Fukuoka named luxury best-kept secret

Forbes Travel Guide published a May 12 article that cast Fukuoka as “Japan’s best-kept secret” for luxury travelers, adding a fresh international-media endorsement to a city that tourism officials have already been marketing around food, parks and easy regional access. The piece, written by contributor Carolyn Heller, framed the Kyushu city as an alternative stop for travelers moving through Asia and paired that pitch with specific upscale lodging and classic local attractions. Fukuoka City’s own tourism materials make a similar case, though in broader terms. The official guide says the city is highly regarded for its food culture and notes that its yatai food stalls in Hakata were previously highlighted by The New York Times, while the Japan National Tourism Organization describes the stalls as one of the city’s signature experiences. ### What exactly did Forbes say about Fukuoka? Carolyn Heller’s May 12 article for Forbes Travel Guide called Fukuoka a “best-kept secret” for luxury travelers and described it as a metropolitan area of more than 5 million facing Hakata Bay. (forbes.com) The article said the city is closer by air to Seoul than to Tokyo and pitched it as a stop for both business and leisure travelers from across Asia. (gofukuoka.jp) The Forbes piece also tied that destination pitch to a hotel recommendation. Heller directed readers to the Ritz-Carlton, Fukuoka, describing it as a Four-Star property in the Tenjin district and using it as the starting point for nearby attractions. ### Which places did the article single out? Ohori Park appeared near the top of the Forbes itinerary. (forbes.com) The article called it the city’s “green heart” and pointed to jogging and cycling paths around the central pond, the Japanese Garden and the nearby Fukuoka Art Museum. Kushida Shrine and the ruins of Fukuoka Castle also featured in the article’s list of stops. (forbes.com) Forbes said Kushida Shrine was first established in 757 and identified it as the site of the Hakata Gion Yamakasa summer festival, while the castle ruins were presented as part of a park visit near Ohori Park. ### Why do food stalls matter so much in this story? (forbes.com) Fukuoka’s yatai stalls are one of the clearest links between the city’s tourism image and the Forbes framing. The city’s official tourism guide says more than 100 stalls open around Fukuoka, and the Japan National Tourism Organization says they cluster mainly in Tenjin and Nakasu and operate from around 6 p.m. into the early morning. Hakata ramen sits at the center of that image. (forbes.com) The official city guide says ramen is among the local dishes visitors can expect to find, while multiple tourism references describe the stalls as places to eat ramen alongside gyoza, yakitori and oden. ### Is Fukuoka new to the luxury-travel conversation? Forbes Travel Guide had already written about high-end travel in the city before this week’s article. A June 15, 2025 piece on the Ritz-Carlton, Fukuoka said the hotel connected visitors to Kyushu’s art, lifestyle and local products while serving as a base for exploring central Fukuoka. (gofukuoka.jp) Forbes Travel Guide’s own site continues to surface the new Fukuoka article among current travel features. (gofukuoka.jp) That placement suggests the story is part of the outlet’s continuing luxury-destination coverage rather than a one-off item. ### Where can readers verify the details now? The Forbes Travel Guide article is posted on Forbes’ site under Carolyn Heller’s byline with a May 12, 2026 timestamp. Fukuoka City’s official tourism portal and the Japan National Tourism Organization also maintain current pages on the city’s food stalls, parks and visitor highlights for readers checking the places named in the story. (forbes.com 1) (forbes.com 2) (forbes.com 3)