Fukuoka is located in the prefecture of the same name, in the Kyushu region. It is the sixth largest city in all of Japan, with around 2.5 million inhabitants, surpassing metropolises like Kobe and Kyoto. Even so, it has preserved its cultural and historical heritage, sharing space with administrative and economic centers.
Currently, it appears among the top positions in Asian cities with the best quality of life.
According to very old books, in Fukuoka the Japanese civilization originated.
It is located opposite Korea and China and it was through here that continental culture entered the archipelago.
History
In 1271, the Mongol Empire tried to invade Japan by trying to enter the country through Fukuoka. But this first invasion was unsuccessful, mainly due to the too stormy weather. In 1281, the Mongol army again tried to invade the country with around 140,000 men, versus 40,000 Japanese warriors. But when it reached the coasts, a great typhoon wiped out almost the entire Mongol fleet that forever abandoned its ambition to conquer Japan.
This typhoon was called “Kamikaze”, which means holy wind, because it saved Japan from a terrible invasion. Later, the same name was given to the special forces of the Japanese Imperial Army during the end of the Pacific War.
Previously, there were two cities: Fukuoka, the manor village and Hakata, the commercial city. The modern city was founded on April 1, 1889 when Hakata and Fukuoka combined to form a single city, Fukuoka.
One of its main tourist attractions is Fukuoka Castle, located next to Ohori Park in Maizuru Park. It preserves the stone walls and the remaining walls of the original construction. The rest of the castle was rebuilt in 1960.
Too, the great festival Gion Hakata Yamasaka It is one of the charms that attracts thousands of visitors who go to Fukuoka every July 15th. The festival consists of a race, where seven neighborhoods in Fukuoka’s Hakata district compete by pushing beautifully decorated floats along a five-kilometer course through the city. The participants are mostly men and for this festival they wear a dress called fundoshi, which was formerly men’s underwear until the end of the Pacific War in 1945.
In this city, Fukuoka Tower It is a must see. It is a 234 meter tall tower located in the Momochihama area. It is the tallest coastal tower in Japan. It is made with the highest technology. From there, you can see amazing views of the city.
For lovers of good food it is highly recommended to taste the world famous “Tonkotsu ramen”, originally from Fukuoka. The soup broth is based on pork bones and other ingredients that are typically boiled for several hours and the dish is traditionally topped with sliced pork belly and served with ramen noodles that are hard in the center. This ramen is known in Fukuoka as “Hakata ramen”, because, historically. Hakata is the center of the city.
In addition, Fukuoka has mountains, onsen (spas), beautiful sea coasts and numerous parks.
Fukuoka is extremely interesting because it combines the dynamics of a big city with a culture and environment that allows visitors to relax. If you want to take a trip through the attractive Kyushu region, the great city of Fukuoka is worth visiting.