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Voykit pocket guide · Japan
Chikushino
筑紫野
Half-day trip from Fukuoka for the onsen and mountain walks; not a base. One night if you want a slow soak at Futsukaichi Onsen.
Chikushino is a commuter city 20 minutes by train from Hakata, known for Futsukaichi Onsen, a historic hot-spring town, and two hiking peaks (Mt. Houman and Mt. Tenpai). Most visitors come for a few hours of bathing and a short walk, then return to Fukuoka. It works as a low-key stop between Fukuoka and Dazaifu.
- Country
- Japan
- Local name
- 筑紫野
- Best months
- Mar–May, Oct–Nov
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (hot and humid), rainy season (Jun–early Jul)
- Stay
- 0–1 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- JPY
- Money
- Cities are increasingly cashless; temples, small restaurants and some lodging taxes still want cash.
- Daily spend
- Budget ¥5,000–8,000 excl. bed · Mid ¥8,000–15,000 excl. bed · High ¥15,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Data-only eSIMs are the easy route: buy before you fly; voice SIMs need a residence card.
- Emergency
- Police 110 · Fire and ambulance 119 · Japan Visitor Hotline (24 h, English) 050-3816-2787
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 100 V · 50 Hz east (Tokyo), 60 Hz west (Osaka) · Most sockets are two flat pins without earth; European and UK plugs need an adapter. Phone and laptop chargers handle 100 V.
- Tipping
- Restaurants and bars: No tip; staff will chase you to return money left on the table.; Taxis: No tip; pay the meter.; Ryokan: Optional: ¥1,000–3,000 in an envelope for the room attendant; never loose cash.; Private guide: Not expected; a small gift or a thank-you meal is more usual.; Hotel porter: No tip.
- Water
- Safe from the tap everywhere; stations and parks have fountains.
- Toilets
- Free, clean public toilets in stations, parks and konbini; paper goes in the toilet. Rural and old stations may have squat toilets.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Onsen entry (public bath) | ¥500–1,000 |
| Coffee | ¥350–600 |
| Ramen bowl | ¥700–1,200 |
| Beer (can at konbini / draught at izakaya) | ¥250–350 / ¥500–750 |
| 5 km (3.1 mi) taxi3.1 mi (5 km) taxi | ¥2,000–2,500 |
| JR ride to Hakata | ¥300–400 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- FUK · Fukuoka Airport
- About 20 min by taxi or bus; also reachable via JR line from Chikushino to Hakata then subway.
Typical fares
- Chikushino Station → Futsukaichi Onsen (taxi)
- about ¥1,000, 5 min
- Chikushino Station → Hakata (JR)
- about ¥300–400, 20 min (check)
- Chikushino → Dazaifu (bus)
- about ¥300, 15 min (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
JR Kagoshima Line and Nishitetsu Dazaifu Line serve the city; buses connect the onsen area and trailheads. A taxi from Chikushino Station to Futsukaichi Onsen is about ¥1,000.
See and do
Known for
- Futsukaichi Onsen
- Mt. Houman (宝満山)
- Mt. Tenpai (天拝山)
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Dazaifu | Nishitetsu bus from Chikushino Station, about 15 min | About 30 min |
| Fukuoka | JR Kagoshima Line from Chikushino Station to Hakata, about 20 min | About 30 min |
| Kurume | JR Kagoshima Line, about 30 min | About 40 min |
| Kitakyushu | JR Kagoshima Line via Hakata, about 1 h 15 min | About 1.5 h |
Sleep
- Futsukaichi Onsen area
- Ryokan and minshuku near the hot springs; best for a one-night onsen stay.
- Near Chikushino Station
- Business hotels and guesthouses; convenient for trains to Fukuoka and Dazaifu.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | すみませんsumimasen |
| Thank you | ありがとうございますarigatō gozaimasu |
| How much is the onsen? | 温泉はいくらですか？onsen wa ikura desu ka |
| Can I pay by card? | カードで払えますか？kādo de haraemasu ka |
| Where is the toilet? | トイレはどこですか？toire wa doko desu ka |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: A small bow; a handshake if the other person offers; avoid: Hugs, back slaps, loud greetings
- Names: Family name plus -san; avoid: First names unless invited; adding -san to your own name
- Paying: Put money in the tray at the register; avoid: Tipping, or leaving loose cash for staff
- Trains: Queue at the floor marks, phone on silent, ask before reclining on the Shinkansen; avoid: Phone calls, eating on crowded commuter trains, blocking doors with bags
- Escalators: Stand on the side locals use — left in Tokyo, right in Osaka; stations now ask people to stand still on both; avoid: Stopping at the top or bottom
- Shoes: Off at the step-up entrance; toilet slippers only inside the toilet; avoid: Stepping on tatami in shoes or slippers
- Shrines: Rinse hands at the basin; bow twice, clap twice, bow once; avoid: Walking down the centre of the approach, which is for the deity
- Gifts: Offer and receive with both hands; bring a small omiyage for hosts; avoid: Sets of four; cash outside an envelope
Scams and watch-outs
- Futsukaichi Onsen ryokan may have check-in cutoffs; call ahead if arriving late.
- Mt. Houman trail is steep and can be slippery after rain; wear proper shoes.
- No English signage at some onsen facilities; check if tattoos are allowed.
Very safe. Usual precautions: watch for cars on narrow streets, carry cash for onsen entry fees, and check weather before hiking.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Chikushino yet. Suggested stay: 0–1 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Futsukaichi Onsen
- Mt. Houman (宝満山)
- Mt. Tenpai (天拝山)
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Chikushino City official website: www.city.chikushino.fukuoka.jp/
- Chikushino Tourist Association (Japanese): www.chikushino.org/
- Wikivoyage: Chikushino, revision 4868425 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4868425
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Chikushino筑紫野
ここまでお願いします
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police110
- Fire and ambulance119
- Japan Visitor Hotline (24 h, English)050-3816-2787
The US consulate is in Fukuoka; most other countries have consulates in Fukuoka or Osaka, embassies in Tokyo.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/chikushino). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.