

Fukuoka Prefecture
Fukuoka Prefecture (Japanese: 福岡県/ふくおかけん〔ふくをかけん〕 Fukuoka ken) is a prefecture located in the northernmost part of Kyushu Island, Japan. It is the most populous prefecture in the Kyushu region and the only prefecture outside Japan's three major metropolitan areas with a population density exceeding 1,000 people per square kilometre. Among Japan's three major Gion festivals, Fukuoka Prefecture accounts for two of them. Although the Tobata Gion Oyamagasa is not one of Japan's three major Gion festivals, it is listed alongside the Hakata Gion Yamakasa and the Kokura Gion Taiko as one of Fukuoka Prefecture's three major summer festivals, and is designated as an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Japan. Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine in Dazaifu City, along with Kitano Tenmangu Shrine in Kyoto City, serves as the head shrine of all Tenmangu shrines across Japan. Some of its buildings are designated as Important Cultural Properties of Japan, and the site is also a renowned destination for plum blossom viewing.
Suggested duration: 3 daysBest months to visit: March, April, May, September, October, November

