Around Fukuoka

Fukuoka City Museum is the largest museum in western Japan, and the entire building is covered with semi-reflective glass panels. Using the newest sound and image systems, the 2000-year history of Fukuoka City is unfolded before you. Housed in the unique structure are permanent and special exhibition rooms, a reading room, and an "Asia experience" room where you can touch and play with toys from various regions of Kyushu and various Asian countries.
Among 800 items for display, there are a Gold Seal, which is a national treasure, and other artifacts excavated from the ruins of this area.
Traffic: 20 min. by taxi

Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine is one of the most famous Tenmangu shrines in Japan established at the beginning of the 10th century. Among many nobles of the Emperor's court sent to the Dazaifu Government, Michizane Sugawara stands out. It is said that because he excelled in scholarship he was envied by others, and so eventually he was exiled from Kyoto to Dazaifu. Since then, Load Michizane has been considered the god of scholarship. A plum tree at the right front side of the main building is called "Tobiume", which means "flying plum tree". According to legend this tree flew to Dazaifu from Kyoto, following Load Michizane. It fully blooms in February and decorates all around the area.
Traffic: 30 min. by train from Yakuin Station (Nishitetsu Ohmuta Line)

Space World is a full scale theme park where can enact a dream of the "Universe". An overall area of 330,000m², covered with pavilions and a Space Dome, is available to provide amusement for visitors. Located within Space World is Space Camp, an entertaining and educational facility where visitors can participate by NASA, utilizing training equipment similar to that used by NASA's astronauts. The exhibition hall with house equipment and facilities is actually used in the course of space development and introduces visitors to an easily understood history of man's effort in space.
Traffic: 1 hour by train from JR Hakata Station (Kagoshima Line)

Fukuoka Dome, the home stadium of the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks baseball team with the retractable roof. Not only baseball games, but also various sporting events and concerts held here.
Traffic: 30 min. by bus or 20 min. by taxi from Hotel

Canal City, shopping and entertainment complex containing SEGA FUKUOKA JOYPOLIS (indoor amusement park), AMC13 (13 movie theaters), various restaurants, and shopping arcade.
Traffic: 10 min. walk from Hotel

Hakata Dontaku Festival (May 3, 4)
Most citizens of Fukuoka take part in this festival, marching about 2 kilometers from JR Hakata Station to Tenjin (center of the city). Some bang two rice scoops together and some dance to the music played by the "Shamisen", a traditional musical instrument. Since everyone can participate, foreigners living in the city can sometimes be seen in the parade. During the festival, about twenty stages are set up at various places in the city where people display their abilities. No previous application is necessary, so any one can appear on stage. The name "Dontak" originated from the Dutch word "Zon-tag" which means "a holiday". The festival attracts a huge crowd of 2 million people, the largest number in Japan.

Hakata Gion Yamagasa (July 1 to 15)
It is the summer festival of the Kushida Shrine and has been passed on in the merchant town of "Hakata". Preparations begin in spring and on July 1, at about twenty places in the city, ornate floats are constructed. The decorative scenes are taken from famous historical stories or from popular children's tales. The floats are on display until July 15. The climax of the festival occurs on July 15 at 4:59 a.m. . At the sound of the traditional drum as the starting signal, several hundred men wearing traditional costumes carry a one ton float through the city.