After Korea we took a short flight down to Fukuoka, Japan on the southern island of Kyushu. Fukuoka is Brian’s favorite Japanese city, and I too quickly fell in love with Fukuoka. Its great mix of big city amenities and laid back, unrushed atmosphere makes it a relaxing and convenient place to vacation. Our first day we explored the Tenjin shopping area, both above and underground. We also explored Gion, which was the area where our hotel was located. Gion, like much of Japan, was such a wonderful place to wander around little side streets finding shrines, temples, cemeteries, and other gems at every turn.

Flying into Fukuoka.

Just a random water pump.

The ubiquitous drinks vending machine. They are everywhere in Japan.

I can’t tell you how much I love Japanese convenience stores.

The next day we went to Canal City, a large indoor/outdoor shopping area. We weren’t in the mood to shop, but did have breakfast at a cute Moomin themed cafe. You can learn all about the Moomins here.

Every table got to host a Moomin character. We dined with Snorkmaiden who is not a Moomin but a Snork. You learn something new everyday.

Brian about to dig into his gigantic breakfast plater. Note the Moomin shaped waffles. It was all very delicious.

Next we hopped on a train to the Hakozaki Shrine where the 1,000 year old Hojoya festival was being held. The Shinto shrine was built in 923, but sadly burned down in the first Mongol invasion. (I am starting to see a trend in our travels….) The festival was an interesting blend of county fair like displays of amateur art and flower arrangements, religious activities, and carnival food. I skipped the cotton candy for a roasted ear of corn–it was delicious.

Hakozaki Shrine.

Vistors bought fortunes from the shrine employees and if they were good tied them to frames to be granted.

The festival is famous for its fresh ginger. I had never seen it with its stalk still on before.

It was quite the festival atmosphere.

Next we headed back to the area around our hotel where we wandered over to the nearby Kushida Shrine and Hakata Machiya Folk Museum. I should point out that around pretty much every corner in Gion is a shrine or temple. It would actually be hard not to visit shrines in that area. Anyway, the shrine was interesting in that it housed an amazing and huge paper machete float used in the Hakata Gion Yamakasa Festival held each July. I bought a fortune here but as it was bad; i.e, too good to leave behind, I kept mine for my journal. I will let you know later if it comes true.

Kushida Shrine.

The float. I can’t imagine how they carry around something so large.

Thinking about making Santiago an outfit like this.

The Folk Museum was made up of three old style buildings housing a store, a small museum dedicated to the history of the area, and a reconstructed merchant’s home. Inside the home a women was demonstrating how silk used to be woven on a loom. The loom used a card pattern system, and it was fascinating to watch how the cards were changed in the production of the woven silk.

The pattern cards for the loom.

The weaver at work.

The idyllic garden behind the museum.

The tiny little urinal in the ladies room. It was even pink!