Day Trip Ideas

There are many places to visit in or around Fukuoka Prefecture that offer beautiful views, exciting times, and of course, memorable adventures. Check the regional pages for more details provided by JETs in the areas, or check out the highlights below:

Fukuoka:

Mojiko Retro is at the very top of Kyushu, part of Kitakyushu City. It features many buildings from the 20th century, including the old Mojiko Customs Office. Heading out toward Mekari Park, you can take a walk through the Kanmon Pedestrian Tunnel that links Kyushu to Honshu. To get to Mojiko Retro, take any Mojiko-bound Kagoshima Line train to its final destination.

Hiraodai is a large countryside park located in the southern ward of Kokura. There are a variety of different activities and sights to see including limestone plateaus, stalactite caves, soba fields, and fruit gardens. Follow this link for information in English.

Dazaifu is home to Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine which houses the grave of Tenman-Tenjin, the God of Learning. Nearby are other temples and historical relics, such as Komyozenji which features a beautiful moss garden. While at Dazaifu Tenmangu, try a taste of delicious green tea with the famous local sweet, Umegaemochi, grilled rice cake with red bean paste. The Kyushu National Museum is also located just .a short escalator ride away from the shrine grounds. Access Dazaifu via the Kyushu Expressway, by Nishitetsu Train, or via direct bus from Hakata Station.

Uminonakamichi has two very popular attractions: Seaside Park and Marine World. Uminonakamich Seaside Park is a massive park which is famous for its beautiful flower bloom in April-May and September-October: the first being over a million sky blue Nemophila flowers, and the second being brilliant pink and white Cosmos flowers. Marine World Uminonakamichi is a major aquarium with massive glass windows for viewing numerous animals, including local marine creatures, sea otters, seals, dolphins, tropical fish, and sharks. There is also a special dolphin and sea lion show several times a day.

Nokonoshima Island Park is a short ferry ride from Fukuoka City. This small, pleasant island park offers fields of beautiful flower, with different species blooming depending on the time of the year. There are a few other activities you can try, including pottery and a small petting zoo.

Yanagawa in the Chikugo region has a famous boat tour that is highly recommended. Take a river cruise called kawakudari with a tour guide who offers local history and sings songs from traditional days, and surely you will gain a unique perspective to the local area. The region is also famous for eel, so try to eat some traditional eel dishes while you are visiting!

Beyond Fukuoka

Shimonoseki of Yamaguchi Prefecture is very near to Mojiko Retro in Kitakyushu City, just a short train or ferry ride away! Located across the Kanmon Strait, Shimonoseki offers delicious, fresh fish at the Karato Ichiba fish market and has a nearby aquarium and children's amusement park. It is also possible to access Shimonoseki via walk or cycle through the Kanmon Pedestrian Tunnel.

Yufuin (Oita) is a quaint onsen town in Oita Prefecture. With the City of Beppu in close proximity, Yufuin also finds many visitors on an onsen-meguri or hot spring tour! Enjoy a dip in a first-class outdoor spring while gazing up at the imposing peaks of Mt. Yufu. The area is also home to a famous street of shopping and cafes, art spots (including a small Chagall museum!), and excellent hiking. Multiple options of travel from Fukuoka City available. Yufuin also offers a Snoopy Cafe, a Studio Ghibli store, and Yufuin Floral Village: a theme park based on the Cotswolds of England containing memorobilia and trinkets of Alice in Wonderland and Peter Rabbit.

• Yufu Onsen Guide (via the Japan Guide)
• Shopping: coming from the JR Yufuin Station, you will hit the town's main street lined with small artisan craft galleries, omiyage shops, an bakeries offering Yufuin's famous roll cake and Baumkuchen (Lake Kinrin is located at the end of the street and makes for a very instagrammable photo spot!)
• Hiking: Mt. Yufu is a 1,500m tall volcano that is usually surrounded by clouds, but provides stunning views from the top on a clear day. In winter, the mountain is covered in snow, so hiking in the spring or fall is recommended. Access via bus from JR Yufuin Station headed toward Yufu Tozan Guchi (由布登山口). Access maps can be found at the JR Yufuin Station tourism office. Hike itself takes approximately 90 minutes.

Mt. Aso (Kumamoto) is one of the largest volcanoes in the world, and ranked as the top 100 hikes in Japan. A great spot for a day trip, especially combined with a visit to Kumamoto Castle and the main city. Accessible by bus via Kumamoto and Beppu, or JR train via JR Kumamoto Station.

• Hiking: Beautiful views, though crater trail is often closed due to strong winds. Various other equally breathtaking routes available for hiking! Mt. Nakadake is the largest and only active crater, accessible by paved road (￥500) or ropeway (￥1000). Ask for a hiking map at the JR Aso Station.
• Onsen: Mt. Aso is surrounded by many excellent onsen, which are most easily accessible by car. See this website for a few recommendations on Mt. Aso hot springs!