New Years in Japan

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This week I interrupt your normally scheduled programming to bring you a cultural special on New Year’s in Japan!

First a little bit of backstory. Christmas and New Years are reversed in Japan compared to the west, where Christmas is a date night or a holiday spent out and New Years is the holiday spent in with family. However, if you do find yourself in Japan for the winter holidays there is plenty to get bundled up and go out for.

Countdowns are not big in Japan, so don’t expect to gather under the large video screens of Shibuya Crossing or Shinjuku Alta as these screens are turned off to discourage crowds. The place to be at midnight would be a shrine, any shrine really, but the bigger the better as more people gather there for hatsumode and many street stalls are set up offering specialties sweet and savory.

Hatsumode is the first shrine visit of the new year, where thousands of guests wait on lines leading up to the shrine to pray for happiness, luck, or safety in the coming year. Patrons gather with family or friends and wait in the cold hours for their turn, which is a lot more fun than it may sound. The environment all night is very festive. While waiting on lines, people often drink sake or the warmer, sweet version amazake.

Sake is often distributed for “free” at shrines all night on the 31st to the 1st. Really, cups of sake are given to those making a small donation to the shrine, but not mandatory. Sake is poured first and you will have the option to drop a few coins or bills depending on how generous or festive you are feeling. Staff distributing the sake are more than happy to welcome and serve you cups or small dishes of the rice wine.

After a few drinks to support the shrine, saying a prayer or getting your fortune, it’s time for some food.

Most shrines have lines of yatai stalls leading up to and guiding the way to the shrine. And no one would judge you for skipping all the hatsumode activities and going right to the food. As with yatai in other cities, the best places are usually the ones with the longest lines. I always walk through at least once to see what’s available and what looks good.

But if you are looking for typical New Years food you will have two options that are commonly cooked at home, but you can find at street stalls:

The first is o-zoni which is a savory soup with vegetables and dumplings. This one was topped with slivers of yuzu peel for a citrus scent.

The other soup, eaten for dessert, is o-shiruko. This soup is a sweet, thick soup of pureed red beans with chunks of mochi, often toasted, placed in it. Red bean paste is not so common for desserts in the west, but I highly recommend trying it as it is the foundation for many Asian desserts and it’s fantastic, sweet with a smooth texture.

After a night out, families retreat back to their respective hometowns to have prepared o-sechi with their parents, in-laws and other relatives. The o-shogatsu break is usually until the third and in Japan it is a time for cleaning, bargain sales, and relaxing with family. For visitors looking to welcome in the New Year like a local, find your nearest shrine and enjoy.

Happy New Year!

Beppu at Night

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I checked into my hotel right across from Beppu Station and unloaded my bag of all unnecessary items for a little night exploring around Beppu. I wandered out from the station heading a few blocks to the sea. Beppu Bay has hotels and ryokan lined up its shore looking out to the east. There are marinas hosting boats for fishing and fun.

I had two goals in mind wandering out this particular evening. The first was to go to an onsen and then find another meibutsu for dinner. The onsen I picked was Takegawara Onsen, a famous 100 year old resort that has a Michelin star for service. I wasn’t really sure what this meant until I visited. At Takegawara Onsen patrons have the choice of a hot springs bath or being buried in sand as a form of relaxation and therapy. There are reservations for the sand baths. I chose regular onsen which had no wait time and was only a few hundred yen.

The facilities themselves were classic, but definitely a bit rundown. As customary before entering the hot spring one must wash at showers, however they only had cold taps and provided no soap, I thought this was odd for an onsen resort which usually provides all the amenities. As I got dressed I noticed the windows were open and pretty sure people passing could see in from the outside. I bet those sand baths must’ve been pretty amazing as the onsen at my hotel were much nicer.

With onsen checked off my Beppu list, I wandered through the old covered shopping centers and made my way to a reimen shop. I didn’t misspell ramen, reimen is a cold version of the popular noodle dish with the “rei” meaning cold and “men” denoting noodles. I put my name on the wait list and waited at the park across the street. Everyone else on the list was Japanese, so when the obaa-chan came out to call my name she attempted, but got caught up on my katakana name “Ji.. Je..” I came out of the shadows and corrected “Jeremii”.

I was seated at the counter with a view of the kitchen and ordered the standard reimen.

Soba noodles in a cool dashi broth are served with kimchee, slices of chashu and a hard boiled egg. Despite it being a cold bowl of noodles it was delicious and definitely worth a trip. In a resort town popular in the summer time, I can see this as a spot to cool down for dinner.

I headed back through the covered shopping areas back towards the station to my hotel. Save for a few restaurants many of the shops seemed to be closed for the off season. I saw one shop that was lit up and still attracting a few straggling customers, a gelato shop. This place is a local hit and sometimes when traveling it just seems right to get a gelato to finish the evening.

The Hells of Beppu

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From Miyazaki I left on an express train to head one prefecture north to Oita. The last prefecture I visited on this Kyushu tour is on the northeastern side of the island in between Fukuoka to its west and Miyazaki to its south. I arrived at the seaside resort town of Beppu just before noon.

Beppu is famous for onsen, all naturally heated. After a lunch of toriten I walked to the Hells of Beppu. There are several buses bringing tourists up to the Hells, having time I decided to hike it which took about 45 minutes. Getting closer to the Hells revealed steam rising from the green hills hinting of the geothermal wonders waiting ahead.

The Hells of Beppu feature seven popular tourist destinations that each offer exotic and gorgeous views from blood red pools to grey ponds of bubbling mud. The surrounding areas have narrow streets with several ryokan and local souvenir shops. Due to the distant apart from each other, I chose four in close proximity in the Kannawa area. The first Hell I went to was the beautiful aqua marine blue of the Umi-jioku or “Sea Hell”.

Many travelers, tourists and families pose in front of the dramatic pools behind them with ever-rising steam. I offered to take a couple’s picture, and subsequently took a few different groups’ picture. As I was taking a break from playing cameraman a girl came up to me and asked me in English if I had been to Thailand referring to my shirt which was for Chang beer. Another fellow traveler here at the same moment.

The Sea Hell also features a nursery with several lilies and lotus floating on a pool of water. Right outside of this is a rust red pool with warning signs.

The next Hell I went to was the Oniishi Bozu Hell or literally the Hell of the Monk’s Head. This one features several pools of continuously bubbling grey mud, resembling the bald head’s of monks giving this attraction its name.

This place is incredibly photogenic, several people perch around the pools taking pictures in burst mode until they can get that dramatic shot. This Hell also has an ashiyu which I happily took a break at.

The next Hell, Oniyama Hell or “Demon Mountain Hell”, was more like a zoo, featuring several varieties of alligators and crocodiles from all around the world. Hardly the natural wonder I was expecting I headed out and had a snack from a local street vendor serving items steamed by geothermal heat.

Shiraike Hell, the “White Pond Hell”, was a quiet peaceful stop for to finish the afternoon. The surface of the water was mostly still and varied in color from a milky blue to grey.

Though the Hells of Beppu are definitely tourist attractions, packed with people from all over, they are worth a visit as they offer unreal and stunning views with vivid colors. Leaving with several hundred pictures more than I came with, I got on a bus to back towards Beppu Station, from there I checked into my hotel, which featured an onsen of its own, and I went out the seaside area before dinner.

Miyazaki City

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After a nice day along the Nichinan coast I head back to Miyazaki City for dinner. The previous three capital cities of their respective prefectures left me charmed. As with the previous three cities, I went in not knowing what to expect, which is always the best way to go.

It definitely plays the part of a southern coastal city very well. Towering palm trees line the streets leading up to the station. The rest of the city is connected via covered shopping areas and malls. The covered sidewalks make sense for those hot, humid summer days. In between buildings are several alleys with places to eat and drink at tucked away.

My mission out this night, was to seek out the meibutsu known as chicken nanban. This dish is an interpretation of a western dish featuring fried chicken cutlets topped with tartar sauce. I have had this dish many times back in Tokyo and it is definitely a guilty pleasure as it is anything but light. I am always fascinated by dishes like this that move from one culture to the next and become there own unique thing. Chicken nanban got its start and fame in Miyazaki.

I looked up one of the best places to get this faux western dish and found myself waiting in an alley for about 45 mins. I must’ve found the right place.

The place I chose, was called Ogura Chicken Nanban. It claims to be the original and is a local attraction. I was seated at the counter by an obaa-chan, who seemed to move at her own pace seemingly unfazed by the line stretching around the corner. This is the kinda place that serves one thing and if you want it, you wait on them. I ordered my chicken nanban and examined the decor, it was homey enough with simple brick and plaster walls, copper ladles and pots hanging in front of the kitchen giving it an old European feel.

The chicken nanban came with a shredded cabbage salad and a small side of spaghetti. The chicken was a great portion and absolutely delicious. The tartar sauce is different from a typical sauce which would be made with gherkins and capers. Japanese tarutaru sauce contains diced egg, parsley, onions and a type of pickle. It is a bit different, but like the original tartar sauce, there are very few things it wouldn’t be good on.

To walk off the chicken nanban I took a stroll around the main part of Miyazaki City. As it was getting dark alleys lit up by lantern offered several drinking establishments with seating outside. Great atmosphere and made for a nice picture, but after yatai the night before in Kagoshima, I was looking for a quieter evening this night. So instead I searched for omiyage, in this case the “new type” cheese manju. Manju is a typical Japanese baked sweet, often filled with red bean paste. Miyazaki City has now become famous for one with a cheesecake-like filling, declaring it their new omiyage. I bought a few boxes and headed back for the night.

Miyazaki City was nice enough, but just a bit plain. The lit up alleyways were nice, and I’m sure it would a nice place to grab a drink as part of a group, but it did not have anything in particular that made it stand out from other cities. At the very least, it is a good place to get fried chicken smothered in tarutaru sauce, because why not?

The next day would be the last leg of this Kyushu trip. I would be heading to the onsen resort town of Beppu in Oita prefecture.

Miyazaki Seaside

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Another day, another prefecture.

I left Kagoshima in the dark hiking a few kilometers to catch the first train from the nearest station, Hayato, to go to the seaside prefecture of Miyazaki. From Miyazaki City there are several sightseeing trains that run up and down the eastern coast of the prefecture. The Nichinan line runs from Miyazaki to Nango, featuring trains with only one or two cars. The Umisachi trains are popular and easily recognizable with cedar wood panels inside and out evoking classic luxury train cars. I took a normal one car train all the way to Nango.

I exited the small station of Nango and looked at the map. It dawned on me that I may have traveled my way to the middle of nowhere. Despite it being the terminal for a resort train, there was nothing on the other side of its gates. Hoping I didn’t travel an hour and a half for nothing I started exploring the area in the direction of the sea. Lunch would be a good start I thought, so I searched for some local eateries. The closest was about a 15 minute walk away.

When I made it to the sea, there were several parking areas with buildings of gift shops and shokudo. I found a smaller shack that severed teishoku, set meals that feature a main dish, a soup and some pickles. I went in and had a kaisen-don which is a donburi with fresh cuts of sashimi. The fish and seafood used for kaisen-don can vary on the location and season. Being close to the sea I thought any seafood dish would be a good bet and it did not disappoint, but not sure it was worth a long train ride for.

I looked at the map and reassessed the situation. I could walk back to Nango Station, which would take 15 minutes and then wait about an hour to get on the next train back towards Miyazaki City. Since I wouldn’t see anything new that way, I decided to walk to the next train station up on the line and see if I find anything interesting along the way. That ended up being a great decision.

I made it past the rest stop like areas with parking lots full of mini-vans and saw a beautiful blue-green sea with islands poking out here and there. I followed the road a little ways until I made it to the train bridge I came in on. I took a few pictures of it and thought to myself it’s beautiful, but if only it had a train on it that would make a more compelling picture. A little further down the road were several stone steps from the road leading down to the sea. On a set of stairs ahead I saw a couple of guys perched out with cameras. I did the same on my set of stairs, checked the train times and waited. My patience paid off as I had two sets of trains go by. Now I could see why it was worth coming here.

I took my time and several pictures on my way to the next station. I got back on the train and headed up to my next stop, Aoshima, which is a small island covered with palm trees and a shrine of the same name nestled in its center. Souvenir shops and more shokudo guide tourists from the station to the beach. From the beach is a land bridge stretching out to the green island.

At Aoshima Shrine people pray to this particular kami-sama for either a happy marriage, safe child birth or the safe voyage of their ship or boat, naturally. The shrine itself is a beautiful orange surrounded by vibrant green palm trees, but it was a bit too crowded at the time of day I went to get any interesting pictures, so I made my way around the island along the coast.

I made my way through tide pools and found on the eastern most tip of the island stacks of rocks my camera and I couldn’t ignore. Further around the island was a seaside bar in Thai island fashion, with beach chairs scattered between palm trees all facing the sea. I couldn’t help but stop and have a Singha beer, which somehow seemed appropriate. They also served mango drinks, which Miyazaki is a big producer of in Japan.

Not having a clear idea of what to do or where to visit in Miyazaki ended up working out just fine. The journey along its coast is the attraction. And it is a great place to stare at the ocean and have a drink under a palm tree.

Kagoshima Yataimura

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After arriving back in Kagoshima City from Sakurajima by ferry, I took the tram towards the center of the city. My last stop of the day was Yataimura right across from Kagoshima Chuo Station.

Kagoshima Yataimura is an area with 25 yatai stands located right across from the Chuo Station. Each specializes in different meibutsu from the prefecture including the famous kurobuta, yakitori and other grilled meats on skewers, sashimi, oden, shabu shabu and local shochu. After a quiet day on Sakurajima, it was a bit overwhelming heading in the first time. With every corner and alley lined with stalls of delicious items and drinks, it was hard to decide where to go. I went through twice checking what each stand was known for. Finally, I slid my way into a kushiage place which had one seat open at the corner.

I had two people on my left and five on my right. The stall goes silent as I take my seat. The guy to my immediate right leans towards me and says in Japanese, “nihongo.. daijoubu?” I relied confidently yes, and the room erupted into relief and a warm welcome. They asked me where I was yesterday and where I would be tomorrow, after telling them Miyazaki to the latter question the group of five got really excited as they were from there. I told them about the trip I planned down the seaside of the prefecture by local train which they approved of.

To my right was a local father and son who immediately showed their hospitality by treating me to a couple of servings of shochu.

Shochu is a clear distilled spirit made from sweet potato or barley, unlike sake which is made from rice. I find it to be much harsher than sake and really not too enjoyable at all. But I was willing to try what the locals were drinking. Kyushu is known better for shochu than sake, which would be more common in the north of Japan. This shochu was from Yakushima, an island just south but still part of Kagoshima. As I recall, it was one of the smoother shochu I have had, which is not saying much, but it was a nice surprise. Meibutsu can be potable too.

The group from Miyazaki left, being replaced with a newly married couple and the bride’s parents. The guy was from Kumamoto and was very excited that I had just visited there the day before. The girl and her parents were from Ibusuki which is one of the southernmost points of mainland Japan famous for a beautiful seaside and resorts. The father and son duo left and a local couple took their place. Not before long the empty seat to my right became occupied by a lone business man.

He swaggered in with confidence and took his seat. The yatai staff knew him and almost reactionary served him a glass of shochu. After talking with him for a bit he took off and showed me a wooden amulet he wore around his neck. This was awarded to him after drinking a shochu at all 25 yatai stands. Now all he has to do is show this and get a complimentary shochu whenever and to whichever stall he enters. He explained that the Yataimura was a place for both locals and travelers alike to get together, eat, drink, talk and enjoy themselves. After a few more servings of shochu I could see what he was talking about. Much like Fukuoka, Kagoshima’s yatai offers a place where everyone is welcome, where you can meet new friends interested in your story and where you are going.

I wasn’t staying in the city, but in a small onsen town in between Kagoshima and Miyazaki called Hayato and had to leave to catch my last train there. My friends for the evening were disappointed when I said I had to go. We took a picture together squeezing in to all get in the frame. I rushed off to hop on the express train for the night, purchasing the ticket and making it on the train only a matter of seconds before it departed. I laughed out of breath at the words written on the side of the train “Around the Kyushu.” Exactly what I was doing, and being met with hospitality each step of the way.

Sakurajima

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Sakurajima, the volcanic island, which actually isn’t an island. Anymore.

The prefecture of Kagoshima is shaped like a horseshoe with Sakurajima right in the middle of Kagoshima Bay, but it is connected to land on the eastern side. I wondered how the people of Kagoshima could get away with calling it an island, though it does play a pretty convincing one. It’s accessible from Kagoshima City by only a 15 minute ferry ride. I hung off the side of the ferry to get it perfectly framed.

I arrived at the ferry terminal and started walking towards the visitor’s center to see what the island had to offer. The island has several resorts, natural onsen, scientific observatories, hiking trails and plenty of scenic photo spots for traveling families to pose at. Just outside of the visitor center is an ashiyu or foot onsen. I picked a spot and soaked my feet for a while, enjoying the nice weather and the monolith of a mountain behind me.

As I sat there, a mother and her three daughters came and sat just to my left. I overheard them talking about sumo. Out of the corner of my eye I saw the little girl just across from me begin to lean forward. She looked at me and in a soft whisper as if not wanting to be heard at all says, “doko kara kimasuka?” I told her Tokyo to their surprise. I found out that they were a local family that lived in the city but were enjoying an afternoon at Sakurajima. The mother told me that her girls are learning sumo and offered a demonstration from her seven year old daughter.

After taking a few pictures together they offered to show me around the visitor’s center, where we saw a video of Sakurajima and many dramatic scenes of it erupting, which happens on a near constant basis. Despite its activity people somehow still live here. School children walk to school with helmets on everyday. The mother offered me a ride back to the city as they were leaving to get home for dinner, but I decided to hike and explore the island a little further.

I hiked through winding paths surrounded by craggy boulders and pine trees. Each bend, led to gorgeous view after gorgeous view. I fell in love with this place right there. That sense of adventure, waking up in a new place each day, having everything you need on your back, and being ready for anything, flooded over me. This is why you do it. To find gems like this. I marched on to the next scenic spot with a plaque. I read it and saw a diagram of how lava flow expanded the island over the years. And I finally learned how its now inaccurate name makes sense. In a massive eruption in 1914, just over a 100 years earlier, it became connected to the peninsula on the east.

My last stop of the day was to see the sculpture “Portrait of a Scream”, which was crafted from lava rock to commemorate an all night concert that saw 75,000 people come to Sakurajima. This being significant as the normal population of the island is 6,000. The park where the concert takes place now provides a nice rest stop and grassy fields with a view of Kagoshima City across the bay. Satisfied with my little hike I headed back to the ferry terminal.

The sun just began to set as I departed on the ferry departing Sakurajima. We headed directly into the light guiding us back to the city. I had one thing left on my check list in Kagoshima and that was yatai for dinner.

Kagoshima

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Next stop around Kyushu is Kagoshima, the southernmost prefecture of the four main islands of Japan. I made my way there through mountains from Hitoyoshi, many times the lone passenger of a one car train.

I had no idea what to expect from this next stop on my journey around the island. As I approached Kagoshima City the trains became longer and more crowded. Stepping off the platform and through the gates of Kagoshima Station, I was instantly hit by its character. Like Kumamoto City, tram lines run down the center of its main streets, leading to covered shopping areas like Tenmonkan. Unlike Kumamoto, however, is Kagoshima Bay and Sakurajima, a volcanic island ever-present, looming over the city. Just a few blocks from the station is a ferry port that allows for 24-hour access to the volcano. I made note of this as I walked towards the center of the city because as always, first things first, time to find the meibutsu.

Kagoshima is known for tontoro, ton meaning pork and toro as “fatty part”, think chu-toro tuna (a.k.a. the good stuff). The best delivery method for these fatty pieces of pork, that melt like butter, is on top of tonkotsu ramen. For those of you counting at home, yes, that is the three times in as many days. But when in Kyushu you eat pork fat and noodles. And despite the similarities to the previous prefectures’ this one, this tontoro ramen was easily the best of the trip.

The shop I decided on was called Kagoshima Ramen Tontoro, straight to the point. I went to the honten in Tenmonkan and entered just as it was opening. Even barely open five minutes all the seats were full save for one in the corner at the counter. I dropped my bag and ordered a bowl of their popular ramen. It was rich and beautiful, the pork melted away with each bite. It was topped with fried garlic giving it nice texture and additional flavor. The noodles where thick, much like Kumamoto style and like Hakata style I ordered a helping of kaedama, which I probably shouldn’t have, but I couldn’t let that delicious broth go to waste.

When I exited the shop, again, a line was there that wasn’t before stretching around the corner because when something is worth waiting for, it’s worth waiting for.

Now time for a sweeter meibutsu. Kagoshima is also know for a dessert called shirokuma, which directly translated means polar bear. But in Kagoshima it is a frozen treat with several different fruits and a few beans hidden in the shaved ice made from milk. Looking at it straight down reveals the polar bear’s face with a cherry as its nose. I did not realize this until I had sadly eaten half its face. The shop I went to was called Tenmonkan Mujaki only a few blocks from from Tontoro. It’s a good stop for families or a date.

Very full and wavering between regret and satisfaction for having both Kagoshima meibutsu back to back I head back to the ferry port I passed when I first arrived. A short boat ride across Kagoshima Bay is the volcanic island of Sakurajima. Sakurajima is certainly worthy of its own post, so I leave Kagoshima City here for the day looking forward to what waits on the other side of the bay. I got my ticket and boarded. The city lined between mountains and sea fades as I head towards my next destination.

Kumamoto

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After a great day and fun night out in Fukuoka, I head southwest by local train and arrive in Kumamoto by mid-morning. It was a city I had not known much about, but after stepping out of the station it is clear that it brims with a classic charm. I took a streetcar from the very modern Kumamoto Station, situated on the eastern edge of the city, to the center to see Kumamoto Castle.

I cross a moat, enter its gates and hike through a series of stone walls to get to the main keep. From the top of the castle you can see the city below stretching out until it reaches the surrounding mountains on all four sides.

As I sat enjoying the view, I overheard a couple of middle school aged students talking a bit loudly. They ended up being more informative than I had expected as I learned that the reason Kumamoto Station was so far removed was because the castle was the center of the town in feudal days. The station had to be put on the edge of town as a result of trains coming around much later. That makes sense and gives some insight on how a feudal city adapts to the changing times.

After descending the castle, I head into the main shopping center of town in search of the meibutsu of Kumamoto, which also happens to be a type of tonkotsu ramen, this time topped with roasted garlic. The noodles are much thicker than Hakata style, almost as thick as spaghetti. As with many other places famous for ramen there are several competing shops in the area serving the same style of Kumamoto ramen. I went for Komurasaki which has a shop located in the covered shopping area overlooked by the castle.

After leaving Komurasaki and finding a long line that wasn’t there when I arrived, I made my way to the one other place I wanted to visit in Kumamoto City before I left, Suizen-ji Joju-en. I hopped on a tram again and got off at the Suizen-ji Koen stop, appropriately named for the large park it services.

Leading up to the entrance of the park is a stone torii gate followed by a line of local souvenir and sweets shops. Waiting on the other side of this is the most beautiful Japanese garden I’ve ever been to. It is complete with pond, stone walkways, bridges, a shrine and a hill sculpted into the shape of Mt. Fuji. Several benches offer a place to rest and gaze at the view for a break.

I left Kumamoto by a one-car train to go to the small onsen town, Hitoyoshi, where I would be staying that night. The town is about two hours south of Kumamoto City, but still in the same prefecture. The train ride itself is a beautiful trip as it meanders through valleys following a river. Bend after bend mountains pass revealing gorgeous sights in a perfect golden hour.

I arrive in Hitoyoshi just as the sun is going down, I check into my ryokan for the night and ask about the local onsens and restaurants. Onsen is the Japanese word for hot spring, which are a very common way to relax at most destinations in Japan. Older resort towns like Hitoyoshi are well known for hot springs and feature many Japanese style inns. Staying at one of these inns is the destination. Families, groups, couples or friends travel from all over to bathe in the hot springs, dress in yukata and eat always delicious food served right in their rooms. The Japanese know how to relax.

After a bath at a local onsen, I go out for dinner at a 100 year old shop that specializes in unagi (grilled eel). This unagi is served on rice, which would be referred to as unagi-don, but when a decadent amount of grilled eel is used it is called unagi-ju. The unagi-ju is served in a decorated black and red box with soup and pickles on the side. Opening the lid of the box reveals lightly charred unagi topped with sesame seeds and a sweet sauce. 

I leave the doors of the 100 year old shop and wander the dark streets lit only by lanterns and the awnings of quaint local eateries. I walk past a shrine that is already closed, then walk up and down each side of the river that separates the town. Ryokan lights are the only thing that light up the river. It’s quiet, so I head back to my own tatami room for the night.

Hitoyoshi is not a destination to go and do something, but it is a great destination to go do nothing. It’s a place to step back in time and unwind. It was a peaceful relaxing stop on my journey around Kyushu.

Nakasu at Night

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After checking into my hotel for the night, I head out for dinner and seek out the second meibutsu of Fukuoka: motsu-nabe. Nabe is both the cooking vessel and name of the dish, meaning hot pot in Japanese. Nabe soup bases and ingredients can range from region to region and household to household. The most basic soy based yose-nabe is common at home, chige-nabe is a spicy Korean inspired version with kimchee, and chanko-nabe is the food of the sumo, but these are all posts for another time.

In Fukuoka the nabe here is motsu-nabe.

Motsu-nabe is usually made with a soy-based soup with cabbage, moyashi, nira, slices of dried red pepper and the main star, motsu cooked right at your table. Motsu is a type of offal, usually beef or pork intestines, and it is delicious. When cooked right they are soft, tender and have a supple chewy bite to them, which the Japanese would describe as puripuri. Don’t let the idea of offal, turn you away from this dish as really it is a mind over matter thing like skydiving or going to work on Monday mornings. What started out of necessity has now become a national favorite and some would argue the best nabe around.

I found a shop called Motsu Kou, that specializes in motsu-nabe. I was greeted by a sweet obaa-chan and was seated at the counter. I ordered a beer and a nabe. The waitress on the other side of the counter started asking me about my travels while she cooked my nabe in front of me. I told her I had about a week and was making my way around Kyushu, going to one prefecture a day. She told me she just got back from Tokyo that day, there for a little sightseeing and shopping.

Once the nabe is cooked, servings are ladled into smaller bowls to eat. After all the vegetables and motsu are finished the typical shime, a way of finishing a nabe by cooking a noodle or rice in the remaining broth to soak up the flavor, is added. In the case of mostu-nabe a thick round noodle called champon is the typical closer.

Leaving very happy, I headed away from Motsu Kou, passing canals now lit up by neon as I made my way to Nakasu.

Nakasu at night is fun. You may get a sly grin from many a Japanese business-man for saying that, as it has a reputation for being something of a red light district. But to me it’s a vibrant place where everybody, young and old, is out having a good time. Here you would have to try hard to not make friends, even if just for a beer, a song or plate of gyoza. That’s what Nakasu is about.

I grabbed a beer at a convenience store and sat down at an empty bench on a foot bridge overlooking the neon soaked river surface. I was taking it all in, enjoying the colors, laughter of groups out heading to their next destination when an older man with a guitar stares at me while he sets up on the other side of the stone table between us. Eventually he asks where I am from. I tell him the US, but live in Tokyo. He tells me his daughter is married and lives in New Jersey. He boasts that he can sing in English, saying he will dedicate a song to me, his new friend. He plays a Beatles song, not really getting the lyrics, but nailing the cadences.

As people passed I learned this guy is something of a local celebrity on this bridge. People would pass, request songs, stay for a few minutes, dance, hand him a can of beer or a few coins. A guy in a suit requested a song for his grandchild on FaceTime. It was a party, with different people passing by and saying hello. He would introduce me as his friend, as if we had known each other for years.

I finished my drink, so I went to the closest convenience store for another and got my new friend one too.

Before I left him, it was clear how much he loved Fukuoka. He lived in Tokyo many years ago working as a salary-man like most people. He said he quit, so he could come back to Fukuoka. The thing he said he missed the most was the food and, of course, the people. I could see then the kind of place Fukuoka is. Friendly people who will strike up a conversation, interested in hearing your story. And they care about their food.

I left my spot on the bridge passing another musician, a woman dressed in a kimono with an afro playing a shamisen. This is fun and whacky place. As a version of Yellow Submarine filled the air I headed up to the next bridge where I would see a guy about a plate of bite sized gyoza.

Although prominent throughout Asia, Japan does not really feature a lot of street food. For any uninitiated traveler, street food is some of the freshest, most delicious food you will find. I recommend searching it out wherever you find yourself as it is what the locals are eating and is always unique to that area. There are the night markets in Taipei, hawker’s centers in Singapore, and in Fukuoka, yatai.

Yatai are food stalls that line the river and streets of Nakasu. You go there for drinks, for food, of course, but it’s the close proximity to the other guests and the cooks that makes yatai so special. The counters are tiny, the chairs are cheap stools or crates, the decor is simple and the food is always great. It is an experience. One that you won’t find in Tokyo or Osaka despite being great food cities in their own right.

I waited in line that stretched about a block to try the hito-kuchi gyoza (one bite dumplings) from this famous ojii-san at this one stand on a corner at of an intersection. To my left was a group of college students on their summer break driving from the north to the south of Japan, to my right were a couple from Yokohama. After about a 40 minute wait I was seated between the couple and a few locals.

I ordered a plate of doteyaki (left) and the mini-gyoza (right). Doteyaki is another type of beef offal stewed in miso paste and mirin. I love these nimono (slow simmered) dishes, and again these beef tendons are cooked until soft and tender, topped with spring onions.

It didn’t take long to find out why this place was so popular, it was the master of this little shop. While folding these small bite-sized gyoza over and over again, he has time to joke and entertain the guests as well. He teased me for being a spy because I spoke Japanese a little too well and was taking pictures of everything.

It’s a place that you could stay at for hours, but knowing that there was a long line I finished up and moved along my way very satisfied.

Further down the river is a long line of yatai stands lit up with red laterns, each serving their own variation of the local specialties. Not only can you get tonkotsu ramen, motsu-nabe, mini-gyoza, but also mentaiko (spicy cod eggs), oden, kushi-yaki (grilled skewered meats) and more. Fukuoka has plenty more meibutsu than the average destination, so it’s hard to try everything in one visit.

These food stalls offer a place for locals, travelers, people visiting on business alike a place to enjoy themselves, connect and let go. You can go there alone, but you will never be alone. This is why Nakasu is a place I am happy to visit again and again. And to me it it epitomizes what Kyushu is, a warm place with friendly people and great food. What more could you want? What more could you need?