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October 26, continued
Our hotel, the Lake Shore Hotel, is located just across the street from the Tainan Art Museum II, and today, things were hopping. There have been events taking place all over the city celebrating the 400th Anniversary of the city and, today, there were vendors around the block and a stage set up in front of the museum. Just as we were walking by the museum, a wonderful Procession of the Gods comesdown the street! The gods of the city are celebrating the anniversary and it’s quite a sight! We returned to the hotel for a short break and, in the afternoon, walk a few blocks to the Blueprint Culture and Creative Park where festivities are in full force! This is yet another park created from repurposed buildings; these were once judicial dormitories, that is, those who worked in the judicial system. We joined in with the party-like atmosphere, don cute hats and pose for photos! We’re probably a good number of decades older than most of these folks but it’s got such a lively atmosphere and everyone is welcoming us, so what the heck! After walking a bit, we sat down to rest, We were then approached by a young woman who asked us if we were involved in the event. It turned out to be a launch of a Nintendo or virtual reality game! Since we are pretty clueless about this, we had to admit that we are just enjoying the vibe, but we had a wonderful and long conversation with her. And she even told Michael that he spoke Chinese with good tonality! We thoroughly enjoyed our time with her. We weren’t up for a big meal but we ended up in a small food court that seemed very local and we had a surprisingly tasty fish ball soup! What a great day! |
Procession of the Gods
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And then we went off to the Blueprint Culture and Creative Park - lots of fun!
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And finally, dinner, at a very local place right behind the hotel
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Your October 25 report is amazing! How lucky that you were in Tainan during the 400th anniversary celebration. What a wonderful surprise! That has happened to us a few times during our travels when we happened upon a festival or celebration that we were completely unaware of. It makes the trip that much more special.
I especially love the treehouse. I love weird things like that. |
And your last day in Tainan is another amazing day. Wow! That parade of the Gods is so colorful and the costumes are spectacular!
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Did the fish balls have meat inside? I'm curious if it's Fujianese in origin (with meat) or Cantonese (without)?
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Karenwoo, our time in Tainan was truly remarkable! It’s a charming town even without all the festivities, but we definitely lucked into a good time to visit. We loved our time there.
tripplanner, the fishballs didn’t have any meat in them so I guess they’re Cantonese in origin. They were surprisingly good! |
Kaohsiung
10/27/24 Sad to leave Tainan but it was time to move on. We arrived in Kaohsiung quickly and easily and took a taxi from the station to our hotel. Taxis are remarkably inexpensive, by the way. We were struck by the long, long boulevards and how quiet it was. Perhaps because it was Sunday around noon, stores were closed, but it was strikingly different than the other cities we visited. We arrived at our lovely hotel, Silks Club, and told that our room would be ready in several hours, but if we upgraded, we could get a harbor view and be able to enter now. We were both hot and tired and the extra cost was minimal, so what the heck. Oh, and we got tokens for a small bottle of champagne per day! A waste on us since we barely drink, but a little bubbly doesn’t hurt! Kaohsiung Art Pier After getting settled, we went via the Light Rail to the Pier 2 Art Center, a former warehouse district with galleries, outdoor sculptures and shops. Since it was the weekend, there were a million food stands out, too. Too be honest, we were too blitzed and the heat and humidity were making it less than a stellar experience. We wandered a bit and then packed it in. My photo mojo was fried and I couldn’t bother taking many pix. The cool of the hotel was a welcome relief! Dinner was at the very traditional Chinese banquet restaurant about a block away from the hotel with servers wearing traditional Chinese garb. A good meal and fun experience. |
Silks Club
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...dc2980498.jpeg Lobby decor - I was mesmerized by this https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...29bcfe5ce.jpeg View from my hotel window. That tall tower is the Tai Urban Resort. I chose Silks Club because it was highly recommended and I was happy with it. But Tai Urban resort has good reviews, too, and certainly has the best view of the harbor! https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d496cbf48.jpeg Love the many different building designs! https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...6a80ee11a.jpeg https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e015f41aa.jpeg Tea with a view https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...ac8778509.jpeg And a bath with a view! https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...74c0b6ddf.jpeg There are showers on the right https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...65bfae512.jpeg |
I'm happy to see and read your latest installment. I know trip reports are a lot of work so I appreciate your efforts. Your hotel room is gorgeous and luxurious! Love the sunset photo. You mention the heat and humidity. Is there a cooler time of year to visit Taiwan? Just yesterday my husband mentioned possibly visiting Japan and Taiwan but I still think I might prefer SE Asia first. If that's even if we return to Asia. At our ages I am concerned about the long flights. It's so much easier to visit Europe from the East Coast. And we still have lots of the US to see, too. So much to see and not enough time.
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Many, many thanks, Karen, for still following! I must admit I've been really struggling to finish this with numerous health and other situations going on and I haven't had as much energy as I would like. And I keep running into the weird "Database error" page in Fodors so can't access the site. At least not on my iPad, where I do most of my writing.
As far as traveling to Taiwan, the best time is probably November but then, that's probably the best time to visit Japan for foliage. Since I wanted to be home before Thanksgiving and maximize the possibility of foliage in Japan, I opted to visit Taiwan first and then Japan, but I knew it would likely be warm and humid. It's subtropical except for the most southern part, which is tropical. So it's hot and humid! January and February are cooler but I don't know what the general weather pattern is. We were fortunate to escape several of the late summer/early fall typhoons (same as hurricanes); in fact, one occurred right after we left Taiwan and followed us to Japan! Just after we arrived in Fukuoka, we had a torrential rain, but that was the worst of it for us. |
Well, I'm back (more or less)! With a not-great trip to Mexico behind us (due to illnesses), I'll try to get as much done on this before I have rotator cuff surgery! This 70-something body is not happy!!
Our visit to Pier 2 Art Center on Sunday afternoon - the busiest place we found in Kaohsiung. It was fun, but a bit overwhelming, and, as I mentioned above, the heat and humidity really caught up with us. We took the Kaohsiung Light Rail to the Pier 2 Art Center. From the hotel, it was a relatively short walk, though it took us a few minutes to orient and figure out where we got on the train. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...ab44e026b.jpeg Kaohsiung Light Rail https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...670c3a5b0.jpeg A very busy food fair! https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...b40952625.jpeg https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...2ec4ee896.jpeg https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...93fffafd4.jpeg https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...07a86c1d0.jpeg https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...221771b1c.jpeg https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...b046bd9e2.jpeg https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...04460bf45.jpeg https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...010e13804.jpeg x-rated art? https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...2d9462228.jpeg https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...013878d2e.jpeg https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...49bb72015.jpeg https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...46f451b7c.jpeg In the vicinity, not actually part of the Pier 2 Art Centre. Lots of art in the region https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...3b9751682.jpeg In the vicinity, not actually part of the Pier 2 Art Centre. Lots of art in the region https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...c094889c8.jpeg In the vicinity, not actually part of the Pier 2 Art Centre. Lots of art in the region https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...15e870e01.jpeg In the vicinity, not actually part of the Pier 2 Art Centre. Lots of art in the region https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...54c30e8e3.jpeg In the vicinity, not actually part of the Pier 2 Art Centre. Lots of art in the region |
Taiwan Travels - Kaohsiung
Our first full day in Kaohsiung Kaohsiung is the 3rd largest city in Taiwan and an important harbor town. It’s very spread out but, at least in our experience, surprisingly quiet and less busy than anywhere else we’ve been. The exception is the very popular Pier 2 Art Centre, a redevelopment of former warehouses along the waterfront into a very busy commercial and arts area - at least when we visited on Sunday, the day that we arrived. Lotus Pond, another popular destination, is a man-made lake with over 20 temples dotting the lake area. Built in the 1970s, some of the temples are very kitschy - reminding us of temples we saw in India and in Thailand. The most familiar image from Lotus Pond is of the Dragon and Tiger Pagodas, but they’re under renovation for an indeterminate amount of time. But there was still plenty for us to see and do in that area. Entering the park, we came to the Confucius Temple, built in the 1970s, it’s the largest Confucian temple in Taiwan. But it was closed today. Oh well, one less temple to tour! We stopped at the very dramatic statue of Xuantian Shang-di, the Supreme Emperor of the Mysterious Heaven, whose feet are planted on a serpent and a tortoise, two monsters wreaking havoc on earth he’s said to have conquered. We passed a small group of older Taiwanese folks who were enjoying an afternoon of singing and dancing - one man was singing or doing karaoke (does one “do” karaoke?) while 2 women were having fun dancing. It was sweet to watch. And then we stopped at the lovely Spring and Autumn Pavilions, dedicated to Guandi, featuring the Goddess Guanyin riding a dragon. The coolest thing was actually walking through the dragon! Finally, we passed the Dragon and Tiger Pagodas now all wrapped in scaffolding! |
Lotus Pond
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Taiwan travels
Kaohsiung Last full day in Taiwan I’ll admit it, by the last day here in Taiwan, we were just not up for much. I had planned to go to the well-regarded Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts but our hotel concierge recommended the Alien Art Centre. So that was where we went. We figured if we had any oomph left over, we’d continue on to the larger museum. And the description from the website: “The ALIEN Art Centre was formerly known as the Kin-Ma Military Hostel. It was built in 1967 as a transit station for the National Army soldiers to Kinmen and the Matsu Front Line. By the end of the Cold War, the hostel was left in the late 1990s.” It’s a small building, though architecturally pleasing in a modern style. We arrived to discover that half the galleries were closed but it really didn’t matter since it gave us a focus and we didn’t have much energy anyway. And what we did see was satisfying. The first exhibit really touched me. A series of glass discs with quotes from several of the soldiers who transitted through the hostel - the cumulative effect of reading them was poignant and deeply moving. The next (and really only) exhibit, Infinite Voyage, was a show of the Kaohsiung artist, Shao Yung-Tien, showing his process over time, ending in a beautiful immersive experience with Pollack-like paintings hung around the room with a video of lights projected onto them. I was also able to look through the glass door of one of the rooms where the installations were about to come down. And checked out the display of jewelry in the cafe. After that, we were way too tired to immerse ourselves in any more ART and took the Light Rail all around the city to get the flavor of the city. To be honest, it was a long trip through parts of the city that weren't all that interesting to look at, but it was a relaxing way to explore. Back to the hotel, where the immersive experience was a true immersion - swimming pool, sauna, steam room and onsen! A perfect way to while away the rest of the afternoon and end our visit! |
Alien Art Centre
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...284e06158.jpeg https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...a5c231102.jpeg A series of glass discs with quotes from several of the soldiers who transitted through the hostel - the cumulative effect of reading them was poignant and deeply moving. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...5dfd3ee0e.jpeg A series of glass discs with quotes from several of the soldiers who transitted through the hostel - the cumulative effect of reading them was poignant and deeply moving. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...1fcefa9c4.jpeg Shao Yung-Tien, artist, clothing https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...11b37fc46.jpeg Shao Yung-Tien, artist, process https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f9db18469.jpeg Shao Yung-Tien, artist https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...166d3aeae.jpeg https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...ad2407122.jpeg https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...7d0a0efb2.jpeg https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f25399d86.jpeg Jewelry on view - both an exhibit and for sale https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...c64dac3ee.jpeg |
Hi Progol, glad to hear you back. Sorry to hear your rotator cuff injury. Wishing you a speedy recovery after the surgery. I always enjoy reading your reports. Thanks for making the effort to complete the Taiwan report. I enjoyed seeing Taiwan through your ventures.
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Cherthor,
Thanks so much! I really appreciate your kind words and I hope to get some more posts up shortly! Paule |
Taiwan travels
Kaohsiung Dome of Light Located at the Formosa Blvd station (Red Line #10), the Instagram-worthy Light Dome is one of the iconic images of Kaohsiung. It’s worthy of a photo though I wouldn’t go out of my way just to see it. I will say it’s more impressive as a photo than seeing it in person! The wide angle gives it punch! https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d08e5f176.jpeg |
Taiwan TravelS
Kaohsiung Liuhe Night Market After 2 weeks in Taiwan, we couldn’t leave without going to at least one night market! We’re not night people and tend to stay close to our home base for supper, so we haven’t been that motivated to go to one of the many (many!) night markets that Taiwan is known for. But the Liuhe market was perfect - only 2 stops on the MRT and we went early enough before it got too crowded (though Kaohsiung has been quiet enough that I can’t imagine it gets very raucous!). For our last night in Taiwan, this was the perfect wrap-up! Oh, and the food was pretty good - especially the lightly-grilled oysters at the end! https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...946683eef.jpeg https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...1c17817b5.jpeg https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...447c3003f.jpeg https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...bbfbc835b.jpeg https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...7aaca32c1.jpeg https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...113e987f9.jpeg https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f6f73f4ab.jpeg https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...af3946cd9.jpeg https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...552d58a3a.jpeg https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...357e59ed2.jpeg https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...5b2fa620d.jpeg https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...078156113.jpeg https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...8c23f98e9.jpeg https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...6917bb842.jpeg |
Appreciate you coming back and sharing more of your travels with you. I wish you and M the best. Hope your surgery is painless and that you recover smoothly and quickly.
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tripplanner,
Thanks so much! I'll do my best to get some more posts up before I can't! I have a short window and I'll do my best to get at least some of it done! |
Zai Jian Taiwan! Konichiwa Japan!
Taiwan travels, final thoughts... We loved Taiwan! There are many places I wish we could've gotten to - mostly the central area, which is fairly mountainous with beautiful views and where there are many small tea plantations. Our travels have been changing as we get older, and I've been trying to plan less busy trips with longer stays in fewer places, and limiting car rentals as much as possible. Hence our 4-city itinerary in Taiwan. But our experience of Taiwan was a delight -- warm people, easy travels, fascinating culture. And I'm so glad we went. It was a wonderful surprise since it's not one of the places that we hear that much about. Japan journey, initial thoughts.... Now, we're off to Japan for our second time...but, this time, to Kyushu, ending in Kyoto. I had really wavered about the itinerary but we ended up having a wonderful time. Kyushu was such a different experience from our trip last year (https://www.fodors.com/community/asi...-trip-1718791/), that it really was like going to a different country. Almost. It, too, was a wonderful exploration, though I admit that I was perhaps a slight bit underwhelmed at the beginning of the trip but, by the end, we loved it, and were glad to have visited a very different part of the country. Our itinerary to Japan was, as follows: Fukuoka/Nikko Fukuoka Hotel (3) Kurakowa Onsen – Yamamizuki Ryokan (2) Kumamoto – Nikko Kumamoto (2) Nagasaki – Candeo Hotels Nagasaki Shinchi Chinatown (3) Kagoshima –Daiwa Roynet Tenmonken (2) Yakushima – Minshu Yakusugi Sar (3) Kyoto – Hotel Mume (5) |
Japan Journey
Leaving Taiwan, arriving in Japan We flew out of Kaohsiung, a relatively small airport, on Eva Air, arriving in Fukuoka. I had read that it was easy to take a train from the airport to Hakata train station, but at 7pm or so, we just hopped in a cab. We arrived at our hotel, Nikko Fukuoka Hotel, a decent, business-style hotel, just across the street from Hakata station. I chose it precisely because it was so convenient. The hotel was fine - nothing unique about it, but it was comfortable, the buffet breakfast was more than sufficient, and service was good. We discovered a number of shopping malls underground and had a casual but wonderful dinner that evening by walking a few steps down! It amazes me to find such good food, as we later did, in Hakata Train station and in department stores, too. The evening was dedicated to settling into Japan. The big issue was Airalo. I had gotten the regional e-Sim which included Taiwan and Japan. It worked perfectly in Taiwan but it didn't work when we arrived in Japan. After several frustrating hours on the phone with a customer service agent, I ended up giving up with them and playing with the settings until, miraculously, it worked. We've used Airalo on our trips several times, and, up until this time, the set up was fairly simple and it worked well. Once I got it working, it was fine, but I wasn't happy with the poor customer service when I most needed it. But I got it going and it worked for the rest of the trip. |
Japan journey!
10/31/24 Dazaifu Tenmangu We left Taiwan just as a Typhoon Kong-rey hit Taiwan. This was said to be the largest storm to hit island since 1996! We were glad to miss it, though we are hit with a bit of “spillover weather” over the next 2 days in Fukuoka. The first day, the skies were overcast and we had light rain at times, but mostly it held off. We spent the day with a lovely volunteer guide* Toshiko, who took us to Dazaifu Tenmangu, an important Shinto shrine in Japan and the head of the Tenjin shrines. It was very busy with both tourists and lots of school groups. Toshiko told us that schools arrange outings here before exam time so that students can pray for success in their exams. We saw families with their young children dressed for the traditional Shinchi-Go-San, a rite of passage for children 3, 5 and 7. This made me smile! It's nice to be back in Japan! *For those who don't know, Japan has a system of volunteer tour guides, usually retirees, who are interested in sharing their love for their home with visitors. They aren't professionals and their knowledge can vary a lot, but it's a wonderful way to connect up with locals. There are numerous groups that one can contact as the guides must be arranged ahead of time, generally a few weeks to a month or so prior to the day the guide is needed. Once a guide is assigned, we've corresponded and developed a plan that works for us. We've done this now several times, and have really loved the experience. The guides are free but their expenses, such as meals and transportation, need to be paid. |
Dazaifu Tenmangu
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...2cd174ddb.jpeg https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...bc36911f9.jpeg https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...57d5010c1.jpeg This is the Goshingyū Bull (御神牛); the staple guardian in the Dazaifu Tenmangu shrine as well as other Tenmangu shrines around Japan https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...90d5e9da6.jpeg https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e4abcc9b6.jpeg https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...479a700db.jpeg https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...7dad47906.jpeg https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...7f4e66d8f.jpeg https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...c10e084d7.jpeg https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...bdfd814cc.jpeg https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...bd4a54613.jpeg https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...ef2599786.jpeg https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...08e73c223.jpeg https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...8f043176d.jpeg https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...a8a4673c6.jpeg https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...8f7059517.jpeg https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f4b37a645.jpeg https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...ae2419111.jpeg https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...89d798339.jpeg https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...faced367f.jpeg https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...22c1a1c3d.jpeg https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...710589b2e.jpeg Many students are here to pray for good results on their exams https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...94fd1adc5.jpeg https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...163131f58.jpeg https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...5e7253262.jpeg |
Hi Progol,
I am sorry to hear that you were sick in Mexico. I've had intestinal problems while traveling in China, and it was not fun. Any kind of illness while traveling is not fun, indeed. Sorry to hear that you need surgery. Hope it went well. Thank you for continuing with your trip report. I love the last batch of photos especially the photos of the night market and all the delicious looking food. I notice you mention that when you arrived in Japan you took a cab to your hotel even though it's supposed to be easy to take the train. We never take public transportation with our luggage! I just can't do it. I need to be pampered a little bit when we arrive somewhere so we've always taken a cab from airports to hotels. :) |
Japan Journey/Fukuoka
10/31/24 Yatai, one of Fukuoka’s most known symbols Yatai are food stalls and are scattered around the city. A center of the stalls are located on Nakasu Island, a small island in the middle of the canal flowing through the city. Lots of food, lots of lines, but lots of fun just being there! There are some stalls that are said to be excellent but we didn't want to wait on the long lines. Even though our food was okay we found the experience to be wonderful! https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d894c90d2.jpeg https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...2d904997d.jpeg https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...454c202e4.jpeg https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...ee187bec6.jpeg https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...04e90fdff.jpeg https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...65d06e409.jpeg https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d1098c277.jpeg |
Japan Journey
11/1/24 Fukuoka - a very wet and soggy day! We’ve fortunately escaped the typhoon in Taiwan but the weather in the larger region is definitely wet! We had a cloudy but dry day yesterday but today, the skies did open up. We’re on our second day in Fukuoka, and explored a small part of the Old Town, or Gion. We managed to walk to 2 temples, 1 shrine and a very sweet Folk museum. We had high hopes to see more, but we were drenched and it was time to return to the hotel. Still, it was a surprisingly satisfying walk, experiencing the temples in an almost -mystical way, with the beauty and silence of the rain. First stop: Jotenji Temple This is a Zen temple, founded in 1242, and said to be the site where udon and soba noodles were introduced. There’s even a monument to their origins! We arrived as the rain was really picking up (or coming down) and the atmosphere was remarkably peaceful. And the beautiful Zen sand garden was a delight to see. Second stop: Tochoji Temple, founded in 806! A few steps down the road, we come to one of Japan’s oldest temples. As it’s really pouring now, we step in under the gate and walk over to the temple. Oh, there’s a big Buddha? We’re directed upstairs and come to the most beautiful and serene Buddha. No photos allowed (sorry!) but we are awed by this amazing sight. Truly a spiritual experience. We interact with one of the Buddhist nuns there who had lived in the US and graduated from college many years before. We then walked around the temple to see the beautiful 5-story pagoda. Next stop: We sloshed our way a short distance more to the sweet Hakata Machiya Folk Museum, where we enjoyed a fascinating film on a local festival, saw an interesting exhibit on Hakata dolls, walked through the machiya, a traditional townhouse that was restored and moved to the current location, and observed a weaver working on a loom. Finally, a brief stop at Kushida Shrine, the oldest shrine in the city and the guardian shrine of Hakata. All in all, a wonderful, if very wet, walk, taking us deeper into Japan and the distinct Fukuoka culture. |
Jotenji Temple
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...371b80581.jpeg https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...6c70486b5.jpeg https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f38063d98.jpeg https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...56805b521.jpeg https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...7fd4a5586.jpeg https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...001c62271.jpeg https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...b7c0660a4.jpeg You can see the rain here! https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e3af72dda.jpeg https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...b811ab660.jpeg https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...4ed65d170.jpeg https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...a709f3616.jpeg And more rain! https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...5c589f6fc.jpeg And even more rain!! https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...c7d0cd47a.jpeg |
Tochoji Temple
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Hakata Machiya Folk Museum
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And not to forget, the Kushida Shrine
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...80b9f36eb.jpeg We waited for this gentleman to move, but I guess he was happy to get in out of the rain! |
Japan Journey
Kurokawa Onsen/Yamamizuki 11/2/24 We took a 2 1/2 hour bus ride from Hakata Station to Kurokawa Onsen, where we are staying in Yamamizuki ryokan, a short distance outside of the town. We were dropped off along the road and met by a driver from the ryokan. A short ride later, we arrived at the ryokan and settled into our beautiful digs. The ryokan has a lovely rotenboro (outdoor onsen) by a small river and numerous waterfalls. There are also a few indoor pools, too. No photos allowed of the onsen itself, of course. We are all gender-separated since this is public and we’re all sitting in our birthday suits! This is the second time we’ve been to such a lovely ryokan and I’m charmed once again. After getting ourselves reacquainted with our yukata (I feel like an old hand by now), we’re ready for the main event! After the heat and humidity of Taiwan, it’s a bit of a shock to find a chill in the air, and M and I take off for our respect baths. First, the bath house, where everyone must first wash and rinse before entering the hot spring. It’s a bit of walk in all my naked glory down the path in the chilly air and I can’t wait to get into the hot spring! And it is hot! I sit for a little while, enjoying the serenity of the outdoors and just amazed at this experience. And then there is dinner. We’re assigned our private room for our meals and are led there by the young man who attended to us at check in. And the meal - wow. If you’ve never had a kaiseki meal, it’s an experience. And if you have ever had a kaiseki meal, this place was a wonderful experience! Dish after dish, artfully presented, each one more beautiful than the last. It’s really a treat. |
Yamamizuki ryokan
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...c6e31cc6f.jpeg 2 paths diverged https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...48c270238.jpeg Our lovely room https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d32712bbc.jpeg https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...b918817bf.jpeg M, just as we're about to part ways https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...a706165e5.jpeg If I remember correctly, both these curtains are for the women's baths. The red curtain is for the female guests of the ryokan; the pink curtain leads the non-guests to the bath house that they are to use. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...624652c27.jpeg The path toward the bath house https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...966751c9f.jpeg The river beside the hot spring https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f5cd0119c.jpeg https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...b82006059.jpeg Kaiseki dinner - first night https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...3a2ccac3a.jpeg https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...3b78f1806.jpeg https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...b40809f14.jpeg https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...62362c51d.jpeg https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...798362a8d.jpeg https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...73e9b360b.jpeg https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...2ebf024a9.jpeg https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...785ac03e5.jpeg Our attendant https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...7a905e0f6.jpeg |
Sumptuous. Glad your second visit to Japan wound up being worthwhile.
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Thanks, tripplanner. I only wish we had the energy to make yet another trip to Japan. So much to see in such a small geographical area but it’s rich with beauty and culture. Sigh…who knows? I’d go back in a heartbeat but the travel there is definitely harder on us these days.
I will post more soon! |
I hope you do make it back, perhaps to Tohoku and Hokkaido.
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