There are many unique buildings in Japan. Some of the greatest buildings integrate nature into their design. Opened in 1995, this green building mimics the shape of a mountain.

ACROS Fukuoka「アクロス福岡」

Canon DIGITAL IXUS 65 (5.8mm, f/5.6, 1/320 sec, ISO81)
ACROS Fukuoka (The Green Building)

The north side of the building looks like a typical office building. From Tenjin Central Park 「Tenjin Chuo Koen, 天神中央公園」 and the south side of the building reveals a man made metal mountain in the middle of Japan’s 8th largest city. The roof of south side is stepped, called the “Step Garden”, the concrete and steel construction mostly hidden by the garden covered steps.

The greenery actually insulates the building and helps keep it cool. Architects designed the building to integrate into Tenjin Central Park, which existed before the ACROS Fukuoka Building.

ACROS Fukuoka is a center for international, cultural and informational exchange. Inside you’ll find symphony, event, conference and arena halls, galleries, seminar rooms and more.

Walk through the rooftop garden

The building is 14 stories high and visitors can stroll through the rooftop garden. Entry is free and the stairway can be accessed from the south (Tenjin Central Park) side.

Open hours:

• March to April: 9AM – 6PM
• May to August: 9AM – 6:30PM
• September to October: 9AM – 6PM
• November to February: 9AM – 5PM

There’s also a rooftop observation deck which is open 10AM to 4PM on weekends and public holidays.

Location of ACROS Fukuoka:

View this location – Map coordinates: 33.59152,130.40245333333334.