Mention Fukuoka and travellers to Japan are not sure if they should pay the city a visit. Compared to metropolitan Tokyo, enchanting Kyoto and lavender-infused Hokkaido, Fukuoka is lesser known.
The largest city on Kyushu island and the sixth largest in Japan, Fukuoka is definitely worth visiting. With a population of only 1.3 million -- the eighth most populous Japanese city, according to the World Population Review -- Fukuoka is not as crowded as Tokyo and visitors can still enjoy modern aspects of the Land of the Rising Sun.
Earlier this year, Fukuoka was ranked by London-based Monocle magazine as the 14th most liveable city in the world in its "Quality of Life Survey" for 2017. The first five spots are Tokyo, Vienna, Berlin, Munich and Melbourne. Last year, however, Fukuoka came in seventh.
Surprisingly, Fukuoka is the city with the second highest number of temples and shrines, after Kyoto in Japan. From 1274 to 1281, the city was involved in warfare when the Mongols led by Kublai Khan tried to invade Japan. During those years, feudal lords built many temples along the coast so soldiers could stay in the monasteries during wartime. The Mongol invasion eventually failed, thanks to samurai warriors who protected the country.
Set aside its historical, war-related importance, Fukuoka served as a port town -- a passageway to Dazaifu, the administrative centre of the entire island of Kyushu in 663. During this time, Japan started trading with China and Korea so there was an influx of people and culture from the two countries into Japan. It is said by locals, sometimes jokingly though, that the reason Fukuoka girls are more good-looking than those in other parts of Japan is because they inherited genes from foreigners.
Fukuoka is a small city with an area of around 340km² (it's a quarter the size of Bangkok, which is around 1,500km²). Due to the city's compact size, travellers will find it convenient to get around. The major means of public transportation in Fukuoka are buses and the subway. Travelling by subway is simple especially for foreign tourists given that signs are available in English. Buses can be quite complicated as travellers need to figure out the right bus number to destinations.
The major railway station in Fukuoka is Hakata Station. The largest railway station on Kyushu island, it serves as a gateway to other cities. Hakata Station can be pretty hectic as it connects the subway, Japan Rai and the Japanese bullet-train shinkansen. Visitors may travel from Hakata to Tokyo by shinkansen, which takes around five hours.
Fukuoka is a bicycle-friendly city, too. Two years ago, the city was ranked by The Guardian as one of the world's most bicycle-friendly cities. In Fukuoka, cyclists are banned from the roads but they are allowed to share pavements -- which are wide -- with pedestrians. So commuters walking on the footpath while cyclists criss-crossing them are a familiar sight. Bicycle parking spots are available all over the city.
In 2014, Nishinippon Shimbun, a local newspaper, reported that the number of foreign tourists visiting Fukuoka airport saw an almost 30% increase from the previous year. According to data provided by Fukuoka mayor Soichiro Takashima, in 2015 the city saw around 19 million tourists. More than 90% of the Fukuoka-bound foreign tourists are from Asia -- Korea, Taiwan and China.
Mayor Takashima's vision is to make Fukuoka a hub of Asian cultures. Every year the city organises the Asian Party, which comprises several activities with objectives not just to draw visitors but also to put Asian cultures in the global spotlight. Three main events in the Asian Party are the Asia International Film Festival Fukuoka, the Fukuoka Prize recognising people who contribute to safeguarding Asian cultures, and The Creators featuring lots of attractions including live performances by artists and a contest of stage and video works by creators from Fukuoka.
This small city has gained ground among Thai visitors too as seen from signs at some tourist destinations that are available also in Thai. This is in part thanks to THAI Airways International operating a direct flight to Fukuoka, which was inaugurated in 2013.
Travellers from Thailand can fly directly to Fukuoka International Airport with Thai Airways. Flight time is around five hours. Other airlines such as China Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Eva Air and Korean Air also fly to Fukuoka but they have stop-overs.
Tourists who visit other parts of Japan first such as Tokyo and Osaka before heading to Fukuoka can take shinkansen to Hakata Station.
For those who plan to travel around the Fukuoka city by subway, buying a one-day pass is the best deal. It only costs ¥620 (180 baht).
