Why Fukuoka works for remote work なぜ福岡
Fukuoka is one of Japan's friendliest cities for people who work online. It's compact, affordable compared to Tokyo, and the airport is minutes from downtown, with direct flights across Asia. The city has spent years building itself into a startup hub, with a special startup visa, public support centers and a busy calendar of founder events.
Japan is UTC+9, so a call at 9 AM in Fukuoka is 7 PM the evening before in New York and 4 PM in Los Angeles. Many nomads here work US hours in the early morning, then have the afternoon and evening for the city.
Colive Fukuoka コリブ福岡
Colive Fukuoka is a 10-day festival for digital nomads, founders and local innovators, held every October. It mixes talks, workshops, coworking days, music, art and trips out into Kyushu, and it brings nomads together with local startups and businesses.
It started small, with about 40 people in its first year, and grew to around 400 by 2024. In 2025 it won Best Global Nomad Fest at the Nomad Retreats Awards. Locals can join with a discounted pass, which makes it one of the easiest ways to meet people on both sides.
Dates and tickets are announced each year at colivefukuoka.com.
Where to work 働く場所
The studio has a dedicated desk and high-speed wifi, so most days you won't need to go anywhere. When you want a change of scene, here are the best options, from free to fancy.
Engineer CafeTenjin · Free
A free, city-run space for tech people inside the beautiful red-brick Akarenga building. Desks with power and wifi, focus rooms, a library and a maker space with 3D printers. No registration needed: just walk in.
Free · About 15 minutes from the studio
esports Challenger's ParkTenjin · Pay by the hour
One of the largest esports facilities in western Japan, on the 8th floor of the Tenjin Loft building. It runs on a dedicated 10 Gbps line and has rows of high-performance gaming PCs and a café with fast wifi. It's built for gamers, but it's also a seriously fast place to get work done, and a fun break when you're done.
Hourly rates · Check challepa.jp for current hours and prices
.andwork FukuokaNakasu · Closest to the studio
A big 900 m² coworking space inside The Lively hotel in Nakasu, with a shared kitchen, phone booths, meeting rooms and an on-site café and bar.
Hourly drop-in or monthly plans · About 15 minutes on foot from the studio
The Company Canal City Hakata-maeGion · Nomad plan
A social coworking space near Canal City with free drinks, event space and a digital nomad plan. Membership also works at its other locations in Japan and overseas.
Hourly drop-in or monthly plans
CIC Fukuoka & Venture CaféTenjin · Startup hub
A large innovation center for startups in Tenjin, with coworking and private offices. It's home to Venture Café Fukuoka's free weekly Thursday Gathering, where founders, investors and students meet.
Coworking memberships · Thursday Gathering is open to all
Spaces, WeWork, Servcorp and FabbitHakata Station & Tenjin · Classic coworking
The international chains are all here: Spaces and Servcorp by Hakata Station, WeWork in Daimyo and Fabbit at ACROS Fukuoka. Fabbit sells day passes, and the others have monthly hot-desk plans.
Day passes and monthly plans · Prices vary
Cafés near the studio カフェ
For a coffee and an hour of email, these are all within a short walk of the studio:
- Tokado Coffee and FIKA inside Riverain Mall, next to Nakasu-Kawabata Station.
- Sansui Water Drip Coffee by the river.
- SKIFF, a café by day and bar by night.
- Ichonoki Cafe, 4 minutes away, for thick toast and drip coffee (cash only).
A note on etiquette: small Japanese cafés are cozy, and laptops at busy lunch hours can be frowned on. Order something, keep calls outside and leave the big table for groups. Our picks page has more spots.
Startups and community スタートアップ
Fukuoka is unusually open to newcomers who want to build something. A few places to start:
- Venture Café Thursday Gathering at CIC Fukuoka: a free weekly mixer with talks and networking.
- Fukuoka Growth Next in Daimyo: the city's startup support center, in a converted elementary school, with events and programs.
- Engineer Cafe runs regular tech meetups alongside its free workspace.
- Colive Fukuoka in October, plus smaller nomad meetups during the year.
If you're thinking about launching a company here, Fukuoka City runs a Startup Visa program. The city reviews your business plan, and if it's approved you can spend up to two years preparing your business in Japan before you need a standard business manager visa. The city's Global Business Support center is the place to start.
Visas for remote workers ビザ
Many nationalities can visit Japan for up to 90 days without a visa, which covers our minimum stay. Visitor status is meant for things like tourism and business meetings, so check what it allows for your situation.
For longer stays, Japan's digital nomad visa allows up to 6 months for remote workers from eligible countries. It requires an annual income of at least ¥10 million and private health insurance for your whole stay, and it can't be extended. Check the Japanese embassy website for your country for the current rules.
Your desk in Hakata
Our furnished studio in Gofukumachi has a dedicated desk, high-speed wifi and utilities included, a 6-minute walk from the subway. It's set up for long workdays and quiet calls, with the whole city a short ride away.