6 Days In Kyushu

[Michael]

Day 5

Awaking early on Day 5, I proceeded to the baths at Yufuin Sky Hotel for a dip in their open air hot springs. One of the things I love about it is the natural feeling you get when birds chirp and leaves fall into the water. Also, since the water is extremly hot, the cold air helps to reduce the surface temperature by cooling it down, leaving you relaxing in a bearable state.

[Michael]

Once I had soaked my fill and had breakfast, it was now time for a boring drive to Hello Kitty World...



The creators of Hello Kitty World have made it on the guise of Hello Kitty's birthday. Apart from the normal stuff such as a cinema, a museum, shops and kiddy rides, they also have a train track going around the place, as well as a water boat ride, a roller coaster and even a ferris wheel...



At noon every day, a parade of sorts will be carried out on the main square. People will come out in colourful costumes and dance on the streets. Others will dress like cowgirls and cycle around the place, not to mention the ones in stuffed suits on mobile platforms waving to the crowd. Lots of music, lots of bubbles blown about, the show ends within an hour.

[Michael]

On arrival back to Fukuoka, since it was our last day for activities, the tour guide brought us to Hawks Town, containing a Futsal stadium, a huge sheltered carpark and a shopping mall similar to the size of Bugis Junction, with just three floors through a wide spread of clothes and fashion shops.

[Michael]

Day 5 ended with a massive shopping district in the town central of Fukuoka. After scouring through Canal City and the shopping malls near the train station, I noticed a huge rack of headphones and decided to head over to take a look.



It is amazing in Japan. Although there are numerous paths and doors where one can end up being lost, the instructions and directions that one can rely on. Unfortunately, most of them are still written in Japanese. Only a select few can be found in english or chinese...

[Michael]

Day 6 begins...

As soon as we woke up, had our breakfast and shower, it was time to head to the airport...

After more than an hour of intensive security checks, we finally arrived at the main departure hall with less than half an hour before our flight departs for Singapore. A little last minute visitation to the handful of shops in the main spine. Looking through the glass, one can see the runway as well as planes departing and arriving every once in a while. The skies are wonderful and clear, it looks like a good trip back home...

[Michael]

After a long 5 1/2 hour trip, we finally arrived back in SG.

Home sweet home...



~ Fin ~

[Michael]

Looking Back; The Aftermath

This trip to Japan has shed some light in my understanding of Japan.

#1: It is a male-dominant society. Women are expected to be housewives and servants while the men go to work and earn their paychecks. For those office women, it is normal to go in to work earlier than the men to do spring cleaning of the office. They tidy up the place and prepare green tea an hour or two in advance. Even though the tour guide says so, I only believed him when I looked out of my hotel room's window to see the office block next door...

#2: Most of their income comes from selling electronic products and such, tourism and services play a very very small role. That being said, for tourists, it's a take it or leave it price, and there is no pressure for you to buy anything.

#3: Politeness is everywhere. Even so, their attitude and service is top notch. When entering or leaving a shop, they will always thank you and ask you to come again. Even when departing from a hotel, the ground staff will stand outside and wave goodbye, all the way until your bus disappears from view.

#4: With doors unlocked and bicycles unchained, it seems as though Japan is one of the safest place to be. Even in shops as huge as half a soccer field, not much security is there with only a handful of staff, no cameras or electronic tagging.

[Michael]

Interesting Things part 2

More interesting things I found in Japan:

#1: The parking lots. They are very simple ways of ensuring people pay for the exact time of usage.


#2: The bicycle lots. Stackable and without locks. A camera overlooks security.


#3: The mobile phones. Each telcom provider offers their own range of phones to choose.
The only exception being Sony Ericsson to be sold across all 3 major phone companies.


#4: The petrol pump. Dangling in mid air until you drive in. It's easier to use than fixed pumps.

[Michael]

References

Here are some references to the places I have been to.

Huis Ten Bosch: here
Glover Garden: here
Nagasaki Peace Memorial Hall: here
Atomic Bomb Memorial: here
Shimabara Kanko Hotel: here
Kumamoto Castle: here
Suizenji Ticket: here
Chinoike Jigoku: here
Hello Kitty Harmony Land: here
Yufuin Sky Hotel: here

Credits to several Japanese Tourism websites and Wikipedia for information.


~ FIN ~

[Kwanon]

Couldn't be better. (Reading this on Xmas eve somemore)

How i wished i was there...

[Nick]

Looking Back; The Aftermath

This trip to Japan has shed some light in my understanding of Japan.

#1: It is a male-dominant society. Women are expected to be housewives and servants while the men go to work and earn their paychecks. For those office women, it is normal to go in to work earlier than the men to do spring cleaning of the office. They tidy up the place and prepare green tea an hour or two in advance. Even though the tour guide says so, I only believed him when I looked out of my hotel room's window to see the office block next door...

#2: Most of their income comes from selling electronic products and such, tourism and services play a very very small role. That being said, for tourists, it's a take it or leave it price, and there is no pressure for you to buy anything.

#3: Politeness is everywhere. Even so, their attitude and service is top notch. When entering or leaving a shop, they will always thank you and ask you to come again. Even when departing from a hotel, the ground staff will stand outside and wave goodbye, all the way until your bus disappears from view.

#4: With doors unlocked and bicycles unchained, it seems as though Japan is one of the safest place to be. Even in shops as huge as half a soccer field, not much security is there with only a handful of staff, no cameras or electronic tagging.

Disagree on point #2. Tourism is a big thing in Japan. Especially domestic tourism. 

#3 doesn't really apply in Tokyo.

[Michael]

LOL. I went kyushu lei... Tokyo went before... too hustle n bustle...

[Nick]

LOL. I went kyushu lei... Tokyo went before... too hustle n bustle...

Tokyo is where you get your pretty AV models. 

[Michael]

All shots are located here:

Day 1 & 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5 & 6

[Michael]

This is a photo-blog of my Japan trip to Kyushu from 11th Dec to 16th Dec 2007.
It contains narrative description and photos of the few attractions I visited during my short stay there.
Not to mention some interesting things I noticed and discovered.
Links to such sites are located at their individual posts, highlighted in blue.
Images to several brochures can be found on the last PB entry.

Kind regards goes to +evenstar for his Canon 17-40F4L and CPL.
Kind regards goes to deadpoet for his Canon 50F1.4.
Mostly shot on them with the Canon 5D and Canon 30QD + Fuji 200.
Some taken with Nokia E61i and Panasonic Lumix LX-1.

Feel free to post your questions, queries and comments.
Also, if there are critiques and suggestions, I pray thee tell!

Thank you for viewing!