Fukuoka: Ohori Park and Tochoji Temple Walking Tour

Begin your journey at Ohori Park, a place with a history intertwined with war damage. Originally the outer moat of Fukuoka Castle, the park was developed after the castle was abandoned. During World War II, the area, including the Fukuoka City Zoological Garden, was bombed, and the zoo was destroyed. One structure, the Ukimi Pavilion, miraculously survived and was moved to Ohori Park in 1949, becoming a notable feature.
Next, visit Tochoji Temple, known for the tombs of Tadayuki Kuroda II and Mitsuyuki III, lords of Chikuzen Province. Marvel at the 16.1-meter-high wooden Shakyamuni Buddha, the largest seated statue in Japan. In the temple storehouse, see the Senju Kannon Bosatsu (Thousand-armed Goddess of Mercy), carved from a single piece of cedar wood in the Heian period and designated as a national important cultural property. If you visit in February, experience the Setsubun Festival, a traditional event that has been handed down since the Muromachi period. The festival is a great success, with the Seven Gods of Good Luck, Otafuku, red and blue demons appearing for the bean-throwing ceremony, and attracts many worshippers every year.