Play, Eat, and Stay with the Kids! A Visitor’s Guide to Uminonakamichi Seaside Park

Uminonakamichi Seaside Park is a floral paradise where seasonal blooms are in full display. In spring, tulips and nemophila pop against blue skies, and in summer, sunflowers create golden waves. In fall, cosmos sway in the breeze, and in winter, pansies add bright color. The breathtaking scenery woven by the sea and flowers gently embraces every visitor.

“Animal Forest,” where you can meet Approx. 50 species and 500 animals.
You can not only watch the adorable expressions of kangaroos, capybaras, Bolivian squirrel monkeys, and sheep, but also hold a guinea pig on your lap and interact with it.
You can also try feeding goats and waterfowl.
You can also encounter Indian peafowl, owls, blue-and-yellow macaws, and sulcata tortoises.

Two giant trampolines inflated with air.
One is adjusted to a height of 1.7 m so kids around 3–6 years old can play safely.
Jump, bounce, roll, and run around—this attraction lets you move any way you like.
A covered rest area is also available, which is a nice plus for parents who want to watch their kids play.

A facility open in summer only, where you can enjoy six different pools.
The 300 m lazy river pool has a depth of 0.8 m–1.2 m.
Let yourself drift with the gentle current and enjoy the relaxing feeling.
At “Water Jungle,” where logs and rafts appear, kids’ sense of adventure will come alive and they’ll be able to play their hearts out.
The pool also has the three types of slides below.

Tube Dragon lets two people slide together on an inner tube.
There are also a pool with dinosaur monuments and a toddler pool with a depth of 0.25 m.
There are age and height requirements, so be sure to check each one.

A lively playground park with dolphin-themed equipment.
In the large lawn plaza, you’ll find a long slide and rope suspension bridges.
With net floors and slides, it’s filled with fun play equipment.
There are also many ramp-access paths, and the universal design adds to the sense of comfort and safety.

Opened in 1989, “Marine World Uminonakamichi” is an aquarium located within Uminonakamichi Seaside Park that exhibits Approx. 350 species and 30,000 animals under the theme “The Seas of Kyushu.”
In the major 2017 renovation, 90% of the tanks were replaced, including the 7 m-deep open-ocean main tank.
The seas of Kyushu were recreated more realistically, making it possible to observe the animals’ ecology in a setting closer to nature.
Another highlight is the rich lineup of show programs, led by the hugely popular “Dolphin & Sea Lion Show,” as well as the “Open-Ocean Main Tank Show” and “Sea Otter Feeding Time.”
Limited-time events you can enjoy up close—like penguin walks and birthday celebrations for the animals—are also not to be missed.

At Uminonakamichi Seaside Park, riding a bicycle while feeling the sea breeze is especially refreshing.
The 12 km cycling course lets you cruise along while enjoying flowers, lawns, and the wide blue sea.
The scenery changes with the seasons, bringing a new sense of excitement with every turn of the pedals.

“INN THE PARK Fukuoka” is an accommodation facility that opened in the stay-style recreation hub “Hikari to Kaze no Hiroba.”
You can stay in unique rooms such as 6 m-diameter dome tents, cabins with ocean views, and terrace houses that can accommodate up to four adults.
The dome tents glow at night, creating a warm light in the city.
For dinner, you can enjoy a French course meal crafted by the chef.
Breakfast is takeout style, so enjoy a picnic in the park.
If you’re visiting with the kids, consider staying at “INN THE PARK Fukuoka” to make some great memories.

A zoological and botanical garden located within Minami Park, using the hilly terrain of Fukuoka City.
The zoo area is in the central part of the park and the botanical garden area is in the southern part, and you can go back and forth via an overpass.
The zoo is divided into the North Garden, South Garden, and the Asian Tropical Valley area. In the North Garden, you can see southern white rhinoceroses, giraffes, and Asiatic black bears; in the South Garden, red pandas, lions, tigers, hippos, and the penguin area that opened in January 2022; and in the Asian Tropical Valley, orangutans, leopards, Asian small-clawed otters, and more—around 100 animal species are kept and exhibited.

“KidZania Fukuoka,” the third location in Japan and the first in Kyushu.
A hands-on career and social experience facility for children, where they can learn how society works while having fun through jobs and services in a city built at Approx. two-thirds real-world scale.
Inside, there are around 50 pavilions sponsored by real companies, and kids can try Approx. 70 types of activities (jobs and services) using realistic uniforms, equipment, and tools.

A theme park where you can experience the world of the hugely popular anime “Anpanman.”
On the 5th, 6th, and 8th floors of the commercial facility “Hakata Riverain Mall” in Fukuoka City, a space of 8,700 m² is scattered with 17 shops and play equipment, creating a place kids can get absorbed in.
In particular, play equipment you can enjoy while moving your body—like “Anpanman-go” and “Baikin Secret Base”—is especially popular.
There are also stage shows featuring Anpanman and “greeting events” where you can take photos and interact, making for lasting memories.
Shops with limited-edition goods and restaurants with character-themed menus are also appealing.

Conveniently located with easy access, close to Tenjin and Nakasu in the heart of the city.
Facing the Nakagawa River, the interior is filled with sunlight through large, open atrium windows, creating a wonderfully airy atmosphere.
There’s also terrace seating along the river, and pets are welcome, which is a nice touch.

A mentaiko specialty restaurant in the Nishinakasu area, known as a neighborhood of famous Hakata restaurants and a gathering place for food lovers.
It’s considered the original specialty shop to serve Fukuoka’s famous mentaiko—traditionally sold as a souvenir—as a full meal.
The signature dish is the “Mentaiju,” also featured in the restaurant name.
A whole stick of kombu-wrapped mentaiko, carefully marinated over time, is served on rice lined with nori.

A renowned mizutaki hot pot restaurant, one of Hakata’s signature local dishes.
Since the founder originally ran a poultry wholesaling business, they use their own brand chicken “Hanamidori” for mizutaki and other chicken dishes, raised in-house.
Raised in clear air and abundant sunlight and fed a special feed, the chicken has no off odor, and you can fully enjoy its firm texture and rich flavor.