City Guide: Hakata, Fukuoka, Japan

The darling of Kyushu

Shinkansen ticket, Umegae Mochi

The Hakata Ward is the main district in Fukuoka city located on Kyushu Island. It’s about a 4-hour Shinkansen ride or 2-hour flight southwest of Tokyo and only about an hour train ride from Hiroshima. The area has been called “Hakata” for about 1,200 years with plenty of shrines and 1,000+ year old trees throughout.

Flight tracker to Kyushu, shrimp shumai dumpling, JAB signage

Although the city is called Fukuoka now, the main train station is still called Hakata Station. The train station is also a huge shopping area and worth some time spent exploring.

Fukuoka City is a port town with quick access to beautiful mountains and natural scenery. For instance, you could be eating ramen in the city center for lunch, and an hour later be exploring the Shiraito Falls. From beaches to the subway, street food to the Ritz-Carlton, this corner of Japan is not to be overlooked.