Fukuoka

Fukuoka City is located in the northernmost part of the island of Kyushu and has the sixth-largest population in Japan. Since ancient times, Fukuoka has been the gateway to Europe and Asia. In the 17th century, the Kuroda clan built Fukuoka Castle on the west side of the Nakagawa River, and on the other side of the river is the Hakata (博多) district. These two areas form the core of present-day Fukuoka City.

Fukuoka and Hakata

In 1600, Kuroda Nagamasa (黒田長政) was appointed to the Chikuzen (筑前) district (today’s Fukuoka), where he built Fukuoka Castle on the west side of the Nakagawa River and became the first lord of the Fukuoka Domain. Since then, Fukuoka Castle and the castle town have flourished and are now the center of Fukuoka’s downtown area. The 40-hectare Ohori Park was reconstructed from the outer moat of Fukuoka Castle.

Hakata is located to the east of the Nakagawa River. Although Hakata District is under the administration of Fukuoka City today, it was historically as prosperous as Fukuoka’s castle town. It is no wonder that the Fukuoka Shinkansen station was named after Hakata as the Hakata Station. There are many shrines and temples in the Hakata area, and you can learn more about the history and life of Hakata at the Hakata Machiya Folk Museum.

Seaside Momochi Resort Area

The Momochi (百道) area is located next to Hakata Bay and is one of the most famous seaside resort areas in Fukuoka City. The Seaside Momochi area has a lot of landmarks such as Fukuoka Tower and Fukuoka Dome, as well as the Momochi Seaside Park, which has a beach of 2.5 kilometers long.

Attractions in Fukuoka