Fukuoka
From Kuma-i
Fukuoka is the biggest city both in name and in reality in Kyushu. The population is about 1.4 million. This flourish as a commerce city.
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Getting There
We can go to Fukuoka easily. It takes 2-3 hours from Kumamoto. There are two main ways to go to Fukuoka. The most convenient way to get there is by train. It costs only 2000 yen and it takes 1 and half hours to get there.
If you want to go more cheaper, you can take the bus. It costs 3,600 yen if you buy return ticket, 400 yen cheaper. If you buy two return tickets, 6,400 yen, you can go to Fukuoka only 1,600 yen!!
Place
Hakata
Hakata is the central of facilities of travel. Hakata has bullet train station, airport, bus terminal, and harbor. There are shops and houses densely. People call the main town "Hakata" because the name "Hakata" is communed with the area.
Tenjin is the center of commerce. Iwataya, Mitsukoshi, and Tenjin Core are big department stores. And then, there is a underground shopping archade in Tenjin. These stores offer various items: clothes, shoes, bags, books, foods, and so on. If you want to go shopping, I recommend you visit these stores.
I introduce a chinese noodle restaurant. The restaurant is Ippudo. They serve Tonkotsu noodle, and there are 2 kinds of soup. One is Akamaru: rich thick soup, and other is Shiromaru: plain mild soup. The home shop in Daimyo plans some events every months. There are 8 stores in Fukuoka. Each store serves peculiar menus.
If you go to Fukuoka, one of the best ways to see all of the city is to visit Fukuoka Tower and head up to the top! There are discounts available for students etc, but the most that can be expected to pay is 800yen. The panoramic view is spectacular, both day and night.
Festival
Hakata Dontaku port festival
Hakata Dontaku is held in May 3 and 4. This is one of a big big festival in Fukuoka. People dance and parade in the town with rice paddles in their hands. This is continued for 820 years. Most of Fukuoka citizen take part in it and about 2 millions tourists visit there in the 2 days. The word Dontaku derive Dutch "zondag" = "holiday" People in Hakata used the word that means cheerful carnival. Why people hold rice paddles derive a woman's story. A long time ago, a woman enjoyed the parade music with rice paddles in her hands. She was making her dinner.
Hakata Gion Yamagasa
Hakata Gion Yamagasa is held in July. some kinds of events are performed arround the Kusuda shrine. People hump a big decoreted Yamagasa: portable shrine. There are 2 types of Yamagasa, one is to watch and other is to hump. Decorated Yamagasa is exhibited some places in Hakata for 2 weeks. The biggest event is Oiyama-narashi on July 15. In the early morning, men run through in the town with Yamagasa. After then, the first Yama's men dedicate a song for god of Kusuda shrine.
