Hakata O-kunchi Festival @ Kushida Shrine, Hakata/Fukuoka

October 24, 2007 - 6:56 pm by akko@hakata in Culture, Others, Travel  

Hakata O-kunchi is a local festival to appreciate harvest in mid-autumn.

Parade is the highlight of this festival, and they walk through busy city-centre area to amuse local people.

What’s special about Festival in Hakata is, that it is cherished by locals, including children.
This year is 1250 th anniversary for Kushida Shrine, which is the local shinto [...]

TOYOTA LEXUS Factory Tour @Kyushu

August 20, 2007 - 1:52 pm by akko@hakata in Travel  

Kyushu Toyota is one of the two factory, producing LEXUS, the premium brand of Toyota(Another one is in Tahara, Aichi), and the only one making LEXUS RX350.
It organizes Factory Tour!
- You can see LEXUS RX manufacturing flow!
- The whole factory tour take 1 hour and 25 minutes.
- Foreign visitors need to be accompanied by an [...]

Hello Kitty’s got a suntan! @ Canal City Hakata

- 9:06 am by akko@hakata in Others, Travel  

Forgot sunscreen?
Sunbaked Hello Kitty visited Canal City Hakata yesterday to amuse little children, and also, grown-ups!

If you have no time (or money!) to go all the way to Sanrio Puroland, a Hello Kitty theme park in Tokyo, this would be the perfect place to satisfy children.
Character show is held every other Sunday, with different characters.
This [...]

Get over heatwave! Outdoor air-conditioner @ Canal City Hakata

August 17, 2007 - 7:01 pm by akko@hakata in Others, Travel  

There’s a way to escape from the crazy heatwave of Japan (hit above 40 degrees centigrade (more than 120 degrees) in several cities!), other than to stay at home, whicih may be to go to Canal City Hakata.

Just touch it!

It’s being foggy now.

This is what makes Canal visitors cool and comfortable, let’s say, outdoor [...]

With the Style, Artistic Californian Resort Hotel in Hakata/Fukuoka

August 11, 2007 - 11:39 am by akko@hakata in Food, Travel  

If you’re seeking a most sophisticated hotel in Hakata (Fukuoka), my recommendation would be With the Style, an artistic Californians style resort hotel near Hakata Station. You can stay or just visit for lunch to escape from the city’s heat wave.

Food is wonderful, with the Western look and Japanese taste.
(Hakata/Fukuoka is on the sea, gifted [...]

Antenna Shops of Hakata; foods, cup-sake, Glico @ Canal City Hakata

August 4, 2007 - 12:43 pm by akko@hakata in Food, Travel  

Here’s another Antenna Shop. It’s in Canal City Hakata, the largest and fashionable shopping mall in Fukuoka, Kyushu.
It deals with, of course, Hakata local foods,

Not only that.
Glico sweets, and variety of Japanese specialities are also available,

including fashionably bottled sake.

We call the transparent ones especially `cup-sake‘.
It used to remind us of tired businessmen, for [...]

Flea Market 2007 Summer@Yahoo Dome (Fukuoka)

July 25, 2007 - 12:31 pm by akko@hakata in Others  

Aug.18.Sat (10:00-18:00)
Aug.19.Sun(10:00-17:00)
Entrance Fee: 700 yen
(*advance tickets is available for 500 yen in `Loppi’, LAWSON’s machine)
Parking is available for 17,000 cars (300yen/hour, usually).
Place: Fukuoka Yahoo! Japan Dome, 5th gate
*From Tenjin, you can take a bus at 1A bus station, get on a bus with the number 44, 151, 152, 200, 201, 204, 300, 301, 303. or [...]

Men Chanko, the hottest and healthest noodle of Hakata

July 24, 2007 - 4:00 pm by akko@hakata in Food, Travel  

When I ask people what they like to eat in Hakata (Fukuoka), most of them say Tonkotsu Ramen(noodle with pork bone soup), especially of Ichiran, which is the most popular Tonkotsu Ramen restaurant).
But there’s another one local people love, Men Chanko!

So, this is it!
Can you believe this is only 567 yen?
(Hakata food is delicious and [...]

Try Best and Freshest Ikesu squid ? Visit koga @ Hakata

July 21, 2007 - 1:12 am by akko@hakata in Food, Travel  

Among gourmet businessmen in Japan, Hakata has a good reputation as the best place for business trip.
Out of many Hakata food, the most dynamic one should be ikesu squid!
Ikesu is alive seafood, and in Hakata Ikesu restaurant, squid are directly sent from Yobuko port nearby.

This is the shop I was recommended by Hakata locals, and [...]

Coal Mine King, Ito Denemon’s residence is now open to public! @Izuka, Fukuoka

July 2, 2007 - 6:50 pm by akko@hakata in Travel  

Coal Mine King, Ito Denemon(1860-1947)’s old residence is now open to public, with the support to preserve it by Iizuka City citizens.
It’s modern Japanese, partly Victorian, and is just amazingly graceful.
Photo taking is not allowed inside, so please visit and see it by yourself.

Ito Denemon’s beautiful ex-wife, Byakuren is famous with her nickname, `flower of [...]