Momochi Beach: The Jewel Of Fukuoka City’s Coastline

When you’re in Fukuoka City, most of the must-visit spots fall under temples, parks, and shopping areas. So after spending our first few days ticking those off the list and even venturing out to nearby prefectures for some nature and mountain views, we thought the rest of our trip would be just food trips and shopping. But on our sixth day, one of our companions suggested we check out Momochi Seaside Park.

Honestly, a beach day wasn’t something I expected in Japan. I’ve always thought of Japan as a country of neon cities, shrines, vending machines and not sandy shores. But Fukuoka proved me wrong. It’s one of those rare cities in Japan where you get the best of both urban life and coastal views.

Momochi Seaside Park is a one-kilometer stretch of artificial beach located in the coastal part of Sawara Ward. The sand isn’t as powdery as what we’re used to back home in the Philippines, but the surroundings were so clean and peaceful that I honestly didn’t mind. The breeze was nice, the place wasn’t crowded, and the vibe was just right for a slow, chill afternoon. I might be biased, but I actually preferred it that way.

The beach was a refreshing break from the usual tourist spots. If you’re craving some sun, sea, snacks and a gorgeous city view, this place is a must. When we first arrived, the beach seemed pretty quiet. Nobody was swimming. I even wondered if swimming was allowed. It turns out that it just wasn’t the season. We tried dipping our feet in the water and yup, it was icy cold! So no one was brave or crazy enough to go for a full swim.

Right at the heart of the beach is Marizon, a small seaside complex with charming European-style architecture. At first glance, I thought it was a fancy beach resort or hotel. But it’s actually more of a wedding venue slash dining and shopping area. There’s even a ferry terminal there that connects to Uminonakamichi Seaside Park across Hakata Bay.

And of course, towering over everything is Fukuoka Tower. You literally can’t miss it. Built in 1989 for the city’s 100th anniversary, it’s 234 meters tall, making it the tallest seaside tower in Japan. The entire structure is covered in 8,000 mirrors, so it shines under the sun, and it has an observation deck 123 meters up. From there, you can get an amazing 360-degree view of the city and coastline.

Inside the tower, you’ll find a couple of cool spots too. There’s a Lover’s Sanctuary, which is basically a romantic area with photo ops for couples. There’s also a restaurant on the second observation floor that turns into a bar at night, offering panoramic views while you eat or sip your drink. At the ground floor, there’s a souvenir shop and even a convenience store.

From above, one could see the incredible urban and coastal views. Several prominent landmarks includes Momochi Seaside Park, Fukuoka PayPay Dome, Nokonoshima Island, Kushida Shrine, Hakata Port Tower, and Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine, Ohori Park, Fukuoka Castle Ruins, and Tochoji Temple. We didn’t go up the tower, though. We were pretty content just taking in the view of the beach and Marizon from the ground floor’s balcony.

After all, I was more excited about the food options anyway. No surprises there! There were food stalls made from wooden planks and mobile food carts scattered around the beach area. I love the scene of the food establishments is it gave off a rustic, beachy vibe. Picnic tables with matching umbrellas were set up for guests to sit, eat, and relax.

We first lined up at Marizon Ice Cream, but just when it was our turn, the soft serve machine broke down. So instead, I got a Coffee Float and my husband went for a Mango Smoothie. The smoothie wasn’t exactly how I expected it to be made. It was more like a crushed ice with mango flavoring and milk but it turned out really refreshing. As for the coffee float, I thought it wouldn’t be available either since the soft serve wasn’t working. But they made it differently. It was an Americano with a scoop of ice cream. It actually worked well and tasted great!

For brunch, we checked out KumaSanDog, which had big signs advertising their cheesesteak sandwich. We gave it a shot and were pleasantly surprised. It didn’t quite taste like the classic cheesesteak we’re familiar with, but it had this bulgogi-style flavor that was still super tasty. On the flip side, the takoyaki and yakitori from the stall in front of it were kind of a letdown. The takoyaki was mostly batter with barely any octopus, and the yakitori lacked flavor.

Aside from the beach and food, there are other attractions in the area like the Fukuoka City Museum, which showcases Fukuoka’s role as a gateway between Japan and Korea, and the Fukuoka PayPay Dome, Japan’s first stadium with a retractable roof and home to Kyushu’s baseball team. Sadly, we didn’t have time to visit those, but they’re definitely worth adding to the itinerary if you have a full day to spare.

More about our Fukuoka 2025 trip:

• Aso Mountain: On Top Of Japan’s Most Active Volcano
  
• Yufuin Floral Village: The Studio Ghibli Village In Japan
• Park-hopping in Fukuoka City
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• The Seven Hells Of Beppu
  
• Nanzoin Temple: The Home Of The Reclining Buddha
  
• Best Of 7 Eleven
  
• Best Of Bon Repas
  
• 洋風食堂枝: A Long-Loved Western-Style Restaurant In Fukuoka City
  
• Kichigo: A Taste Of Karaage Grand Prix’s Gold
  
• Ikinari: Ready For Steak Off
  
• How I Make Melon Ice Cream Soda
  
• How I Make Peruvian Fries Burger
  
• How I Make Mackerel Sushi