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Options for live entertainment in Fukuoka are hardly lacking. Major acts do not normally come to Japan without visiting the largest city in the south, and there are several venues that can accommodate thousands of frenetic fans: Fukuoka Dome, Fukuoka Sun Palace and the Kokusai (International) Center. For smaller venues, try Zepp Fukuoka or Drum Logos. There are also a number of live houses throughout the city, including the up-market Blue Note Fukuoka. If your tastes are more refined, try checking the schedule for the Fukuoka Symphony Hall in the ACROS Fukuoka Building. Concerts by the Kyushu Symphony Orchestra are not to be missed!
For theatre, visit the recently built Hakataza, a luxurious building that hosts only the best in Noh, Kabuki and other Japanese drama. There is also a Noh theatre in Ohori Park, which regularly showcases excellent Japanese drama for free! Check the monthly Rainbow Plaza newsletter for times and dates, not only for this but really any major event going on in the city.
Sports entertainment is also big in Fukuoka, especially after the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks won the Japan Series in 1999. Baseball games at the awesome Fukuoka Dome are something that sports fans certainly do not want to miss. The other professional team in the city is Avispa Fukuoka, a J-league soccer team which competes at the stadium in Higashi-hirao Park. Besides regular games for these two teams, there is a national sumo tournament, called the Kyushu Basho, held every November at the Kokusai Center. Good tickets are tough to get unless you have some contacts in high places and plenty of money to spend.
Outdoor activities in Fukuoka are almost too many to name. Water lovers will revel in the number of great beaches along the jagged coastline. Toward the south-west, there are a handful that would basically be deserted were it not for surfers--out in the water even in the winter-who have known the peace of these places for years. Some of the beaches have areas for water-skiing, scuba diving and other related activities.
If salt and sand are not to your liking, then you could escape to the elevations that overlook Fukuoka. Aburayama Citizens’ Forest is perhaps the most famous location in this area, though other surrounding ridges and mountains not far from the city provide excellent opportunities for hiking and solace.
If you are looking for something appropriate for children, then the Uminonakamichi Seaside Park is highly recommended. You may even want to include the nearby Marine World on your itinerary. Another small theme park, Kashii-kaen, is located in the east-end of the city, in Higashi-ku. For indoor entertainment zones, drop into Wonder Park in Hawks Town, where you could spend hours bowling, singing karaoke, playing video games or trying your hand at pool.
If you ask Fukuokans where you can find entertainment (tanoshimi), a large majority of them are likely to answer with one name and a suspect smile: Nakasu. This is the nationally famous nightlife district of the city, where the entertainment can best be termed "adult". But while decadence may breed in the form of smoke-filled lounges and pricey massage parlors, there are also many decent cabarets, bars and sophisticated restaurants to serve residents and visitors alike in this area.
Other nightlife areas of note in the city are Oyafuko-dori and Nishi-dori. Anmitsu Hime puts on an unforgettable transvestite show, while Nishi-dori caters to the upmarket evening crowd. This street and the entire Daimyo area to the west of it are lined with fashion outlets, attractive bars and eateries, and other interesting shops.
Day and night, indoors and out, you are assured of an entertaining time in Fukuoka.
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