The Mojikō area of Kitakyūshū (in Japan’s Fukuoka Prefecture) is known for its collection of beautiful Western-style pre-war buildings: a legacy of its past as a major trading port. It is also known for making a rather interesting contribution to the wonderful world of yōshoku, in the form of a dish that turns ordinary JapaneseContinue reading “Food Report: Yaki-Curry at Princess Phi-Phi (Mojikō, Kitakyūshū, Japan)”
Category Archives: Travel
Field Report: A Morning Trip to Kitakyūshū, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan (23 September 2018)
I’ve been to Kitakyūshū before, but that initial foray was so brief that I had no choice but to come back. And I’m glad I returned, because I found myself rewarded with glimpses at both life during the Edo Period and contemporary expressions of Japanese culture – all in the space of a single morning.
Flight Report: FUK-MNL on Philippine Airlines Flight PR425 (26 September 2018)
The chaps running Philippine Airlines (PR) have shown time and again that they are capable of delivering a pleasant experience in the air. However, the serious shortcomings of PR’s home airport threaten to stymie its plans for growth, and destroy any goodwill that their decent onboard service might build up amongst passengers on each arrivingContinue reading “Flight Report: FUK-MNL on Philippine Airlines Flight PR425 (26 September 2018)”
Terminal Report: Fukuoka Airport (FUK) International Terminal, Japan
Fukuoka Airport (FUK) is by far the busiest international gateway on Kyūshū, and one of the busiest in Japan. Even so, it’s hard to believe how close this airport is to the city it serves, with the downtown area just a short bus or train ride away. Today, we’ll see if using the international terminalContinue reading “Terminal Report: Fukuoka Airport (FUK) International Terminal, Japan”
Flight Report: MNL-FUK on Philippine Airlines Flight PR426 (22 September 2018)
In today’s report, we’ll see what it’s like to fly with the Philippine flag carrier on one of its busy Japan routes: a journey that will take us from Manila to Fukuoka in less than four hours. Welcome aboard PR426.
Terminal Report: Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL) T2, Metro Manila, Philippines
Terminal 2 (T2) of Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL) was originally designed to serve only domestic flights. However, the great majority of international routes operated by flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PR) are currently based at the terminal’s northern wing. In today’s report, we’ll see what it’s like to fly out of the country fromContinue reading “Terminal Report: Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL) T2, Metro Manila, Philippines”
Rail Report: From the Shinkansen to the City on the Hakodate Liner, Japan (02 October 2017)
The long journey from Tōkyō to Hakodate isn’t as time-consuming as it used to be, thanks to the newly opened first segment of the Hokkaidō Shinkansen. That said, the shinkansen terminus serving one of the biggest urban centres in Japan’s northernmost prefecture is located about 16 kilometres from the heart of the city: hardly aContinue reading “Rail Report: From the Shinkansen to the City on the Hakodate Liner, Japan (02 October 2017)”
Rail Report: Tōkyō to Hakodate on the Tōhoku and Hokkaidō Shinkansen, Japan (02 October 2017)
Travelling between Tōkyō and Hokkaidō has never been easier, with new high-speed rail services whisking passengers from the Japanese capital to Hakodate in under four and a half hours. Today, let’s see what it’s like to zoom all the way up to the great big north on an unbroken run along two shinkansen lines: oneContinue reading “Rail Report: Tōkyō to Hakodate on the Tōhoku and Hokkaidō Shinkansen, Japan (02 October 2017)”
Field Report: Sunpu Castle, Shizuoka, Japan (01 October 2017)
Think about the sort of house you’d like to live in after retirement. Will it be a beach-side bungalow, or perhaps a small cottage out in the country? Whatever form your post-employment residential dream might take, it’s not likely to be on quite the same scale as the sprawling fortress that Tokugawa Ieyasu moved intoContinue reading “Field Report: Sunpu Castle, Shizuoka, Japan (01 October 2017)”
(Mini-)Food Report: Coffee and Dessert at Hands Cafe (Naha, Okinawa, Japan)
This quick café stop in the Okinawan capital almost didn’t make the cut – in blogging terms, anyway – as I didn’t gather quite enough material to compose a proper Food Report with. That said, I’ve already rolled out a couple of (Mini-)Food Reports in recent weeks, so why not one more? (Besides, I’m sureContinue reading “(Mini-)Food Report: Coffee and Dessert at Hands Cafe (Naha, Okinawa, Japan)”
Within striking distance 