I visited Japan during January. I stayed 3 days in Sapporo which is situated in northern Japan before heading to Fukuoka. It was freezing cold in Sapporo during the winter season. I took 3 hours flight from Sapporo to Fukuoka which is situated at the southern part of Japan. I removed one layer of jacket at Fukuoka because the weather was manageable compared to Sapporo. Fukuoka is famous for temples,shrines, night life, castle ruins, and shopping.
Ohori Park – Metro is the best way to travel in Fukuoka. Airport is connected with all the major parts of the city by metro. It takes about 30 minutes to reach Ohori park from Airport. Ohori park is a famous landmark in Fukuoka and it is frequently visited by locals and the tourists. The boardwalk of the park is primarily used for cycling and jogging. The park was reconstructed in the early 20th century and it was modeled based on West lake of China.
Fukuoka Castle ruins– Fukuoka castle ruin is situated by just 10 minutes walk from Ohori park. The castle ruin is a part of the Maizuru park.The castle was one of the biggest castle in the region but it was destroyed after Meiji restoration. Lots of walking trails and viewing points are located around the castle. You can see remains of castle wall, guard tower and castle gates at the Maizuru park.
Gokoku shrine – The shrine is located very close to the Maizuru park. You can easily spot the shrine from far because of its huge gate. The gate is made from wood and it is one of the biggest one in Japan. The shrine is dedicated to those who have died during war. The shrine looks beautiful because it is surrounded by lots of lush green trees.
Kushida Shrine – After visiting Gokoku shrine i came back to Ohorikoen station. It was just 10 minutes ride to Kushida Shrine from Ohorikoen station. The shrine was built in the 8th century. The shrine compound is very small compared to other shrines and it is situated near busy neighborhood of Fukuoka city very close to Hakata JR railway station. Every year Hakata Gion Yamakasa festival is celebrated at this shrine. The visit to shrine is incomplete without drinking water from the well located near the shrine. Japanese people believe that drinking water from the well will grant eternal youth.
Kawabata Shotengi – My hostel was located near Kawabata Shotengi. Kawabata Shotengi is a famous shopping arcade in Fukuoka. You will find lots of shops selling traditional Japanese goods, Japanese tea and handicraft products. You can also try some authentic Japanese food from the restaurants located inside the shopping arcade.
Canal City Hakata– People interested in shopping shouldn’t miss Canala city Hakata. The complex is situated at the center of Fukuoka just 10 minutes walk from Kawabata shotengi. This is one of the biggest shopping complex in Japan. The complex is built around an artificial canal. You can also dine in at lots of Japanese restaurants situated within the mall. I went to Hakata railway station to book my ticket to Hiroshima. It was my childhood dream to ride Japanese bullet train (Shinkansen). Nozomi is the fastest variant of Japnese bullet train and the ticket price of Nozomi is most expensive compared to other type of bullet train. I booked my ticket to Hiroshima on the 9 am Nozomi train. The train takes around 1 hour to cover roughly 275 km from Fukuoka to Hiroshima.
Tochoji temple – After booking my tickets to Hiroshima i went to visit Tochoji temple during the evening time. The temple is famous for the largest wooden Buddha statue in Japan. The orange colored temple looked beautiful on the background of lush green trees.
Nakasu Nights– Nakasu is situated very close to Kawabata Shotengi. Nakasu is a small island and it is surrounded by Hakata and Naka rivers. Lots of small bridges connect the island with the mainland. The place offers some great opportunity to take photos of Japanese candles, neon lit streets and bridges. Nakasu is famous for food stalls, restaurants and bars. The food stalls usually seats around 7-8 people and they provide outdoor experience. Hakata Ramen is the most popular dish in Fukuoka. The Ramen consists of thin noodles in a pork bone based soup. The food stalls were reasonably priced and the portion were filling. The food stalls open around 6 pm and they close around 2 am.
Leave a Reply