Hakata Old Town Walking Tour: Fukuoka's Shrines & Tea Culture

Three and a half hours tracing Hakata's shrines, temples, tea traditions and local life

A guided walking tour of Hakata's historic district in Fukuoka, led in English, that moves through revered shrines and temples, stops at a 300-year-old tea leaf shop for kabusecha and confectionery, and ends at Kushida Shrine. The tour covers roughly 3 kilometers on foot and includes admission fees and refreshments at the tea shop. Participants must be able to walk the full route and arrive on time. The itinerary may shift if shrine or temple access is restricted on the day.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Hakata's history and culture

• Stroll through Hakata Old Town
• Visit Sennen-no-Mon gate
• See Joten-ji Temple
• Explore Tocho-ji Temple grounds
• View Fukuoka Daibutsu statue
• Experience The Hell and Pure Land Tour
• Visit Daishi-do hall and pagoda
• See Kuroda clan graveyard
• Tour Rokkaku-do hall and main hall exterior
• Enjoy tea and confectionery at Mitsuyasu Seikaen Tea Leaf Shop
• Explore Hakatamachiya Furusatokan exhibits
• Visit Kushida Shrine

The experience

The walk starts in Hakata Old Town at Sennen-no-Mon, a welcome gate marking the entry to an area dense with historical sites. From there, the route moves through Joten-ji Temple, birthplace of Hakata Gion Yamakasa, the city's iconic summer festival. The guide explains how Hakata's position as a trade hub with the Asian Continent shaped its distinct blend of customs and food culture, a thread that runs through each stop.

At Tocho-ji Temple, you'll see the five-story pagoda that locals have adopted as a symbol of modern Hakata, and the Fukuoka Daibutsu: a wooden seated Buddha statue 10.8 meters tall carved from cypress wood. The temple grounds also hold the Hell and Pure Land Tour, a symbolic passage through the pedestal of the Buddha statue meant to represent letting go of worries. After roughly 20 to 40 minutes here, depending on the year and group pace, the tour moves to Mitsuyasu Seikaen, a tea shop that has operated for 300 years. You'll taste kabusecha, a low-bitterness green tea from Yame, a tea-producing region in Fukuoka, paired with local Japanese confectionery.

The next stop is Hakatamachiya Furusatokan, a replica of a traditional Hakata townhouse where exhibits show annual festivals, local handicrafts and the everyday life of old Fukuoka. The tour ends at Kushida Shrine, where kazariyama floats are displayed year-round and where locals call "Okushida-san" their tutelary shrine. If any shrine or temple is closed on the day, the guide will lead the group to an alternative site (Waka Hachimangu Shrine, Myoraku-ji Temple, Engaku-ji Temple or Ryugu-ji Temple), and no refund is issued for the change.

What’s included

• English-speaking guide throughout the walk.
• admission to all shrines and temples.
• kabusecha tea and local Japanese confectionery at Mitsuyasu Seikaen Tea Leaf Shop.
• entry to Hakatamachiya Furusatokan traditional townhouse museum.

Before you book

Days and timesMonday, Thursday and SaturdayDeparts at 12:00

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Child (6 to 11 years) · Infant (under 6): free

GroupUp to 10

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

ConfirmationConfirmation within 48 h

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical effortStroller-friendlyPublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by JTB Global Marketing & Travel Inc.

Is this one for you?This is a shared guided walking tour, so you move at the group's pace and rely on the guide's knowledge of Hakata's history and culture. It suits travelers who want to understand the connections between Hakata's trade heritage, its festivals, and its daily life, and who are comfortable walking 3 kilometers on city streets and temple grounds.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (6 to 11 years); Infant (under 6): free.

How long is the walk and what kind of shoes should I wear?

The tour covers roughly 3 kilometers on foot over 3.5 hours, so wear comfortable walking shoes and clothes easy to move in. The pace depends on group fitness and road conditions, so arrival times at each location may shift.

What is kabusecha and will I have time to sit and drink it?

Kabusecha is a shade-grown green tea from Yame with little bitterness and rich umami flavor. At Mitsuyasu Seikaen Tea Leaf Shop, you'll have a brief rest to savor it with local Japanese confectionery inside the shop's quaint interior.

What is Kushida Shrine and why does it matter to Hakata?

Kushida Shrine is Hakata's oldest tutelary shrine and the place where the Hakata Gion Yamakasa festival is offered each summer. Kazariyama floats are displayed there year-round, and locals affectionately call it "Okushida-san."

What happens if a shrine or temple is closed when we arrive?

If entry is not possible due to shrine or temple circumstances, the guide will take the group to an alternative destination (Waka Hachimangu Shrine, Myoraku-ji Temple, Engaku-ji Temple or Ryugu-ji Temple), notified on the day. No refund is issued for this change.

Can I join the tour partway through or arrive late?

No. Participants must join at the start and arrive on time. Late arrivals will have their reservations canceled. The tour cannot accommodate people joining partway through.