Historical Sites of Japan

This collection showcases the diverse heritage of the Fukuoka region, spanning from ancient Shinto traditions to Japan’s rapid industrialization. It features UNESCO-listed sites of the Meiji Industrial Revolution, including the Onga River Pumping Station and Mietsu Naval Base. The list highlights feudal history through various castle ruins, ancient burial mounds (kofun) on Ainoshima Island, and some of the nation’s oldest Shinto shrines, such as Sumiyoshi and Kushida, which have served as spiritual centers for over a millennium.

Historical Sites of Japan — Harita

kamoseiro / CC BY 3.0

A

Fukuoka Castle

Also known as Maizuru Castle, this historic sight is situated on top of Fukusaki Hill, overlooking the city.

そらみみ / CC BY-SA 4.0

B

Munakata Taisha Hetsu-gū

Munakata Taisha is a collection of three Shinto shrines located in Munakata, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan.

そらみみ / CC BY-SA 4.0

C

Onga River Pumping Station

Part of the UNESCO World Heritage 'Sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution,' this red-brick facility was built in 1910. It continues to pump water from the Onga River to the Yahata Steel Works today.

佐賀市教育委員会 / Public domain

D

三重津海軍所跡

A UNESCO World Heritage site established in 1858 by the Saga Domain. It served as Japan’s first modern naval dockyard for repairing and building Western-style steamships.

E

Miyahara Koh Mineshaft

A former coal mine shaft part of the Miike Coal Mine UNESCO World Heritage site. It features a preserved steel headframe and red-brick structures dating to the late 19th-century Meiji era.

Pontafon / CC BY-SA 3.0

F

Kushida Shrine

Founded in 757, the shrine is considered to be the oldest Shinto shrine in the city.

Reggaeman / CC BY-SA 3.0

G

Sumiyoshi Shrine

Visit this Shinto shrine which is considered to be the oldest one on the Kyushu island. It is dedicated to gods of safe seafaring.

Masgatotkaca / CC-BY-SA-3.0

H

Kokura Castle

Kokura Castle is a castle in Kitakyushu, Japan. It was built by Hosokawa Tadaoki starting in 1602, with construction completed in 1608.

I

Ganjaku Castle

A mountain castle ruin featuring a reconstructed keep. Historically significant during the Sengoku period, the site offers views of the surrounding Soeda area from its elevated position.

J

Nakatsu Castle

Built in 1588 by Kuroda Yoshitaka, this 'water castle' uses seawater in its moat. The reconstructed five-story keep houses a museum displaying samurai armor and regional historical documents.

そらみみ / CC BY-SA 4.0

K

Ohana Villa

The former residence of the Tachibana clan, lords of the Yanagawa Domain. The estate includes a Meiji-era Western-style building and the Shotoen garden, a National Site of Scenic Beauty.

L

鷹取城跡

Remnants of a mountain fortification located on Mount Takatori. The site contains surviving stone wall sections from the feudal era and serves as a historical hiking destination.

藏元佑衣 / CC BY-SA 4.0

M

伊方古墳

An ancient burial mound in Fukuchi dating back to the Kofun period, representing the region's early political and social structures.

N

相島大塚（120号墳）

A stone-built burial mound on Ainoshima Island. This seaside tumulus is part of a large cluster of archaeological sites dating from the 5th to 6th centuries.

O

相島南塚（142号墳）

An ancient stone burial mound located on the southern coast of Ainoshima Island, overlooking the Genkai Sea.

P

相島北塚（1号墳）

A Kofun-era stone burial mound situated on the northern side of Ainoshima Island, part of the island's extensive archaeological complex.

Q

砲台跡(風車展望所)

Historical remnants of a military battery installation, now utilized as an observatory point with panoramic coastal views.

R

太閤潮井の石

A historical stone on Ainoshima Island associated with Toyotomi Hideyoshi. It is traditionally linked to Shinto purification rituals involving seawater.