RugbyPass' World Cup City guide to Fukuoka
The Fukuoka Prefecture on the island of Kyushu is the ninth most populated prefecture in Japan, and one of the nations most outstanding in terms of natural beauty and culture. Fukuoka is seen as a natural gateway prefecture to Kyushu for both commerce and visitors alike.
Hakata Station – Fukuoka
With access to both the city of Fukuoka and the airport servicing the city, Hakata Station will be the first port of call for many visitors to the area over the span of the Rugby World Cup. The station was first opened in 1889 but was rebuilt in 2011. It is the largest and busiest station in Kyushu and will act as a gateway to other cities in the province for travelling rugby fans.
Fukuoka City – Fukuoka
The bustling economic hub of Fukuoka is the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture. It is Japan’s fifth-largest city and the largest city in Kyushu. A city famous for its temples and shrines, it is where you find Hakatanomori Football Stadium, which will host Ireland versus Samoa on the 12th of October, as well as pool games involving France, Italy, Canada, and the USA.
Kushida Shrine – Fukuoka
Even in a city known for its shrines, Kushida Shrine stands out. Right in the heart of the city, the Kushida Shrine is renowned for the central role it plays in the annual Hakata Gion Yamakasa festival.
Futamigaura – Fukuoka
Futumigaura is located in the northern part of Itoshima City, it is also selected as one of Japan’s 100 most Beautiful Beaches and Meotoiwa (Rock Couples) stands approximately 150 meters from the seafront.
It has been revered as a sacred place as part of the Sakurai Shrine since ancient times, and it is covered with a 30-meter long, 1-ton heavy lanyard.
The sea and the setting sun are beautiful, and the setting sun that sinks between the two rocks on the day of the summer solstice attracts tourists.
Sunigoya Brewery – Fukuoka
The home of Suginoya Beer, this microbrewery is known for its ales and stouts. A craft beer brewery located in Fukuoka city, the brewery started life out as an off-shoot from a sake distillery that opened for business back in 1870.
Mataichi-no-shio – Fukuoka
Just outside Fukuoka city, Mataichi-no-shio is home to specialty salt that is made using a mixture of rich minerals found in mountains and the ocean of the Itoshima Peninsula. It is produced in a tranquil factory on the coast that is a must for salt enthusiasts. You can also enjoy a dip in the nearby swimming area nestled beneath Genkai Quasi-National Park.
Peace Park – Nagasaki
Nagasaki Peace Park is an important park located in Nagasaki, commemorating the harrowing events that saw the atomic bombing of the city on August 9, 1945, by Allied forces.
At its north end is the Peace Statue created by sculptor Seibo Kitamura of Nagasaki Prefecture, while visitors can see what remains of the original Urakami Cathedral, which stood just 500 metres from the epicentre from where the nuclear bomb detonated. A sombre reminder of the perils of war and, indeed, violence, it is next to the Atomic Bomb Museum and near the Peace Memorial Hall.
Glover Garden – Nagasaki
In close proximity to the Peace Park (above) is Glover Garden. The garden was built by Thomas Blake Glover, a Scottish merchant who contributed to the modernization of Japan in shipbuilding and coal mining. The Glover Residence at its centre is the oldest Western-style house surviving in Japan and remains to this day Nagasaki’s foremost tourist attraction.
Oura Tenshudo – Nagasaki
Next to Glover Garden is the Oura Tenshudo – or ‘Oura Church’. Also known as ‘The Basilica of the Twenty-Six Holy Martyrs of Japan’, the church was built in 1864, soon after the end of the Japanese government’s Seclusion Policy in 1853. Two French priests constructed the church in memory of 26 martyrs who were killed in the 16th century.
Ouo Shrine AKA Torii in the Sea – Saga
This is an underwater ‘floating’ torii gate which can be found in the Ariake Sea, in the Saga Prefecture. Situated beside the town of Tara-cho, it is a town famed as a place to witness the full power of the moon. A massive 6-metre tide difference has made this one of the prefecture’s most popular tourist destinations.
Yutoki Inari Shrine – Saga
The Yutoku Inari Shrine is found in Kashima City, in the southern Saga Prefecture. It is considered one of Japan’s top three shrines dedicated to Inari – the Shinto spirit of sake, rice agriculture and industry. Founded in 1687, the atmospheric Yutoku Inari Shrine is built into the steep hillside of a valley, which will mean a 10 minute uphill climb for visiting rugby fans.
Hizen Hamashuku – Saga
Hizen Hamashuku is a group of historic buildings standing at the mouth of Hamagawa River. If Sake tasting and restaurants are your main ‘to-dos’ in Japan, than Hizen Hamashuku is the perfect spot for you.
Dazaifu Shrine – Fukuoka
Among the hundreds of Tenmangu Shrines throughout Japan, Dazaifu is arguably the most important one. Tenmangu Shrines are dedicated to the spirit of Sugawara Michizane, a scholar and politician. Located just 250 meters from Dazaifu Station, and the entire length of the approach is lined with shops that will cater to rugby fans eager to find the perfect souvenir from this remarkable reliquary.
Yanagawa River tour – Fukuoka
Known as the ‘Venice of Fukuoka’ – the town of Yanagawa can be found just 50 minutes from Tenjin by train. Here you can relax and unwind with a River tour. The town is surrounded by a network of moats and it is here that small boats weave their way through along the river banks, stopping at points of interest and at local hostelries where rugby fans can enjoy the best local food and drink.
Asahi Beer factory Fukuoka
Kirin Beer factory Fukuoka
Under trial ticket (free) application acceptance!
Under the experience course acceptance here! (with a coordinator companion)
Saga pref.
2019 SAGA INTERNATIONAL BALLOON FIESTA
Under special experience menu acceptance here!
A dedicated application page will be posted from August 5th.
Nagasaki pref.
Under the experience course acceptance here! (with a coordinator companion)
Access to Fukuoka City
Hakata Station 6 minutes by subway from Fukuoka Airport
Kushida Shrine(1-41 Kami-kawabata) 15 minutes on foot from Hakata
Station
If you want to go sightseeing in Fukuoka city
Hakata Historical Sightseeing Tour
Sights: Tocho temple, Shofuku Temple, Kushida Shrine, Furusato Museum,
Kawabata Arcade, Canal City Hakata
You can experience full of emotion, such as Hakata Japanese garden and the historic temples and shrines in Hakata had a role as a gateway to mainland exchanges.
Itoshima Area
Futamigaura(Rock?Couples) Shima Sakurai, Itoshima-shi,
Suginoya(Sake & beer brewery) 1442 motooka, nishi-ku, fukuoka-shi
Mataichi-no-shio(Salt Factory) 3757 shimakeya, itoshima-shi
Dazaifu
Dazaifu Sightseeing Tour
Sights: Komyozen Temple, Dazaifu Shrine
Yanagawa
Yanagawa river cruise & fruit picking tour
Sights: Yanagawa river cruise, lunch in Yanagawa, fruit picking
Nagasaki Pref.
Nagasaki Peace Park 9 matsuyama-cho, nagasaki-shi
Glover Garden Nagasaki 8th No. 1 Minamiyamatecho, nagasaki-shi
Oura Church(Basilica) 5-3 Minamiyamate-machi,?nagasaki-shi
Saga Pref.
Ouo Shrine 10 minutes walk from JR Tara Station
Yutoku Inari Shrine About a 1-hour express train trip from Hakata Station to Hizen Kashima Station (JR Nagasaki Main Line). About a 10-minute taxi trip from Hizen Kashima Station to the Yutoku Inari Shrine
Hizen Hamashuku It takes about 6 minutes to walk from Hizen-Hama station.
Comments on RugbyPass
An on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
1 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusades , you can keep going.
1 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
24 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
24 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
24 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
24 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
11 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
11 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to comments