Skip to main content
NOREN 暖簾
ExperiencesAbout
Log inSign up
🪂
← Back to Journal
ItoshimaParaglidingDay trips from FukuokaOutdoors

Paragliding in Itoshima: A Different Side of Fukuoka

M

NOREN

Co-founder · NOREN

October 1, 2026

4 min read

ASOBINA Itoshima invited me to try this flight. All thoughts in this post are my own.

Most people come to Fukuoka for the food. Ramen, yatai stalls, a long list of places to eat. Even people who live here say it: "Fukuoka? It's all about the food."

I live in Fukuoka, and I don't think that's the whole story. There is a lot here that visitors never hear about. That is a big part of why I started NOREN.

Recently I went paragliding with ASOBINA Itoshima, about 40 minutes by car from Fukuoka and Hakata.

I'm scared of heights

I should say this first. I don't like heights, and I avoid roller coasters whenever I can. I signed up anyway, and I was honestly nervous right up until the moment we took off. (I can laugh about it now.)

It's a tandem flight, so you fly together with an instructor. Once we were in the air, it felt much more stable than I expected, and I wasn't scared at all. If I can say that, I think most people can.

Someone else who flew that day

Another guest that day was an older traveler. I asked why they had decided to try paragliding, and this is what they said:

“It was on my bucket list, so I went looking for a place. This was the only one I found where an instructor flies with you, so I felt safe choosing it here.”

You don't need to be young or experienced to try this. You just need to want to.

Itoshima, but not the one I knew

Related experiences

Fly across Itoshima's Sky to the Sea — Paragliding Tandem Flight

ASOBINA Itoshima

Fly across Itoshima's Sky to the Sea — Paragliding Tandem Flight

¥27,500/ person 1h

Experience Fukuoka, for real.

Find handpicked local experiences that no guidebook covers.

Browse experiences →

I go to Itoshima quite often. From the sky, it looked completely different.

The sea was beautiful, as I expected. What surprised me was the greenery near the coast. From above, it looked like a jungle, thick and green, and it was so pretty. For a moment I felt like I was somewhere overseas, not 40 minutes from the city where I live.

A break from everyday life

My days are usually busy, and it's hard to switch off. Up in the air, I forgot about all of it. I didn't realize how much I needed that until I was back on the ground.

If you're planning a trip to Fukuoka

Fukuoka really is a great food city. But if you have a free half day and want to try something a little different, this is the one I would recommend.

I'm already planning to go back. Next time I want to fly at sunset and watch the sun go down over the sea.

ASOBINA Itoshima

  • Address: 2785-7 Shimanogita, Itoshima, Fukuoka 819-1303
  • Access: About 40 minutes by car from Fukuoka and Hakata
  • Book: noren-trip.com/experiences/paraglider-tandem-itoshima