Shopping in Fukuoka immediately demonstrates why this city is an international commerce hub, with plenty of independent boutique shops, outdoor markets, arts and crafts outlets and sprawling multi-level shopping centres. At Canal City, you can experience a shopping complex that is truly a city unto itself with over 250 shops, movie theatres, arcades, live entertainment venues, restaurants and even hotels. Tenjin Chikagai offers an entire centre of over 150 stores all located underground. JR Hakata City is a one-stop-shop for travellers that offers more than 230 stores of every variety.
If more traditional shopping is your thing, the Kawabata Shopping Street is dotted with 400 metres of covered local shops, over 100 in total. Among the more unique shops in town is Yamabikoya, a converted apartment building showcasing and selling more than 1,000 varieties of traditional Hakata dolls.
