Hakata Shore Excursion: Custom Car Tour, Licensed Guide
4.9 / 5 · 10 traveler reviews
This tour is designed for travelers who visit Fukuoka City by cruise ship. We will pick you up at Hakata Port or hotels near the port. This value-packed trip with a government-licensed and experienced multilingual tour guide is a fantastic and efficient way to explore Fukuoka City. Enjoy a 6 hours taxi tour with your private guide, as he/she introduces modern and traditional aspects of this dynamic, ancient city! This dynamic city is home to many historical temples and is famous for its unique food culture. Let us know what you would like to experience, and your guide will then arrange the tour that's best for you! Note*1: Please select your must-see spots from a list in the tour information to create your customized itinerary. Note*2: National Government Licensed Guide Interpreter certification is issued by the Japanese government requires a good knowledge and understanding of Japanese culture and history.
Your experience
Stop 1
The castle was once a flourishing place during the Edo period (early 1600) but today, it is mainly the ruins of stone walls, moat and gates. However, the panoramic view of Fukuoka city from Fukusaki Hill is pretty amazing. The best time to visit in order to admire the full beauty of the castle ruins is during the Sakura Festival.
Stop 2
One of the oldest such sites on Kyushu, the Sumiyoshi-jinja Shrine is, like its counterpart in Osaka, dedicated to the protective divinities of seafarers, the last of a series of such shrines sailors would visit before heading out to sea. Particularly impressive is the Main Hall, rebuilt in its current classical style in 1623, along with a number of important national treasures, most notably an ancient sword and a copper axe, along with old manuscripts and documents dating back to the Middle Ages. From the shrine, which is surrounded by a large grove of Japanese cedars and camphor trees, are fine views over the River Naka. Be sure to allow plenty of time to also explore the adjacent Sumiyoshi Park.
Stop 3
Kyushu National Museum is not your ordinary and at times boring museum – it is an interactive museum where you can learn about Kyushu’s history while having fun at the different exhibitions. You can dress up in traditional costumes of the different countries that Japan had international relations with in the olden days, as well as play various traditional games and instruments while learning about them. The Kyushu National Museum is a fantastic place for families, especially those with children, to visit!
Stop 4
One of Japan's best known (and Fukuoka's oldest) Shinto shrines, Kushida-jinja was founded in AD 757 and contains many unique features, including exquisite carvings of the Chinese zodiac and a gingko tree said to be more than 1,000 years old. The shrine is also famous for hosting the Hakata Gion Yamakasa each July, a spectacular two-week festival focusing on prayers for good health and prosperity that includes an elaborate race involving teams carrying heavy wooden floats from the temple to various locations around the city.
Stop 5
Tochoji Temple(南岳山 東長寺）is the head temple of Shingon Buddhism Kyushu sect is given the special name Nangakuzan. It is dedicated to a famous monk called Kobo-Daishi (Kukai 空海). This is one of the oldest temples in Japan that Kobo-Daishi set up.
Stop 6
Fukuoka's open air food stands (屋台, Yatai) are possibly the city's best known symbol. Yatai can generally seat about seven or eight people and provide an atmospheric outdoor environment to enjoy various foods that are generally simple and filling. There are dozens of yatai scattered across Fukuoka, but the best place to find them is on the southern end of Nakasu Island. Located in the middle of the city, Nakasu Island has a long row of around 20 yatai that are attractively situated along the water.
Stop 7
Uminonakamichi Seaside Park (海の中道海浜公園, Uminonakamichi Kaihin Kōen), is a sprawling, family oriented public park located on a narrow peninsula across the bay from central Fukuoka. The park is made up of several different areas including flower gardens, playgrounds, an amusement park with ferris wheel, sports fields, a water park, a zoo and large open spaces and lawns perfect for picnicking.
Stop 8
Ohori Park (大濠公園, Ōhori-kōen) is a pleasant city park in central Fukuoka with a large pond at its center. There is a walking path around the circumference of the pond that is just a little over two kilometers long and is popular for jogging, walking pets and leisurely strolls by the water. Ohori is Japanese for moat, and the pond at the center of the park once served as part of the moat system of the neighboring Fukuoka Castle. The park was constructed between 1926 and 1929 and designed after the classical garden style of the West Lake in China. There are three islands in the middle of the pond that are connected to the mainland and each other by elegant stone bridges.
Stop 9
Shofukuji (聖福寺, Shōfukuji) has the distinction of being the first Zen temple constructed in Japan. It was founded in 1195 by the priest Eisai, who introduced the Rinzai sect of Zen Buddhism from China into Japan. Although the temple buildings cannot be entered, visitors can walk through Shofukuji's attractive temple grounds and observe the buildings from outside. Before Zen's introduction to Japan, Buddhism has already had a long history in Japan dating back to the 500s. The new teachings of Zen, which Eisai amassed during his travels in China, promoted meditation and discipline as the means to enlightenment and became very popular with the samurai class, which was exerting political power through the shogunate government based in Kamakura.
Stop 10
Seaside Momochi (シーサイドももち, Shīsaido Momochi) is Fukuoka's modern waterfront located on reclaimed land along Hakata Bay. The area was originally developed as the site of the 1989 Asia Pacific Expo and was designed with attractive, modern features such as wide, tree lined streets, futuristic buildings, public parks and no phone or electricity lines above ground.
Stop 11
Canal City Hakata (キャナルシティ博多) is a large shopping and entertainment complex, calling itself a "city within the city". Attractions include about 250 shops, cafes and restaurants, a theater, game center, cinemas, two hotels and a canal running through the complex. Visitors, who are planning on shopping, will likely be able to find something of interest in one of Canal City's many stores, whether it be in a shop unique to Japan or a branch of an international company. There is also a wide variety of restaurants, offering Japanese and international food, that generally have reasonably priced menus. The fifth floor consists of the "Ramen Stadium", which has eight ramen shops with noodle dishes from across Japan, including the local specialty Hakata Ramen.
Stop 12
Yusentei Park is known for being the former home of the 6th lord of Fukuoka who would have built it in the 18th century. The park is made up of a beautiful garden which is built in the traditional style as well as an ornate pond and this is a great place to come if you want to get out of the crush of the city. You can also see a slice of Fukuoka as it would have been in the days of old.
What’s included
- Private vehicle
- Customizable Tour of your choice of 2-3 sites from 'Itinerary' list
- Licensed Local English Speaking Guide
Not included
- Entrance fees, Lunch, and Other personal expenses
- You cannot combine multiple tour groups.
- Guide Entry fees are only covered for sights listed under Itinerary
Before you go
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- Wheelchair accessible
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- There are only a limited number of car seats and booster seats. Rear-facing car seats are not available. You must contact us directly if you need them.
Cancellation policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Check the policy for your selected date and option before booking.
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