Canal City – A Complete Guide to Fukuoka’s Architecture Marvel
What comes in mind when you hear the name ‘Canal City’? Chances are you will immediately think of cities like Bangkok and Venice; or even Kurashiki (倉敷), a traditional town near Tokyo (東京) famed for its gorgeous canals. Today’s post however is not about traditional towns; however it is about Canal City, an illustrious and architecturally gorgeous shopping complex that is located downtown Fukuoka (福岡).
Canal City Hakata (キャナルシティ博多) is not only a central shopping hub, but also a remarkable architecture marvel on its own right. Located in the central point of Fukuoka makes it a popular gathering spot among locals and tourists to shop and chill while enjoying the breeze along the city’s canals. With that in mind, let’s explore what the complex has to offer:
- Firstly, get to know the history behind the origin behind this symbolic mall.
- Next, check out the creative concepts behind the fascinating architecture of the mall.
- Then, check out the variety of stores the mall has to offer.
- And finally, check out the other attractions of the mall and also how to get to this mall here.
Table of Contents
History of Canal City
Long before the shopping complex was built, the area was once the factory site of Kanebo Corporation (カネボウ株式会社). For reference, Kanebo was established in 1887 and is mainly known for its cosmetics and skin care products. However in 1959, due to poor business performance the said factory shut down. Kanebo even attempted to operate a pool and later a golf course with a parking lot; but to no avail the project did not worked out.
Consequently, the area was abandoned for a period of time, as well as the safety of the area deteriorated over time due to local crimes. It was only in 1977 when a local real estate company called Fukuoka Jisho (福岡地所) bought over the land which became a turning point for the rundown area. Fukuoka Jisho invited the top architecture and design firm in Los Angeles known as Jerde to come up with an entirely new mall concept. A perfect timing in my opinion, as the city was in desperation to revitalise its downward economy at that time. Together with Jerde, they embarked on an ambitious project with a vision to create a vibrant city to be enjoyed by people of all ages.
After 17 painstaking years of construction, their efforts finally paid off with the birth of Canal City. Canal City turned out to be a success; with its number of visitors exceeding 10 million pax within 6 months from its opening debut. The mall not only revitalised the area but also became a symbol of hope for the city of Fukuoka.
Canal City's Impressive Architecture
In my opinion, what makes Canal City unique from the standard malls that you see in Japan is its remarkable architecture. It features a 180 metres long man-made canal in the middle; together with lush greeneries decorated along the canal and also the building’s walls. The buildings here are designed curvy and slender to add a lot more dimension of beauty to the structures themselves.
The nature-like path along with the surrounding curvy buildings create a sense of relaxation for incoming visitors. It also makes for a great place to take a stroll or having a sip of coffee to enjoy the day. Let’s take a look at the concepts and elements that help to create this gorgeous architecture.
Nature within a City
When Jerde designed Canal City, one of the most emphasized element is mother nature itself. Look out for the trees and plants that are planted along the canals; as well as the lush greenery that hangs along the mall’s curvy walls. These walls that are covered in vegetation symbolises canyons while the canal in the middle represents a flowing stream. Be sure to take notice of the stratified layers along the walls too; which serves to further resemble an actual cliffs. The whole setup serves to give visitors an impression of strolling along a stream exploring the woods.
In fact, Jerde intelligently incorporated blue and green colours to mix along with the red-coloured structures. The green colour serves to soothe the eyes of the visitors while representing nature and giving an overall harmonious feel. The blue canal on the other hand, provides a sense of peacefulness and calms the heart. Both of these colours serve to contrast the more dynamic red shade of the structures.
The Open-Air Mall Concept
In contrast with most shopping malls in Asia which are indoor, Canal City also feature an open-air mall concept which resembles the open marketplace that is more prevalent in the West. Its no surprise of the introduction of this concept, given the designer’s origin is from the United States. In the centre of the mall lies a dome shape like structure that contains a mini-stage; resembling more of an amphitheater .
The designers intended to create a ‘city theater’ when designing this portion; whereby the main stars are not the buildings themselves, but rather the visitors. Visitors can come here to visit, as well as to perform; creating an open environment for exchanging of various perspectives.
Meet the Artist Behind the Architecture
The firm that designed the mall is an American company based in Los Angeles founded in 1977 by the late Jon Jerde. An innovator by nature, Jon Jerde (or Jonathan Adams Jerde in full) was an architect who is known for his groundbreaking designs, especially for shopping malls. Jerde achieved his career breakthrough when he designed the Horton Plaza; a 5-storey outdoor shopping mall in San Diego, California. His superpower lies in his ability to transform shopping malls into urban environments that attract many, many people.
And he brought over this concept over when he began to undertake new projects in Japan. Some of these include Roppongi Hills (六本木ヒルズ) in Tokyo (東京) and Riverwalk Kitakyushu (リバーウォーク北九州) in Kitakyushu (北九州), both which became successful tourist sites on their own. But of course, his successful venture into Japan was started by none other than the breakthrough he achieved with Canal City in 1996.
While Jon Jerde unfortunately passed away in February 2015, his legacy of urban environment shopping malls still remain intact in his projects. From the open-air mall concept to the riverside walk, and also the vibrant colours that compliment each other, one can witness how the elements of the architecture worked so well simply by looking at the mall’s aesthetics.
On a side note, if you are curious about his other fascinating works in Japan, be sure to subscribe as I will them in the near future.
Shopping at Canal City
Located in the heart of Fukuoka (福岡) city, Canal City is home to some of the largest brands; featuring a lovely mix of both local and international brands. Boasting a total of 285 stores, the mall features a plethora of selection, ranging from fashion & cosmetics to lifestyle. Operating hours for the stores are from 10 am – 9 pm, while for restaurants, the hours are from 11 am – 11 pm (note that hours may slightly vary depending on the shop). With that said, let’s take a look at what the mall has to offer:
Fashion Clothing
A mall is certainly not a mall without fashion brand stores, and Canal City is no exception. In particular, clothing stores for men, women and children are abundant; featuring major international mainstream brands such as Zara, H&M, Guess, Lacoste and many more. Let’s not forget to highlight some of the local Japanese brands too. For the fans of casual wear like myself, I always take the effort to check out Uniqlo (ユニクロ) on the 1st Floor, including the branch here which is the largest in Kyushu (九州). Uniqlo features a variety of simple, universal clothings that serves to match and bring out the individuality of the wearer.
For those who prefer hipster style, local brand Cayhane (チャイハネ/pronounced Chai-ha-ne) on the 4th floor is undeniably a go-to spot. A hippie haven on its own right, Cayhane offers plenty of fashion accessories, cardigans, bags and more importantly, the one-piece dresses that are so popular among Japanese ladies. They are more known for their vibrant and colourful design; which will definitely appeal to the more free-spirited individual.
Alternatively if you prefer trendier fashions, check out WEGO (ウィゴー) on the 2nd floor, one of Japan’s largest and affordable chain stores. Featuring a versatile selection of trendy casual wears to swimsuits, Wego is often a go-to among locals especially for the those into trends or those who prefer the childlike cute or kawaii (可愛い) look. With its modern style and versatile selections, WEGO serves as a gateway to contemporary Japanese fashion.
Shoes and Sport Apparel
While Adidas and Vans are some of the large international brands the mall has to offer for shoes, one shouldn’t discount on the local brands as well. For those who love branded goods, check out Onitsuka Tiger (オニツカタイガー); a luxury sport shoes brand. Onitsuka Tiger on the 2nd floor is known for its innovative and meticulously designed sport shoes; integrating traditional craftsmanship with modern technology to provide a comfortable wearing experience.
On the other hand, ABC Mart (エービーシー・マート) on the 3rd floor is worth visiting for their wide variety of shoe brands they have to offer. From sandals to sneakers and business shoes, as well as brands such as Adidas, Puma, Fila, Reebok, Under Armour and many more; ABC Mart is a store that will wow you with its wide selections. If you enjoy browsing through a wide range of brands, this is the store to go to.
For those into surfing, skateboarding and snowboarding, consider a visit to the Murasaki Sports (ムラサキスポーツ) outlet here on the 3rd floor. This local brand offers the latest and high-quality sports apparels and equipment for boardsports, including surfboards, wetsuits, snowboards, jackets, standup paddles, skateboards and many more. Also if you are getting yourself a casual and sporty look, check out their wide selections of comfortable T-shirts, jackets, hoodies and trunks as well.
Cosmetics
Are you looking forward to some duty-free shopping? Then, check out one of Japan’s largest drugstore chain, Matsumoto Kiyoshi (マツモトキヨシ). Not only do they sell a variety of medicines, they also offer the latest health products and cosmetics. Some of the cosmetics offered include the ‘Scalp D Eyelash Essence’ which is frequently used by models and actresses, sleeping gel packs for skincare, sake (yep the alcohol or 酒) toner and face lotion and many more. Great place if you are getting a souvenir for your family or friends.
Prefer somewhere less touristy and wanting to try speaking Japanese at a local cosmetic store? Look out for the local ABC Cosme Store (ABCコスメストア) which offers a wide range of local and Korean cosmetics. Their highlight is the locally produced skincare brand, Bellespiani; comprising of whitening skin products, moisturisers, cleansing gels and lotions.
Another option to consider is the Korean cosmetics boutique store, Oz Sister Cosme (オズシスターコスメ) which offers the latest Korean cosmetic products. Products range from award-winning brands such as Clio, Rom & Nd, Missha and Espoir. Look out especially for their best seller, coloured contact lens (カラコンkara-kon) which comes in various colours such as topaz blue, nature green and olive brown.
For the Foodies
Looking forward to fill your stomach with a tasty meal? Canal City features a variety of cafes, restaurants and fast food chains to choose from. Some of these include international chains such as Starbucks, McDonalds, Baskin Robbins; and also the renowned Wolfgang’s Steakhouse from New York which serves some of the juiciest and crispy Prime Black Angus steaks.
Alternatively, here are some local Japanese options for those seeking to enrich their Japan experience. Look out especially for the Ramen Stadium (ラーメンスタジアム) on the 5th floor, a ramen (ラーメン) food court featuring 8 of the best ramen restaurants in Japan. In particular, look out for the restaurants Nagahama Number One (長浜ナンバーワン), Ramen Jinanbo (二男坊) and Shodai Hide-chan (初代秀ちゃん) which serves the ever-important soul food of Fukuoka, the Hakata Ramen (博多ラーメン).
And for those who have sweet tooth, head to B1 floor to check out Strawberry Fetish, Japan’s first strawberry candy specialty store. This vibrant and dreamy store sells some of the freshest strawberry coated with candies (aka ichigo-ame/いちごあめ in Japanese). Take your time to savour the crunchyness of the thin-coated candy as it melts together with the sweet and sour juicy strawberry in your mouth to give a unique sense of joyfulness. And if you want to add another pinch of sweetness to your strawberries, you can request them to add condensed milk too for a generous 70 Yen (~ US 50 cents).
Lifestyle and Interior
For those seeking to decorate your home, check out both MUJI (無印良品) and Nitori (ニトリ). Located on the 4th floor, Nitori (ニトリ) is known as the IKEA of Japan and offers plenty of furniture at affordable prices. If you are a minimalist, Nitori will be a haven for you; especially when its furniture such as beds and cabinets are designed in the unique Japanese-Scandinavian (Japandi) style which combines both simplicity as well as coziness. Look out for their hot-selling cast-iron frying pan (Nito-suki/ニトスキ) which costs around 400 Yen (~ USD 3). Great for cooking pancakes and even serving them together with the pan on the table after cooking.
Topping the popularity list of interior goods stores in Japan is none other than MUJI itself. Located at the 3rd floor of the North Building, MUJI offers higher quality mid-range furnishings; featuring minimalistic designs and no-frills packaging for their products. If you are willing to spend, consider shopping here their products are known for their sturdiness and durability. Check out some of their best sellers which includes the organic cotton face towel which can withstand numerous washes, the durable polypropylene file boxes and the red cedar shoe keepers which maintains your shoes in its original form while acting as a deodorant too.
For the Geeks
Canal City is surprisingly filled with quite a few shops selling character goods. For starters, look out for the only official Ultraman (ウルトラマン) store in Fukuoka, that is ‘Ultraman World M78’ at B1 floor (you can’t miss it with the huge Ultraman face right at the front of the store). Their main best seller is the soft vinyl dolls (sofubi-ningyo/ソフビ人形) and makeover sets of the latest Ultraman series.
And then, there is also the Gundam Base Fukuoka on the 5th floor which features an impressive display of limited edition Gundam (ガンダム) products such as toys, magazines and DVDs. A great candy store especially for Gundam fans who have watched the series and collected the models for ages. If you enjoy building your own Gundam model, the store even has its own build room specially for you to spend your time leisurely to build your own model.
For the fans of Shonen (少年) manga such as Naruto (ナルト), One Piece (ワンピース) and Bleach (ブリーチ), look out for the Jump Shop at B1 floor. This place is a haven with its variety of Shonen manga character goods, comics, DVDs, snacks and many more. Also on the same floor, check out Donguri Kyouwakoku (どんぐり共和国) which is a dreamland for Studio Ghibli fans; featuring merchandises of Ghibli characters from fan-favourite movies such as My Neighbour Totoro (Tonari-no-Totoro/となりのトトロ), Kiki’s Delivery service (Majo-no-Takyubin/魔女の宅急便) and Spirited Away (Sen-to-Chihiro-no-Kamikakushi/千と千尋の神隠し).
Other Attractions
Apart from shopping, Canal City does offer many other entertainments as well. Firstly, there is the local United Cinemas on the 4th floor for those who want to watch the latest Japanese movies on the big screen. In fact, this is the only mall that features an IMAX screen in Kyushu. On the same floor, there is also a Taito game centre; featuring a huge selection of arcade games. This is also a great place to try out some of Japan’s exclusive entertainments, such as the UFO Catcher (UFOキャッチャー), the Purikura (プリクラ) photo stations and the infamous pachinko (パチンコ) slot machines.
At the centre of the mall lies a mini-amphitheater where one can enjoy live concerts; often performed by local musicians, school bands, comedians and magicians. Even if there are no performances, there will be fountain shows occurring every 30 minutes for you to enjoy. My recommendation is to watch the fountain shows at night as the fountains will be accompanied by the vibrant and colourful lights which will provide an entirely new viewing experience.
And for a added bonus, check out the mall’s decorations during Christmas time as that is when the mall will be decorated in dazzling Christmas ornaments. In particular, the large Christmas tree at this time will be the mall’s superstar; as the sight of it lighting up at night is a marvel to admire at together with the mall’s vibrant colours.
Getting There
By Train
Being in the middle of the city certainly has its merits, as Canal City is well-connected by both train and bus. If you are from another city, board a train or shinkansen (新幹線) towards Hakata station (博多駅) of Fukuoka (福岡). I would suggest getting the JR Pass (JR パース), a handy all-you-can-ride pass on all JR lines especially if you are travelling in between cities of Japan.
From the main station, the mall is simply 15 minutes walk away along the Hakata Ekimae Road (博多駅前通り). Alternatively, if you are lazy to walk, consider taking a bus ride from Hakata station bus stop A and ride the ‘Canal City Bus’. The journey takes around 7 minutes and costs only around 100 Yen. Also from 27 March 2023 onwards, you can take a ride via subway and disembark at the new Kushida Jinja-mae Station (櫛田神社前駅) station; which is just a short walk to the walk.
By Car
Another alternative option especially if you are going on a road trip in Japan. While parking slots are ample, do note that parking rates in Japan are generally expensive (in this case, its 200 Yen for every 30 minutes). Hence if cost is a concern for you, I would advise taking a train or bus, or even walking there given how easily accessible the mall is.
Of course, if you are looking to venture into the countryside of Japan conveniently, consider renting a car from Tocoo. In fact, a friend of mine used Tocoo which he was able to drive around his family conveniently across various towns and cities of Japan. Are you unsure of getting the necessary license and familiarising with the rules of driving in Japan? Fret not as they also provide comprehensive and elaborate guides in their site on what you need to start your driving journey in Japan. Undoubtedly a great option for those seeking to add some lesser known destinations into their itinerary.
Overall Thoughts
Rich and colourful in design while featuring plenty of branded stores to shop around, Canal City is certainly a beautiful destination to look out for. Even if you are not a shopaholic, its worth paying a visit to the mall simply for its remarkable architecture and relaxing atmosphere. Be sure to check this gorgeous mall out during your visit; especially if you are seeking a relaxing experience (or a romantic experience for the couples).
Also, if you love to discover more hidden gems within Japan, be sure to subscribe as I will be sharing more fascinating gems of Japan in the near future.
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