We had a feeling we were going to like Fukuoka. We heard it was a foodie scene and expat hub. It is the birthplace of Tonkotsu ramen after all.
Where to Stay in Fukuoka with Toddlers
I loved our hotel in Fukuoka. We stayed at Hotel Mei. The lobby had an amazing coffee shop and we could walk everywhere!
Getting to Fukuoka with Toddlers
We took a bullet train to Fukuoka which was so much fun and then relied on public transportation, taxis, and walking once there.
What to Do in Fukuoka with Toddlers
Visit Parks and Playgrounds
There was a turtle play structure near our hotel by Fukuoka City Haruyoshi Elementary School that we frequented and the boys loved.
Ōhori Park is a great place for kids. It is beautiful and has paddleboats, gardens, and playgrounds. The kids loved both the playgrounds at Whale Park and Acorn Park!
Go Shopping
While most people recommend Canal City for shopping, we loved the Daimyo neighborhood. It was full of trendy vintage shops, boutiques, and record stores. Canal City seemed like a regular mall to me, aside from the fountains which have colored lights and are choreographed to music. The kids liked those!
Visit Nokonoshima Island
We took the bus to a the Meinohama Ferry Terminal where we took the boat to Nokonoshima. It as around $3 round trip and was so fun! Once you arrive grab lunch at Zakko before taking the bus to Noko Island Park. Zakko is a very traditional experience. It just looks like someone’s house and you have to knock on the door and then wait outside for an ambiguous amount of time. Once in, you sit on the floor and get the chef’s choice of daily seafood (the food was a little too adventurous even for our experienced palates) but we tried it anyways. The taxidermy sea turtle didn’t help!
Not only did the kids like the boat ride but the island is covered in flowers year round! It is absolutely beautiful and there are swings and farm animals for the kids! It’s a great way to spend a sunny day outside of the city. There are also cute shops and I bought some pottery for gifts.
What to Eat in Fukuoka with Toddlers
The food scene is Fukuoka is so good. It’s like it kept all of the great parts of Japanese dining and merged them with global influence. It was by far the best ramen and coffee we had during our three weeks in Japan.
Ichiran
What to eat in Fukuoka? Ramen! The ramen options are endless but if you had to choose one it’s Ichiran. This place is famous for good reason. After waiting in line (it’s worth it) you order from a vending machine and then an anonymous chef slides you your bowl of delicious goodness. We couldn’t get enough Ichiran and even had it at the airport on our way out even though it was in a totally different terminal!
Ippudo
And don’t miss Ippudo, home to the best Tonkotsu ramen in the country, this spot is also worth the wait.
Eat with a Sumo
Grant really wanted to eat at a sumo restaurant. Apparently they feed you this soup-like hot pot called Chanco Nabe which is the diet of sumo wrestlers. We found one of these restaurants (the name is only in Japanese but here is the map point) and were literally the only people there. The chef let us look in the kitchen and we got to admire all of his sumo medals and trophies. The chef and his wife were so kind and loved the boys! We took photos with them (Marin was scared of the sumo!) and still keep in touch on Instagram!
Fukuoka Craft
For drinks head to Fukuoka Craft for microbrews (it’s in the aforementioned trendy Daimyo neighborhood) and Manu for coffee.
What we didn’t eat in Fukuoka: Yatai
We saw these famed street stalls by the Haruyoshi-Bashi Bridge but didn’t have time to try them out. With 5-7 bar stools and a wait, it wasn’t the best kid-friendly option for our crew, but we did get to check them all out while strolling by the river one evening. There was live music and a street food market. It was a fun vibe! We even ran into a family we had met our plane from Atlanta to Tokyo 2 weeks prior! Small world.
Fukuoka is such a fun city and we had a great time with the kids! Between the parks, playgrounds, and delicious ramen of course, there’s something for everyone!
Having fun in Fukuoka,
– Ray