Japan (Lonely Planet, 11th Edition) - Chris Rowthorn [531]
At Fukuoka airport, a number of banks and ATMs offer currency exchange. There’s a 24-hour Citibank ATM in Tenjin. Most banks around JR Hakata Station and Tenjin handle foreign-exchange services.
POST
The central post office is one block northeast of Tenjin subway station and Hakata post office is just outside JR Hakata Station’s Hakata-guchi.
TOURIST INFORMATION
ACROS Fukuoka (725-9100; www.acros.or.jp/r_facilities/information.html, in Japanese; Cultural Information Centre, 2nd fl, ACROS Bldg, 1-1-1 Tenjin; 10am-6pm, closed 29 Dec–3 Jan) Has plenty of English-language information on the prefecture. If you’re into architecture, the building itself is worth a look.
Information desks (International terminal 621-0303, domestic terminal 621-6059; 8am-9.30pm or last flight) These desks on the ground floor at Fukuoka airport handle hotel reservations and car rentals.
Rainbow Plaza (733-2220; www.rainbowfia.or.jp; 8F, IMS Bldg, 1-7-11 Tenjin; 10am-8pm) The Fukuoka International Association’s Rainbow Plaza has bilingual staff, free internet and a plenty of foreign-language resources.
Tourist information desk (JR Hakata Station; 8am-8pm) Has everything you need. Ask for the free Fukuoka Welcome Card Guide Book containing maps and discounts at participating hotels, attractions, shops and restaurants.
TRAVEL AGENCIES
HIS Travel (415-6121; 1st fl, FK Bldg, 2-6-10 Hakata-ekimae; 10am-6.30pm Mon-Fri, 11am-4.30pm Sat) Discount international and domestic arrangements can be made by the Hakata branch of this international chain.
Joy Road (431-6215; 1-1 Chuo-gai, Hakata-eki; 10am-8pm Mon-Fri, to 6pm weekends) Provides travel booking and advice for within Kyūshū and Japan. Located within JR Hakata Station.
No 1 Travel (761-9203; www.no1-travel.com/fuk/index.html; 3rd fl, ACROS Fukuoka Bldg, 1-1-1 Tenjin; 10am-6.30pm Mon-Fri, 11am-4.30pm Sat) For discount international airfares and reliable information in English.
Rakubus (www.rakubus.jp/english) An excellent website handling highway bus reservations.
Sights & Activities
CANAL CITY
Adjacent to Nakasu, once-futuristic Canal City (282-2525; www.canalcity.co.jp/world/english/urban.html; 1-2 Sumiyoshi) is already showing its age, Overlooking an artificial canal with an illuminated fountain symphony are the Grand Hyatt hotel, a multiplex cinema, playhouse, and a few hundred boutiques, bars and bistros. It’s about a 15-minute walk from JR Hakata Station, the Gion or Nakasu-Kawabata subway stations, or you can take one of the ‘¥100 city loop’ buses to Canal City-mae.
TENJIN
Tenjin has all the big names and thousands of smaller boutiques and eateries. Catch the subway from Hakata Station, emerge into Tenjin-Chikagai, find a point of reference, then wander. It’s a safe, easy, fun place to explore and not as intimidating in scale as similar areas of Tokyo or Osaka.
Tenjin also has some attractive historic Western architecture. The French Renaissance–styled Former Prefectural Hall & Official Guest House (751-4416; 6-29 Nishi-nakasu; admission ¥240; 9am-5pm, closed Mon & 29 Dec–3 Jan) in Tenjin Chūō-kōen was built in 1910. The copper-turreted Akarenga Cultural Centre (Akarenga Bunka-kan; 722-4666; Tenjin; admission free; 9am-9pm, closed Mon & 28 Dec–3 Jan) was built in 1909 by the same architect who designed Tokyo Station. It has some simple historical exhibits and a nice coffee shop.
HAKATA RIVERAIN
This stylish shopping & cultural complex (282-1300; www.riverain.co.jp/english.html; Hakata Riverain, 3-1 Shimokawabata-machi), above the Nakasu-Kawabata subway station, houses over 70 boutiques and restaurants, an atrium garden, the Hotel Okura, a museum and a theatre.
On the upper floors, the Fukuoka Asian Art Museum (263-1100; http://faam.city.fukuoka.lg.jp/eng/home.html; 7th & 8th fl, Riverain Centre Bldg, 3-1 Shimokawabata-machi; admission ¥200, special exhibitions vary; 10am-8pm, closed Wed) houses the permanent, world-renowned Asia Gallery and additional galleries for special