Fukuya, which invented modern mentaiko in 1948, opens its factory here: for free.
Fukuya, founded in 1948, was the first company in Japan to make and sell mentaiko (spicy marinated cod roe) in the form now common across the country, and the dish is one of the food symbols of Hakata. The facility, renovated on 1 February 2026, offers a guided tour of the production line (from marinating to packing, visible mainly before 14:00, when the plant is running) and a workshop where you make your own mentaiko, choosing how spicy it is. It also displays a real kakiyama, the float carried on the shoulders during the Hakata Gion Yamakasa.
ℹ️ 10:00–16:00, closed on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and over the year-end and New Year period. Free admission; the mentaiko-making workshop costs ¥2,500 per person, takes about 40 minutes, three sessions a day (11:00 / 13:30 / 15:00), by booking (source: official site 117hakuhaku.com).
🚉 Yoshizuka · 17 min walk
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