Looking for places to go and things to do over Golden Week? Check out our hand-picked lists of events and activities! There’s so much to see and do! Golden Week 2022 will be from Friday, April 29 to Sunday, May 8, with up to 10 consecutive holidays, including two weekdays in between. Leisure spots and flower tours for children to enjoy together, events to enjoy alone, with friends, or with the family, and more, delivered in English and Japanese!
Golden Week Calendar 2022
• 4/29 (Fri., hol.) Showa Day
• 4/30 (Sat.)
• 5/1 (Sun.)
• 5/3 (Tue., hol.) Constitution Memorial Day
• 5/4 (Wed., hol.) Greenery Day
• 5/5 (Thu., hol.) Children’s Day
• 5/7 (Sat.)
• 5/8 (Sun.)
Hakata Dontaku 2022
Photo provided by the City of Fukuoka
Dontaku, derived from the Dutch word Zondag (holiday), is one of the largest festivals in Japan, attracting two million spectators (pre-pandemic.) This year the event will be held on a reduced scale. On May 3 & 4, the event begins with the Hakata Matsubayashi procession, which has celebrated the new year for the last 840 years. Daytime performances on 16 stages follow that, and, in the evening, illuminated “Flower Cars” (decorated vehicles) roll through the streets. For more information, check out our Hakata Dontaku 2022 Guide!
• 5/3 (Tue., hol.), 5/4 (Wed., hol.)
• https://www.dontaku.fukunet.or.jp/
• Fukuoka Now Hakata Dontaku Guide 2022
Momochi Now – Golden Week Special 2022
Photo by Kento Kawaida
Seaside Momochi is a 2.5km-long beach stretching from east to west, where iconic facilities such as Fukuoka Tower, the Fukuoka Dome, and international resort hotels are concentrated. During Golden Week, enjoy a stroll on the boardwalk, play some beach volleyball, fly a kite, watch a sunset, and walk around to see numerous public artworks scattered around the area. For meals, enjoy a fabulous hotel buffet or grab some take-out and enjoy a picnic! This month’s Momochi Now features the Momochi area during Golden Week, where you can easily enjoy shopping and activities. Enjoy it alone or in a group!
https://www.fukuoka-now.com/en/momochi-now2204/
GW Event List
Here’s a long list of events taking place between April 29 to May 8, 2022. Click on any of these to see photos and get details. Happy Golden Week!
• Einstein Exhibition (3/12~5/29)
• Hilton Sweets Buffet – Honey Bee Garden (4/16~6/26)
• minä perhonen / minagawa akira TSUZUKU (4/23~6/19)
• THE Kamen Rider 50th Years Exhibition (4/23~5/15)
• Usagi Symbol Exhibition 2022 in Fukuoka (4/23~5/15)
• Makuai (4/29~5/10)
• AGORA Fukuoka Hilltop Hotel & Spa Cool and Luxury Beer Terrace 2022 (4/22~11/6)
• Ishibashi Bunka Center Spring Rose Fair 2022 (4/23~5/29)
• Itoshima Handmade Carnival 2022 (4/29~5/1)
• 118th Arita Ceramic Fair (4/29~5/5)
• Hasami Ceramic Festival 2022 (4/29~5/5)
• Karatsu Yakimon Ceramic Festival (4/29~5/5)
• Yamame Salmon Catching at Shiraito Falls (4/29~5/8)
• Koishiwara Spring Pottery Festival (5/1~5/8)
• Sakurai Futamigaura, Shimenawa Festival (5/1)
• Hakata Dontaku (5/3~5/4)
• & Sake Fukuoka (5/6~5/8)
• Mother’s Day Hakozaki Marche (5/7~5/8)
Fukuoka Now Seasonal Guide
Clam Digging Guide 2022
At the beginning of spring, you may notice clusters of people digging at the mouth of the Muromigawa River. They’re not panning for gold but for something much tastier – clams! In Japan, shiohigari (digging for clams) is a popular leisure activity for families and groups of friends who comb the beaches for clams before taking home their spoils to cook. The season runs from the end of March to early June, and it’s a popular activity over Golden Week. Enjoy a day of shiohigari at the beach, playing in the mud, and challenging your friends to clam-hunting contests! Read on for our complete guide to shiohigari – especially the warnings and do’s and don’ts.
https://www.fukuoka-now.com/en/clam-digging-guide/
Fukuoka Wisteria Guide 2022
Wisteria are at their best from the mid-April to early May, and they’re loved for their sweet fragrance and vibrant colors. In Fukuoka, we’re lucky enough to have many glorious wisteria-viewing spots, including some which have been designated natural monuments of Japan, such as Nakayama no Ofuji in Yanagawa and Kurogi no Ofuji in Yame. Here we present twelve great wisteria spots in Fukuoka Prefecture for you to explore – so grab your camera and head out to experience the vibrant purple, white and pink curtains of wisteria.
https://www.fukuoka-now.com/en/wisteria-guide/
Fukuoka Now Azalea Guide 2022
Azalea is a shrub with red, pink, and white flowers that bloom from April to May. It is commonly used as a garden and roadside shrub in many parts of Japan since ancient times and introduced in Japan’s oldest collection of waka poems, the Manyoshu. During the Edo period (1603-1868), when horticulture became popular among the general public, many varieties of azaleas were bred from those growing wild in Kyushu. There are now more than 2,000 varieties of azaleas. Typical azaleas with flowers and leaves that are smaller than those of the original species include the Kirishima azalea, which was bred from the yamatsutsuji native to Kirishima in Kagoshima Prefecture, and the kurume azalea, which originated in Kurume and is widely popular in Japan for its many small, brightly colored flowers. The best time to see the azalea will be from mid-April to Golden Week.
https://www.fukuoka-now.com/en/azalea-guide/
Originally written in April 2016, updated April 2022.
Copyright Fukuoka Now – including all text, photos and illustrations. Permission required to re-use in any form. Meanwhile, feel free to link to this page.
NOTE: The information presented here was gathered and summarized by the Fukuoka Now staff. While we have done our best to check for accuracy, there might be errors and details may have changed. If you notice any errors or changes, please contact us. This report was originally written in Apr. 2016.
Photo provided by the City of Fukuoka
