Getting to Fukuoka
By Plane
Fukuoka has an international airport, imaginatively named Fukuoka International Airport, and unfortunately abbreviated FUK. Most GenkiJACS students fly to Fukuoka Airport as their final destination. Direct flights are not available from most countries, so most students fly through another hub airport in Japan or in Asia
Common Japan hubs:
- Tokyo Narita
- Tokyo Haneda
- Osaka
- Nagoya Chuubu
Common Asia hubs:
- Seoul (Korea)
- Shanghai (China)
- Beijing (China)
- Hong Kong
- Singapore
- Taipei (Taiwan)
So, for example, students often fly to Tokyo first, then transfer to another flight to Fukuoka. Many students find that the cheapest flights are available by transferring at another airport in Asia. Seoul is the most common, served by Asiana Airlines, Korean Airlines, KLM, and more.
Flights from Tokyo Haneda to Fukuoka are available very cheaply through Skymark Airlines.
By Train
Students who will travel in Japan before starting their study with us often come to Fukuoka by train. In this case, you must travel to Hakata Station (the main bullet train station for the city).
Bullet train (shinkansen) timetables are available here. In general it is not necessary to book your ticket in advance. You can buy a ticket for the next train when you arrive at the train station. There are two kinds of tickets, Reserved seats (shiteiseki) and Free seats (jiyuuseki). With a reserved seat ticket, you are guaranteed to have a specific seat. With a free seat ticket, you can sit anywhere in the free seat train cars. If all seats are taken, you will have to stand for at least part of the journey, until a seat becomes available. But you can always get on the train, even if no seats are available.
Please note that we don't recommend buying the Japan RailPass to use while you study at GenkiJACS, as travel costs from your accommodation to school are not so expensive. However, if you plan to travel around Japan before or after your study with us, the RailPass may be the cheapest way to get around. More information is available on our Travel From Fukuoka page.
