Fukuoka, the capital of Fukuoka Prefecture, sits on the northern shore of Japan’s Kyushu Island. It’s known for its ancient temples, beaches and modern shopping malls, including Canal City. Its expansive Fukuoka Art Museum lies within tranquil Ohori Park, and neighboring Maizuru Park contains ruins of the 17th-century Fukuoka Castle. The city is also renowned for tonkotsu ramen, offered at street stalls.
Location – 730 miles west of Tokyo; 281 miles west of Hiroshima. With a population of 1.5 million, Fukuoka is Kyushu’s largest city and serves as a major international and domestic gateway to the island. On the northern coast of Kyushu, it lies closer to Seoul, Korea, than to Tokyo.
Weather – Daily highs in early July: 83-85 degrees F.; daily lows: 72-75 degrees F.
Money – Yen (¥ – JPY); 6 different denomination coins in circulation – 500, 100, 50, 10, 5 and 1 – and 4 different denomination notes – 10000, 5000, 2000 and 1000
Exchange Rate – 1 United States Dollar = ¥120. You can change your money at the airport, at most banks and at post offices. You’ll need your passport handy when you want to change some money.
By Train — Fukuoka’s Hakata Station is the last stop on the Nozomi Shinkansen bullet train from Tokyo, with the trip taking approximately 5 hours and costing ¥21,210 ($175) for an unreserved seat.
By Subway — Fukuoka City Subway (tel. 092/471-8111; http://subway.city.fukuoka.lg.jp) is the easiest method of transportation because there are only three major lines. One line connects Hakata Station to Tenjin (the third stop), passing Nakasu-Kawabata on the way — the stop for the Nakasu nightlife district. This line will also take you to Fukuoka Airport. Stops are announced in English. Fares start at ¥250, but if you think you’ll be riding a lot, a 1-day subway pass for ¥620 (child: ¥310) allows unlimited rides. Available from any ticket machine with a ‘One Day Pass card’ sign, stores at each station and etc.
By Bus — The city’s two bus terminals are located near Hakata Station at the Kotsu Center and in Tenjin near Nishitetsu Fukuoka Station and Mitsukoshi department store; both are clearly marked in English. Buses running inside the central Hakata-Tenjin District charge a flat fare of ¥100. Most useful for tourists is the so-called “¥100 Bus,” which sports a big ¥100 coin on its side and travels a circular route going both directions from Haktaka Station to 18 stops in the downtown area, including Tenjin, Canal City, and the Hakata Riverain shopping/cultural complex.
Fukuoka Tourist City Pass – A one-day pass which gives foreign tourists unlimited rides on buses and trains operating in Fukuoka City. Adults ¥820, Children ¥ 410. It is very convenient and a reasonable pass applicable to 5 transportation facilities; Nishitetsu Bus, Showa Bus, JR Kyushu Train, Nishitetsu Train and the Subway. For trains, you just need to present your Fukuoka Tourist City Pass to the station staff at the ticket gate. For buses, present the pass to the driver and you can enjoy unlimited rides. The pass is available in English, Korean and Chinese (Simplified and Traditional) and recommendable for foreign tourists. With this pass, you will be able to enjoy a smooth trip around the major tourist spots in Fukuoka City.
Passports and Visas – Passports are required; Visas are not required for U.S. citizens. Visitors not holding return/onward ticket could be refused entry into the country; Japanese law allows police to stop anyone at any time to see their ID; suggest you have your passport on you at all times.
Airport Transfer – To city center: Train (subway): ¥250; Taxi: ¥2,000; (3.5 km / 2.2 miles)
Tipping – Tipping is not expected in restaurants or bars. Hotels usually include a service charge of 10 to 15{ea78abf6aefd82840c95631a2bee340185ca19eac03bdbe4a6b22bf7d31f458b} so that you don’t have to worry about tipping each service person individually.
Electricity – The standard voltage is 100V across the country.
Medications – Japan has quite strict rules about taking prescription drugs and medication into the country. Even some common cold remedies are not permitted so it is always worth checking prior to travelling. You are permitted to take up to one month’s supply of a prescribed drug and two months of an over the counter drug into Japan without obtaining prior permission. If your medication is prescribed, take either a copy of the prescription or a letter from the doctor stating that the medication has been prescribed to you. It is also advisable to take the medication in the original packaging. If you are taking more than the quantities mentioned above, or if you need take needles, you will have to apply for an import certificate, known as a Yakkan Shoumei.
Mobile Phones – If you have a 3G handset it will work. If you do not have a 3G handset it will not. You will find that charges for using a mobile phone in Japan are expensive and this is especially the case for data (email and internet) – Recommend you turn off roaming to avoid a nasty surprise!
Emergencies – For an ambulance or fire truck, call tel.119. To contact the police in an emergency, dial tel. 110. For the English-language help line, call tel. 03-3501-0110.
Liquor Laws – The legal age for purchase and consumption of alcoholic beverages in Japan is 20. Driving after drinking (even one beer) is not tolerated — if you’re arrested for it, expect to serve up to five years in prison or a pay a hefty fine (up to $8,800)
Mail -The first-class domestic postage rates are about ¥80 to ¥90 for standard-sized letters and ¥50 to ¥60 for postcards. To send a standard-sized letter to the U.S. costs ¥110; the rate to send a postcard to the U.S. is ¥70.
To Make International Calls – To call abroad from Japan, dial the international dialing access code (010), then the country code of the country you are calling (for the U.S., it’s 1), then dial the rest of the number (if it starts with a 0, drop the 0). For example, to call the U.S. number (123) 456-7890, dial 010+1+123-456-7890.
Smoking – Smoking while walking or riding a bicycle is prohibited in Fukuoka. A violation of this, especially in the Tenjin or Hakata Station areas, can cost up to ¥20,000.
Taxes – A 5{ea78abf6aefd82840c95631a2bee340185ca19eac03bdbe4a6b22bf7d31f458b} sales tax (shohizei) is tacked onto all purchases; check with your hotel to find out whether this is already included in your overnight rate.
Internet Access- Some internet cafes offer access for free or a fee. Many hotels, such as the Hyatt Regency, offer internet access to guests for free or at a nominal charge.