Photo: Hirho / CC BY 4.0Ohori means 'great moat'. This was the west outer moat of Fukuoka Castle, built after Kuroda Nagamasa arrived in the province in 1601, and in 1929 it opened as a park. The city's own park site notes the pond is a Registered Monument of Japan, so what looks like a municipal lake has a heritage listing behind it.
The reason to go is the combination in one afternoon. A circuit path runs round the water, a Japanese Garden sits at one edge (opened in 1984 on 12,000 square metres, with a central pond, a waterfall, a dry landscape garden and a teahouse), and the Fukuoka Art Museum (built 1979, with Dali, Miro and Chagall in the collection) stands on the south side. A boat house hires out boats. The castle ruins are a short walk away and free to enter.
The catch is that it is a quiet green place, not a sight with a headline. It is a 45–55 minute trip each way from the berth, the garden is shut on Mondays, and in cloud or heavy rain there is little to do. If you only want one thing in the old centre, Kushida Shrine and Canal City cost less time.
Five things the plaques won't tell you
- Check the day of the week first: the Japanese Garden is closed on Mondays, and 29 December to 3 January.
- Over-65s enter the Japanese Garden free, so carry ID. Adults pay ¥250.
- The garden's teahouse needs a reservation and a separate fee, except on the first, third and fourth Tuesdays of the month, when the garden says it is free.
- Choose the exit at Ohorikoen or Tojinmachi station: the park's own site gives 7 minutes on foot from either on the Airport Line.
- The castle ruins' Sannomaru Square is about a 10-minute walk from Ohorikoen Exit 5, and entry to the ruins is free (event periods excepted) according to the castle's site.
The castle ruins are a short walk away and free to enter.
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Questions people ask here
How do I get from the Fukuoka cruise terminal to Ohori Park?
Walk about 500 m to the Hakata Port International Terminal bus stop, take a Nishitetsu bus to Tenjin (13 minutes, ¥210 per the operator), then ride the Airport Line subway two stops to Ohorikoen and walk about 7 minutes. Allow 45–55 minutes in all. A taxi saves time but we have no published fare to quote.
Is the Ohori Park Japanese Garden free for seniors?
Yes for people aged 65 and over, who need to show proof of age. Adults pay ¥250. The garden closes on Mondays and from 29 December to 3 January, and shuts at 17:00 from October to April with last entry at 16:45.
Can I see Fukuoka Castle from Ohori Park?
Only the ruins. No keep survives; the grounds hold stone walls and restored turrets, and the castle's own site lists free entry apart from event periods. The nearest entrance for the park side is Sannomaru Square, about 10 minutes on foot from Ohorikoen Station Exit 5.