As Kyushu’s largest and busiest transport hub, Hakata Railway Station is a buzz of activity. It anchors Fukuoka City and is surrounded by a gleaming network of shopping malls, department stores, hotels, restaurants and leisure facilities. It’s serviced by 14 operational platforms, and also offers access to the Kuko Subway line running to Tenjin and Fukuoka Airport.

For most travellers, Hakata Railway Station is the gateway to the island of Kyushu. The island is famous for its smouldering active volcanoes, stunning beaches and natural hot spring resorts like Beppu. As an early centre of Japanese civilisation, Kyushu is also home to a string of fantastic historic attractions.

Hakata Railway Station is located two kilometres east of the downtown Tenjin district, and around three kilometres west of Fukuoka Airport. Both are a short subway ride away. Hakata is also a terminal point for both the Sanyo Shinkansen bullet train line to Osaka, as well as the Tokaido Shinkansen line to Tokyo.

For those wanting a glimpse at Japan’s ultra-modern bullet trains, Hakata Railway Station is a fantastic place to visit. Reaching speeds of up to 320 kilometres an hour, they connect Japanese cities with incredible efficiency. It’s all thanks to magnetic levitation, which uses electromagnets to hover the carriages above the tracks and eliminate friction.