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And if time allows, be sure to make a return visit to the castle and its grounds after nightfall - the illuminations are spectacular.Ģ. This event is famous across the country for its displays of more than 1,000 cherry blossoms. Also fun is exploring the ruins of an even older guesthouse once used for visiting diplomats, the only one of its kind in Japan.Ī great time to visit is the first week of April during the Fukuoka Castle Sakura Festival. Highlights of a visit include exploring a number of the original castle gates, turrets, and towers within the extensive castle grounds (much of it now part of Maizuru Park). While the large remaining structure is only a small fraction of the original castle's once massive complex - it's believed to have covered an area of some 47,000 square meters - it remains an impressive site, perched high atop a tall stone foundation overlooking the Naka River. Sometimes also known as Maizuru Castle and Seki Castle, Fukuoka Castle (Fukuoka-jō) is a fine example of the type of lavish 17th-century hilltop home once preferred by the country's ruling elite.
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Make finding the best places to visit in this city easy with our list of the top tourist attractions in Fukuoka. This impressive city-within-a-city comes complete with a waterway running through its bustling complex of hotels, restaurants, arcades, cinemas, a theater, 250 shops, and other fun things to do.
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Perhaps the most popular is the famous Hakata Gion Yamakasa, a two-week long, 700-year-old celebration held each July, which involves colorful parades, traditional races, and costumes, along with musical offerings.įukuoka also offers many interesting shopping and dining opportunities, in particular in Canal City Hakata. The city also hosts many professional sporting events and festivals. These days, Fukuoka is a tourism hot spot that's home to numerous fine museums, art galleries, and theaters, as well as great places to eat. The once fortified town grew in importance during the 17th century, and after amalgamation with Hakata in 1889 became an important cultural center. Located in Hakata Bay, Fukuoka is divided in two by the River Naka, with Hakata, the older eastern part of the city, serving as an important port and commercial center. One of Japan's largest cities, Fukuoka is the administrative, economic, and cultural center of the southernmost island of Kyushu and is one of the country's most progressive cities.
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