Despite its proximity to downtown Fukuoka, Jōnan-ku has suffered from a lack of transport infrastructure, leading to congested roads and difficult access to the rest of the city.

Like most of Fukuoka City, the construction in Jōnan-ku is relatively recent, as the area consisted mostly of fields after World War 2, lacking even paved roads.

The result has been a crowded jumble of roads, houses, apartment buildings and businesses, with no real centre to the ward.

Jōnan-ku is home to Fukuoka University, whose students are everpresent during the school year and help support a growing number of local convenience stores.

The St Sulpice Great Seminary of Fukuoka is another notable landmark, having been built in the 1950s and serving to train Japanese Catholic priests from Kyūshū.