Must-see maple viewing spots and cultural experiences

Japan prides itself on its four distinct seasons, and appreciating each one is an act filled with deep aesthetic and even spiritual resonance. Spring in Japan, known for its delicate cherry blossoms, is a time to commune with the natural world and contemplate the transience of life—but autumn has its own beauty and significance. Red Leavesor “autumn leaf hunting,” which refers to admiring the changing seasons and visiting places where leaves are beginning to change color, is a popular pastime, and there are all sorts of other seasonal activities to take part in, including festivals and temple visits, not to mention an abundance of fall-themed culinary specialities.

With its rich local culture and diverse landscapes, Fukuoka is the perfect place to savor Japan’s autumn, offering experiences you won’t get elsewhere – it’s filled with unique fall foliage attractions, seasonal festivals and ceremonies that only take place at this time of year. Here are some of the prefecture’s highlights:

Autumn maple viewing spots

Dazaifu Kamado Shrine

Kamado Shrine is located on Mount Homan and has been revered since ancient times as a sacred place where gods reside; it consists of shrines at the foot of the mountain and at the top of the mountain, and is an auspicious place for love and marriage.

It is also famous for its scenery, with cherry blossoms in the spring and colorful leaves in the fall. In autumn, the approximately 300 deciduous trees leading to the shrine, including ginkgo and maple trees, burst into red and orange colors. This tunnel of leaves is a popular sightseeing spot and the site of the Kamado Shrine Autumn Leaves Festival, held on November 23 and 24 every year. There will also be a night illumination event from November 16 to 30 to highlight the beauty of the leaves.

Akizuki Castle Town

Akizuki Castle is an 800-year-old castle town full of historical charm, known as the Little Kyoto of Chikuzen. Although the castle walls no longer exist, the remains of the stone walls, watchtowers, moat remains, and gates within the castle are still beautiful. Among them, the Kuromon Gate is particularly eye-catching, especially in autumn. When the season is right, the approximately 20 maple trees surrounding the gate turn a bright red, which contrasts sharply with the black buildings. In addition, during the autumn leaf season in November, Akizuki’s main street, Sugimaba-dori, is lined with stalls for tourists to visit.

Hiraodai limestone plateau

The Hiraodai Limestone Plateau is a vast karst landscape that has been designated a quasi-national park and features extraordinary, otherworldly autumn scenery. The area is renowned in Japan for its surreal beauty, with the limestone formations rising out of the verdant mountainous landscape.

In the fall, visitors can see large expanses of pampas grass swaying in the breeze; in the summer, the vegetation is lush and green, but once the season changes, it takes on shimmering silver and gold hues. The limestone plateau is a great place to hike or just take in the views; it’s also a great place to take one-of-a-kind photos—a great alternative to traditional leaf hunting.

A dazzling and poetic water parade

The Hakushu Festival and Water Parade is held from November 1 to 3 each year to commemorate the death of poet Kitahara Hakushu on November 2, 1942. Kitahara was one of Japan’s most influential modern literary figures, known for his romantic poetry, which often dealt with themes of everyday life – nostalgia, longing for childhood, appreciation of nature.

The festival is an extraordinary and unique event that celebrates both the poet’s enduring legacy and the cultural heritage of his beloved hometown of Yanagawa, famous for its canals. This is where the water parade takes place, one of the most unique and memorable aspects of the festival: dozens of boats draped with lanterns form a spectacular procession that begins at dusk. On makeshift stages set up along the way, various activities will take place: locals will perform traditional songs and recite Kitahara’s works, there will be Japanese drum and koto performances, and performances by high school brass bands.

A centuries-old mysterious dance

Kagura, literally “entertainment of the gods”, is a sacred Shinto ritual dating back to ancient times that typically involves ornate, colorful costumes and masks; because it is a way to entertain and honor the gods, it is often performed during the harvest season to pray for good luck, purity, and a good harvest.

The Keitake region, located in northeastern Fukuoka Prefecture, is one of the most active areas for Kagura dance in Japan. To this day, the area hosts more than 200 performances each year. Keitake is home to 30 active Kagura groups, many of which perform Buzen Kagura, a unique, elegant and dynamic style that has been passed down in the region for centuries and is designated as an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Japan. For those who wish to witness the glory of Kagura dance in person during the fall, dozens of performances are held at shrines throughout Keitake from September to December each year. This is a rare and exciting opportunity to experience first-hand a local cultural heritage and ritual that is centuries old.

Another Kagura dance worth noting is held on the fourth Saturday of October every year at Takasu Shrine in Itoshima.

Fukuoka Ceramics

In addition to its festivals, food, and history, Fukuoka is also well-known in Japan for its traditional crafts. There are several unique pottery types in Fukuoka Prefecture, each with its own style and historical significance. For example, Koishihara pottery is known for its simple, rustic elegance, while Takatori pottery is revered for its refinement, with a thin, porcelain-like feel.

Kojimachi Nadaman Fukuoka Bettei is a restaurant opened in collaboration between the Fukuoka Prefectural Government and Nadaman, a restaurant brand located in central Tokyo. The restaurant uses traditional Fukuoka utensils to serve food and drinks, allowing visitors to directly connect with the region’s cultural heritage.

For those who want to venture outside the capital, Mintomula Festival The largest ceramics festival in the Koishihara area, it attracts ceramics enthusiasts from all over the country. It is held twice a year, in spring and fall. This year’s fall festival will be held from Saturday, October 12 to Monday, October 14, and about 50 kilns in the area will sell high-quality products fired specifically for this event at discounted prices.

Kojimachi Nada Manfukuoka Villa

1-12-1 Kojimachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo

Nadaman Japan website