Every July in Fukuoka the Hakata Gion Yamakasa festival is celebrated with towering floats (yamakasa) weighing up to one ton being hoisted by guys dressed in breechcloths racing around the city. The festival is 770 years old and is believed to have been started when a monk had himself carried throughout the town praying in an…
Day: April 9, 2025
About those fast trains
Shinkansen might be fast but when you are in tunnels most of the time, it begins to feel a bit claustrophobic. I wondered why so many tunnels. See Google AI’s answer below. That “tunnel boom” is real! “Japan’s mountainous terrain and the need for high-speed, efficient rail travel led to the extensive use of tunnels…
From mochi mecca to ramen heaven
We left Kagoshima, home of jambu mochi, bound for Fukuoka, well known for its ramen and seafood. We are still on Kyushu but at the northern end. No more gorgeous view of the volcano from a fancy, schmancy hotel. Our pampered splurge is over and we are back in our budget lane at an unstaffed, eight…