See Japan’s legendary Gold Seal in this museum that celebrates the multicultural heritage and indigenous life of the people of Fukuoka, Japan’s gateway to Asia for thousands of years
Fukuoka City Museum has artifacts testifying to thousands of years of Fukuoka’s cultural life and engagement with the world. The centerpiece of its collection is the Gold Seal, a semi-mythical object recorded in the Chinese annals in A.D. 57 as the first proof of independent kingdoms on the Japanese islands. Explore the extensive exhibits and remarkable archaeological finds, which testify to the cross-pollination that occurred across the sea.
Take a moment outside the museum to admire its monumental entrance, lined with enormous statues. At the entrance desk, borrow an English audio tour, as much of the content on the informational plaques is in Japanese only.
Start in the Permanent Exhibition Room, full of artifacts from prehistory to the modern period. Admire the pottery work on display, especially the enormous jar coffins once used to bury Fukuoka’s dead. Peer at the meticulous dioramas showing the orderly villages that once perched on Fukuoka’s peninsulas as well as modern cityscapes.
Dive into the life of a fictional Hakata family, whose story depicts how life has changed and remained the same for Fukuoka’s people over four generations in the modern period.
Continue on to the Feature and Special Exhibition Rooms, where, every two months, different historical collections illuminate varied aspects of the city’s history.
Feel truly connected to the region as you try on costumes and play musical instruments from all over Kyushu in the Touch and Experience Room.
Fukuoka City Museum is located within Momochi Central Park, next to the city’s Public Library and not far from the waterfront. The museum is a 15-minute walk from the nearest subway station, which is a 20-minute ride from Fukuoka Airport or a 15-minute ride from the bus station. Drive from the airport in about 25 minutes. Take a bus from Hakata Station in 35 minutes. There are several metered parking lots nearby.
The museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday during regular business hours, and stays open late from Friday to Sunday in the late summer. There is an admission fee, with extra charges for foreign language audio guides.
