Tim and I left the freezing Sapporo for Fukuoka in February. The moment we stepped out of the airport and into the busy city streets, we were greeted with sunny skies and rustling trees. So different from the crunchy snow and icy streets of Sapporo. It was amazing after being in 0°C weather for so long.
Fukuoka is a bustling city filled with so many sights to see and things to do. But one of my most favorite moments while there was slowing down and spending the day wandering around Ohori Park.
Table of Contents
About Ohori Park
Ohori Park is just a short trip from downtown Fukuoka (a 3-minute subway ride or a 7-minute bus ride from Tenjin Station). It’s a beautiful park that features a pond at the center, and three islands in the middle of the pond. Boats shaped like swans drift around the water.
Nearby, there’s a traditional Japanese garden, the Fukuoka Art Museum, and the Fukuoka Castle Ruins.
It’s the perfect place to escape from the bustle of the city.
Exploring Ohori Park
Walk (or Jog, or Bike) the Path
There’s a path that circles the perimeter of the pond in Ohori Park, and it has different sections: one for walking, another for jogging, and the last for biking.
Tim and I walked the brick walking section, hand in hand, smiling at old ladies with their well-groomed little poodles and parents with their little kids.
Groups of runners wearing the PE uniform from the local high school would occasionally pass us by as they ran the rubber path.
On the asphalt path, there’s plenty of people on bikes. Some were in athletic wear getting a workout in, and some were in business attire biking home from work.
There’s benches all around the path where you can take a moment and admire the view of the pond.
Get On the Water
There’s a boathouse in the northern side of the park where you can rent row boats and swan boats to take around the pond.
From our spot on a bench, we took in the lovely view of the swan boats gliding around the water.
It was really romantic to see couples pedaling their boats around the water, with the sun glistening on the waves making it sparkle like crystals.
Grab a Snack
Next to the boathouse is a hotdog truck where the elderly owner was selling hotdogs from the back of his van. A bunch of people were lined up, so we did as well.
You can also stop by cafes to have a cup of coffee or matcha with views of the pond.
We really wanted to visit this cafe called &LOCALS. They serve tea and local food, and we were planning to try their matcha and seasonal sweets. But they were closing when we got there so we’re penciling that in for another time.
Cross the Bridge(s)
The path around the pond is about 2km long – around 1 mile – so it doesn’t take long to finish.
When we were done with the loop, we decided to walk the small islands in the middle of the pond.
We crossed Kangetsu Bridge and headed for the Ukimi Pavilion.
The vibrant red wood of the pavilion and its green roof makes it a popular spot in Ohori Park.
We met a nice couple who took a quick photo for us, but we weren’t able to stay long at the pavilion since other people were lining up to take pictures there as well.
We moved on, meandering through the dirt path through the island, passing by groups of friends having picnics and enjoying the sunny day. We were really surprised when we saw a group of girls crocheting together under the shade of some trees.
As we were crossing Shogetsu Bridge to the next island, we heard the sounds of a trumpet being played. A man was seated at a park bench, practicing his trumpet to an audience of birds.
We took a seat at a nearby bench to soak in the surroundings. The sound of the leaves of the trees rustling above us, the feel of the sun in our face, the melody of the trumpet nearby, and beautiful view of the park around us.
Crossing Chamura Bridge to the next island, we were treated to the view of big birds perched on the branches of a tree on a small island.
Catch the Sunset
As the day was ending, we made our way to a bench to soak up the last few rays of sun. We sat there, watching ducks bobbing past us, creating stories about the people passing by.
We were part of the many watching as the world turned golden before the sun set.
Beyond the Park
Immerse in Culture and Art
On the south side of the park you’ll find Ohori Park Japanese Garden where you can relax and explore a traditional Japanese garden with a tea house inside.
Next to that is the Fukuoka Art Museum that has a collection of sculptures as well as contemporary art and rotating exhibitions.
Entrance to the Japanese garden and art museum have fees.
See the Ruins
Fukuoka Castle Ruins stand next to Ohori Park, and the park’s pond was actually initially part of the Fukuoka Castle moat.
We visited the ruins on a different day. We enjoyed walking along the tree covered road leading up to the ruins, and we were even in time to see some plum blossoms blooming around the ruins.
The area around the castle is pretty expansive so you can quite some time walking around and discovering different turrets and parts of the ruins.
We climbed up massive steps around the castle, and when we got to the top, we watched a group of friends playing soccer in the field below.
Discover Local Neighborhoods
Take some time to explore the neighborhoods around Ohori Park. It makes for a very peaceful day walking around the city, popping in cute little shops, having a bite at tucked away eateries, mingling with locals and catching glimpses of their daily lives.
There’s this shopping arcade in Tojinmachi, only a 5 minute walk from Ohori Park. There’s nothing particularly special about it. It has the same small grocery stores and little shops and stalls as other places in Japan.
But we loved stopping outside the flower shop to admire the flowers, going inside a 300 year old confectionary shop, and queuing up at a food stall for a steamed bun.
And of course, because we love food so very much, Tim and I tried two different restaurants in this shopping street. On two different days, I swear!
We followed a group of friends through a side alley and into an Okonomiyaki restaurant called Umakaya. It’s got a window where you can order food to go, but we chose to sit inside. We planned to share an appetizer and a main dish (and get dessert after), so we got an order of okonomiyaki and takoyaki. We did not end up getting dessert because the portions were so huge. The takoyaki – not an appetizer size at all. And the okonomiyaki came with rice and soup!
Another stop in our food adventure is Kataru, a restaurant that sells set meals. We had the best aji fry– fried horse mackerel – that we’ve ever tasted.
Conclusion
Ohori Park is the place that made me fall in love with Fukuoka. It was just so easy for me to romanticize my life there. I loved watching parents walking with their kids, friends riding bikes along the asphalt path around the park, and couples on benches watching the sun set.
It’s such a great place to unwind and be in the moment.
So when you’re in Fukuoka and find yourself craving some time to relax and slow down, come visit Ohori Park.
What are your favorite ways to embrace slow travel? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Planning your next trip but don’t know where to start?
Join our newsletter to get our free Slow Travel Toolkit!
It includes our essential pre-departure checklist, a budget guide and tracker, and the packing list we used for 15 months of travel.
Leave a Reply