Fukuoka to Dazaifu

Under the careful watch of Haruko we used the local rail lines to travel to Dazaifu today. It's only about half an hour SE of Fukuoka but being a local line it's not really set up for foreigners who can't read Japanese. No worries for us though, with Haruko looking after us .....

Dazaifu is known for its grand Tenmangu Shrine which is surrounded by thousands of plum trees. It's very popular with students who come to the shrine to pray for their academic success.

It was so lovely today to enjoy the shrine, its grounds and the surrounding township with so few people about compared to the big tourist cities of Japan (Kyoto, we're talking about you!)

In Japan there is always a correct way to do things (learning the way to wash our hands and mouths before approaching the shrine) ..........

 There is a correct way of doing chrysanthemums in Japan too apparently (espaliered?) ......

While we were looking at the shrine these cute kids were taking part in a special ceremony. Haruko told us it is customary for kids at age 3, 5 and 7 to take part in these ceremonies (to ensure their future health and happiness). 

 Behind the Tenmangu Shrine is the entry to the Tenkai Inari Shrine ..... 

 Much much much smaller in scale than the famous Inari Shrine in Kyoto but NO crowds at this one!

 Everywhere we walked in Dazaifu today there were symbols of plum blossoms.

We took a tea break too (of course). This town is known for its umagae matchi (roasted rice cakes filled with red bean paste) - perfect with matcha tea. There were a lot of umagae matchi tea shops lining the main street of Dazaifu. This was Haruko's 3rd favourite tea shop. Her 1st and 2nd favourites were both closed because it's Monday! Haruko says these umagae matchi are sweeter than she prefers. They tasted just right to us.

Another specialty of this area is flavoured fish egg pastes. We tried fish eggs with chilli, with squid and with jelly fish. Quite nice!

 We headed back to Fukuoka for a late lunch where Haruko had a real treat planned for us. The very refined Ume No Hana Restaurant specialises in TOFU - it's very popular with locals and visiting Asians - so popular that we had quite a wait today before our table in our own private dining room became available. At one stage two enormous Sumo wrestlers came in to check out the waiting time - but they left when they found out they couldn't eat soon! (Fukuoka is hosting a big Sumo tournament next month and there are a lot of wrestlers in training around the city now).

 For the next two hours or so we were treated to the most unbelievably delicious and refined dishes all based on Japanese silken tofu. There were at least four courses set out like this in sets of three. This was my favourite set: tofu with citrus flavouring, tofu salad with crunchy topping and tofu custard with shrimp, mushroom, rice ball and gingko nut.

 This was a pretty special set too .... which included a deep fried yuba roll with ground fish ....

 This tofu dish was cooked at the table.

 And all finished off with soy milk ice-cream with black sugar sauce ... YUM

 This was one of the most extraordinary meals we have ever had the privilege to experience - how would we have ever found it or navigated the menu without Haruko??

 It was quite late in the afternoon by the time we'd finished lunch so Haruko took us for a stroll around the nearby streets of Fukuoka heading towards Hakata .... down the long arcaded street that was the main street of the city in olden times

 and into the entrance to the Kushida Shrine, where the famous Hakata Gion Yamakasa festival is staged every Summer. This festival is a great celebration for the men of Fukuoka where they test each other in feats of strength and speed, wear very little clothing and drink lots of sake.

 These rocks are inscribed with the names of men who lifted them.... grrrrrr ....

 Sake for shrine offerings

 Haruko used to work here at this shrine, as an assistant, while she was studying at uni.

It was dark by the time we walked back to our Solaria Nishitetsu Hotel. We had a reviving coffee before deciding we'd call it a day - a wonderful day indeed with our friend Haruko.