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Located on the waterfront near Bayside Place, Marine Messe Fukuoka (Messe, pronounced "Mess-eh" is a German word for a "fair" or "market"), together with The Fukuoka Kokusai Center and the Fukuoka International Congress Center, is a giant convention facility that is possibly the largest in western Japan. Its main exhibition hall can seat up to 15,000 and is used for everything from music concerts to trade shows to sports competitions. Its unique design orients the building towards the sea, letting in maximum natural light, and the roof is strong enough to withstand the weight of a Jumbo jet.

A shopping and entertainment complex on the water at Hakata Wharf ("futoh" means wharf). Inside the building is an 8 meter tall cylindrical aquarium, which contains about 500 fish from the local Genkai-nada Sea. There is also a museum, a year-round indoor snowboard facility, and the Hakata Port Tower which charges no admission but is unfortunately closed for renovations until April 2006. Most Saturdays, there is a public market where visitors can buy local seafood and produce. The wharf is also the boarding point for many sightseeing cruises and passenger ferries.

Literally a city-like megacomplex built over an artificial canal, this shopping, entertainment and business center was designed by American architect Jon Jerde with the red cliffs of Arizona in mind. Part of the canal has been turned into a nature garden, with plants, live fish and even fireflies. The complex contains two hotels, office space, a movie theater with 13 screens, a Sega amusement park, a theater for musicals and plays, and of course a whole slew of shopping and dining. Of interest: the Dancing Water fountain that moves to music, and Ramen Stadium, where you can sample the top Ramen from all over the country.

Ohori means large moat, and yes, the man-made lake in the middle of this urban park was once part of Fukuoka Castle's defenses. It was in 1601 that the feudal lord Nagamasa Kuroda began building his castle, filling in part of an inlet to construct a port and using the far end of it as his moat. Not much remains of the castle today, but Fukuoka Prefecture modified the moat and turned the area around it into a park in 1929. The lake now has small islands in it connected by Chinese-style bridges, and is also surrounded by a 2-kilometer trail that is suitable for a walk or a jog. Row boats and pedal boats, even ones shaped like the Loch Ness Monster, can be rented. There is also a French restaurant at the boathouse, and the night view from its dining room is exquisite.

Shofukuji Temple is the oldest Zen temple in Japan, as attested by the framed calligraphy on the main gate, presented by the emperor Gotoba and inscribed with the words "This is the first Zen Temple in Japan." It was founded in 1195 by the priest Eisai, who studied Buddhism in China and returned to Japan with the Rinzai sect of Zen and... tea. It is still a working temple, but contains personal items that belonged to Eisai, as well as the calligrapher and artist Sengai who also was an abbot at the temple. The area has been designated a National Historical Site.

Tocho means "east, long" and this temple was thus named by its founder Kobo Daishi in 806, hoping that it would help his Shingon sect of Buddhism last a long time here in the East. It is the oldest Shingon Temple in Japan, and contains the largest "sitting Buddha" statue made of wood in Japan (this is very new... it was completed in 1992). There is also a statue of a "Thousand handed godess of mercy," which is designated an Important Cultural Property, but it is not usually on exhibit. The temple is also the gravesite of several of the early Kuroda lords, who ruled the area in the 1600s.

Jotenji Temple was founded in 1242 by Shoichi Kokushi, a priest of the Rinzai sect of Buddhism upon his return from China. With him was a Fukuoka merchant's son named Yazaemon Mitsuda, who is said to have brought back valuable skills in making buckwheat noodles, steamed buns, pottery and medicine. Mitsuda is also the father of Hakata-ori, a weaving technique derived from the skills he learned while abroad. His tomb is located in the temple grounds. In 1975, a sunken ship found off the coast of Korea contained Chinese goods headed for Tofukuji (Kyoto), Jotenji and Hakozaki Shrine, which proved that during the 13th century, Japanese temples and shrines were actively involved in foreign trade.

A museum of life in Hakata During the Meiji and Taisho Eras (1868-1926), with a residence that belonged to a Hakata-ori merchant which was taken down and reconstructed onsite, and is now a designated cultural property. There are also exhibits on the unique format of the towns, folk crafts and festivals, and demonstrations of Hakata-ori (weaving).

The Kushida Shrine is said to have been built in 757 for the citizens of Hakata. It was an important liaison for trade with China, as shown by the discovery of the sunken ship in 1975 (see Jotenji). Today the shrine is still actively involved in the three major festivals of Fukuoka-the Hakata Dontaku in May, the Gion Yamakasa Festival in July, and the Hakata Okunchi in October. Within the grounds, there is a Historical Museum of Hakata and visitors can see displays on the Yamakasa Festival including an actual float that is used each year.

Also known as Maizuru Castle, the feudal lord Nagamasa Kuroda began building this castle in 1601, and spent 7 years building 47 turrets and platforms of various sizes. It may or may not have had a main tower at one point, but if it had, it was dismantled before 1646. This is assumed because although there is a foundation in the ruins that looks as if it could have been from a tower, a painting dated from 1646 shows the castle without a tower. It is speculated that the lack of a tower placated the Tokugawa Shogunate, and it was left alone until the Kuroda family left the castle in 1871. Unfortunately, not much of the castle remains today due to urban development: the few towers and gate are now designated a National Historical Monument. It and the adjoining Maizuru Park are still a pleasant park to visit, especially in spring when the cherry blossoms are in full bloom.

Yatai are mobile stalls or carts that traditionally serve Japanese "fast food" such as yakitori (grilled chicken on skewers), oden (vegetables, fish cakes, etc. slow cooked in a tasty broth) and ramen noodles, as well as alcohol. They first appeared in the 18th century, during the Edo Period, and flourished in post-war Japan. They can still be seen in many Japanese cities, but not in the scale of Fukuoka, where the yatai owners formed an association and appealed to the local government for bylaws preserving their business. Today it is a big part of Fukuoka's night life, where almost 200 yatais open for business each night along the Naka River and the streets in the Nakasu and Tenjin districts. They are popular with tourists and locals alike, as a place for a snack, late dinner or a few beers. Nowadays there are even yatai that serve pizza.

A beautiful Japanese garden has been created on the property of a villa that once belonged to a Meiji-era merchant, Chikamasa Shimozawa. Surrounded by a traditional Hakata-style stone wall is the lush, green gardens with a circular trail and a teahouse. Called the Rakusui-an, this teahouse is a replica of one that belonged to Chikamasa. When not in use for a private function, visitors can order and enjoy a cup of matcha here.

This magnificient structure was built in 1909 by architects Kingo Tatsuno and Yasushi Kataoka (Tatsuno designed the Tokyo Station building), and housed the Fukuoka branch of Nippon Life Insurance Company until 1966. It was designated an Important Cultural Property in 1972, and in the same year was converted into a historical archives center by the city of Fukuoka. Today it is open to the public as a Cultural Center and contains a small Literary Museum, meeting and exhibit spaces, and a charming coffee shop that is open until 8pm.

This impressive classical theater was opened in 1999 as part of the mammoth commercial complex Hakata Riverain, above the Nakasu-Kawabata Subway Station. It has approximately 1,500 seats, which are staggered on three floors so that every seat has an excellent view of the stage. The theater hosts kabuki, opera, musicals and the popular all-female "Takarazuka Revue"

Historically, Hakata/Fukuoka has been active in trade with the rest of Asia, and today it is still a port of entry for many Asian tourists. So it is fitting that Fukuoka has the first museum in the world that specializes in contemporary Asian art. Located in Hakata Riverain, the Asian Art Museum has over 1,700 pieces of folk, ethnic and popular art, collected from countries as far as Pakistan, Mongolia and Indonesia. "Modern" is defined as the period following that country's exposure to western modern art and culture, so that the pieces reflect the influence of both cultures on the artist's creativity. The museum also has a Residence Program whereby foreign artists, researchers and curators are invited to stay and work for three months.

Dazaifu, just outside of Fukuoka City, was the administrative center for the area between the 8th and 12th centuries. The famous Tenmangu is a shrine built over the grave of and dedicated to the brilliant scholar Sugawara no Michizane, who was framed by rivals and exiled from the court in Kyoto. Legend has it that when Michizane was sentenced to exile, his favorite plum tree uprooted itself and flew from Kyoto to Dazaifu overnight-and this is the tree with the white blossoms that still stands in front of the main shrine entrance. Today Michizane is worshipped as Tenman-Tenjin, the god of learning, and there are Tenmangu Shrines all over the country (there's even one in Hawaii). Each winter, students and parents flock to the shrine to pray for good results on their exams. The shrine hosts numerous festivals and is itself designated a National Treasure.