Re-visiting Hakata/Fukuoka/Carlos Pueblo

Re-visiting Hakata/Fukuoka/Carlos Pueblo

Hakata and Fukuoka merged as one city in 1889 and ever since confused every one

for the duplicate names. Let me explain it for you and myself that the first lord of

Chikuzen Daimyo, Kuroda Nagamasa named his capital Fukuoka instead of the

original popular port city of Hakata. He and his father worked under Toyotomi and

he had had a good relationship with Tokugawa later. I think that my two visit of the

city only limit to the Hakata Station and nearby vicinity. My first visit was in front of

the Station for a dancing competition and this time was out to the Mikasa River bank

and a temple district.

We first walked out of the Station, visited the beautiful blooming turnip pots in front

of the station where the dancing competition was held last time. Then, we walked

across the busy intersection toward Taihaku Dori Avenue and Amy found a small park.

We followed the street sign to Mikasa River and I saw an office of a Prefecture Dolls

Association. The river was full of water and well managed on both banks as all Japanese

rivers and creeks to prevent from flooding. On the way out of the river, we went to visit

the doll office and show room. Japanese dolls are very unique and this show room contains

current artists’ products not similar to regular commercial’s. I saw one art work of a

Chinese warrior during the 3 kingdoms era, Kwan Yun-chang, on his mount with his famous

moon dragon knife, asks for US$100,000. Amy settled with a US$20 Japanese doll which she

claimed looking similar to Michelle.

I was attracted to some cherry blossom on the street and entering to a Buddhist temples

district. The first one was Enkakuji Temple with quite large of a garden full of cherry, plum,

and camellia blossom. I took several shots on every angle of the trees. Japanese camellia

are tall and charming with several variety of colors. I read an epitaph of a bun monk who

went to China and returned here to stay and taught residents to make Chinese bun. There

are kinds of dessert in Japan called bun, flour or sweet rice cover with red bean paste inside

, is my favorite especially the rice ball.

We visited a cemetery on a backyard of a small temple and were very impressed to the

organized appearance, nicely polished stone and engraving which contained Kanji character

that I could read easily. I ran into a German and his wife came to visit from a disembark

ship on Hakata Bay.

Tojoji Temple had attracted many tourists on that day. It has a large red pagoda of several

stories. It took a whole day to visit just a few places of this beautiful city.