Dazaifu Temmangu Shrine

This shrine is dedicated to Sugawara Michizane, the Guardian Deity for Academic Studies. Its Sacred Garden is known for its ume (apricot) blossoms. During the blossom season from mid-February to mid-March, the garden is festooned with the flowering of 200 varieties of 6,000 ume trees. (40 min. by train from Fukuoka Station to Dazaifu Station on the Nishitetsu Omuta and Dazaifu lines.)

Yanagawa City

Dubbed the Town of Canals, Yanagawa thrived as a castle town for the Yanagawa Clan during the Edo period (1600-1868). Those same canals, lined with willow and flowering cherry trees, still criss-cross the city and give it a serene ambiance. To fully savour the nostalgic quality unique to Yanagawa, board a boat for a quiet ride along the canals. The symbol of Yanagawa as a tourist attraction is Ohana, a residential villa created for the fourth-generation lord of the Yanagawa Clan. (1 hr. 20 min. from Fukuoka on JR's Kagoshima Honsen Line to Setaka Station, then 20 min. by bus.)

Fukuoka Dome

This domed baseball stadium is the first of its kind in Japan to have a roof that can be opened or closed. More than an arena for baseball games and other sports, this gigantic, up-to-date stadium is also a site for concerts, trade shows, conventions and other cultural activities.

Space World

This new and exciting theme park in Kitakyushu City contains pavilions and amusement facilities designed to promote learning science and nurturing dreams associated with outer space. Visitors of all ages can enjoy its various attractions. At the Space Camp, for example, visitors can experience an astronaut training program that features the same equipment used by NASA. (57 min. by limited express from Fukuoka (Hakata Station) to Kitakyushu (Kokura Station) on JR's Kagoshima Honsen Line.)

Hiraodai

This extensive limestone plateau dominates the southernmost tip of the Kokura district. Limestone slabs dotting the grassland resemble herbs of grazing sheep. Exploring the stalactite grotto, hiking, field athletics and other outdoor activities can be enjoyed. (1 hr. by bus from the downtown Kokura district of Kitakyushu.)

Shikanoshima and Umino-nakamichi Seaside Park

The islet is connected to the northern tip of Fukuoka city by the Umino-Nakamichi causeway that juts out into Hakata Bay. Shikanoshima is where a famous gold seal, said to have been presented from the Chinese Emperor to the Japanese Emperor in AD57, was unearthed. The Umino-Nakamichi Seaside Park is a large-scale park occupying an extensive section of the causeway to this side of Shikanoshima islet, and embraces swimming pools, amusement facilities and the Marine World aquarium.

Akizuki

This castle town lies in the northern part of Amagi city. Dubbed the Mini-Kyoto of Chikuro, the town's focal point is the castle site, reminiscent of bygone days. (Approx. 30 min. by express train from Nishitetsu Fukuoka Station to Asakura-gaido on the Nishitetsu Omuta Line, then 20 min. by bus to Amagi, and another 20 min. by bus to Akizuki.)