Mojiko Retro

Right at the tip of Kyushu island is a wonderful little throwback town called Mojiko Retro. Another port town, Mojiko is home to many well-preserved Victorian buildings, much like Otaru in Hokkaido.

First stop was the Railway History Museum - a very fitting tourist spot considering how much I adore the Japan train system. The museum was rather small, with quite a few interactive exhibits for the kiddos. Coolest part was seeing the vast collection of old train memorabilia including signs and train tickets.

Also very cool was the line of old railway cars fitted up as they would have been during their heyday. Seeing the wooden frames, tatami mat seats, tiny overnight bunks, and metal washbasins was a wonderful. It was like a Japanese version of the Murder on the Orient Express film from way back when - but without Poirot, and all the stabbings.

 

Walking around Mojiko Retro was also really nice. Lots of old buildings mixed in with modern convenience stores, old Western style landmarks and traditional Japanese architecture, nice walking paths, and lots of water all around.

 

One uniquely popular attraction was the Old Moji Mitsui Club House the claim to fame being that it once house Mr. Albert Einstein when he was in Mojiko for a conference. The house is all made up like it would have been when he visited. You can try to see if you can soak in any excess brain waves he might have left in his hotel room for a mere 50 yen per head. 

Sister city of Norfolk, Virgina was kind enough to donate an anchor statue on a plot of open land that house a nice little coffee shop and marina observation deck. I tried to get a picture of the young dad trying to teach his eager ten-year-old daughter how to unicycle, but I couldn't manage to pull it off discretely.
  

One final very unique attraction was the Kanmon Tunnel - a pedestrian underpass between Kyushu and Honshu island. Tourist placard says tat it is the only such passage in the world. Pretty scary thing about all the water pressure built up around, but considering it hasn't had any issues in the over 50 years since it's construction, I'd say Japanese engineering was probably just as thorough as it was today.

Fukuoka

The last stop of my Japan tour was Fukuoka (which incidentally has the silliest airport code ever) on Kyushu island. Hakata is technically reachable by shinkansen from Honshu island, but the JetStar prices made it worth the flight.

First stop was Ohori Park. It was magnificent. Located near the middle of the city, there was a small lake with a walking trail all around and museums and gardens to stop and distract passers-by. If I hadn't taken this picture, I could have fooled myself in to thinking it was taken at Lake Harriet back home in Minnesota.  

One of the "distractions" at Ohori Park is the Japanese Garden, which as always, was one of my favorite sights to see.

Just a short walk away were the ruins of Fukuoka Castle, which looked pretty well put together for baring such an unseasonable moniker. I think the biggest difference here was that the outer fortress had been disassembled and what was left of the castle were simply highlight by explanatory placards with signboards pointing out other nearby remnants, all sharing space with a history museum and a football field.

Fukuoka also had a large number of temples right in the middle of Hakata city, which I got to went to explore early one morning. Next to the customary name cards that usually grace the entrance of touristy temples, all of the ones inside of Hakata also had a QR which let you scan for an audio guide of the temple you were at. I don't know if I just hadn't noticed these before in other bigger towns, but it threw me off guard at first. Torn between cool and ridiculous, I decided to agree that at the very least these little hi-tech guides were certainly helpful.

The highlight of this little temple tour was certainly the monument made to commemorate the arrival of Udon and Soba into Japan, from China, via a traveling monk. I'm certainly indebted to him for his delicious finds.

Final little treasure was Canal City and the shopping complex by the same name. It was a nice little alcove just a few minutes walk away from the Hakata Station. Unfortunately the shops were all closed when I visited but I enjoyed the sights nevertheless.

Okinawa - Naha

The one thing that I was most worried about while visiting Naha city was the comparative lack of public transportation for being a major Japanese tourist hub. There is one monorail line that follows one single pathway from the airport to the edge of Naha town. It took a lot of searching, but I finally found a sightseeing bus which is very useful if you want to explore without having to rent a car. 

Shikinaen Royal Garden was very nice. Though much smaller in size to Kenrokuen in Kanazawa, it was of very similar green grandeur. Lots of swerving stone and dirt paths to explore and walk around.

I was weary of visiting Tamaudun Royal Mausoleum a little bit – I’m not very good with the idea of dead bodies and vengeful spirits, guarded by a part-time gatekeeper who charged 350 a head to view a royal cemetery. The ghosts must have been sleeping, none were to be found, and the museum and grounds turned out to be relatively interesting. Most interesting of course was the mausoleum itself, a very impressive show of ancient architecture, large stone edifice and gate to protect the royals inside.  

Shurijo Castle is the main attraction of Naha city, and beckons loads of tourists who pay a pretty penny to inside of the Castle walls. The main rooms are set up like they would have been in the height of imperial rule, with gilded thrones and red velvet upholstery. Outside were extensive grounds, various look-outs and gardens to enjoy. 

Final stop of my sightseeing round was the International Road in downtown Naha and the Pottery Path that lead off of it. A busy bustling street in the middle of the city, it was lined with various stores selling the same cheap souvenirs and restaurants offering exotic cuisines. The crowds were abundant, people mulling about in flip flops and t-shirts as the sun shined down despite it being Christmas day. 

The load less travelled was the Pottery Path, a winding street of pottery stalls, one traditional Okinawan craft that is famous in Naha. The quiet path was basically abandoned, not bringing in the draw that the high street offered. No one yelled out from shop fronts, urging the passing tourist to view their handiwork. 

My main takeaway from visiting Okinawa, or at least Naha town, is how very un-Japanese it is. There are lots of Japanese faces, and Japanese words everywhere, but in almost equal measure, there are very un-Japanese faces, people of many different descents from all over the world but mainly Asia and Oceania and the many faces that look like an interesting mix of different races, faces that undoubtedly have a very interesting tale to tell. Many different languages can be heard as you walk down the street, Japanese and English are spoken with distinct dialects. The city seems older, worn and more run-down, the bus center closer to a central terminals in rural Sri Lanka than hi-tech Tokyo Station.Very interesting and I'm very glad I was able to experience it.