Fukuoka is the largest city on the southern island of Kyushu, serving as the main gateway to Kyushu for international and domestic travellers. It is a modern, clean and well-organised city geared more towards business than tourism. Even so, there are a number of interesting historical and cultural sights in the city worth seeing.

There are a couple of important Zen temples and shrines in Fukuoka such as Shofukuji Temple and Kushida Shrine. The Hakata Machiya Folk Museum and Fukuoka Asian Art Museum are also excellent places to learn more about the culture and heritage of this region of Japan. There is even a pleasantly crumbling castle in Fukuoka that has some great views over the city.

Visitors will find plenty of entertainment in Fukuoka. There is a huge underground shopping arcade in Tenjin, and a neighbouring sandbank has been transformed into western Japan’s largest entertainment district, Nakasu. Visitors can choose from more than 2,000 eating and drinking spots in this neon-streaked part of the city. The Naka River promenade has a lovely riverfront park that is ideal for walks, and Canal City Hakata is the place to go for the perfect mix of fun, eating, and people-watching.

Due to the business-minded nature of Fukuoka, there are countless hotels to choose from in a range of budgets. Hakata Station has plenty of options, from Japanese capsule hotels to mid-range Western-style hotels. The Gion district, Tenjin and Nakasu are also loaded with lodging choices. You don’t have to spend lot on a room in Fukuoka, but you can.

The city’s international airport is the easiest way to get to Fukuoka from abroad, or even the northern parts of Japan. The city also lies at the end of the famous Shinkansen bullet train from Tokyo, which is a great way to travel here. Fukuoka is compact enough that you can walk around most of the interesting parts of the city. A superb subway system, public buses and taxis will help you get around to more distant corners of the city.

Fukuoka lies towards the southern end of Japan’s Kyushu Island, giving it a fairly moderate climate compared to more northerly parts of the nation. There are four distinct seasons in Fukuoka, and summers can get quite hot and humid. Between June and August, the weather is at its most uncomfortable. Most of the city’s rain falls during about six weeks in June and July so bring good rain gear if you plan a summer visit.

The average annual temperature in Fukuoka is 16^oC. Winter temperatures rarely drop below the freezing level, but there is sporadic precipitation that occasionally falls as snow. Spring is sunny and warm, a delightful time to visit, especially when the cherry blossoms appear in late March. But autumn is often regarded as Fukuoka’s best season, with mild dry weather and sparkling blue skies. Just keep an eye out for typhoons, which arrive in August and September.