The largest downtown shopping mall in Fukuoka, Canal City Hakata is a fun place to shop, eat or watch the famous fountain and light show.
Canal City Hakata boasts over 200 shops, restaurants and cafes featuring Japanese and international brands, from a super cute Studio Ghibli Donguri Republic store to a Namco Bandai Cross gachapon store and a Gundam Base.
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Fashion brands include GAP, Levis, ABC Mart and Muji plus there are lots of local and Japanese chain restaurants to choose from.
From fountains to food courts, here is our guide to Canal City Hakata, Fukuoka’s shopping mall:
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Canal City Hakata opening hours
Canal City Hakata is open daily from 10am to 9pm for shopping and from 11am to 11pm for food and drink / restaurants. Individual business opening hours may vary.
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How to get to Canal City Hakata
The nearest station to Canal City Hakata mall is Kushida Shrine Station on the Nanakuma line.
Alternatively, Canal City is a 12 minute walk from Hakata Station or an 18 minute walk from Tenjin Station.
The nearest hotel is Canal City Fukuoka Washington Hotel, which is literally next to the fountain display and 10 seconds walk from all the shops – check out Canal City Fukuoka Washington Hotel rates on Booking.com here >
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Shopping in Fukuoka at Canal City Hakata
Opened in 1996 (although to be honest, it feels quite 70s), Canal City Hakata has over 200 stalls, restaurants and service, spread over five levels.
It is self described as a ‘city within a city’ complete with a 180 metre long canal running through the site (hence the name).
It is a great place to go souvenir shopping in Fukuoka plus it has some nice stylist features like balconies overlooking its lake, Italian style statues and Sun Plaza outdoor area.
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Canal City Fukuoka shop directory
A nice mix of local Japanese brands and big international stores, some of the shops at Canal City Hakata include:
- Studio Ghibli Donguri Republic – read our guide here >
- Sanrio store
- Gap
- H&M
- Levis
- Wego
- Muji
- Adidas
Try this – Top 10 Fukuoka tours with Viator or Klook
Gaming and toys at Canal City Fukuoka shop directory
There is lots of cute and kawaii gifts, shops and cafes to be enjoyed in Fukuoka including
Gundam Base Fukuoka
Although not on the scale of the huge moving Gundam in Odaiba, the Fukuoka Gundam Base at Canal City has some cool models and lots of Gundam gifts.
If you do want to see the Life-Size RX-93ff ν Gundam Statue in Fukuoka, head to LaLaport Fukuoka shopping mall.
Bandai Namco Cross Store Hakata
Be sure to visit Fukuoka’s largest gachapon store – Bandai Namco Cross Store Hakata located in the lower levels of Canal City.
Join all the cool-kids browsing hundreds of different gachapon toy capsule machines – be sure to bring lots of 100 Yen coins (thankfully they change machines too).
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Food and Drink at Canal City Hakata
There are over 50 restaurants, bars and cafes located across the mall including a special street full of traditional Japanese restaurants – and yep, you’ll find all your fast-food favourites too like Gindaco takoyaki and McDonalds.
Alas the all-you-can eat Pizza buffet Shakeys has now closed since our last visit.
As well as traditional ramen and okonomiyaki restaurants like Denko Sekka and Noko Udo located on the ground floor of the north building, there are some cool Kawaii cafes too.
The busiest was Kirby Cafe Hakata, with a huge line outside. Eat like Kirby – Kirby Cafe is so delicious and filling, you will have to Waddle (Dee) home. The store is themed inside and out and brings to life Kirby’s Whispering Forest in Canal City.
From Kirby’s Mogu Mogu Meatball Curry to an Invincible! Candy Parfait, there is so much themed Kirby food to enjoy (and take pictures of). There is even an exclusive Kirby Cafe Hakata menu.
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Canal City Hakata Fountain Show
The famous Fukuoka fountain show at Canal City Hakata is a little bit of Las Vegas in Fukuoka.
The fountain show is located on the ground floor in Sun Plaza, and the centerpiece of the 180 metre long canal system.
At Canal City Fukuoka at night, you can witness the “Canal Aqua Panorama” using 3D projection mapping plus lighting and strobe effects.
The shopping mall owners say it is Japan’s ‘largest entertainment show’ but we call BS – it is just some dated fountains with a few lights and music. It is OK but definitely nothing special, kids might like it though.
The fountain show at Canal City occurs regularly every day between 10am and 10pm. On the hour, fountains dance with music, whilst every half past the hour, the fountains dance without music.
The night-time Canal Aqua Panorama runs at 8pm, 8.30pm and 9pm – the middle fountain show at 8.30pm even has a ‘Gundam Scramble in Fukuoka’ theme. All fountain show times are correct as of summer 2024.
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Tax free shopping at Canal City Hakata
Foreign visitors to Canal City Hakata in Fukuoka are eligible for tax free shopping on purchases over 5,000 Yen excluding tax.
There are two ways to receive a tax refund for goods bought at Canal City on the day of purchase – you can either present your passport in store when making the payment or go to the ‘Global Tax Free’ counter.
Address
1-2, Sumiyoshi, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka-shi, Fukuoka Prefecture 812 – 0018
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