A Fukuoka favourite, Ohori Park’s garden, lake and paths offer a scenic escape from the busy city.
The park grounds’ lake was once actually a moat surrounding nearby Fukuoka Castle many years ago. While the current park was built by Fukuoka City in 1929, the name “Ohori” actually means “large moat”. The design was based on China’s West Lake, with a traditional style centered around garden and lake scenery.
This garden park has now become famous around Japan, appointed as a registered “Place of Scenic Beauty”.
A walking path about 2 kilometres in length surrounds a lake at the centre of the park. Local people can always be found jogging or walking, though plenty of benches surround the lake for a rest while taking in the view. A small walkway stretches into the lake, with a traditional style pavilion – a popular Ohori park photo opportunity.
A Japanese garden located within the grounds features a tea house along with a Zen garden. There is a charge for entry, unlike the rest of the park. The garden is beautifully designed with plants among small waterfalls. This spot is perfect for relaxation.
If you want to relax over food without paying a garden entry fee, there are alternatives. Both a restaurant and a Starbucks where you can enjoy views over the lake. The restaurant “Hana no ki” specialises in French cuisine.
Ohori Park is a great place for seeing cherry blossoms during spring, from around the end of March into early April. Various flowers also bloom around the park throughout the year, making Ohori a wonderful place to visit throughout all seasons. If you have children they can enjoy the play areas, with swings for toddlers.
One of Fukuoka’s most popular fireworks displays takes place here every summer. The Ohori Park fireworks display is usually scheduled around the 1st of August – around 400,000 people come for the spectacle.
The park is easily accessed underground from Ohori Park Station, while from Hakata Station it only takes 10 minutes. There are more sights nearby, counting castle ruins along with an art gallery, so you can easily spend an entire day exploring this whole area.
