About Fukuoka
Fukuoka is located on Kyushu island, in the western part of Japan. The city is a 90-minute flight away from Tokyo, and Hakata - the city center - is easily accessible from the Fukuoka Airport, just two stops away on the subway. Historically, Fukuoka has been an important hub for trade, transport, and industry. It is also known for its delicious cuisine, such as ramen noodles. The conference will take place at Hilton Fukuoka Sea Hawk, right on the coast.
Great food and even better company reign supreme in Fukuoka, the relaxed port town that is at the heart of life on Kyushu , Japan's third-largest island. The city is the fastest growing in Japan and has engaged in cultural exchange throughout its history from its proximity to mainland Asia.
Don't Miss
Fukuoka
City has some of Japan's
best food, and tonkotsu ramen is
especially popular
Fukuoka hosts Dontaku, Japan's
largest festival, and various other
festivals
Fukuoka's compact size makes it a
great place to enjoy both the sea
and the mountains
How to Get There
Fukuoka is easily accessible from
both Tokyo and Osaka via direct
shinkansen or air. Fukuoka is
well-connected by sea (of which
there are various vessels) and air
to South Korea (about one hour) and
is a short flight from Taiwan and
Shanghai (about two hours by direct
flight).
From Tokyo, it is about one hour and
45 minutes from Haneda Airport to
Fukuoka Airport. The train journey
from Tokyo Station to Hakata Station
via the JR Tokaido-Sanyo Shinkansen
Line is about five hours.
Flights from Osaka's Itami Airport
to Fukuoka Airport take one hour and
15 minutes. The shinkansen ride from
Shin-Osaka to Hakata Station is
around two hours and 20 minutes.
Delicious ramen and fish dishes
Fukuoka is renowned across
Japan for its good and cheap food. A
bowl of tonkotsu ramen here will set
you back as little as 280 yen in
some restaurants, while the city's
street-side yatai stalls draw crowds
from across Japan and Asia. If
you're a fan of sushi and sashimi,
then you must try goma saba
(mackerel), a Fukuoka specialty.
Festival fun
The Hakata Dontaku Festival is held
every year in May during Golden
Week. It is the most popular Golden
Week festival in Japan, with 2 to 3
million people attending the
festival every year. The Hakata Gion
Yamakasa, held each July, sees
one-ton floats being raced through
the streets of Hakata. Besides these
two giants, many festivals take
place throughout the year within the
city and in the surrounding areas.
Getting around
The city has good local public
transport with a rapid subway system
and well-connected local buses. For
more regional travel within Kyushu
and Japan, Hakata Station is the
main point of focus, with a large
bus terminal and Fukuoka City's
bullet train station.
The airport is conveniently located,
and travel to the city center by
subway from the domestic terminal
takes only five to six minutes.
Regular bus services also run to the
airport, connecting it to both the
city and the rest of Kyushu.
The Hakata Port International
Terminal connects the city to some
of Kyushu's most remote islands and
internationally to South Korea, with
a regular ferry service to the
Korean City of Busan that takes as
little as two hours.
Gateway to Kyushu
Many who come to
Fukuoka City use it as the
gateway city
to see all Kyushu. The city
is well-connected to other major
cities in Kyushu such as Nagasaki ,
Kagoshima , Beppu, and Kumamoto .
Bus services run to these cities
from both the Hakata and Tenjin Bus
Terminals, while local and long
distance trains through Kyushu run
from Hakata JR Station. Many
connections within Fukuoka
Prefecture are available through the
use of local transport services
including the local bus, train, and
subway lines.