha, a seated wooden Buddha about 10.8 m tall.
+Which of these are free in Fukuoka?
Tocho-ji and Canal City Hakata.