Is Fukuoka the Best Place to Live in Japan?

 For me, the answer is yes. Fukuoka Prefecture is the best place to live in Japan. I’m not alone in offering my praises for Kyushu’s northernmost prefecture. According to several sources, Fukuoka has earned accolades inside and outside Japan. But, more than the rankings, the experience of living in Fukuoka Prefecture and Fukuoka City, in particular, makes me think this place is great. Curious to find out more? Keep reading for a few great reasons to live in Fukuoka.

Fukuoka Prefecture Rankings

Photo: iStock/ Sean Pavone

Fukuoka ranks high on surveys across the board.

Numbers don’t lie. Here are a few sources to explain why Fukuoka is the best place to live in Japan. Consider these recent rankings:

• In a survey by the Japanese rental agency eheya.net, Fukuoka was voted #4 best prefecture to live in (according to current residents) and #2 most desirable prefecture to live in (according to all respondents)
• Since 2008, London-based Monocle Magazine has featured Fukuoka City as one of its top 25 global cities in the annual Quality of Life Survey every year, except two times.
• According to a 2021 survey that asked whether respondents wanted to move back to their home prefectures now that they’re living elsewhere, natives of Fukuoka Prefecture came in at #1, with 33.5% replying positively

Affordable Housing

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Renting a bigger apartment in Fukuoka is more affordable than in Tokyo.

Compared to Osaka and Tokyo, Fukuoka Prefecture has low rental costs. Take a look at these average rents for a variety of apartment sizes:

Location	1R / 1K / 1DK	2LDK / 3K / 3LDK	3LDK / 4K / 4DK
Fukuoka Prefecture	¥48,000	¥79,000	¥102,000
Tokyo (23 wards)	¥91,000	¥221,000	¥240,000
Osaka	¥61,000	¥114,000	¥119,000
Kanagawa Prefecture	¥68,000	¥117,000	¥157,000

Even if you’re a business owner looking to rent office space, Fukuoka City has you covered, too. In 2023, Fukuoka had much cheaper rents in its business district compared to Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya.

Low Cost of Living

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In 2022, Fukuoka City was ranked the cheapest for food and general amenities.

Fukuoka Prefecture’s two largest cities, Fukuoka and Kitakyushu City, have low living costs for cities over 500,000. In 2022, Fukuoka City was ranked the cheapest for food and general amenities, while Kitakyushu City earned three and eight spots, respectively. If the national average for food and daily necessities is ¥100, people in Fukuoka City could expect to pay about ¥97.7 for each and Kitakyushu ¥98.2 and ¥99.8 for the two.

For a price comparison between Fukuoka City and Osaka, check out these typical goods and services:

Goods	Fukuoka City	Osaka
100g of chicken	¥114	¥136
1 kg of Kimchi	¥896	¥942
A bottle of mayonnaise	¥262	¥310
100g bag of potato chips	¥138	¥176
1000mL of hand soap	¥598	¥678

Fukuoka Prefecture also has relatively low living standards and attracts many international and domestic businesses. Fukuoka City has the highest number of businesses opening for five years in a row as of 2022 and the lowest cost for renting office space for a major Japanese city.

Good Work-Life Balance

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Drop by a local yatai (food stall) after work.

Work-life balance means striking a balance between having a job and maintaining a healthy life outside of work. A good work-life balance can improve mental and physical health, improving job performance.

What makes up the latter depends on the person. Some may want more time to spend with their families, while others would like to hit the gym three times a week between piano and dance lessons. Whatever you need to strike that delicate balance between work and the rest of your life, Fukuoka Prefecture has some ways to help you.

Here are some examples:

Perks	Details
Short commute times	Fukuoka and Kitakyushu have the shortest average commute times among major urban centers in Japan. Spend less time traveling and more time at home.
An abundance of parks	Kitakyushu City ranks fourth for cities with the most parks per capita.
Lots of beaches	Fukuoka City has 12 beaches with A or AA-rated water quality within 30 kilometers of the city center, the highest number of such beaches among major Japanese cities.
Beautifying yourself	Fukuoka City has the most beauty salons and second-most nail salons per capita.
Tons of yoga classes	Fukuoka City has the highest number of yoga classes per capita. Give yourself some time to heal your body and mind.
Take up a sport	Fukuoka City is among the top three cities for consumers who buy sportswear and sporting goods.

A Hub for Travel

Photo: iStock/ winhorse

Fukuoka Prefecture offers plenty of sightseeing options, and getting there is a breeze.

Fukuoka International Airport (FIA) is the fourth busiest airport in Japan behind Haneda, Narita and Kansai Airports. Also, out of air routes worldwide in 2023, FIA to Haneda ranks third most traveled after Seoul’s Gimpo International Airport to Jeju and Haneda to Sapporo. As a bonus for people landing at FIA, the airport is only five minutes away via subway from Hakata station, Fukuoka’s other travel hub for visitors looking to access the JR train network.

While not as large as FIA, Kitakyushu City Airport still has ample destinations within the archipelago and beyond. Also, Kokura station is a shinkansen (bullet train) stop, which makes trips east and south deeper into Kyushu a breeze. Finally, although ship travel isn’t as popular as it used to be, several ferries depart from Shin-Moji port for Tokyo, Kobe and Osaka.

Points of Interest Beyond Fukuoka

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Head to Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine if you have a test coming up.

From its delectable culinary landscape to famous festivals, the highlights of a trip to Fukuoka City are well documented at GaijinPot Travel. But what do you know about the rest of the prefecture?

Here are some destinations outside the big city to get you started:

Place	What is it?
Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine	This 10th-century shrine dedicated to literature and education is popular among students during exam season.
Mojiko Retro	A historic port area, Mojiko Retro’s early 20th-century architecture has been faithfully restored.
Uminonakamichi Seaside Park	Botanical gardens, a water park and several large playgrounds await visitors on the outskirts of Fukuoka City.
Kyushu National Museum	One of Japan’s National Museums, this one highlights the history and culture of Kyushu.
Yame Central Tea Garden	Yame is renowned for its quality green tea, especially gyokuro (jade jewel), and this site offers a first-hand look at its cultivation.
Kawachi Wisteria Garden	This private garden will open to the public for a limited time to showcase its 20 varieties of wisteria trees in bloom.
Ichiran no Mori	Take a food factory tour of the famous ramen brand Ichiran.
Munakata Shrine	A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Munakata Shrine is beautifully situated off the coast of Fukuoka Prefecture.
Sakurai Futamigaura	Nicknamed Couple Stones for the dual rocks jutting out of the sea, this site is a popular attraction for its equally picturesque white torii gate contrasted against the blue sea.
Mount Sarakura	From the top of this mountain in Kitakyushu City, you’ll see why this spot was voted one of the Three Most Spectacular Night Spots in 2022.