{"id":6351,"date":"2026-09-23T15:13:00","date_gmt":"2026-09-23T06:13:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.gogo-tour.com\/info\/?p=6351"},"modified":"2026-09-20T16:40:10","modified_gmt":"2026-09-20T07:40:10","slug":"itoshima-totoro-forest-fukuoka-halfday-drive","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/en.gogo-tour.com\/info\/itoshima-totoro-forest-fukuoka-halfday-drive\/","title":{"rendered":"Itoshima Totoro Forest \u2014 A Half-Day Rental Car Drive from Fukuoka"},"content":{"rendered":"

Itoshima Totoro Forest \u2014 A 40-Minute Drive from Fukuoka to a Green-Tunnel Walk You Can Finish Before Lunch<\/span><\/h2>\n

\"Green-tunnel<\/p>\n

If Tokyo feels crowded and Kyoto feels crowded-er, Fukuoka is the Japan gateway that quietly wins on time. You land in the middle of the city, ramen is 15 minutes from the runway, and once you have a rental car, you are 40 minutes from a coastline that looks nothing like a big city<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The peninsula everyone drives out to is called Itoshima. And the one spot travelers keep asking about is the leafy walking path locals call Totoro Forest<\/strong> \u2014 officially Keya no Otomon Park<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Here is the short version: Itoshima is a place where a rental car is essentially required<\/span>, but you do not need a full day. Grab a Fukuoka rental car<\/a>, drive out mid-morning, walk the green tunnel, have lunch at a seaside cafe, and be back in Hakata before dinner.<\/p>\n

This guide covers exactly how to drive from Fukuoka to Itoshima’s Totoro Forest (Keya no Otomon Park) as a half-day rental car trip, with parking, photo tips, and the pairing with Meotoiwa Rocks.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Why Itoshima is the No.1 side trip from Fukuoka<\/h3>\n

Itoshima is the peninsula that sits right on Fukuoka City’s western edge. From Hakata Station or Tenjin, take the Fukuoka Urban Expressway + Fukuoka-Maebaru Toll Road<\/strong> to Maebaru IC. That is about 35 minutes and a toll of roughly \u00a51,000.<\/p>\n

The free surface road (Route 202) also works, but it takes an hour or more through city traffic, so the toll route is worth it if you are on a half-day budget.<\/p>\n

Once you are on the peninsula, a full coastal loop is only about 50 km \/ 1.5 hours. Totoro Forest sits inside that loop, and Meotoiwa (the couple rocks with the white torii gate) is a short drive away \u2014 perfect for a compact itinerary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Segment<\/th>\nRecommended route<\/th>\nTime \u00b7 Toll<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Hakata Sta. \u2192 Maebaru IC<\/td>\nUrban Expressway + Maebaru Toll Road<\/td>\napprox. 35 min \u00b7 \u00a51,000<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tenjin \u2192 Imajuku IC \/ Maebaru IC<\/td>\nUrban Expressway + Nishi-Kyushu Expressway<\/td>\napprox. 30\u201340 min \u00b7 \u00a5780\u20131,000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Surface road (Route 202)<\/td>\nFree \u00b7 through city traffic<\/td>\n1 hr+ \u00b7 free<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Itoshima peninsula loop<\/td>\nCoastal drive<\/td>\napprox. 50 km \u00b7 1.5 hr<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
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Walking the “Totoro Forest” at Keya no Otomon Park<\/h3>\n

\"Keya<\/p>\n

The official name is Keya no Otomon Park<\/strong> (Keya-no-Otomon means “the great gate of Keya”). “Totoro Forest” is a nickname visitors coined because the green tunnel of overhanging branches looks like a scene from My Neighbor Totoro<\/em>. It is not a Studio Ghibli site \u2014 just a natural park that happens to feel like one.<\/p>\n

Address: Keya, Shima, Itoshima City, Fukuoka. Public transport is thin, so this really is a rental-car trip.<\/p>\n

Parking and entry are both free.<\/strong> There is a lot for roughly 50 cars, along with restrooms, vending machines, and a dedicated motorcycle area.<\/p>\n

\"Entrance<\/p>\n

From the parking lot, walk past the small Taiso Shrine toward the shore, and on your left you will see an entrance where the trees close over the path. That is where “Totoro Forest” starts.<\/p>\n

The trail is a green tunnel about 180 meters long<\/strong>, and the climb to the observation deck takes 5 to 10 minutes<\/span>. It is more of a low hill than a hike \u2014 comfortable sneakers are all you need.<\/p>\n

At the top, the deck opens onto a panorama of the Genkai Sea and the back side of Keya no Otomon, the basalt sea cave. Keya no Otomon is one of Japan’s three great basalt sea caves<\/strong> \u2014 64 meters tall, 10 meters wide at the entrance, and 90 meters deep. A sightseeing boat (\u00a5800 adult, 25 minutes) approaches from the front, but the back-side view from the observation deck is dramatic enough on its own.<\/p>\n

\"Genkai<\/p>\n

One photo tip.<\/strong> This green tunnel looks best on overcast days.<\/p>\n

Strong direct sun creates harsh dappled patches through the leaves. A softly cloudy morning \u2014 or the day after rain, when the leaves are still wet \u2014 brings out the deep green tones. Just watch your footing after rain, since the stone path gets slick.<\/p>\n