Your fortune awaits at Fukuoka
A mix of port city and castle town, it is Fukuoka’s Downtown Hakata which offers
AIRASIA X is the only airlines that offers direct flights from Kuala Lumpur to Fukuoka four times a week.
Fly in comfort with the Premium Flatbed, the spacious seat that reclines to become a full flatbed when desired. It also features a privacy screem, adjustable head and foot rest, as well as pillow and duvet for maximum comfort.
Those travelling on a Premium Flatbed can enjoy 40kg baggage allowance, inflight meal and entertainment, dedicated check-in counter, priority boarding as well as AirAsia Premium Red Lounge access in KLIA2. AirAsia X was the first low cost carrier in the world to introduce flatbed seats, and at reasonable prices too! in Tokyo.
Fukuoka is also known as the “gateway to Asia” because of its close proximity to the mainland of Asia. In fact, you can cross to South Korea, taking the ferry that sails daily from Hakata Port to Busan in less than six hours.
To see more of the city, we hop on the Fukuoka Open Top Bus to see the main sights. For the price of ¥1,540 (RM53) per person (per tour) for adults and ¥770 for children aged 4 - 12 years, you can choose either one of three routes — Seaside Momochi, Fukuoka Twilight or Downtown Hakata. We opt for the latter where we will visit the historical areas.
The tour departs at 4.30pm from Fukuoka City Hall. The two-storey open-top bus gives passengers a vantage point of the cityscape from a height of 3.2 metres. I take the front seat, and safely buckle up.
On board, there is a host known as basuana who introduces Fukuoka’s charm and iconic landmarks along the tour, but she speaks in Japanese. Don’t fret, if you can’t understand the language, you will be provided with a device with recorded guides in English, Chinese or Korean.
The bus takes us on a brief tour, a glimpse of the city which includes Tochoji Temple, Hakata Station, Sumiyoshi Shrine, Fukuoka Castle Ruin and Kushida Shrine. The tour does not make long stops at the attractions, however passengers are allowed to get off at certain stops.
My advice, stay till the end and just enjoy the ride. Plus, it’s so lovely to be outdoors, especially during springtime in Fukuoka.
It takes an hour to complete the tour, and at the end of it, you’ll get an idea where to start your Fukuoka discovery. Oh, and the pass can be used to ride buses within Nishinjin, Ropponmatsu, Tenjin, Hakata and Hakozaki (only on the same day).
The best place to experience shrines and temples, as well as traditional culture is in Hakata Old Town. Formerly the hub of Hakata, which was the largest port city of trade in Japan during the early 12th century, the area has a unique history, tradition and culture of the era.
The Fukuoka City Guide (yokanavi.com) gives information on a self-guided walking tour of Hakata Old Town. There are two routes — the Authentic History of Hakta Shrines and Temples route offers a look at the birthplace of traditional culture as well as sights of the Great Buddha of Fukuoka at the east of Taihaku-dori Avenue (eight minutes’ walk from Hakata Station), and the other one is the Town of the Merchants Hakata Traditional Culture route which we will go on.
Located at the west of Taihaku-dori, the route takes visitors to the cultural sights of Hakata’s old centre of commerce. The walk passes Fukuoka Asian Art Museum, Hakataza Theratre and more. My favourite spot out of the eight stops is Kushida Shrine, a beautiful tutelary shrine, also known by the locals as Okushida-san.
According to oral tradition, the shrine was was built in 757 on the order of Emperor Koken to share the same god as