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Time to Have Fun in Fukuoka City

Experience Japanese festivals and international flavors

Hakatamatsubayashi. Photograph provided by Fukuoka City

Festivals and food are two things Fukuoka city does really, really well. What is more, the people are welcoming, and there is a buzz of youthful inspiration that accentuates the city's prized history. A history that can be seen today, celebrated and renewed over hundreds of years through cultural events like the Hakata Dontaku, Hakata Gion Yamakasa and Tamaseseri festivals.

It is the same thing with local food culture, there is always something to look forward to. More recently, Fukuoka city has been celebrating a collection of tantalizing: vegan, vegetarian and halal-friendly restaurants and eateries, with menus offering everything from fine sushi to Spanish tapas. With legendary festivals and a dynamic food culture which honors past traditions while embracing the new, it is clear Fukuoka is a kind of springboard for people, ideas and trends, making their way into and out of Japan.

Hakata Dontaku Port Festival

Among the larger festivals you'll find in Fukuoka City is the popular Hakata Dontaku Port Festival. Each year from May 3rd to 4th, millions of people turn up to take in this 800 year-old celebration, with entertainment that includes a wide variety of modern and traditional cultural, music and dance performances on around 40 different stages around the city.

Hakata Dontaku festival dancers perform in costume. Photograph provided by Fukuoka City

The feature event, is the main parade on Meiji Street that stretches from Gofukumachi intersection through to Fukuoka City Town Hall. You'll likely see locals in the procession dressed up in all manner of costume and clapping Shamoji (Japanese rice ladles) along with the famous Flower Cars, decorated each year with LED lights just for the parade. On the first day, the official ribbon cutting happens at 13:00 to open the Dontaku Parade and on both days, events wind down at around 19:00, so there will be plenty of time for a lunch beforehand or dinner in the early evening.

How to get there: The parade will happen on Meiji Street; Stretching from Gofukumachi intersection to Fukuoka City Town Hall.

Recommended restaurant for lunch: Sushi Shima, Japanese cuisine with vegan and vegetarian options

Before you head off to the parades and festivities, be sure to set aside time to enjoy a bit of fine dining. Which is what you will experience after making your reservation at the unassuming Sushi Shima! This all-world, intimate, family run establishment, goes out of the way to please their guests.

From 12 noon onwards, they serve a vegan ramen lunch set that looks, tastes and smells like Hakata's famed tonkotsu style ramen yet contains no trace of pork or animal byproducts.

This take on Hakata tonkotsu ramen, originated by the long-time Taisho (owner chef) keeps things simple, using just the right ingredients to complement the simmering dashi (broth). The silky somen noodles are wheat based, thin and sumptuous with a not too firm and not too soft feel, distinguishing them from your typical egg-based ramen noodles. The carefully chosen toppings consist of menma (bamboo), nori (dried seaweed), a special chopped Hakata spring onion, kikurage (wood ear mushroom), roast sesame seeds, thinly chopped red chili pepper and finely grated Japanese ginger.

Sushi Shima's Taisho and Okami-san (owner chef's wife) are totally dedicated to keeping all of their guests comfortable. From English language reservations to accommodating various allergies and dietary preferences. Call ahead anytime between 12:00 - 21:00 (Monday to Saturday) or to book online, message Okami-san via the official LINE or Instagram accounts.

Address: 2-10-3, Minato, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka

Hakata Gion Yamakasa Festival

In early summer, the Hakata Gion Yamakasa festival takes over the streets of the city, where up to three million visitors and local onlookers gather for 2 weeks of high-powered excitement and showmanship. This festival began 780 years ago as a ceremony to ward off disease. Today, it is a registered UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.

In Hakata the festival features seven different 'racing' Yamakasa (decorative and ceremonial floats) paraded by kakite (carrier) dressed in traditional mizu hanten (traditional short coat) and shimekomi (loincloth) around the local neighborhoods near Kushida Shrine, located at Kamikawabata-machi. On the last day of the Gion Yamakasa there is an Oiyama (5 km race) to close out the celebration.

How to get there: Kushida Jinja (Kushida Shrine) district in Hakata.

Recommended restaurant for dinner: Sancho Panza, Spanish/Latin American cuisine with vegan, vegetarian and halal options

Sancho Panza, overlooking the Daimyo neighborhood from their 5th floor location, is renowned for their vegan, halal-friendly Spanish and Latin American dishes, all served up within a spacious, lively atmosphere.

During weekdays your best bet is to make dinner reservations before heading over to treat yourself to a sumptuous, vibrant, Colorful Vegetable Veggie Paella Set; an enticing harmony of garlic richness, naturally sweet grilled seasonal vegetables and rice, cooked together in a traditional pan and then subtly oven roasted to tender perfection. It is safe to say, you will want to savor every last bite.

If you opt instead for the Spanish-style Veggie Tapas Set, you will encounter bite-sized crispy falafel made with chickpeas along with an olive oil and herb marinated assortment of grilled bell pepper, eggplant and zucchini, for a variety of distinct textures and flavors. The Homemade Veggie Burger set is well balanced and a great choice for lunch or dinner on a weekend visit. The well-seasoned grilled shiitake mushroom and eggplant veggie patty, topped with crisp lettuce, onions, and a refreshing special sauce, comes nestled between fluffy pumpkin buns with fresh veggies and chips on the side.

Address: 1-15-11, Daimyo, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka

Tamaseseri Festival

One lively mid-winter event held January 3rd from 13:00 to 14:30 is the Tamaseseri (Ball Seizing) Festival; an annual Shinto ritual that takes on the flavor of a friendly sports competition between two teams, the Land (Farmers) vs the Sea (Fishermen), made up of men in shimekomi (loincloth) and little else.

Tamaseseri Festival. Photograph provided by Fukuoka City

To decide the winner, the teams form a giant scrum and wrestle for 250 meters over a special wooden ball weighing 8 kilograms (or 17 pounds) as it travels from Tamatori Ebisu Shrine to the gates of Hakozaki Shrine. The team who delivers the ball can expect a rich rice harvest for farmers vs a great catch of fish for fishermen.

How to get there: The event occurs between Tamatori Ebisu Shrine and Hakozaki Shrine.

Recommended restaurant for lunch: love and eel, Japanese cuisine with halal options

love and eel is a spot you will definitely not want to miss, with certified halal friendly meals and options to eat-in or, if you find yourself in a hurry to get back to the festivities, order from their take-out menu which includes bento meals!

Their 4-slice eel "Matsu" set is a feast for all the senses, with a sweet aroma that will not let you down once your bowl arrives. The process begins with certified Halal eel, carefully dipped in love and eel and famed soy sauce specialist, Kajita Shoten's custom tare (soy, mirin and sugar-based sauce) meticulously grilled to a caramel glaze, and finally layered over a bed of freshly steamed Japanese rice.

Just one bite into this flavorful and crisp surface gives way to a succulent, juicy texture that lies beneath and you will find there is no turning back. For beginners, the thought of eel in a bowl might raise doubts but once this charcoal grilled delicacy hits your taste buds, you will be hard pressed to deny the sensation of "love at first bite".

Address: 3-9-10, Otemon, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka

Another recommended restaurant for dinner: THE SHIP: Super Premium Diner and Pub, Western diner/bar with vegan and vegetarian options

Right away, THE SHIP with its red and black color scheme gives the unmistakable feel of a traditional Irish pub, right in the central Hakata area. Stepping inside the authentic decor is a treat that adds to the dining experience and a 26:00 closing time on most evenings, means you can easily find yourself enjoying the friendly, laid-back vibe long into the night.

An assortment of Japanese and Western dishes prepared with vegan-friendly organic ingredients are readily available with the stand-out being a vegan Spaghetti Arrabbiata.

By blending fresh penne together with a feisty tomato sauce teeming with a generous seasoning of garlic, chili flakes, and a mix of herbs, THE SHIP has come up with a satisfying plant-based take on this classic Italian meal.

Address: 3-4 Gionmachi, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka

Eat Fukuoka

To get more updates on the growing vegan, vegetarian, halal-friendly dining scene in Fukuoka City, go and check out the EAT FUKUOKA guide where you'll find details covering a wide-range of spots, catering to visitors and locals looking for the best in 'Fukuoka cuisine' that is also mindful of more plant-based food preferences.

  • EAT FUKUOKA - Official website on the Fukuoka City official tourist guide website