Diego sets off on a journey to discover a very different, very ancient Japan – a land and society far removed from (and far older than) the samurai and shōgun that have long dominated popular conceptions of Japanese history. The destination: a complete, and quite enormous, Iron Age town resurrected from bare earth and ashes,Continue reading “Field Report: Yoshinogari Historical Park, Japan (25 March 2015)”
Category Archives: Japan 2015
Field Report: A pleasant stroll in Yoshinogari, Japan (25 March 2015)
Some of my fondest memories of Japan have less to do with major tourist attractions and more to do with the journeys I had to take in order to reach them. When I close my eyes and cast my thoughts back to some random episode during one of my several trips to that country, IContinue reading “Field Report: A pleasant stroll in Yoshinogari, Japan (25 March 2015)”
Field Report: Seaside Momochi, Fukuoka, Japan (24 March 2015)
Fukuoka is a city with loads of surprises, and today it sprung one of its biggest on me: a beach within a stone’s throw of the urban centre.
Field Report: Dazaifu, Japan (24 March 2015) – Part 2 of 2
With a half-day’s worth of sightseeing in Dazaifu now behind us, let’s give ourselves a moment of respite by admiring a small but quite beautiful garden.
Field Report: Dazaifu, Japan (24 March 2015) – Part 1 of 2
Fukuoka may be the nexus of power and prestige in modern-day Kyūshū, but over a millennium ago, that distinction belonged to another city located several miles to the southeast. Although reduced to a quiet suburb of the island’s sprawling present-day capital, one might say that Dazaifu merely traded one cloak for another: transforming from aContinue reading “Field Report: Dazaifu, Japan (24 March 2015) – Part 1 of 2”
Rail Report: Fukuoka to Dazaifu on the Tabito train, Japan (24 March 2015)
Diego boards a colourful Nishitetsu train on a route that links the modern urban sprawl of Fukuoka and the rich historical treasures of Dazaifu.
Field Report: Ōhori-kōen, Fukuoka, Japan (24 March 2015)
Travellers often find themselves tempted to bloat their itineraries as much as (in)humanly possible. With time in short supply, and the tally of things to see as long as one’s fevered imagination allows, the resulting journey’s pace might more closely resemble that of a footrace than the relaxing holiday it was originally intended to be.Continue reading “Field Report: Ōhori-kōen, Fukuoka, Japan (24 March 2015)”
Field Report: Fukuoka Castle and Kōrokan, Fukuoka, Japan (23 March 2015)
Fukuoka might not be as well known for historical attractions as some other Japanese cities (like Kyōto), but it’s got a few treasures of its own – including the remnants of an Edo-period castle.
Flight Report: MNL-FUK-MNL on PR 426 and PR 425
Before continuing with my usual field reports, let’s jump ahead and review some flights that I’ve taken recently. First on the table is the latest experience: a round-trip journey on Philippine Airlines (PR) between Manila (MNL) and Fukuoka (FUK).
Within striking distance 