City Asia
Fukuoka
Fukuoka is a big city in Japan, on the island of Kyushu. It has a port, beaches and a very tall tower.
Fukuoka is the largest city on Kyushu, one of Japan's main islands. Universalis says it was formed in 1889 when two towns joined: the castle town of Fukuoka and the merchants' town of Hakata. Japan's 2025 census counted 1,663,892 people in the city.
Fukuoka, capital of Fukuoka Prefecture and the largest city on Kyushu (Universalis), merged a castle town and the merchant town of Hakata in 1889. Provisional 2025 census (1 October 2025): 1,663,892, Japan's sixth-largest city.
Photo: そらみみ, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Discover Fukuoka
Fukuoka is a big city in Japan. It is on Kyushu, a large island in the southwest of Japan.
More people live in Fukuoka than in any other city on Kyushu.
Fukuoka is the largest city on the island of Kyushu, in the northwest of the island, and the capital of Fukuoka Prefecture. Universalis says it grew fast in the 2000s and 2010s, passing Kyoto and then Kobe in population.
Japan's census of 1 October 2025 (provisional results) counted 1,663,892 people in Fukuoka, the sixth-largest city in Japan. The city is divided into seven wards.
Universalis: the largest city on Kyushu, in its northwest, in the old province of Chikuzen; capital of the prefecture of the same name; in the 2010s it overtook Kyoto and then Kobe in population; seven wards (Higashi, Hakata, Chūō, Minami, Jōnan, Sawara, Nishi).
Censuses via City Population (Fukuoka City, 1 October): 1,284,836 (1995), 1,401,279 (2005), 1,538,681 (2015), 1,612,392 (2020), 1,663,892 (2025, provisional); rank 6 in Japan in 2025.
- Country
- Japan (capital of Fukuoka Prefecture)
- People in Fukuoka (census, 1 October 2025, provisional)
- 1,663,892
- Rank
- Japan's sixth-largest city in the 2025 census
- Wards
- seven: Higashi, Hakata, Chūō, Minami, Jōnan, Sawara and Nishi (Universalis)
A view from the tower
This picture was taken from the top of a tall tower. You can see a sandy beach, a long road on stilts, tall buildings and the blue sea.
This photo was taken from Fukuoka Tower on 18 June 2017, looking toward Hakata Port. A curving sandy beach and calm blue water lie on the left, and a raised highway runs between the trees and the buildings. Tall buildings and the city stretch away to hills on the horizon.
Wikidata describes Fukuoka Tower as a broadcasting and observation tower 234 meters tall.
Commons: '福岡タワーより望む博多港方面' (toward Hakata Port, seen from Fukuoka Tower), own work by そらみみ (Soramimi), CC BY-SA 4.0, 18 June 2017; categories: Views from Fukuoka Tower, Port of Hakata, Cityscapes of Fukuoka.
Wikidata: Fukuoka Tower (Q847033), broadcasting and observation tower, height 234 m, 4.67 km W of the city point; Port of Hakata (Q11284640) 1.71 km NNW.
- Photo
- toward Hakata Port from Fukuoka Tower, 18 June 2017
- Fukuoka Tower
- a broadcasting and observation tower, 234 m tall (Wikidata)
- Port of Hakata
- Fukuoka's port, about 1.7 km from the city's Wikidata point (Wikidata)
Two towns that became one
Long ago there were two towns here. One had a castle, and the other was a town of shopkeepers and craftspeople. In 1889 they joined to make one city.
Universalis says that until the year 663 Fukuoka was a regional seat of Japan's imperial government, which received envoys from abroad, including from China and Korea. The seat later moved to Dazaifu, about 15 kilometers to the south.
Building of Fukuoka's castle began in 1601, and a castle town grew around it. To the east lay Hakata, a town of merchants and craftspeople. In 1889 the two merged into one city.
Universalis: until 663 the regional seat of the imperial government was here, before moving to Dazaifu, some 15 km south; it supervised the administration of Tsukushi (Kyushu) and received foreign embassies, including from China and Korea. Construction of the castle began in 1601, and Fukuoka took the typical form of a jōkamachi, a 'town below the castle'. The city was formed in 1889 by merging the castle town of Fukuoka (west) and the merchants' and artisans' town of Hakata (east). The two identities live on: the main station is called Hakata Station, and the local dialect is 'Hakata-ben'.
- Until 663
- a regional seat of the imperial government, later moved to Dazaifu (Universalis)
- 1601
- building of the castle began (Universalis)
- 1889
- the castle town of Fukuoka and the merchants' town of Hakata merged (Universalis)
Hakata Station and the port
Trains and subway trains stop at Hakata Station, Fukuoka's main station. Ships come and go from the port.
Fukuoka's main station is called Hakata Station, after the old merchants' town, Universalis says. Wikidata describes it as both a railway station and a metro station.
Universalis also calls Fukuoka a crossroads between Japan, the nearby Korean Peninsula, mainland China and Taiwan, and the city has its own port, the Port of Hakata.
Universalis: the central station of Fukuoka is called 'Hakata Station'; internationally, Fukuoka lies at a crossroads between Japan, the nearby Korean Peninsula, mainland China and Taiwan.
Wikidata (from the city point Q26600): Hakata Station (Q800875), 'railway station and metro station', 1.76 km E; Port of Hakata (Q11284640) 1.71 km NNW.
- Main station
- Hakata Station, a railway and metro station (Universalis, Wikidata)
- Port of Hakata
- a port in Japan (Wikidata)
- A crossroads
- between Japan, the nearby Korean Peninsula, mainland China and Taiwan (Universalis)
Hot, rainy summers and mild winters
Fukuoka has hot, wet summers and cool winters. July is the rainiest month.
The Japan Meteorological Agency's averages for Fukuoka for 1991 to 2020 show hot summers: the average daily high reaches 32.5 °C in August. In January it is 10.2 °C, and the average low is 3.9 °C.
About 1,687 millimeters of rain fall in a year. June, July and August are the wettest months, and July tops them all with 299.1 millimeters. December is the driest, with 67.5 millimeters.
Japan Meteorological Agency normals, Fukuoka station (block 47807), 1991–2020 (30 years for every element): mean daily maximum 10.2 °C (January) to 32.5 °C (August); mean daily minimum 3.9 °C (January) to 25.4 °C (August); annual mean 17.3 °C. Precipitation 1,686.9 mm a year; July (299.1 mm) is the wettest month, then June (249.6 mm) and August (210.0 mm); December (67.5 mm) is the driest. Sunshine 1,889.4 hours a year.
- Average daily highs (JMA, Fukuoka, 1991–2020)
- 10.2 °C (January) to 32.5 °C (August)
- Average daily lows (same table)
- 3.9 °C (January) to 25.4 °C (August)
- Rain in a year
- 1,686.9 mm
Shopping streets and a big university
Fukuoka has many shopping centers and shopping streets, and a big university. People there speak their own way, called Hakata-ben.
Universalis says the old castle-town side of Fukuoka, sometimes called Tenjin, is now home to many shopping centers and the city's main shopping streets. The local way of speaking, Hakata-ben, keeps the old town's name alive.
Students come to Kyushu University, a public university founded in 1903. Fukuoka holds about a third of all the businesses and jobs in its prefecture.
Universalis: the historic castle-town part of Fukuoka, sometimes called Tenjin, now hosts many shopping centers and the main shopping streets of the agglomeration; the local dialect 'Hakata-ben' reflects lasting identities; Kyushu University, a public institution founded in 1903, draws some of the island's top students; the city concentrates 1.4% of Japan's businesses and 1.5% of its jobs, and about a third of the prefecture's.
Wikidata: Ōhori Park (Q846710), a park in Chūō ward, 2.41 km WSW of the city point; Fukuoka Castle (Q1143944) 1.84 km WSW.
- Tenjin
- the old castle-town side, now home to many shopping centers and the main shopping streets (Universalis)
- Kyushu University
- a public university founded in 1903 (Universalis)
- Businesses
- about a third of Fukuoka Prefecture's businesses and jobs (Universalis)
Fukuoka on the map
Find Japan on the globe. Kyushu is one of its big islands, in the southwest, and Fukuoka is in the island's northwest.
Fukuoka lies at about 33.6° north and 130.4° east, in the northwest of the island of Kyushu.
Measured from the city's center point on Wikidata, the Port of Hakata is about 1.7 kilometers north-northwest, Hakata Station about 1.8 kilometers east, Fukuoka Castle about 1.8 kilometers west-southwest, Ōhori Park about 2.4 kilometers west-southwest and Fukuoka Tower about 4.7 kilometers west.
Fukuoka lies at about 33.59° N and 130.40° E (Wikidata point Q26600; the Natural Earth/sheet point is 0.96 km NE of it). From the Wikidata point: Port of Hakata (Q11284640) 1.71 km NNW; Hakata Station (Q800875) 1.76 km E; Fukuoka Castle (Q1143944) 1.84 km WSW; Ōhori Park (Q846710) 2.41 km WSW; Fukuoka Tower (Q847033) 4.67 km W. Universalis: Dazaifu lies some 15 km south; Kitakyushu about 50 km away.
- Latitude
- about 33.6° north
- Longitude
- about 130.4° east
- Island
- the northwest of Kyushu (Universalis)
Amazing facts
-
Fukuoka's main train station is named after a different old town: Hakata!
Universalis says Fukuoka's central station is called Hakata Station, after the old merchants' town that merged with Fukuoka in 1889.
Universalis: the central station of Fukuoka is called 'Hakata Station', a sign that the old identities outlived the 1889 merger.
-
Fukuoka Tower is 234 meters tall, taller than 70 house floors stacked on top of each other!
Wikidata gives Fukuoka Tower a height of 234 meters, about as tall as 78 three-meter-high house floors stacked up.
Wikidata: Fukuoka Tower, a broadcasting and observation tower, height 234 m (234 / 3 m = 78 stories).
-
In Fukuoka, people speak in their own special way, called Hakata-ben.
The local dialect of Fukuoka is called Hakata-ben, Universalis says.
Universalis: the local dialect, 'Hakata-ben', reflects the persistence of identities beyond administrative mergers.
-
Fukuoka gets more rain in July than in any other month.
In the Japan Meteorological Agency's averages, July brings Fukuoka 299.1 millimeters of rain, more than four times December's 67.5 millimeters.
JMA normals for Fukuoka (1991–2020): July 299.1 mm, December 67.5 mm, a ratio of about 4.4.
Words to know
- prefecture
- one of the large areas that Japan is divided into, a bit like a state
- ward
- one of the parts a big city is divided into
- castle town
- a town that grew up around a castle
- merchant
- a person who buys and sells goods
- dialect
- a way of speaking a language that belongs to one place
- census
- an official count of all the people in a country
Discovery challenge
-
Fukuoka is on which Japanese island?
Fukuoka is the largest city on which of Japan's islands?
Universalis calls Fukuoka the largest city of which Japanese island?
- Kyushu
- Hokkaido
- Okinawa
Show the answer
Kyushu
Kyushu!
Kyushu.
Kyushu.
-
What was the name of the merchants' town that joined Fukuoka?
In 1889 the castle town of Fukuoka merged with which merchants' town?
Which merchants' and artisans' town merged with Fukuoka in 1889?
- Hakata
- Kobe
- Nara
Show the answer
Hakata
Hakata!
Hakata.
Hakata.
-
In which year did the two towns join to make Fukuoka?
In which year did Fukuoka and Hakata merge into one city?
According to Universalis, in which year was Fukuoka formed by merging two towns?
- 1889
- 1989
- 1789
Show the answer
1889
1889!
1889.
1889.
-
How tall is Fukuoka Tower?
How tall is Fukuoka Tower, according to Wikidata?
Wikidata gives which height for Fukuoka Tower?
- 234 meters
- 34 meters
- 2,340 meters
Show the answer
234 meters
234 meters!
234 meters.
234 m.
-
Which month is the rainiest in Fukuoka?
In the Japan Meteorological Agency's averages, which month gets the most rain in Fukuoka?
JMA normals for Fukuoka (1991–2020): which month has the highest precipitation, 299.1 mm?
- July
- December
- March
Show the answer
July
July!
July.
July (299.1 mm).
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For parents & teachers
What children will learn
- Locate Fukuoka in the northwest of Kyushu, Japan.
- Explain how two towns can merge into one city and still keep their old names alive.
- Describe why a port city close to other countries can become a crossroads.
- Read a climate table with a rainy early summer.
Recommended ages: 3 to 17 · About 15 minutes
Talk about it
- Why do you think a station kept the name of an old town?
- What is a dialect, and do people near you speak in a special way?
- How might living close to other countries change a city?
Try at home or in class
- Merge map: draw two small towns side by side, one with a castle, one with shops, then join them with one city line.
- Rain bars: make a bar chart of Fukuoka's monthly rain and find the three wettest months.
- Height compare: Fukuoka Tower is 234 m. If one floor of a house is 3 m, how many floors tall is the tower?
Key vocabulary: prefecture, ward, castle town, merchant, dialect, census
Where these facts come from
- Wikidata , Wikimedia Foundation (CC0 1.0)
- Natural Earth vector data , Natural Earth (NACIS) (Public domain)
- Fukuoka , Encyclopædia Universalis
- Japan: Prefectures and Major Cities , City Population (Thomas Brinkhoff), from the Statistics Bureau of Japan
- Climate normals (1991–2020): Fukuoka , Japan Meteorological Agency
- File:Hakata Port from Fukuoka Tower.jpg (Soramimi, June 2017) , Wikimedia Commons
- Wikimedia Commons , Wikimedia Foundation (Per file (public domain, CC0, CC BY or CC BY-SA); see each media record)
Checked, not yet human-reviewed. Last updated November 1, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.