Editing Fukuoka (section)

===Tourism===
{{See also|Hakata-ku, Fukuoka#Economy#Cruise ship tourism}}
Fukuoka hosts more than 2 million foreign visitors annually, with the majority coming from neighboring South Korea, Taiwan and China.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://honichi.com/areas/kyushuokinawa/fukuoka/ |title=福岡県のインバウンド需要 |year=2016 |website=Honichi Inbound |access-date=November 23, 2018 |archive-date=November 24, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181124162524/https://honichi.com/areas/kyushuokinawa/fukuoka/ |url-status=live }}</ref> From the early 2010s Hakata became the beneficiary of significant growth in cruise ship tourism; particularly with visitors from China. After expansion and redevelopment of the Hakata Port international passenger ship terminal, the number of cruise ship port calls in 2016 was expected to exceed 400.<ref>{{cite news |title=Cruise ships with Chinese tourists pour into Japan |url=http://www.japantoday.com/category/lifestyle/view/cruise-ships-with-chinese-tourists-pour-into-japan |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160312093050/http://www.japantoday.com/category/lifestyle/view/cruise-ships-with-chinese-tourists-pour-into-japan |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 12, 2016 |agency=Kyodo |newspaper=Japan Today |date=March 12, 2016}}</ref>

Nearly ten thousand international students attend universities in or near the Fukuoka prefecture each year.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kokusaihiroba.or.jp/english/city/data.html |url-status=dead |title=Information on International Exchanges in Fukuoka Prefecture: Alien Registration and International Student Data |publisher=Fukuoka International Exchange Foundation |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180409095145/http://www.kokusaihiroba.or.jp/english/city/data.html |archive-date=April 9, 2018 }}</ref> Nearly 200 international conferences are held each year in Fukuoka.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.jnto.go.jp/jpn/news/press_releases/pdf/pdf/131218_mice_report.pdf |script-title=ja:2012 年の 「日本の国際会議 開催件数」 を発表 |website=jnto.go.jp |date=December 18, 2013 |access-date=March 28, 2014 |archive-date=January 4, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140104204445/http://www.jnto.go.jp/jpn/news/press_releases/pdf/pdf/131218_mice_report.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

====Attractions====
[[File:Canalcityhakatainner.jpg|thumb|[[Canal City Hakata]]]]
[[File:Gojunoto Tower of Tochoji Temple 2.jpg|thumb|[[Tōchō-ji]]]]
[[File:Hakata-style ramen.jpg|alt=|thumb|[[Hakata ramen]]]]

Fukuoka Castle, located adjacent to Ohori Park in Maizuru Park, features the remaining stone walls and ramparts<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.welcomekyushu.com/event/?mode=detail&id=9999901005102&isSpot=1&isEvent= |title=Fukoka Castle Ruins｜Sightseeing Spots｜Kyushu Tourism Information |website=Kyushu Tourism Information [ Japan ] |access-date=March 26, 2016 |archive-date=December 30, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161230003921/http://www.welcomekyushu.com/event/?mode=detail&id=9999901005102&isSpot=1&isEvent= |url-status=live }}</ref> left after a devastating fire during the upheaval of the [[Meiji Restoration]]. It has now been preserved along with some reconstructed prefabricate concrete towers constructed during the 1950s and 1960s, when there was a trend across Japan to rebuild damaged castles as tourist attractions. [[Ōhori Park]] is also the location of one of Fukuoka City's major [[Fukuoka Art Museum|art galleries]].

There are many temples with long histories including [[Tōchō-ji]], [[Hakozaki Shrine]], [[Kashii-gū|Kashii shrine]], and [[Jōten-ji]]. The Buddhist [[Nanzo-in|Nanzoin temple]] is located in [[Sasaguri, Fukuoka|Sasaguri]], just east of Fukuoka. It is claimed to be the largest statue of a [[reclining Buddha]] in the world. It has to be mentioned though that in Thailand there are three, and in Myanmar six reclining Buddha statues that are larger than the Sasaguri statue, one of them being 180 meters long as opposed to the 42 meters of the one in Fukuoka prefecture. It is possible though that the Sasaguri reclining Buddha is the largest plastic reclining Buddha statue in the world.

[[Sky Dream Fukuoka]], in Fukuoka's western ward, was a [[Ferris wheel]] with a height of 120 meters and was closed in September 2009. The surrounding shopping center, Marinoa City Fukuoka, still attracts millions of visitors each year. Other shopping centers that attract tourists include Canal City, JR Hakata City, and Hakata Riverain.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.city.fukuoka.lg.jp/data/open/cnt/3/63159/1/honpen.pdf?20180410133441 |title=福岡市観光統計 |date=March 2, 2017 |website=Fukuoka City Data |access-date=November 23, 2018 |archive-date=November 24, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181124162312/http://www.city.fukuoka.lg.jp/data/open/cnt/3/63159/1/honpen.pdf?20180410133441 |url-status=live }}</ref>

The Marine Park Uminonakamichi is located on a narrow cape on the northern side of the Bay of Hakata. The park has an amusement park, petting zoo, gardens, beaches, a hotel, and a large marine aquarium which opened in 1989.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.marine-world.co.jp/english/ |title=Wellcome Marine-World WEB PAGE!! |access-date=26 March 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160319173855/http://www.marine-world.co.jp/english/ |archive-date=March 19, 2016}}</ref>

For tourists from other parts of Japan, local foods such as [[mentaiko]], [[Hakata ramen|Hakata (tonkotsu) ramen]], and [[motsunabe]] are associated with Fukuoka. [[Yatai (retail)|Yatai]] (street stalls) serving ramen can be found in Tenjin and [[Nakasu]] most evenings.

[[Fukuoka Tower]] is near the beach in Seaside Momochi, a development built for the 1989 Asia-Pacific Exhibition. The older symbol of the city, [[Hakata Port Tower]], is next to the international ferry terminal and is free to enter.

Itoshima, to the west of Fukuoka city, has recently become a very popular tourist destination. There are many beaches along the coast, notably Futamigaura beach, where there is a famous Shinto shrine in the ocean, and Keya beach, which hosts the annual Sunset Live festival every September. Inland, there is the Shingon Buddhist temple called Raizan Sennyoji, where there are many Buddhist statues and stunning autumn foliage.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sennyoji.or.jp/ |script-title=ja:雷山千如寺 大悲王院 （公式サイト） |website=sennyoji.or.jp |access-date=November 26, 2016 |archive-date=May 10, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160510205036/http://www.sennyoji.or.jp/ |url-status=live }}</ref>