Fukuoka

Fukuoka, a 5-hour ride on the Shinkansen bullet train from Tokyo and 2.5 hours from Shin-Osaka is the most convenient starting point for a ferry trip around Kyushu. Fukuoka is renowned for its Hakata-ori silk and celebrates the Hakata Dontaku and Yamagasa festivals. In Dazaifu, a 25-minute coach ride from Fukuoka, you can admire many archaeological findings from the ancient Japanese court culture.