Think of Japanese trains, and the high-speed shinkansen will probably come to mind before anything else. But some of my favourite journeys were on much slower rolling stock, like the service that brought me from the onsen town of Beppu to the bustling centre of Fukuoka in nearly three and a half hours. Welcome aboardContinue reading “Rail Report: Beppu to Fukuoka on the Yufuin no Mori, Japan (25 September 2018)”
Tag Archives: Kyūshū
Food Report: Yaki-Curry at Princess Phi-Phi (Mojikō, Kitakyūshū, Japan)
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)”
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.
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”
Field Report: Cherry blossoms and castle ruins in Fukuoka, Japan (28 March 2015)
Every spring, the ruined enceintes of Fukuoka Castle take on a special blush of beauty, with the bare branches of its flowering cherry trees stirring magnificently into life.
Field Report: Old buildings and new blossoms in Fukuoka, Japan (28 March 2015)
It might come as a surprise to many of us – as it certainly did to me – that the very first Zen temple founded in Japan isn’t located somewhere in the ancient imperial streets of Kyōto or the time-hallowed precincts of Nara, but right in the bustling downtown of Fukuoka.
Field Report: Kokura Castle, Kitakyūshū, Japan (27 March 2015)
It’s a fact that needs no repeating, but I’ll repeat it anyway: I love Japanese castles. And with a tiny sliver of sunlight still left after my day trip to Kumamoto, I seized upon the chance to add another one to my “been there” list.
Field Report: Kyū Hosokawa Gyōbu-tei, Kumamoto, Japan (27 March 2015)
Close relatives of the Lords of Kumamoto once lived within a stone’s throw of the enormous castle that loomed over the heart of this southern domain. But when the sweeping reforms of the ascendant Meiji government deprived them of both power and property, it became necessary to trade their old home for humbler accommodations. Humbler,Continue reading “Field Report: Kyū Hosokawa Gyōbu-tei, Kumamoto, Japan (27 March 2015)”
Field Report: Kumamoto Castle, Japan (27 March 2015)
Traditional stroll gardens, such as the splendid specimen we visited in the previous post, are all well and good for reinforcing your typical Edo-period daimyō‘s reputation as a man of refined taste. However, where visual manifestations of a Japanese warlord’s wealth and power are concerned, one would be hard pressed to find anything more capableContinue reading “Field Report: Kumamoto Castle, Japan (27 March 2015)”
Field Report: Suizen-ji Jōju-en, Kumamoto, Japan (27 March 2015)
Show-offery was serious business amongst the ruling class of Edo-period Japan. Since this was an age long before sports cars or private jets, one culturally refined way to outdo the neighbouring daimyō – short of setting fire to his castle and enslaving his entire household (which would have been just a tad uncouth) – wasContinue reading “Field Report: Suizen-ji Jōju-en, Kumamoto, Japan (27 March 2015)”
Within striking distance 