Recommended event & spots to experience culture and food unique to Hakata

Hakata City in Fukuoka prefecture, a popular tourist destination called the gateway to Kyushu. It’s also a city full of energy because many traditional festivals such as ‘Hakata Dontaku’ with a history of over 800 years, ‘Hakata Gion Yamakasa’ registered as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage and ‘Hojoya’ where about 500 food stalls are lined. In addition, Fukuoka has Nakasu, the largest downtown in western Japan, where you can enjoy a variety of exquisite local dishes including Motsunabe and Mizutaki (chicken hot pot). Why not visit Hakata experience unique cultures and foods?

This time, we’re introduce an event held in May around Canal City Fukuoka Washington Hotel and our recommended spots.

“Hakata Dontaku” filling the whole Fukuoka city with passion

“Hakata Dontaku,” one of the largest festivals in Japan, is held on 3rd and 4th May every year. It was started as ‘Hakata Matsubayashi’ to remember Taira no Shigemori, a court noble and military commander, more than 800 years ago. Considered ‘too extravagant’ by the government, the festival was banned in the Meiji Era, but it was held in 1879 again, becoming the Dontaku Festival. It’s said that the word Dontaku comes from the word Zondag, a Dutch word that means both ‘holiday.’ During the period of this festival, various events liven it up will be taken place at 30 venues in Fukuoka city. There are many highlights such as ‘Hakata Matsubayashi’ with over 800 years of history, ‘Dontakutai Parade’ performed by approximately 20,000 people with clapping wooden rice scoops and ‘Flower Cars’ which are decorated large trucks. Anyone can just join ‘Dontaku So Odori’ which will be started from dusk on the las day, so why not dance with beating rice scoops?

Period	3rd May, 2019 – 4th May, 2019 ※Please check the event schedule on the official website.
Venue	Many parts of Fukuoka City, In front of Fukuoka station, Dontaku Square etc
Access	A 10-min walk from the hotel
URL	https://www.dontaku.fukunet.or.jp/english/outlines

Open for a limited period! “Wizarding World Cafe” having only 2 shops in the world

‘Harry Potter’ is a British fantasy novel and movie portraying a wizarding world that both anyone aspire to visit. To commemorate the release of the latest movie ‘Fantastic Beast and the Birth of the Black Wizard,’ “Wizarding World Cafe” opened for a limited period in Fukuoka. There are only two of this cafe in the world. Stepping into the cafe, you can find 3 areas having different attractions: Cafe area, Video area and Shop area. In cafe and video areas, you van enjoy dishes and drinks inspired by the wizarding world. Moreover, you can get items which are available only here in shop area.

Period	9th August, 2018 – 6th May, 2019　10:00AM – 9:00PM
Address	5th floor of Canal City Hakata Center Walk North, 1-2-22 Sumiyoshi, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture
Access	A 3-min walk from the hotel
URL	https://yokanavi.com/event/133469/

“HAKUHAKU” where you can fully enjoy food and culture unique to Hakata with five senses

“HAKUHAKU”is the museum of Hakata’s food and culture, which is filled with of Fukuoka and Hakata’s attractive things. The facility has 5 areas: museum and factory, workshop, cafe, and shop. You can learn the history of Hakata’s famous festivals and foods and appreciate beautiful traditional crafts in the museum area. In the factory and workshop areas, you can enjoy seeing the manufacturing process of Mentaiko (spicy cod roe) and experiencing mentaiko making, so both children and adults should be excited. After seeing, learning and touching attractions of Hakata, let’s eat dishes using ingredients from Hakata in the cafe area! Don’t forget to visit the shop area to get souvenirs which you won’t find anywhere else.

Opening Hours	10:00AM – 5:00PM　Closed on Tuesday  (when a holiday, the next day will be closed) and for New Year’s Holidays
Address	2-14-28 Sharyo, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture
Access	A 16-min walk from Yoshizuka station where it takes 4 mins by the Kagoshima line from Hakata station
URL	https://yokanavi.com/en/spot/26993/