Fukuoka
Fukuoka is on the Japanese southern island of Kyushu. The island definitely feels more relaxed than Tokyo and Sarah and I loved our two weeks here. The city feels like the Japanese version of Vancouver. There’s a busy harbour with beautiful ocean views and wide streets with trees running down the sidewalks. Every couple of days we walked downtown along canals towards the beautiful downtown tree-lined boulevards to explore the malls, restaurants, temples and parks.
Sarah and I spent a day with a Japanese family that hosted my mum and me in their apartment during a 2014 Japan trip. They drove all the way from Kagoshima on the other side of the island to show us a temple (a three hour drive each way for them). It was so great to see them again after a few years…thanks so much for spending the day with us and we hope to see you again in North America!
This ended our time in Japan. Next post we are off to Korea via a ferry to Busan.
View of the barbershop across the street from our Airbnb.
One of several hot/cold beverage vending machines right outside our apartment, so convenient!
The streets remind me of Vancouver.
Heading downtown, beautiful canals.
The dark spots are fish in the canal.
Harbour view.
More beautiful canals on our favourite walking route.
Another photo from a walk.
Downtown Fukuoka.
I think these barricades are One Piece, a popular anime show.
A well-used running route along the canal, with a woman feeding birds in the background.
Alleys in our neighborhood.
Little tent restaurants, a popular place for a meal on the way home from a long day at the office.
Art supplies. So many beautiful pigments.
Super Cookie Land. A popular Japanese comedian. People were lined up for the exhibit.
Sarah perusing one of many stores.
Cosplay stores in the downtown fashion malls.
Buildings with graffiti downtown.
Neighborhood Association poster.
Temple, right downtown.
Small walking street near the Dazaifu Shrine.
Lining up to pet the bull statue for good luck.
The parks and shrines were so beautiful. This tree was carefully propped up.
Reminds me of Spirited Away.
With our friend at the Dazaifu Shrine.
Walking up the shrine.
More beautiful torii gates.
Kyushu National Museum, where we saw a beautiful calligraphy exhibit with my friend from Kagoshima.
Inside the Kyushu National Museum. It was a great day with Sarah, my friend and her family.