Fukuoka & Hakata were originally 2 separate cities, but as both are just next to each other & as they grew bigger, over time they gradually merged. In front of the station lies Hakata, originally a port city. Behind the station Fukuoka, that used to be a castle town associated with the daimyo (“aristoratic”) clan of Kuroda.
The weather was great, it was our first afternoon in Japan & we would only spend one night in town, so we decided to wander around and let luck decide what we would encounter.
Genjuan Temple
The Genjuan Temple is a Zen Buddhist temple. It is a private temple belonging to the Kuroda family, the former daimyo of Fukuoka. From the gate we could catch a glimpse of this beautiful temple & the alleys around very peaceful, we instantly became zen, even without entering the temple.
Tochoji Temple
Founded in the 8th century, this buddhist temple is one of the oldest in the region. Known for its five-story pagoda, which is a national treasure, Tochoji Temple is a significant cultural and historical landmark. On the grounds there’s as well a new building with an impressive wooden 10 meter high buddha statue. Impressive, but not allowed to take pictures of the buddha. If you want to see this buddha, you will have to plan your next holiday to Japan.
Kushida Shrine
Next we went to the Kushida Shrine. a renowned Shinto shrine. Shinto is an old, Japanese religion that emphasizes the importance of nature, ancestors, and rituals. The shrine is dedicated to three deities associated with protection, prosperity, and harvest. When we visited there was a ritual taking place, with heavenly music.
Canals & Canal City
Hakata has several canals & next to on of the canals, there’s now a modern shopping mall, Canal City (with an artificial canal inside of it as well). The canals and the surrounding streets give Hakata a really high posh feel.
Tenjin Central Park
On the map it said central park, so we instantly thinking about a very big park. In fact the park is quite small, but very interesting. The hill you see on the picture below is not what it looks like. The hill is in fact the terraced garden of a modern building, the Acros Fukuoka, a huge concert hall, completed in 1995.
More pictures of Busan, click on a pic & scroll:
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