What's the word, hummingbird?: Fukuoka & surroundings

Konnichiwa,

I'ts been a little over a week since I got here and I've seen a lot of the Japanese culture as I remembered it and the 'only in Japan' things, gadgets you won't see anywhere else. I've decided to write a seperate post about those subjects so to be continued!

For now, this post contains; Exploring Fukuoka ánd a daytrip to Dazaifu & Yanagawa, followed by more Exploring Fukuoka :-)! Enjoy the read/pictures/videos 🤓☀️🤗!

Exploring Fukuoka (in random order)

Guy making snacks, see second picture for results.

(Also typical here, displays of food)

Dinner at a local restaurant; Gyoza, pickled cucumber & leeks omelet

The contrast between old and new

Haha, schoolbus

Japanese money ¥

4L plastic bottles of Bourbon & Whiskey

Shrine

Canal city

Japanese garden

View from Port tower

Dinner at a sushi train restaurant

Japanese garden

Where to next?! - taken at Ohori Park

Japanese garden

Day trip; Dazaifu & Yanagawa

Goood morning, after exploring Fukuoka for a few days, I decided to see a bit more of the surroundings. First up Dazaifu & Yanagawa, easy to combine since they have a combo train ticket & boat ticket. They are about an hour away from the city and also an hour between them but since they predicted rain in the morning, I didn't mind being 'on the road'.

It was dry all morning though and started in Dazaifu just when I headed up the shrine area, but it was nice and soon stopped. There was an inari trail I read about behind the shrine, and so I checked it out. I doubted for a second if I wanted to make the climb, but yes, let's do this!! Mind over matter/body, old mind, young body haha but I did it. And just so you know, when you think you finally made it up, there's álways more (after the first time you think that, but could be up to 4 times when you peek around the corner and there's more red 'gates').

After Dazaifu, I headed to my next destination, about an hour by train. Once I arrived and took a wrong turn, I asked directions and the guy tried to explain, but then he said, I will drive you haha. Okay? Okay! In another country I would think twice but these people have no ill will what so ever. I remembered that from my first trip when somebody walked with me to get me where I needed to be. They are so helpful, friendly, kind. I've also seen strangers do the same, Japanese amongts eachother, one asked the directions and the lady tried to explain which way it was and she was going the same way and then she hopped in and they went together.

Yanagawa, also known as the 'Venice of Japan'. The full boats reminded me a bit of Giethoorn though, but it wasn't as crowded with the amount of boats. And the surroundings were different of course. We went under about 11 low and narrow bridges and waterways in between houses. At the start, the boatman asked "Where is everyone from"? And he started naming countries to get a response from everyone and I didn't respond to any of them. So then he just asked me where I was from and they usually don't understand it when you say 'The Netherlands', so you're better off just saying 'Nederland'. And so I did and then I said 'Huis Ten Bosch' to make it easier because the replica they made is a few hours from here and all the Japanese laughed haha.