Class Trips: Tenjin Shrine and Hakata-eki / Disaster Prevention / Beer Factory

Tenjin Shrine and Hakata Station 27th Feb 2013

As I mentioned in a previous post the shinto god Tenjin has a number of shrines, not just in Dazaifu, and the area Tenjin in Fukuoka is named after him. So no surprise then that there is a tiny shrine dedicated to him in the middle of the Tenjin area. It is tiny in comparison to Dazaifu Tenmangu. A small space tucked between the skyscrapers. Really pretty though. Obviously because of it's size we didn't spend much time there. Showed new students how to wash hands and pray at the shrine (there were also instructions in Japanese on signs which were the first I'd ever seen).

So because we didn't spend much time there we got a bus and rose it all the way to Hakata Station. Which I didn't write about before but Wes and I cycled to it from our house one weekend and explored. It's basically a really big station/shopping mall. So because we'd been there I introduced the others to kaitenyaki (round cooked dough with azuki beans in the middle) and we all headed up to the terrace where you could see the whole of Fukuoka.

(Lady making and selling kaiten yaki. Omnomnom.)

After the station it was time to head back but because we had two new students I stayed in Tenjin with them to show them all the important shops. Wes had to skype so he left and it was just 3 of us girls which was fun. We basically spend hours in Mandarake and the Bookoff Bazaar (only the two most important shops in Tenjin). Needless to say when I returned home I was a lot poorer than I'd planned to be ^^;;;

Fukuoka Disaster Prevention Centre 6th March

A week passed and it was another trip! To be honest I thought this sounded really boring at first but after hearing a description of the Disaster Prevention Centre I got really excited. It's a facility that teaches people how to prepare for disasters, and it's not just boring lectures, they actually have simulations so it feels like you're in a disaster. Let me elaborate. The first thing we did was watch a short video about the different disasters in Japan (very much a everyone you love with die if you don't prepare kinda video that was a tad OTT). But, the second thing we did was go into a fire simulated maze. It was a number of rooms in the dark filled with smoke (but not to the level that would kill you cos that would be stupid) and you had to find your way from one end to the other but finding and following emergency exit signs. There were rooms in pitch black, doors that you could't open cos there was 'fire' (red lighting) behind it, and a number of doors so you could get lost. It was a small maze but so cool!

The next thing we did was taught how to use fire extinguishers which we tried out on an interactive (water proof) screen that showed had a video of a bin fire. Then there was a room that had a typhoon and an earthquake simulator. It was educational and a lot of fun!

(Old Japanese guy shows us how to put out a fire)

Then after the centre we walked down the road to the Hakata Museum, which on the outside was huuuge but there wasn't much inside which I was a bit disappointed about. What was fun was a room where you could touch a load of stuff like musical instruments from SE Asia, and clothes from all over the world.

(I tried on a Chinese dress and Wes tried a hat)

Asashi Beer Factory 13th Feb

Asashi is a pretty famous beer not just in Japan but all over the world but I had no idea there was a factory for it in Fukuoka 10mins from the school! We had another new student so the 7 of us (including one of the teachers Yamauchi) went. The factory tour was mostly colourful pictures and videos about how beer is made (kinda reminded me of the Cadbury chocolate factory in the UK). And there was a part where you could see the beer being boxed but it was a maintenance day so it wasn't running :( But at the end we got free beer and juice! Only had 20 mins and max of 3 1/2 pint glasses. I tried a glass and almost threw up...I really, really, really hate beer. But it was free so I couldn't help it >_< Wes had to finish my glass off for me. Luckily juice was unlimited so a downed 2 cans of apple juice which helped a lot. Yeah I'm never gonna try liking beer ever again...

Adventures with Friends (Dazaifu)

The week after we met Eiji and Erika we arranged to meet up with another Japanese guy called Naoya. It was cold and raining and when I saw a burger place for lunch that's what we did. I think we spent over an hour and a half in there talking with Naoya about games, language, anime and just random stuff. Then afterwards we went to an arcade and played a few games. Although it was a short afternoon we soon met up with Naoya the following weekend (16th Feb)

Dazaifu

So Dazaifu Tenmangu is a pretty famous shrine in Fukuoka (I'd been once before 5 years ago but not since) so allow me to give you some background on the shrine. There was a man called Sugawara no Michizane who was a court scholar around the 870s who's specialities was literature and poetry, and later became ambassador to the Tang Dynasty (China), Consultant and held  a number of other positions in court. Due to political struggles he was stripped of his positions in 901 and exiled from Kyoto and moved to Dazaifu until he died in 902. After his death there were a number of disasters hit Kyoto including storms, drought, diseases etc. So thinking these we the cause of the angry spirit of Sugawara the court re-installed his name and eventually made him the Shinto god Tenjin, and because Sugawara was a scholar people all over Japan now go to Tenjin shrines to pray for good test results. You may have noticed Tenjin is the name of the shopping district in Fukuoka, that's because Sugawara stayed there for a bit before going onto Dazaifu. Also in Dazaifu is apparently one of the oldest plum trees in Japan which Sugawara was said to have brought with him from Kyoto (now the shrine are full of plum trees). I also found out that plums were brought over from China so I imagine Sugawara must have picked them up on his travels to China as an ambassador.

(Me and Wes infront of Sugawara's plum tree)

So I digress, Wes, Naoya, Naoya's friend Kou and myself all went to Dazaifu on a sunny Saturday in Naoya's car. First things first I had to try one of the hot ume gae mochi that were being sold all over the town. They're baked mochi (gewy riceflour) with anko (azuki beans) in the middle and a plum imprinted on the top. I burnt my tongue >< but they were really good!!!

(Me with an ume gae mochi)

We then headed up to the shrine itself which was full of people! And although it was the weekend a TON of school kids. But it is the exam season so I guess that makes sense. I actually got an omamori (a protection/good fortune amulet) from the shrine for study.
Before you reach the main shrine is 3 bridges which are (Kou told me) supposed to be the past, present and future, and it is apparently bad luck to look back as you cross them because it means you're too focuses on the past and not enough on the future.

(Wes and Naoya getting off the bridge of the future~~)

After wandering around the shrine we ended up wandering up this hill/mountain behind it to an Inari shrine (a fox shrine) and then got slightly lost. But the walk was good and we talked about all kinds of stuff.
Once we'd made it back to town we were pretty hungry so went exploring for food. Most of the restaurants were packed though except for this one Korean place which was great cos I'd smelt it as we were walking into town. As long as it's not spicy Korean food is really nomable!

(Omnomnom Korean foods)

We explored the town a little more after that including a small temple but it was getting late and we were pretty tired so headed off home.
But that wasn't the last time we saw Naoya...

Manly Australian Cafe

We couldn't think of what to do with Naoya so asked him to invite some of his friends and we'd all go karaokeing/gaming. Unfortunately only one of his friend's were free so on Tuesday 26th Feb we met up with Naoya and his friend Ayana who he's studied with in Canada for a year. They took us to an Australian cafe called "Manly" in the back streets of Tenjin. We didn't order much but I think spent over 2 hours in there talking about random stuff (including shocking Ayana a bit by how geeky the 3 of us were), and even met by chance a mutual friend of theirs who was there to ask the cafe owner for advice for going abroad. It seems like that was how Naoya and Ayana knew the cafe too. The owner seems to be an Aussi-phile and enjoys giving other people advice on going abroad, but not just to Australia. He was an interesting guy. Although we were only there for drinks we decided we'd go back for dinner some time cos they had kangaroo, crocodile and ostridge on the menu! Omnomnomnom

Fingers crossed more plans will be made with Naoya soon, but in the mean time Wes and I are making plans with other new people we've met through the language exchange site and with our new classmates. More on that later :)

Going Out to Tenjin

So yesterday (Saturday 26/1/13) Wes and I decided to explore the down town area of Fukuoka, an area called Tenjin. It was the place my best friend Mog and I had studied before, so I kind of knew the area but it's been about 6 years and I didn't really do as much exploring then as I could have. Especially cos we wanted to go to the local Kabuki theatre called the Hakata-za which was where Takarazuka were doing the Legend of Galactic Heroes!! (For those who don't know Takarazuka and how much I love it click here for a previous blog about them - I went so many times when I was in Osaka! Yay Japanese musical!) So the first thing we did when we arrived was head over to the theatre to see if they had any tickets for the day, which they did, so we got a couple for the 3:30 showing for that day.

(This is the poster for the show we saw)

Update (3/2/13): Someone asked me what the show was about. It's about a giant galactic battle between two groups. I didn't really understand the story much cos I was so tired but it's basically the story of on guy who becomes the ruler of one side and has to deal with political crap and because it's Takarazuka, falling love with the blonde haired lady at the back of the poster. At the same time they tell the story of the general on the other side and all the political crap he has to deal with. But because it's Takarazuka it's all singing and dancing and highly entertaining.

Wiki has a better description of the original story than me.

So we had about 4 hours to kill before the show and proceed to wander around Tenjin. We first check out the Across Fukuoka building which was supposed to have in International Square (国際広場) but it didn't really have that much, only seemed to have special events where foreigners and Japanese people meet, so no new friends made that day. 

(The Across Fukuoka building has gardens built ontop of it. Inside it's huge and spacious)

We then wander off to an electrical store and a huge bookstore (4 floors) which much time was lost in...More exploring took place and before we knew it it was almost time to head back to the theatre! But we were so hungry we had to rush to find a place to eat before the show started.

Needless to say, at the end of the day we were both knackard (that didn't stop Wes stopping into an electric store to droll over their camera though, hehehe). So we went home on the train (which is super close, only 6 miles! Fukuoka's a small city compared to Osaka/Tokyo), had curry udon and went to bed. 

One thing I have to say about Tenjin though, is that it's so big, with so many tall buildings and wide streets and shops EVERYWHERE that we barely made a dent in it and defiantly need to return a couple more times to really see the rest! (And hopefully get more pics of the place) 

(P.s I may have spent all my spendage for that week on theatre ticket, books and these adorable figurines! They were cheap I couldn't not buy them!)