Shofukuji Temple
The Shofukuji Temple was the first Zen temple to be built in
Japan. It was founded in 1195 by the priest Eisai who introduced
the Rinzai sect of Zen Buddhism into Japan from China. The wooden
buildings have been destroyed and rebuilt many times over the
centuries but they are exact replicas of the original structures.
In the temple grounds are the remains of two other ancient temples,
Jotenji and Tochoji, as well as a number of other structures.
Unfortunately, the ancient buildings cannot be entered but visitors
can explore the lovely grounds and examine the exteriors.
Photography is welcome. Although the temple complex is a historic
and ancient site, it is not frequented by tourists and is seldom
crowded, although locals do visit regularly. As a result, it is a
peaceful and serene place which affords a nice break from the busy
city; the age and history of the temple is almost palpable. It is a
lovely spot for a walk or rest and there is a lot to see in the
complex, although there is little information provided on what you
are seeing.
Address: 6-1 Gokuso-machi, Higashi-ku
Shofukuji Temple
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Fukuoka Asian Art Museum
Fukuoka's Asian Art Museum is housed in a new complex in the
Shimokawabata district of Hakata Ward, in the heart of the city.
The museum houses a collection of more than 1,000 works including
paintings, sculptures, prints, and handcrafts. It also serves as a
centre for art education. This popular modern museum offers a wide
array of contemporary Japanese art and art from many other Asian
countries. If you are lucky, you will even get the chance to watch
some local artists at work in the museum. It is a small museum but
gives an impressively comprehensive overview of current trends in
the region. The permanent collection is wonderful and should appeal
both to the uninitiated and those well-versed in Asian art. There
are regular temporary exhibitions and special events as well. There
is a lovely little cafe attached to the museum, which is
particularly nice on sunny days when visitors can sit outside.
There is also a gift shop with gorgeous postcards, prints, and
books for souvenirs, and a children's play area to keep the kids
occupied. The museum is situated in an interesting part of town,
and it is fun to stroll around the area and explore a bit after
your visit.
Address: Riverain Complex, 3-1 Shimokawabata-machi,
Hakata-ku
Fukuoka Asian Art Museum
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Kushida Shrine
One of Fukuoka's best-known shrines is Kushida, founded in 757.
It is situated in the heart of ancient Hakata with a huge gingko
tree, said to be 1,000 years old, shading its forecourt. The shrine
honours the grand deity, Ohata Nushina-mikoto, and was built during
the Heian Period for the common people. Today it is very much
enjoyed by locals and visitors alike during the summer's major
event, the Hakata Gion Yamakasa Festival. On the last day of the
festival, the Kushida Shrine becomes the starting point for this
fun run where hundreds of young men clad only in loin cloths carry
heavy wooden shrines through the streets along a set route, vying
to clock the fastest times. The shrine itself contains several
items of interest, particularly the Eto Arrow plate bearing
carvings of the Chinese zodiac and a brace of anchor stones,
recovered from the harbour, that were once attached to ships of the
Mongolian invasion fleets. The Hakata Historical Museum is also
situated in the shrine grounds, which are pretty and well-kept.
There is lots of shopping and many food stalls to enjoy in the area
and the shrine complex is great for a stroll, a rest, some
meditation, and some historical sightseeing.
Address: 1-41, Kamikawabatamachi, Hakata-ku
Kushida Shrine
David Pursehouse
Fukuoka has a subtropical climate with hot and humid summers and
mild winters. During summer (June to August), temperatures can
reach around 99°F (37°C), while winters (December to February) are
relatively mild, with temperatures rarely dropping below 32°F
(0°C). The city does, however, occasionally experience snowfall in
the winter. Fukuoka's rainy season is between June and July. Autumn
is often considered the best time to visit Fukuoka but beware, the
typhoon season occurs during this time (September to October).
Spring is also a popular time for visitors as the city's beautiful
cherry blossoms emerge in full force.
Fukuoka Airport
Location: Fukuoka Airport is located less than two miles (3km) east
of Hakata Station in Hakata-ku, Fukuoka, Japan.
Time: Local time is GMT +9.
Transfer Between Terminals:
The Domestic and International Terminals are connected by a
shuttle bus that runs every ten minutes.
Getting to the city:
Several buses depart from the Domestic Terminal to various parts
of Fukuoka. Buses from the International Terminal are more limited.
The Kuko line of the subway also runs from the airport into the
city, and connects with the Hakozaki and Nanakuma lines.
Car Rental:
Car rental reservations can be made at the Information Desk in
each terminal.
Airport Taxis:
Taxi stands are located outside each Arrivals Terminal, and are
operated by the Fukuoka City Taxi Association.
Fascilities:
The airport offers banking services and currency exchange, a
post office, left luggage facilities, lockers, a smoking area, cell
phone rental service, nursing room, clinic and pharmacy, and VIP
lounge, as well as a number of restaurants, bars, and shops.
Duty-free shopping is available in the International Terminal.
Parking
Car Parks located near the Domestic Terminal charge ¥200 up to
11 hours, and ¥2,400 for 24 hours. Another car park is located
across from the International Terminal, and charges ¥200 every
hour, for the first four hours, and ¥1,000 after the first four
hours, up to 24 hours.
Getting around Fukuoka is easy thanks to
well-established subway and bus systems. A comprehensive network of
city buses is operated by Nishitetsu, with the main bus terminal
located at Hakata station.
The city's subway system has three main lines, Kuko
(airport), Hakozaki, and Nanakuma. Fukuoka's Hakata Station is also
the last stop on the Nozomi Shinkansen bullet train from Tokyo,
making travel between these two cities easy.
The city centre is quite compact and can easily be
navigated on foot. Bicycles are also a popular means of getting
around the city centre. Taxis are available but offer a more
expensive means of transport in Fukuoka.
Fukuoka is rapidly growing in popularity with
tourists as it is an exciting and cosmopolitan city, making an
effort to attract and entertain visitors. The attractions of the
city tend to be modern rather than traditional or historical and it
is known for its contemporary architecture, its fun nightlife, its
great cuisine and restaurant scene, and its love of baseball.
That is not to say that there are no traditional
sites of interest: Fukuoka has its share of traditional shrines and
temples and two of the best are the ancient Kushida Shrine and the
Shofukuji Temple, the first Zen temple to be built in Japan.
Tourists can therefore enjoy the fine dining, partying, sports
events, and modern amenities of the city with some worthwhile
sightseeing thrown in. The best areas to seek out some night time
fun are Nakasu, Daimyo, and Tenjin.
For culture vultures there are also some good
museums and galleries in Fukuoka, including the Fukuoka Asian Art
Museum. If you want to enjoy some peace and natural beauty in the
city head to Ohori Park or Maizuru Park for some fresh air.
Fukuoka is also a great base for excursions and
daytrips. The ruins of the ancient city of Dazaifu, and the sprawl
of the modern city of the same name, are nearby, and the active
volcano of Mount Aso attracts many visitors to its lush slopes. The
lovely port city of Nagasaki is also within easy reach. Nokonoshima
Island, a beautiful scenic area where visitors can camp, hike, and
swim, is one of the region's most popular attractions.
Dazaifu
In the northern part of Kyushu Island in southwestern Japan lies
the ruins of Dazaifu, a city that during the 1st century was the
seat of government for the island and first line of defence against
threat from East Asian nations. The walled city once stood in open
fields, but now the ruins on the southern slopes of Mount Ono are
surrounded by modern Dazaifu, and the valued historic site has been
turned into a park. Apart from the interesting ruins, Dazaifu also
boasts one of Japan's most important shrines: the Dazaifu
Tenman-gū is dedicated to a great scholar named Sugawara
Michizane, who died in the year 903 and subsequently became revered
as a deity because of his wisdom. The shrine is now a place of
pilgrimage for students from all over the country, especially when
examination season comes around. The approach to the shrine is
lined with teahouses specialising in a local rice cake delicacy,
which is believed to keep illness at bay. The ancient Komyozenji
Temple, situated close to the shrine, is also worth a visit, mainly
for the stunning gardens, which are particularly beautiful in the
autumn when the leaves turn a magnificent array of colours.
Dazaifu
JoshBerglund19
Mount Aso
The composite volcano of Mount Aso lies almost in the centre of
Kyushu Island. Among the largest in the world, it's also Japan's
biggest active volcano. Mount Aso also boasts one of the world's
largest caldera (volcanic depressions), which stretches about 11
miles (18km) from east to west and 15 miles (24km) from north to
south. Inside the caldera are five volcanic peaks: Mount Neko,
Mount Naka, Mount Eboshi, Mount Taka, and Mount Kishima. Mount Naka
is still active and regularly emits smoke and ash. The rest of the
landscape inside the caldera is beautifully green and grassy, with
grazing cows and horses, as well as about 50,000 inhabitants in
several towns and villages. In the city of Aso there is a museum
dedicated to the volcano which is worth visiting for those
interested in the region's remarkable geology. At the museum
visitors can watch presentations about Aso in addition to viewing a
live image from a camera positioned at the active crater site.
There is a cableway up to the Mount Aso crater lake, called the
Mount Aso Ropeway, which allows visitors to see the steaming
turquoise water up close. But when the sulphur level rises too high
the site is closed as the fumes can become toxic.
Mount Aso
Furansowakun
Nagasaki
The beautifully situated port city of Nagasaki lies at the
southern end of Kyushu Island, 95 miles (152km) southwest of
Fukuoka. Nagasaki was open to the world for centuries between 1639
and 1859 while the rest of Japan was secluded from foreign contact
by governmental decree. The exposure to foreign cultures has left
the city with a sophisticated and liberal air that makes it popular
for tourists, enhanced by the many attractions in the city itself
and surrounding prefecture. Here you can enjoy Feudal castles,
samurai houses, smoking volcanoes, hot spring baths, rugged
offshore islands, and beautiful beaches. The most important site in
the city is the Peace Park (Heiwa Koen), commemorating Nagasaki's
darkest hour on 9 August 1945, when a nuclear bomb intended to be
dropped on the Mitsubishi Shipyards exploded instead over the
Urakami district, killing approximately 80,000 people. A black
stone column marks the blast's epicentre, alongside the Atomic Bomb
Museum. Nagasaki has many attractions for visitors and one of the
most popular short excursions is a boat trip to the spooky Hashima
Island, once a coal mining facility but now completely uninhabited
and covered in ruins.
Nagasaki
Tito & Eva Marie Balangue
Shofukuji Temple
STA3816
Fukuoka Asian Art Museum
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Kushida Shrine
David Pursehouse
