Japan Rail Pass NowAustralia's No.1 Choice
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Japan Rail Pass NowAustralia's No.1 Choice
Hakata is the busiest station in Kyushu and the southern end of the main Shinkansen spine from Tokyo. It is also, by some distance, the most conveniently placed major station in Japan: Fukuoka Airport is five minutes away by subway, which is almost unheard of for a city of this size.
A note on the name. The city is Fukuoka, the station is Hakata. Hakata is the old name for the merchant district on this side of the river and the station kept it. Flights say Fukuoka, trains say Hakata, and they are the same place.
Fukuoka Airport is two subway stops from Hakata Station, about five minutes, for a couple of hundred yen. If you are flying in or out of Kyushu this makes Hakata an unusually painless place to start or finish a trip.
The subway is not covered by a rail pass, but at that price it hardly matters.
Your Japan Rail Pass covers both Shinkansen lines and the JR limited expresses across Kyushu, which opens up Nagasaki, the onsen at Beppu and Yufuin, and the ride down to Kagoshima.
It does not cover the Fukuoka subway or the city buses. Worth knowing: the Mizuho services on the Kyushu line are the fastest and need a supplement on a standard pass, while the Sakura services are included and only a little slower.
If you are spending your whole trip in Kyushu rather than crossing the country, there are regional passes that may work out better than a national one. It is worth doing the sums rather than assuming.
Hakata is a large station built around a shopping complex, with the Shinkansen on the western side behind their own gates and the conventional lines and subway below. The Hakata Exit faces the old town and the Chikushi Exit faces the Shinkansen side.
Changing between the Sanyo and Kyushu Shinkansen is simple, as they share the same platform area. Allow ten minutes and you will be comfortable.
Hakata ramen is the local export, tonkotsu broth with thin straight noodles, and the station has an entire floor of ramen shops. If you only eat one thing here, make it that.
The Deitos complex inside the station has a strong ekiben selection, including mentaiko, the spiced cod roe that Fukuoka is known for. In the evening the yatai, open air food stalls, set up along the river near Nakasu, about ten minutes away by subway.
If you are booking individual journeys rather than using a pass, these are the routes that start here.
And the longer route guides, with times, seat tips and what to see when you arrive:
Worth a night at least. The food is among the best in Japan, the yatai stalls are a genuine experience, and it is the natural base for exploring Kyushu.
Around five hours on the fastest services. Most people fly that leg or break the journey at Hiroshima or Osaka.
Yes. The route combines a Shinkansen and a limited express, takes around ninety minutes to two hours depending on connections, and is covered by a rail pass.
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