Text and photos by Gerard Ramos
Lifestyle & Entertainment Editor
IT is typically not top of mind as a vacation destination to anybody eyeing Japan for the first time. That honor of course belongs to Tokyo, one of the 47 prefectures of Japan which has been its capital since 1869. Tokyo has come to define for a lot of people what this island country is all about—an impossible but altogether brilliant and exciting mix of old and new, tradition and modernity, anchored but not shackled to the past as it explores and establishes new concepts in the way humanity goes about their everyday lives.
There is, however, more to Japan as a vacation destination than just Tokyo. Like Nagoya, Osaka and Hokkaido, Fukuoka now figures in the list of travelers with a yen to scratch their wanderlust—a positive development no doubt helped by the country’s largest airline, Cebu Pacific, now offering direct flights to these destinations—and Tokyo, of course—daily from Manila, apart from the direct flights it offers to Tokyo from Clark and Cebu using its fleet of Airbus A320 and A330 aircraft.
The capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture, which stretches on the northern shore of the Japanese island of Kyushu, Fukuoka is touted to be Japan’s sixth largest city, surpassing in 2015 the population of Kobe. The modern city was formed on April 1, 1889, with the merger of the former cities of Hakata and Fukuoka—an occasion, according to Wikipedia, that did not go without any hiccups: “When Hakata and Fukuoka decided to merge, a meeting was held to decide the name for the new city. Hakata was initially chosen, but a group of samurai crashed the meeting and forced those present to choose Fukuoka as the name for the merged city. However, Hakata is still used to refer to the Hakata area of the city and, most famously, to refer to the city’s train station, Hakata Station, and dialect, Hakata-ben.”
It has been nearly a year since we visited Fukuoka for the first time (and hopefully not the last), not as part of any sponsored media tour but as a personal trip, one not determined by strictly regimented tours marked by vexing early wake-up calls and tight schedules that unfold in a breathless rush until one collapses in one’s hotel bed, the events of the day reduced to a muddled mush in one’s head.
Instead, after a pleasantly uneventful, nearly four-hour trip on Cebu Pacific, we arrived at the Fukuoka Airport in the bracing late evening cold of an early spring, retrieved our single carry-on, flagged down one of those boxy black taxis with the driver all suited-up in black and wearing white gloves, and we were off to the Airbnb rental near the harbor of Hakata Bay which was to be our home for four days.
The rental had none of the bells and whistles of hotel accommodations, but there was a washer and dryer (we never got to use them), fast Wi-Fi, microwave, induction stove, a bath small enough to fit into a studio but deep enough for one to sit down and enjoy a hot bath all the way up to one’s shoulders, two single roll-up mattresses, and—best of all—the rental had a balcony that looked out to the wharf just across the street where small fishing boats were anchored. The view was magical in the mornings that were bathed in a gentle sunlight as seagulls glided near the water in search for their breakfast, and soothing and hypnotic at night when light from the lampposts and the boats made the dark water glisten like black gold.
But of course, we’re not here to go on and on about our Airbnb rental, however filled with lovely and funny memories it may be, but to recall some of the spaces visited, the experiences indulged in, and the flavors, and other sensations savored and relished.
Cherry blossoms everywhere
“ONE can have the first glimpse of blooming sakura flowers in Kyushu, where the much-anticipated seasonal cycle starts,” reads a media release Cebu Pacific sent us four years ago, when it launched its Fukuoka route in December.
People typically choose a destination for what it offers in terms of historical sites, popular curiosities and shopping options. We chose Fukuoka because of the cherry blossom, or sakura, this legendary flower from which sprang a custom that dates back to centuries and continues to this day. It is a small flower of such delicate beauty—a milky white, with just the touch of the palest of pink near the stem (there are arresting pink varieties of course)—its blooming signaling the stirrings of spring, of new life following the bitter cold of winter.
Cherry blossoms come into full bloom en masse to create dreamy “clouds” on Earth that are touchable but oh so delicate in their character, and almost otherworldly in their beauty. Whether popping up sporadically along nondescript streets and corners, or stretching the length of expansive historic parks, cherry blossoms make for a sublime sensory delight that will live on and on in memory.
Maizuru Park | Fukuoka Castle Ruins
A CUSTOM whose roots can be traced back to the Nara period (710 to 794), hanami, or flower viewing, is the centuries-old practice of drinking under a blooming sakura tree. When we were in Fukuoka, in the spring of 2019, there was no shortage of pockets in the city that had cherry blossoms in full bloom, but it was Maizuru Park where families and friends, young and old, had gathered for hanami. Amid the profusion of these soft pink clouds, there were two rows of food stalls offering all sorts of mouthwatering delights, from takoyaki to that savory pancake called okonomiyaki, to grilled squid and refreshing gelato, plus plenty more to whet appetites after gawking at one cherry blossom tree and yet another, the next one just as equally grandiose.
Then of course there are the ruins of Fukuoka Castle to explore in Maizuru Park. From 1603 to 1867, known as the Edo Period, Fukuoka Castle was built stone by stone to become the biggest in the prefecture until it was torn down during the Meiji Restoration, when Japan wanted to shed its feudal past. Today, little of what could only have been an impressive structure remains—some turrets and wall ruins, plus a few gates and guard towers.
Traditional Japanese shopping tour
ONE of the oldest cities in Japan, Hakata in the middle ages became the base for the many merchants that traded with China and Korea, and that merchant vibe remains.
Our tour began at the sprawling and busy Hakata Station to meet our guide, proceeding on foot to Rakusui-en Garden, a stirring Meiji-era pond garden that seemed so far removed from the urban buzz that lay just outside its walls. From there, we continued on to the Minoshima shopping street—and, no, this is not where you will run into stores that can be found whether you are in Ginza in Tokyo, or High Street in London. Instead, Minoshima is akin to being brought back to Japan’s Showa period where you can shop for traditional snacks and curious gewgaws. The final stop in our tour was Yanagibashi Rengo Market, also known as “Hakata’s Kitchen.” According to the tourism brochure that was given to use by our guide, the market has been “the main source of meat, fish, vegetables, and other local produce for the restaurants and residents of Fukuoka for over 100 years.”
Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine
THE Tenmangu Shrine in Dazaifu was not in our itinerary but a serendipitous mix-up in the details of a kimono rental brought us to the shrine—yes, in our rentals, complete with the geta, with our dresser happily telling us it was perfectly appropriate to go to shrine via a quick train ride dressed looking like cast-offs from a bad remake of The Last Samurai.
The cobbled narrow street leading to the shrine’s entrance was lined with stores on both sides, the merchandise ranging from keepsakes, such as gorgeous chopsticks that can be personalized, to more scrumptious fare like cone ice cream with the creamiest brain freeze ever known to man. More shops can be found within the shrine itself.
Even if you choose to silence your inner shopaholic, there is much to take delight in at the shrine, one of the hundreds throughout Japan “dedicated to the spirit of Sugawara Michizane, a scholar and politician of the Heian Period,” according to literature. The shrine in Dazaifu is, however, the most important, having been built on the site of his grave. Notwithstanding the crush of people at the time, the din was little more than just a steady low hum of human activity, and this allowed plenty of moments to enjoy the breathtaking beauty of the thousands of sakura trees in full bloom, the still pond that glistened like glass, and the havens for learning about the life and times of Michizane. Entrance to the shrine is free.
Nanzoin Temple with the Reclining Buddha
AN express train from the Hakata Station brings one to Nanzoin Temple in Sasaguri, a sleepy town in the Kasuya District, and home to a statue of the Reclining Buddha, touted to be the world’s biggest.
It takes a bit of an uphill climb to reach the bronze Reclining Buddha, known as Nehanzo, and, according to literature, built in 1995 to house the ashes of the Buddha and two of Buddha’s adherents. Measuring 41 meters in length, 11 meters in height, and weighing in at 300 tons, it is certainly a sight to behold—much bigger than the famous giant bronze statues of the Sitting Buddha in Kamakura and Nara, also in Japan.
After taking in the spectacle of the Reclining Buddha, there are more stirring views to take in. Just look out to the lovely town of Sasaguri that spreads below.
Nokonoshima Island Flower Park
ON our last day in Fukuoka, we took a bus and then a ferry to traverse Hakata Bay, and visit Nokonoshima Island, where visitors can camp, play volleyball, or take in the magnificent views of not only even more cherry blossoms but also the island’s colorful flowers, most prominently the yellow rapeseed blossoms that blanket the park turning it into a sprawling field of gold.
The flower park has restaurants, cafés, and other facilities to host birthday parties and picnics, and at the end of our tour we parked ourselves at a lovely café to enjoy a cup of strong coffee and a slice of sinfully delicious cake.
It has been nine months since we visited Fukuoka, but the sensations from the trip continue to linger and bring a fond wistful smile to our face. The destination underscored for us that there is wonder and delight to be found in places that may have yet to become destination du jour in tourism routes. Then again, of course any trip always becomes even more special in the company of a love so profound that you see the world with fresh eyes and a deep gladness in the heart.
- To avoid having to hunt down tickets for tours that your are interested in, leverage the Klook app on your smartphone. www.klook.com.
- To get around via bus or train in Fukuoka in particular, or Japan in general, or anywhere for that matter, have Google Maps on your smartphone, and it is unlikely you will ever miss a stop or get lost. maps.google.com.
- For accommodations beyond hotels and bed-and-breakfasts, check what is available on Airbnb. www.airbnb.com.
- Forget about data roaming offers of your carrier. They may be reasonable, but a better deal would be to sign up for pocket Wi-Fi access for five days as soon as you arrive at the airport. Klook also makes this easier.
- The largest airline in the Philippines, Cebu Pacific flies nonstop to Tokyo (Narita) from Manila and Cebu. It also has direct flights from Manila to Osaka and Nagoya daily, and to Fukuoka thrice weekly. With its seat sales, discount tickets and promos, Cebu Pacific’s affordable or cheap flights to Japan make travel easy and convenient for everyone.
Image credits: Gerard Ramos