This blogpost covers the day of February 12th, while in Fukuoka, Japan.
Woke up fairly late. Dreamed of Ottawa having a power outage. I took too long getting ready to the point I was even nudged for a hotel room cleaning while washing up. Sleepy, making note of the weather, and catching up on the usual Azur Lane & Blue Archive stuff. Same with Twitter/X. Went to Lawson, walked to Tenjin, and back into the underground, basically retracing my steps to recapture Fukuoka Tower properly. Museum first, Fukuoka Tower second. I had other plans, they however fell through with how sluggish I was that day.
I had a lovely slow walk from Fukuoka Tower to a temple-like area, and eventually to Maizuru Park. A simple slow day taking in things at a much slower pace. Sadly, my lungs failed me causing me to huff and puff, even to the slight concern of the locals constantly looking at me in awkwardness. I still had great fun. I was also sadly denied in eating Hakata Ramen. My mood for the night was shot down by a server going ‘X’ with his arms. Good thing everything else was decently enjoyable.
Japan Trip 2024:
[Day 1] – [Day 2] – [Day 3] – [Day 4] – [Day 5] – [Day 6] – [Day 7] – [Day 8] – [Day 9] – [Day 10] – [Day 11] – [Day 12] – [Day 13] – [Day 14] – [Day 15] – [Day 16]
I arrived, even asking the museum staff for both a ticket and an ink stamp. Was provided many a few, happily stamping them into my ink stamp book. Nice! Made my way into the exhibit, curiously viewing each carefully. Learning, pondering, and being curious. Learning more and more of Fukuoka and of it’s historical significance.
Toured through various areas. Observing various ancient, sailing, vehicles, expo, and other exhibits. Was awesome. Even how the locals celebrated with oversized floats.
I’ve also considered checking out the Sailor Moon exhibit, something I passed out on. Felt awkward, and I felt I was needed elsewhere in Fukuoka. I know, I know, missed opportunity, even if I had grown up watching Sailor Moon as a kid in Carlton Place, Ontario. Basically a farming town south of Ottawa, Canada.
A tour guide was whining and moaning about the queue. Maybe even vulgarly, and possibly obnoxiously, attempting to round up her group. Just being an annoying vocal nuisance.
I waited in line, eventually, if happily attempting to make up for my previous night’s mistakes. Fear of heights, feeling awkward, etc.
Once again, took my backpack off, heading straight into the left elevator.
It was amusing hearing other people speaking in Japanese asking what the mecha is. To me, it’s an off-brand Macross robot flying up onto the height of Fukuoka Tower. It’s Macross, yet isn’t, because of licensing issues. It’s a bland. Various animations would play ever so often, sometimes even a bit too far apart making taking selfies or photo captures fairly frustrating.
Sometimes a UFO would pop up, or a baseball would hit the window, or the window would break. Various animations would play.
I wish I knew how to speak to Japanese people, especially to the two Japanese (or maybe Korean) guys helping me out taking a picture of me in the above image batches. I attempted to gesture the animations took forever, failing to get that point across. It let to them assuming I desired a picture taken with myself, something I awkwardly took them up on. It was constantly strange. I tried to thank them, and I bet they were also awkwardly laughing about it also in a weird way. It was a very socially awkward situation. Language barriers, delayed animations, and my fear of heights.
It’s just amusing to me hearing the Japanese say – ‘Origina Chara’ – using borrowed English words and phrases in their own languages. I find it “cute”, or “neat”, if anything.
“Curiousity killed the cat, satisfaction brought it back.”
I’m happy with this fortune. It’s however a bit depressing how other foreigners (of the Korean-Chinese variety) chose to attempt to throw their trash into this fortune telling bin, one you try to grasp fortunes from, such as the one from the above. It was a neat experience feeling the novelty and gimmick of Fukuoka Tower.
Now, let’s try the one I attempted during the previous night. Can I get better luck?
Spoiler alert: I wasn’t allowed to try any local Fukuoka food because I was hand-gestures in an ‘X’ I wasn’t allowed to eat, even though Google Maps noted they were clearly open. I attempted to seek out other places to eat, failed to do so. Granted, I did eat a snack, at a castle-park area, something you’ll see further below.
Love: It looks like you won’t find a good match very soon. Meanwhile, you can use the time to improve yourself.
Wish: It is difficult to suceed when it’s not within your ability. Start from small tasks.
Health: I know Hakata food is delicious but don’t eat TOO MUCH.
Work: Watch your actions. If scolded, just say sorry. A short temper is not going to help you.
I made sure to obtain any remaining ink stamps, any remaining easily to obtain souviners, and to wait in line to head back down via elevator.
I even attempted to race it in an attempt to capture a parallel view of Koryu Maru passing by. I desired a clear side-shot, something I failed to capture. It genuinely amazed me at how fast water vessels travel, especially on water. I’m aware they aren’t slow, it however still caught me off guard all the same in a personal perspective. I was able to witness this with my own eyes, with my own senses, and it baffled me how the boat outpaced me. Granted, I had to also race into the pier by speed walking (not running), something which caused me some time. Either way, it was a nice precious little memory for myself racing a boat in an attempt to capture it for blogging purposes.
Sadly, I hated how much I was huffing and puffing in this area. I must have been speedwalking more than I should have, breathing heavier than I desired, constantly huffing and puffing. Breathing heavily, especially to the point I accidentally stared at other locals to which they would stare back, probably in concern of how weird I was being, how out of breath I was, and probably how I’m being a stupid foreigner in Fukuoka.
I genuinely hated, and even now, how much out of breath I was. I walk constantly day per day, yet still suffer from breathing problems. Depressed a bit over that part. I’m happy I investigated things off the beaten path, yet depressed over the state of my health.
I ordered my meal by pointing at the menu, paid by cash, waited, and was given my meal. Others had also came before and after, something which noted it was a neat place. Google Reviews may note otherwise, and it may be true. I still gained a nice experience out of it. I had to pay by cash, and I’m glad I had the cash on me.
I knew I wasn’t going to beat the incoming darkness, I however still attempted to do so in reaching the destroyed castle prior to full sunset. I desired to eat my food in some sunlight. Seeing various landmarks in the sunsetting experience became highly surreal.
Eventually made my way to a further-than-needed pedestrian walkway, something I mentally noted others prematurely crossing the road when they shouldn’t have. I get it, it’s painful to walk to another intersection, I however respectfully done so at a designated area. I walked across, confusingly made my way up a hill, and to where I assumed the castle was. I even attempted to seek out signs, Google Maps, and anything noting where this castle’s upper area was. I eventually made it.
At this point I was overly frustrated with certain aspects in life, as I’ve vented about time and again, at how it’s needlessly difficult in finding love, as my fortune had noted. Thinking back to my fortune, venting at it in how I’m not allowed to have a romantic partner, or simply a female friend in a non-romantic level, yet still friendly terms. I can befriend all the guys I desire, it’s always the females that are highly difficult. All I’m seeking (with numerous other guys) is simply have a an overly simplistic female friend, of the female variety, especially for non-lewd moments. You know, those portrayed in Romance Anime in non-slutty manners, still properly human, and allegedly ‘Alt-Right’ by Liberal political activists. I was starting to vent more and more, especially verbally (out-loud), if still to myself while assuming nobody else was at the upper areas of the castle. Simply verbally venting out loud, frustrated, and annoyed at how artificial everything feels. Everything is needlessly unrewarding because of stupid idiocies in the world. There are too many needless barriers in the world.
A simple act of – “Hey, you play “X” Anime games right? Let’s play together. Here! My in-game tag…” – type of things would be great if I heard it coming from a female. I’d be happy, as would any guy. KanColle, Azur Lane, or whatever. It’s so much easier to ask my fellow male friends for favours 90% of the time, yet females always 98% of the time fail to do you any non-lewd favours. From females, asking help always leads them to shooting you down majority of the time. Want help? Nah, it’s always above them. Princess “better-than-thou” attitudes….. Frustrating.
Why the hell is it so hard to find a female partner, let alone a romantic one. Doesn’t have to be for +18, only for companionship, and just general company. Seeing the Fukuoka Tower off in the distance with its valentines day theme setting me off. I mean, I am happy I had two moments of talking with Japanese females in Yokohama 2023 and Mount Moiwa in 2023. Everything feels needlessly restrictive. As noted previously, I may have to pray at more Japanese shrines the next time I’m able to. I feel those two situations were response to my Kamakura shrine praying moments at both times.
I stopped venting to myself once I realized people were up there. If they understood English I would be publicly embarrassed. Annoyed, I silently continued to venture up onto the more scenic part by walking under arches, up a modern wooden stairway, and simply documented things for blogging purposes. Still frustrated (if silently at this point) at how artificial female companionship has become. Both Western and Japanese side of things.
At this point I mentally made note of where I was geographically. I allowed my mind to grasp the general location of my being, of where Fukuoka is located, where Japan is located, and how far Ottawa (Canada) is from this location. It felt blissful. I felt at peace, desiring I could always feel this at peace. Sure, I may be partially peeved about the whole Valentines Day frustrations, artificial social barriers when it comes to companionship (female friends). Other than that, everything was bliss. I felt 99% happy, or close to it. I wish I could have stayed in this place, in this state, for a longer period of time. I was finally at peace. Proper peace.
(Side-note: This meal probably makes up for my unlucky visit to a Japanese restaurant denying me entry. The staff signaled me off with an ‘X’, something I was able to enjoy this meal more over an attempted Hakata Ramen meal.)
It was awkwardly amusing how a couple sat in front of me on the other side of the platform, especially with their small dogs. I was eating, they were sitting with their dogs, and the dogs were highly wary of me. If I moved one way, or the other, they would bark at me. I finished my meal, grabbed my other camera to capture the night view, to which the dogs would bark more often (territorial), to which the couple gradually left.
Satisfied, I slowly started making my way through Maizuru park while keeping onto various pathways. I desired to head back to Ohori Station, this time seeing what else I could see on this main part of the park.
Ohori Station to Tenjin Station.
I tried eating at a ramen place situation right next to an arcade. I was declined, gestured with an ‘X’ hand gesture, something which depressed me highly. As I left, I was also given a standard formal greetings of “Welcome, come again” type thing. I was peeved, let down, and frustrated. I circled around trying to find a place to eat, something you can see me doing in the above pictures both prior and after heading into the arcade.
I also happily played this game, if brute-forcing the options here and there, as I would any Japanese games. Just guessing and feeling my way around a game. I’ve done decently well until certain AI racers would irritate me to the point I began verbally noting one-word frustrations out loud. A Japanese guy next to me observed me doing so a few times in curiousity, maybe to help, or to simply see what’s up. After a decent while I felt satisfied, checking out other arcades in the process.
I basically drank my typical Milk Tea and some Fried Chicken. That’s about it. I considered going into more tourist trap restaurants, something I probably should have done. I was frustrated I couldn’t eat more local foods, dejected from the rest of the night. I probably should have stayed at Fukuoka’s castle for a little while longer. Maybe some nightly Azur Lane AR mode, or something.
Walked back to the hotel, retired for the night, catching up on Azur Lane, Blue Archive, Twitter/X. The usual stuff. I had to prepare for my departure from Fukuoka to Himeji & Kure. And because I briefly failed geography I would make my way to Himeji first, prior to visiting Kure. It was a dumb move on my part. That’s a next-day problem, not this this day’s problem.
I genuinely admired my revisit of Fukuoka Tower, even recapturing certain shots. Even happily zooming in, obtaining ink stamps, selfies, and other memorable moments. Even chasing a boat down, walking to a shrine area. I also admired some side street food. It’s a shame I couldn’t try Hakata Ramen, probably because my Japanese luck was both ‘Low Luck’ and ‘Future Luck’. My luck was horrible at the time, and I’m sad it had to be that way. Shows why I can’t have basic stuff in life. Everything has to be a struggle and a pain. Everything else was fine. I genuinely admired my stay at Maizuru Park, also reminding me of 2023’s Maizuru trip, as suggested by Nara’s tourist guides. Japan flows with the divine, and I respect that. Maybe not fully, though mostly.
My breathing issues may have been horrible, I however still enjoyed how walkable both Japan and Fukuoka are. Admiring everything, and all the landmarks. It was awesome. It’s why I hyped up Japan as much as I do.
Thanks for having me, even if there were things working behind the scenes in pushing me out of Fukuoka. Working against me in having bad luck, low luck, future luck, etc. Still a highly memorable visit.
Thanks for viewing, hope you enjoyed! See you in the next Japanese blog posting!