Hello guys.

Sorry for sending this to the wrong section earlier. Thanks @gg1234 for highlighting.

Anyway, I’ll be making my way to Fukuoka for the first time for a solo trip in February 2024.

I’ve been reading the usual and some “unusual” Travel Guides, including some on gaijin friendly soaplands and Spas. Thank you too for some escort recommendations on other reviews I’ve read here.

With this in mind and for some museums and culture trips, plus maybe hiking day trips and maybe Hiroshima.. where would be best for me to base in the City. I’ve read about Hakata and Tenjin. Which would be better for all these plus the adult scenes.

Cost is not my biggest concern. I’m more for convenience as I speak very little Japanese.

Thank you in advance guys. I promise a report or three after the experience.

Regards,
OBOne Kenobi..

If you want to go from Fukuoka to Hiroshima, the closer you are to Hakata Station, the better.  If you were staying near Tenjin, you'd have to change trains at least once to get to Hiroshima and that change would happen at Hakata Station.

As for getting to the Nakasu red light district, I did it once over 10 years ago.  I was staying at a business hotel very close to Hakata Station, and I was just passing through Fukuoka.  It was in the evening and I decided to take a walk and look around, because it was my first time there.  A good amount of people were out and about.  It didn't take much walking before I walked over a bridge and found myself walking around Nakasu.  I don't remember if I was looking for it on purpose or if I found it by accident.  The main point I'm trying to make is that Nakasu was a short walk from Hakata Station.

As for Tenjin, I've never been in that area, but it does look nice.  Also, looking at Fukuoka on a map, Tenjin to Nakasu looks about the same distance as Hakata to Nakasu.  It might be walkable too.

As for the English situation, a lot can change in 10+ years, but back then it seemed like the further you were from Tokyo, the more Japanese you needed to speak.  I don't know to what extent things have improved for non-Japanese speakers since then.

Day trip from Hakata station to Hiroshima with Shinkansen is fine, but for visit the Kyushu rent a car is better, i been there last month and i was very disappointed with the trains, nothing to compare with the rest of the country.
Avoid to visit Beppu’s Hells.

On that same trip from over 10 years ago, I also visited Beppu, and I made this "mistake" out of ignorance.  I started in Hakata, went South to Kurume and the from Kurume I went East through the middle of Kyushu to get to Beppu.  I didn't know that this would be the slow and scenic route that goes through quite a bit of mountainous territory.  Also, the train I was riding was diesel powered unlike the mostly electric trains I was riding before, and it stopped running late at night in the middle of rural Kyushu, and I had to find a business hotel to spend the night at in a tiny town of called Hita.  The scenery was really pretty, but it took a long time to get from Hakata to Beppu this way.

I found out later that it would've been way faster to take the train that goes along the East coast of Kyushu to go from Hakata to Beppu.

https://www.cityheaven.net/oita/ (VPN may be required outside of Japan)

Used to frequent Fukuoka,  Tenjin got more bars and restaurants. Awesome for people watching too and close to Nakasu. Check out Nagasaki too since you are close.  they got a small red light district there.