Discover Fukuoka: Japan's international seaside city
Known as the Gateway to Asia, Fukuoka is boosting its appeal further to entice overseas investors, businesses and residents
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The home of Kumamon and tonkotsu ramen, Fukuoka is the largest and fastest-growing city in the southern Japanese island of Kyushu. Its close proximity to the Asian mainland – as close to Shanghai as to Tokyo, and even closer to Seoul – has made Fukuoka an important port city for centuries. The launch of new low-cost flight routes saw international arrivals exceed five million for the first time in 2018.
Designated one of Japan's Special Economic Zones, Fukuoka has more to offer than just a strategic location. With residential and office rents up to 50 percent cheaper than Tokyo, the international city offers attractive prospects for overseas property investment. Initiatives such as a simplified Startup Visa, reduced corporate income tax and other support and subsidies also make it easier for global businesses to set up in one of western Japan's biggest economies.
Beyond the economic benefits, Fukuoka is a popular place to live, increasingly tempting young professionals and entrepreneurs away from the larger cities. More manageable in size and layout than sprawling Tokyo or Osaka, you're always just a short drive from the beach, the mountains and the historic and futuristic attractions of the city center.
Shop and dine
Fukuoka has no shortage of retail therapy. The central shopping district is centered around Tenjin Station and includes the popular Tenjin Core fashion complex and Tenjin Underground Mall. Canal City Hakata is a hub of shopping, dining and entertainment venues so extensive it's often called a city within a city.
For more traditional culinary experiences, head to the Naka River after sunset to browse the bustling yatai food stalls and sample a wide range of local delicacies, including the famous tonkotsu ramen. If you're stocking up for your own kitchen, the early morning Yanagibashirengo Market is the best place in town for fresh seafood and produce.
Traditional culture
Fukuoka hasn't lost touch with its heritage. Traditional culture can be found everywhere in the modern city.
If you're here in the first weeks of July, you'll catch the Hakata Gion Yamakasa festival centered on Kushida Shrine, an ancient Shinto shrine dating back to 757 AD. Other notable temples and shrines include Shofukuji Temple, Japan's first Zen temple, and the hillside Atago Shrine which offers panoramic views over the city and Hakata Bay.
If you're visiting in November, you won't want to miss the sumo wrestling Grand Tournament at Fukuoka Kokusai Center.
City parks
Wherever you are in Fukuoka, you'll never be far away from green space. Even in the busy shopping district, Tenjin Chuo Park offers a quiet place for reflection, while the roof garden of the ACROS Building offers stunning views over the city.
The city's major parks include Ohori Park, centered around the vast lake and featuring a traditional Zen garden, jogging track and the Fukuoka Art Museum, Yusentei Park with its ornate gardens, and Maizuru Park, site of the Fukuoka Castle ruins and sakura trees. Fukuoka's parks are at their most breathtaking in March and April when the cherry blossoms are in bloom.
Seaside attractions
One of Fukuoka's main advantages over Tokyo is its direct access to the ocean, from surfing at Futamiguara and Mitoma beaches to day trips out to Nokonoshima and other scenic islands.
On the shore of Hakata Bay, Uminonakamichi Seaside Park is popular for its colorful flower gardens and family attractions including Marine World and the Sunshine Pool, the largest swimming pool in the west of Japan.
Momochi Seaside Park is Fukuoka's main waterfront, close to sights such as Fukuoka Tower, Fukuoka City Museum, Robosquare and Yafuoku! Dome. The opening of the Mark Is shopping district last November has created a new retail, dining and leisure hub in Momochi, part of a wider development plan that also includes new residential projects targeted at overseas property investors.
The most prominent of these projects is The Parkhouse Fukuoka Towers West by Mitsubishi Jisho Residence, comprising 292 apartments across 28 floors. Scheduled for completion in March next year, a number of one, two, three and four-bedroom units are now available for overseas buyers.
Disclaimer: Purchasing uncompleted properties situated outside Hong Kong is complicated and contains risk. You should review all relevant information and documents carefully before making a purchase decision. If in doubt, please seek independent professional advice before making a purchase decision. Our sales representatives for overseas property work exclusively in relation to properties outside Hong Kong and are not to deal with Hong Kong properties, unless expressly stated otherwise, are not licensed under the Estate Agents Ordinance to deal with Hong Kong properties. Planning Permission no: ERI-17041888 (20 Oct, 2017), ERI-18016531 (8 May, 2018), ERI-18028016 (7 August, 2018) granted by Chuo-ku, Fukuoka. Acquiring interest in an apartment in the building with freehold. The last update date: 13 Feb 2019. Property number: IRP_N_101_00297.