AT A GLANCE
Why go?
Deep in the Higashi Ward of Fukuoka, where the city's most famous flavour was born, HAKU HAKU invites you to step inside a working mentaiko factory. Run by Fukuya—the Hakata company credited with creating Japan's seasoned spicy cod roe—the museum lets you see, hear, touch and taste how mentaiko is made, then carry the flavour home in your belly and your suitcase. Best of all, admission is free.↗↗
Opened in 2013 as the Fukuoka Food and Culture Museum HAKU HAKU and relaunched in summer 2025 as Fukuya's Seasoned Mentaiko Factory, the venue blends an interactive factory tour with hands-on cooking experiences, a café, a souvenir shop and a surprisingly rich side-gallery of Hakata folklore—complete with a full-size festival float. Recognised by Japan's Agency for Cultural Affairs as a 'Food Culture Museum', it is one of the city's most charming and family-friendly detours.↗↗
Go Inside the Mentaiko Factory
The heart of HAKU HAKU is a reworked, 'immersive' factory tour in which you become the main character, sneaking into the production floor to watch the journey of mentaiko unfold. Rather than a passive walk past glass, the experience is built around seeing, hearing, touching and feeling the process, revealing the secrets behind the briny, chilli-kissed cod roe that has become a Hakata signature.
