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Once you find yourself in Fukuoka Prefecture, you are almost certain to want to explore not only the urban zones but also the surrounding areas where the natural beauty of Kyushu Island abounds. There are numerous day trips and excursions, but be sure to make your first journey an orientation tour of Kyushu's most fascinating city.
Fukuoka City itself is not overly large. With a bicycle you could travel from one side of the city to the other in about 30 minutes. Neither is the local subway system all that complex. There are two main lines, one being the Kaizuka Line which runs between Nakasu-kawabata and Kaizuka, the other, the Fukuoka Airport Line, which runs from the airport through Nakasu-kawabata and then south to Meinohama.
There are numerous other private lines branching off from stations along this system. Hakata is Fukuoka's (and Kyushu's) main station, where the bullet train stops in principle (there is actually an obscure station a little farther south where it "parks" and lets off some passengers as well). From Hakata, there is also the Kagoshima Line, which runs northward along the industrialized coast toward Kitakyushu City, or southward toward Kagoshima, branching off toward Nagasaki and other major destinations. Besides this line, which will link you to most other lines and places in Kyushu, there is the shorter, lesser used Sasaguri Line. Another station of note is Nishitetsu Fukuoka, located in Tenjin, in the Solaria Building. This terminal station is not connected to the subway, so you will have to change stations. The Omuta Line, which leaves this station, runs south toward Dazaifu, Yanagawa, and Kurume, another fairly large regional station. A final station worth mentioning is Meinohama, where the municipal subway line ends and where the Chikuhi Line takes passengers down the southwestern coastline toward Karatsu.
These stations and lines make Fukuoka the largest transportation hub of Kyushu. If you are in Fukuoka City with some extra time and a desire to see the rest of southern Japan, there are a number of destinations that you not so much "could" visit as "should" visit.
On the Omuta Line from Nishitetsu Fukuoka Station, you can reach the historical and culturally rich town of Dazaifu (do not forget to transfer at Futsukaichi). Here, there are numerous ancient structures and interesting landmarks, including the famous Daizaifu Tenmangu Shrine and its adjoining plum tree grove. Farther south, about 45 minutes from Fukuoka Station, lies Yanagawa, the Venice of the East. Rural towns are rarely more attractive than this, and a boat tour of the city is an ideal way to observe the surrounding beauty.
From Meinohama Station traveling south-west, you will eventually reach the coastal castle city of Karatsu in neighboring Saga Prefecture, which is certainly a recommended day trip. If touring by car, follow route 202 south as you wind along the coastline, past attractive beaches and charming seaside towns. From Karatsu, you can continue south toward Yobuko, a small port city with restaurants and squid that people travel hours to try.
If you are on your way to hot-spring resorts, Hakata Station is generally where you need to start. The Kagoshima Line running north will route you through Kitakyushu and take you down the eastern coast of Kyushu toward Oita Prefectures Beppu, perhaps the most famous hot-spring city in Japan. The Kagoshima Line that runs south could take you through Kurume toward the small hot-spring town of Yufuin, or farther south into Kumamoto Prefecture, where Mount Aso and Kurokawa wait.
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