Spring at Dazaifu Tenman-gū
Dazaifu Tenman-gū (太宰府天満宮) is a Shinto shrine located some 45 minutes south of Fukuoka City, and one of the most important shrines dedicated to the spirit of Sugawara Michizane, a government […]
Tag Archives: Kyushu
The Yūtoku Inari Shrine
The Yūtoku Inari Shrine (祐徳稲荷神社) is dedicated to Inari, the deity whose messengers are foxes and revered for business prosperity, bountiful harvests, and protection from automobile accidents. It is one […]
A Day in Takeo Onsen
Takeo Onsen (武雄温泉) is a hot spring town in western Saga Prefecture that has a history of over 1300 years as an onsen resort destination. A stop on my recent Kyushu roadtrip, I visited the famous […]
Tōzan Jinja, the Potter’s Shrine
Together with the hidden village of Okawachiyama in the adjacent valley, the town of Arita (有田) in Saga Prefecture is considered the birthplace of Japanese porcelain ceramics. For four centuries […]
Okawachiyama: The Secret Porcelain Village
Hidden in a small valley surrounded by lush forest and jagged mountains lies the village of Okawachiyama (大川内山). Located in Saga prefecture on the southern island of Kyushu, this tiny […]
Nagasaki Shinchi Chinatown
Alongside Yokohama and Kobe, Nagasaki’s Shinchi-macho district is one of Japan’s three designated Chinatowns. It is also the country’s oldest, dating back from well before the Edo Period. During Japan’s […]
Out and About: Fukuoka
My tour of Kyushu starts and ends in Fukuoka, the largest and most populous city on the island, and the sixth largest in Japan. This metropolis is not unlike any […]
Kyushu Roadtrip – Part 2
After the freezing cold of Mount Aso, it was time head south to warmer climes. Kagoshima is the main city in southern Kyushu, and the largest city in Kagoshima Prefecture. […]
