Day 1 — Hakata & Canal City
Start at Kushida Shrine, Fukuoka's oldest, tucked into the Hakata district a short walk from the station. Look for the full-size Hakata Gion Yamakasa festival float on permanent display in the grounds, and take in the compact but atmospheric shrine complex before the day's crowds build.
Walk over to Canal City Hakata, the shopping and entertainment complex built around a curving artificial canal with a scheduled fountain show. For lunch, head to the "ramen stadium" food court on one of the upper floors, which gathers well-regarded ramen shops representing regional styles from across Japan alongside the city's own Hakata tonkotsu.
Spend the afternoon in the surrounding Hakata streets — the Hakata Machiya Folk Museum is a small, worthwhile stop for understanding the city's textile and festival traditions, and the covered Kawabata Shopping Arcade nearby is good for browsing local snacks and souvenirs.
For dinner, order a proper bowl of tonkotsu ramen at one of the original Hakata-style counters near the station — Ichiran and Ippudo both trace their roots to Fukuoka, and either makes a solid introduction to the city's defining dish before the yatai experience the next evening.
Day 2 — Ohori Park, Fukuoka Castle & Tenjin Yatai
Morning in Maizuru Park and Ohori Park: walk the stone foundations and surviving gates of Fukuoka Castle, then loop around the lake in Ohori Park, a favourite local spot for a run or a slow walk with the skyline reflected in the water. In cherry blossom season (late March–early April) this area is one of the city's best viewing spots and far less crowded than equivalents in Kyoto or Tokyo.
Head into Tenjin for the afternoon — Fukuoka's commercial and shopping core, dense with department stores and covered arcades, good for a few hours of browsing or a coffee break between sights.
As evening sets in, walk down to the Naka River, where the city's famous yatai (open-air food stalls) begin setting up around 6pm. Pick one with an open seat at the counter — ramen, yakitori, oden, and mentaiko dishes are all typical — and expect to end up chatting with the strangers seated on either side, which is very much the point.
Continue into Nakasu afterward for a second round at another stall or a quiet bar; this narrow island between two branches of the river is historically Kyushu's largest nightlife district and still has the highest concentration of yatai in the city.
Day 3 — Dazaifu & Momochi Seaside
Take the train out to Dazaifu (about 30 minutes from central Fukuoka) to visit Dazaifu Tenmangu, Japan's most important shrine to the god of learning, built over the grave of the exiled scholar-poet Sugawara no Michizane. Walk the approach street lined with shops selling umegae-mochi, grilled sweet rice cakes unique to the town, and pick up a couple for the walk back.
If time allows, follow the long escalator tunnel through the hillside to the Kyushu National Museum, which focuses on Japan's historical exchange with the rest of Asia — a natural fit given Fukuoka's centuries as a trading gateway to Korea and China.
Back in the city by early afternoon, head to Momochi Seaside Park on the western waterfront. Ride the elevator up Fukuoka Tower, Japan's tallest seaside tower at 234 metres, sheathed in half-mirrored glass, for a wide view over Hakata Bay and the reclaimed shoreline district below.
Finish with a walk along the public beach at Momochi as the sun drops over the bay, then a final dinner back in Tenjin — motsunabe (an offal hotpot with cabbage and garlic chives) or mizutaki (a clear chicken hotpot) are the two dishes worth prioritising if you haven't tried them yet, both best shared at a table rather than eaten solo.