Fukuoka Things to Do

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The home base of Fukuoka's franchise baseball team, the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks, is the Fukuoka Dome. Many professional baseball games are held here. On game days, fans from all over Kyushu pour into the Dome to support their favorite team.

The home stadium of Fukuoka Daiei Hawks which is one of the best pro baseball team in Japan.
The Hawks was to compete with Hanshin Tigers the championship of the year in this dome from the very evening I arrived in Fukuoka.

2005 update:
Fukuoka Daiei Hawks has been changed into Fukuoka Softbank Hawks.

Experience eating @ one of the roadside stalls. Order a bowl of ramen, some skewered items and don't forget the beer!!!

However, prices at the stalls in Tenjin are significantly cheaper than in Nakasu, guess coz the latter is a pubbing and kind of like a red-light district?

It would be advisable to go with someone who speaks Japanese or else it's gonna be a guessing game between you and the stall owner.

Enjoy!

Ohori Park reminded me a lot of Stanley Park in Vancouver, Canada, although considerably smaller! The park is centered around a man-made lake, and is surrounded by park area - trees, playgrounds, gardens, running track, etc. It's a great place to go for a walk, to sit and read, to have a picnic, or to people-watch. You can walk the outside of the lake (about 2k) or you can take a path across the lake. There are several bridges and little gazebos that give you the feeling of being in a romantic Asian movie (if you're into that!).

Another fun thing to look for is the koi living in the lake. I'm not sure if the lake is fully stoked, or if someone just threw a few in for fun, but they are huge! Think salmon-sized goldfish... they're probably the city's secret sushi stash!

If you're coming from a bigger city, or, like me, from somewhere where green space is limited, this is sure to be a treat.

The Fukuoka Castle Ruins spread over a large area that is currently used as a park in downtown Fukuoka. There are several areas to see, including the Tamon turret (pictured left), the various gardens and orchards, and some stone structures. I was unfortunate to miss the best two seasons here: spring and autumn. The ruins are a popular area for viewing cherry blossoms. The cherry orchard is located below the stone ruins next to the Maizuru park running track. There are also several other fruit orchards and gardens to stroll through. If you walk to the top of the ruins, you can get a good 360 view of the park.

The ruins are located right next to Ohori park, so you can take in both sites without too much travel.

Fukuoka Tower is just like any other really tall building in any other big city, so to say it is special is a big lie. However, like all other really tall buildings, it offers the best view of the city, so, despite its lack of originality, it is a great place to visit, just for the view!

The tower is about 130 m high, and is covered in two-way mirrors. The ride up is pretty great: you ride up the center of the tower, but because of the glass, and the elevator window, you get a great view! At the top, you can get a panoramic view of Fukuoka and the bay. There is also a restaurant at the top. I didn't get a chance to sample the menu, but it did look good (if a little pricey).

The tower is open from 9:00 to 18:00. The charge to ride up is 8000 yen for adults, less for everyone else.

Maizuru Jo was built by Lord Nagamasa Kuroda in the early 17th century. The castle has never been reconstructed and now only the Otemon Gate and Tamon Turret of the castle remain. The ruins are situated in what is now known as Maizuru Koen.

Ohori Park is a beautiful park that is actually an inlet from the sea that was reclaimed about 100 years ago. The park also utilises the moat of the ruined Fukuoka Castle
There is a large pond with a 2km jogging track around it and an island in the middle. The art museum, japanese gardens and a noh theater are all located within the grounds.

Every August the summer fireworks festival is held here which is a spectacular site (but watch the crowds!!).

In the spring time it is the perfect place to view the Cherry Blossoms but beware everyone else in Fukuoka will be doing the same!!