Dazaifu Tenmangu enshrines Sugawara no Michizane, known as the god of scholarship, and large numbers of visitors from Japan and overseas come to pray here. The area around the main road to the shrine is lined with souvenir shops and is always bustling. You should definitely try the Dazaifu specialty, umegae mochi rice cakes.

Commercial facilities and offices stand side-by-side in this trend-setting area of Fukuoka. With shrines and parks within walking distance, the Tenjin area also boasts excellent access to nearby attractions! At night, the yatai stalls bustle with local people and are also popular among tourists.

Visitors can eat a variety of foods, including the ever-present tonkotsu ramen, motsunabe hotpot, and yakitori chicken skewers. Why not try some proactive communication at a yatai stall? Interacting with local people is one of the joys of travel. After eating, we recommend a stroll along the river to enjoy the night scenery.

The Goto Tourism and Historical Materials Museum was built to commemorate the 35 years of Fukue City's founding (now part of Goto City since 2004). Construction works started in 1987, and the Museum opened on the 12th November 1989, within the precincts of former Ishida Castle. The museum introduces Goto's cultural heritage, history and touristic development.

The construction of Ishida Castle was decided by the 30th lord of Goto. Construction works started in 1849 and were completed in 1863 after 15 years, with more than 50 000 workers taking part to its completion, making it the last castle built in Japan and at that time the only one with three sides directly facing the sea. 

Today, a cultural centre, a high school, the Goto Tourism and Historical Materials Museum, as well as the city's public library are located within the former castle's walls.

This residence was built by Lord Moriakira Goto (the 30th head of the Goto family) in 1861 as a retirement villa on the grounds of Fukue Castle (also known as Ishida Castle). The construction of the villa took nearly two years to complete, and even now, the fine details of the exquisite workmanship can still be seen throughout the entire house. Its garden is also a quaint one designed by a Buddhist monk named Zensho, and it models after the famous Kinkakuji Temple (Golden Pavilion) in Kyoto. The garden also has a pond called “Shinji-ga-ike”, as it is in the shape of the kanji character “心”, meaning “heart”.

Other neat details that can be seen within the garden include the 36 turtle-shaped rocks, the old hidden escape route, castle stone walls, and also a giant camphor tree that is over 800 years old! In 1991, this garden was designated as a “National Scenic Beauty” because of its rarity of having a garden and villa within the former castle grounds.

If you’re lucky, you might meet the heir of Goto Lord in person when you visit the villa, who is now the 35th head of the Goto family!

 

The Street of the Samurai Quarter is home to rows of housing that once belonged to mid-ranked samurai, and high stone walls and yakuimon (gates with gable roofs) still stand here. The Furusatokan Pavilion in the Samurai Quarter is a tourist base created from the remains of the Fukue samurai family residence in this street.
In addition to an exhibition area that introduces the history of Fukue, this facility offers experiences such as decorating baramon kites and making stained glass keyholders. There is also a Japanese-style room where you can take a break and look out at the garden, and you can even find Goto specialty products in the cafe corner.

Myojoin Temple was the worshipping place chosen by the feudal lords of the Goto clan for many generations. The current main building was completed by the 28th Lord of Goto, Goto Moriyuki, in 1778.

The oldest wooden temple in Goto City was the worshipping place chosen by the feudal lords of the Goto clan for many generations. The current main building was completed by the 28th Lord of Goto, Goto Moriyuki, in 1778. Myojoin Temple is also the main temple for the Shingon Sect of Buddhism in Goto. The paintings on the ceiling of the main building are believed to have been painted by a disciple of the famed painter Kano Eitoku.  Myojoin Temple, in which the famous monk Kukai is said to have stayed on his way back from China, contains many buddhist artefacts and statues dating back from Kamakura and Muromachi (mid-12th to mid-16th century) eras.

Mt. Onidake, a symbol of Goto, is a 315-meter cinder-cone volcano, which last erupted approximately 18,000 years ago. The volcano, which is covered in grass now, is well-known as a venue for an annual kite flying event, and as a leisure and hiking spot.

Saikai National Park boasts stunning scenery made up of its many islands and the sea. It covers over 400 islands of various sizes, stretching from the Kujuku Islands of Sasebo City in Nagasaki Prefecture to Ikitsuki Island, Hirado Island, and the Goto Archipelago. This facility serves as a visitor center within the National Park, and a hub for the geopark area of the Goto Islands, introducing information through video, dioramas, and panels. It also holds nature observation gatherings, courses on handicrafts that make use of natural materials, and more.
*The display panels also provide information in English.

Mount Onidake's lava flowed into the sea on a ten kilometres distance to form this beautiful lava coastline, surrounded by a lush subtropical vegetation. From the observation deck you can enjoy a great view of Mount Onidake and the surrounding islands.

At the “Abunze Visitor Centre” located nearby you can learn about the local flora and fauna.

Onidake Hot Springs are located in Goto Con-Kana Kingdom at the base of Mt. Onidake. In addition to outdoor and indoor baths, there is also a sauna. The springs are characteristically brown and cloudy, and are reputed to warm the body. Enjoy a blissful time as you look up at a sky full of stars.

The history of Mizunoura Christians is said to have started when five men from Sotome (located north of Nagasaki City) moved there together with their families in 1797 as part of the Goto and Omura feudal domains policies. 

A first church was built in 1880 but didn’t last long and deteriorated quickly. The church was rebuilt into its current appearance in 1938 by famed architect Yosuke Tetsukawa. 

The lilywhite wooden church, a masterful mix of Romanesque, Gothic and Japanese architecture, is the biggest wooden church in Goto, and the contrast between its white spire and the blue of the seas seems to come right out of a postcard.

The hill behind the church features a statue of St John Soan de Goto and remains of a prison from the ban on Christianity era. 

This eatery focuses on local production for local consumption, and is well-known among the producers who provide its ingredients. Its specialty is dishes with eel, but its fried lobster is also one of its attractions.

Daihoji was founded in 701, 1st year of Daiho Era at the request of empress emeritus Jito.

A century later, in 806, the famous monk Kukai taught the principles of Shingon Buddhism for the first time on his way back from China. Many cultural treasures are kept in the temple among which some nehan-zu paintings from  Muromachi era (1336-1573), a bronze bell and a monkey sculpture by famous Edo era artist and carpenter Hidari Jingoro.

The story of Imochiura starts when hidden Christians from Omura domain moved to Imochiura to work in salt factories. 

Upon hearing in 1891 that a replica of the Lourdes grotto was being built in  Vatican City, father Pélu who was tasked with reviving the Catholic faith in Goto at the time,  gathered enough beautifully shaped rocks with the help of local believers to build the first Lourdes grotto in Japan in 1899.

Drinking this miraculous water is said to be a cure for many illnesses and the grotto rapidly acquired a holy-ground status among Japanese believers.

The Osezaki Lighthouse is set against a dramatic backdrop of wave-worn cliffs as steep as 150 meters. Although the current lighthouse was built in 1971, the original structure was designed by an Englishman and erected in 1879. A part of it has been turned into a permanent exhibit at the Museum of Maritime Science in Tokyo.

The nearby observatory is a popular spot for both visitors and locals to enjoy the sunset view. For adventurers, you can also walk to the lighthouse. Getting to the lighthouse requires a 2.4km hike (round-trip of about an hour), but intermittent green tunnels created by camellia trees lining both sides of the paved trail make it a pleasant trek. Once at the lighthouse platform, the sight of the stoic white structure combined with the cliffs and surrounding ocean makes it a spectacular and an unforgettable view.

Walk up the path and you can gaze at an impressive 360-degree panorama of the northern part of Fukue Island and the surrounding islands from the Daiichi Shirotake Observatory.

Goto Retto Shuzo creates Goto’s representative shochu entirely from Goto-grown sweet potato, rice, and wheat. 
Distilling shochu involves a variety of processes, including koji production and maturation. Staff will guide you through each process in the tour experience.
After the tour, you can try three types of shochu created by Goto Retto Shuzo (only for people aged 20 or over). 
You can also purchase shochu in the shop attached to the distillery.

*The processes covered by the tour will vary depending on the season. Some tours are not possible in July and August because no distilling takes place.

This wooden church was built by Christians. The small spire on the roof, which has become its symbol, was put up during renovations carried out because the church was aging. Illuminations created by the red, blue and green light shining in through the stained glass color the warm space inside.

This facility features an exhibit about Goto's role in the Japanese missions to Tang China. There is a souvenir shop and a restaurant that offers many dishes with local ingredients. 

Come and enjoy Gyogasaki Park’s flower fields all year round!

The park’s beautiful flower fields change with every season: canola fields and hydrangeas in spring, sunflowers during the summer, beautiful cosmos in autumn. 

On sunny days, the contrast between the flowers the sea and the sky is simply breath-taking.

The park also has a campsite and a nearby beach, which makes it the ideal location for summer outdoor activities.

Popular options include Kishiku-zoro, a local Kishikumachi dish with hand-made noodles, and Hanaemi dango, steamed rice cakes with vegetable bean paste. Visitors can also buy hand-crafted items unique to Goto. The view in front of the café offers an expanse of sea and the blooming flower fields of the park in different seasons. This is a café worth a visit.

Soon after the ban on Christianity was lifted by the Meiji government, two French missionaries, fathers Fraineau and Marmand, were sent to Goto in order to take part to the revival of the local Christian community.  Father Marmand established a first wooden church in Goto, in 1879.

Dozaki Church was rebuilt in red bricks in 1908 under the guidance of Father Pélu, a missionary who succeeded Marmand and Fraineau. Some of the materials were brought all the way from Italy. The inside of the church is made of wood, with typical stained glass and ribbed vault ceiling. 

Today, various documents and objects showing us the history of the Christians’ persecution are displayed in Dozaki.

The building has been registered as prefectural tangible heritage in 1974.