3 Nights in Fukuoka, Japan

[Disclaimer: Make sure you have at least 10 minutes to read this. It's a long one!]

After three nights and two full days in Japan, I am back home in Pohang and exhausted! I think it's safe to say I made good use of my time in Fukuoka, seeing a variety of sights, meeting several wonderful people, eating some great food, shopping, and taking plenty of photos/videos. From temples and shrines, to beaches, hot springs, jazz bars, and food stalls, it was an action-packed couple of days!

Saturday Sept 10th

I flew into Fukuoka from Busan, arriving at 6pm Saturday evening. It was a quick 35 minute flight, and entertained us by showing an old episode of Mr. Bean. It was very quick and easy getting through both airports, and I made it to my hostel in no time. Upon settling into my hostel dormitory, I met a Japanese fellow named Otsui who offered to take me to a row of food stalls called Yatai. We found a ramen stall, and made good conversation with some local college students who are studying English. They complimented my chopstick skills and recommended some places for me to visit. The ramen was tasty, but it was $17!

After dinner, Otsui had to meet up with a friend, so I decided to wander the city on my own. Fukuoka has a river that runs through the city, along with many canals. There were street entertainers all along the sides of the river and canals, and the city was alive. After about 45 minutes of wandering, I found a bar with a sign saying "Live Jazz". I could faintly hear some smooth jazz coming from the upstairs and decided to check it out. It was a very small jazz bar, not much bigger than my apartment. A five-piece jazz band was performing, and they were good! I had been told by music professors that the Japanese struggle with jazz, but I did not find that to be the case with this group. I noticed a white guy sitting across the bar, and after the band finished their set, he approached me and introduced himself (his name is Quinn). We got to talking, and I found out he is a jazz pianist. He proceeded to perform a quick set with some of the musicians from the previous band. While listening, I couldn't help but smile and think to myself, "I'm listening to live jazz in Japan!" Quinn finished his set, and we talked some more. He offered to take me to a foreigner bar where his girlfriend works. At the bar, I had a great conversation with the bar owner who was born in the Dominican Republic, grew up in New Jersey, and has lived in Fukuoka for about 16 years. When I told him I grew up in the Bay Area, he said his brother, Geronimo Berroa, used to play for the Oakland A's! Quinn and his girlfriend recommended I check out a town called Dafaizu, where I can visit some Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines. The night ended around 2am, and I headed back to my hostel for some z's.

Sunday Sept 11th

The next morning, I asked the front desk worker at my hostel how to get to Dafaizu. He showed me the train routes I need to take, and shortly thereafter I departed. It was a quick and easy train ride to this beautiful small town. Once I got off the train, I had to walk through a quaint promenade lined with shops, restaurants, and ice cream stands. A lot of the shops were selling souvenirs, but none of it seemed hokey. Not once did I feel like I had entered a tourist trap. At the end of the promenade was the entrance to one of the shrines. From there, I walked a big loop where shrines and temples are all grouped together. Since I don't know anything about Buddhism or Shinto, I was careful not to do anything that might be offensive or out of line. Many people were there to sight-see, but many people were there to pray. I decided to try to stay in the background, and quietly take photos and videos.

Outside one of the temples were several tents where various vendors were selling Japanese antiques, artwork, ceramics, fabrics, clothes, and random nick-nacks. I wandered into a tent that was displaying scrolled paintings (very Japanese!). They were only about $25 each, and given that Japan is so expensive, I decided this was an opportunity to take advantage of. I found a beautiful painting of a mountain/ocean landscape and decided to purchase it. The man selling these paintings said this particular painting was 100 years old. Now, of course there is a chance he is pulling my chain, but I'd like to give him the benefit of the doubt. I was about to leave with my new painting, but the man yelled "Wait!" I turned around and saw him pull another painting off the rack. This one is of a Shinto god, and the man said it is 150 years old. He proceeded to roll it up and stuck it in my bag! So for $25, I walked out with two old paintings! The mountain/ocean landscape is now hanging on my wall, and I plan on hanging the Shinto god in my classroom once I'm teaching in the States again.

For lunch, I decided to try to find something a little cheaper than my $17 ramen from the previous night. I found a noodle dish that was only $6.50, so I decided to order it. It ended up being cold, plain noodles on a plate. It was then that I realized that if I want to eat anything good on this trip, I will need to dish out some dough!

After several hours of walking around in the sun (it was about 90 degrees), I decided to take the train back to Fukuoka and rest for a few hours. I found a nice coffee shop where I read and sipped some iced coffee. Despite my caffeine, I felt my body crashing, so I returned to my hostel for a nap.

I woke up around 7pm and felt groggy. I decided this would be a good night to be mellow and check out one of the local hot springs. I saw a message in the hostel about a hot spring in the city that offers guests a discount, so that became my destination. I asked the front desk worker which bus to take, and he directed me to where I needed to go.

I found the right bus # and boarded it, expecting it would eventually lead to the hot springs. 25 minutes later, the bus was on the edge of town in a dark, quiet neighborhood. I was the only passenger left, and the bus stopped at the last stop. The bus driver looked at me and said I needed to get off. This clearly was not my stop. I told the driver where I needed to go, and he said I made a mistake and took the bus in the wrong direction. He told me to get on the bus going the other direction. So I stepped off. A moment of panic overcame me. As I stood at the bus stop, I tried to find comfort in Brad Newsham's motto: "I am in all the right places doing all the right things." But I also couldn't help but think "I'M LOST IN JAPAN!" I found a mini-mart to find out how to get on the right bus. The employee drew me a map, and I began walking. After about 10 minutes, I finally found what appeared to be my bus stop. The right bus arrived, and it ended up being the same bus and driver as before, just going the other direction! I asked him if this was the bus I need, and he said it was. Frustrated, I screamed in my head "Why did you kick me off the bus in the middle of nowhere?!" Regardless, I was going the right direction and was safe. The bus driver showed me some sympathy and only charged me what I would have paid had I taken the right bus in the first place.

Finally I arrived at the hot springs. It was a beautiful facility! I walked up to the front desk, got checked in, and rented a towel. As I was getting undressed in the locker room, a man asked me why I only had one towel. I said I didn't know I needed more than one. He tried to explain to me in his broken English that everyone has three towels: two big and one small. I was trying to understand why I would need three towels, but just couldn't figure it out. He was just leaving, so he handed me his small towel and said I could use it. I thanked him and accepted his generous offer, but I have no interest in wiping my body off with a wet towel that was just all over someone else's body. So I left it on a shelf after he left the locker room. I decided one towel should be sufficient, and I entered the hot springs.

The pools were both inside and out. It was a beautiful night, and the outside pools had a view of the ocean, so I decided that's where I would like to be. The pools were separated by gender, so the women were in an entirely different area not to be seen by us. This is because Japanese hot springs are to be enjoyed in the nude. This was my first experience partaking in a nude hot spring, but thought to myself "When in Rome!" I wondered how comfortable I would be, but the second I entered the springs, I did not feel awkward about it at all. "I'm naked in Japan!" I thought to myself. After an hour and a half at the springs, I decided to call it a night.

Upon returning to my hostel, I decided to take a stroll. Since it was a Sunday night, the city was quiet. I wrote the following in my journal:

A drastically different night from last. Being Sunday, the streets are quiet and empty. As I wander past locked up shops, I feel as though this city is mine, only to be shared with cockroaches and crab-like spiders. I decide to visit the Shinto shrine tucked away around the corner from my hostel. It feels more spiritual when I am the lone visitor at midnight. No cameras clicking, no children running, no shuffle of shoes in the gravel and dirt. Just myself and an ancient religion that could not be more foreign to me. I am aimlessly wandering the midnight streets of Japan! 


Monday Sept 12th


I woke up with no plan for the day. I took a look at my city map to see what attractions I might be interested in. With the hot, sunny weather, I thought the beach would be a nice treat. Unfortunately, I could not figure out which bus to take, and the front-desk worker at my hostel didn't speak English. So instead, I decided to check out Ohori Park, which appeared to provide many attractions. From the park, I wrote the following in my journal:

I was planning on hitting the beach today, but couldn't figure out how to get there, so instead I took the subway to Ohori Park to visit the Fukuoka Castle ruins, Art Museum, and Japanese Gardens (yes, they call them Japanese Gardens here!). There is a lake in the middle of the park and a path that loops around, as well as a man-made land bridge through the center. As I walk the path, I start thinking that the Japanese aren't so different from my culture. I see married couples riding bikes with a baby in a child seat, senior men fishing in the lake, men and women jogging, guys napping in the sun with their shirts off. They are enjoying this park just as any American would. 


I found myself getting quite hungry, so I searched all around the park for food. But even in Japan, thousands of miles away from home, I realize my only option for lunch. Furiously shaking my fists to the sky and cursing to no one, I scream "Starbucks!" Yes, of course, in the middle of the park lies a Starbucks. Deciding not to let them ruin my cultural experience, I order the two weirdest things from the display case: a mushroom and swiss sandwich (which also contained some sort of sliced meat and mustard seeds) and a sweet potato muffin filled with black sesame seeds. Both tasted good, not great. I am now tired of this familiar establishment and have digested my weird food, so I am off to the gardens. Perhaps I can still figure out how to get to the beach. 


Unfortunately, both the gardens and the museum were closed that day, and the castle ruins were underwhelming (they were just stone walls). So I looked at my city map, found the nearest subway station to the beach, and decided to find my way there. It ended up being beautiful and just what I needed after the park ended up being a flop. I wrote the following while sitting at the beach:

I took the subway to the exit nearest the beach. I figured if I walk north long enough I'll eventually hit the beach. After 20 minutes of walking, I was victorious in my quest. Fukuoka is in a bay, with land almost enclosing the water. Across the water are small mountains. Behind me are Fukuoka's tallest buildings. 100 yards in front of me is a beautiful Mediterranean-style hotel on a pier, but surrounding me is an outdoor Jamaican-style cabana with every stereotypical Reggae song playing. I ordered a drink called a Cocobee from the walk-up bar. Based on the photo, it looked like it would be a delicious coconut smoothie. "How refreshing!" I thought to myself. Instead, it ended up being beer with coconut milk. Given my distaste for beer, it was hard to choke down. But that's what I get for ordering a mystery drink. After the park was a series of disappointments, I'm grateful I found this beach. I'm at the beach in Japan!


As the afternoon was soon becoming evening, I headed back into the heart of the city. I was not going to stay at my hostel that last night. Instead, I had made arrangements to couchsurf that night. For those of you not savvy to couchsurfing, there is a website where people offer their couches to travelers to provide an alternative to hotels and hostels. To stay on someone's couch is always free, and it allows the traveler to stay with a local who can show them around town, provide real hospitality, and provide a cozy home setting. Since I was new to Japan, I figured it'd be good for me to couchsurf at least one of the nights so I can talk to a local and learn a thing or two about the area.

I arrived at my host's apartment around 8pm. Her name is Rebekah, and she is an American (a Bay Area native) who has lived in Fukuoka for the last 4 years. She had another guest staying at her place that night as well, and invited a Japanese friend of hers to come over and cook us dinner. She and her friend cooked a traditional dish called "niku jyaga" which translates to "meat and potatoes". And just like it sounds, it was beef, potatoes, and veggies. "I'm eating home cooking in Japan!" It was delicious, but it also surprised me that this was a common Japanese dish, since it is also common in the British Isles and other parts of Europe. The four of us had a great time talking about our travels, recommending music and literature, and sharing our experiences working in Asia. The other guest was a German fellow named Johannes. We had a great time talking history, mostly 20th century German history (he was born in East Berlin!). After an evening of great dining and great company, we crashed around 1am.

Tuesday Sept 13th


Rebekah had to kick Johannes and me out at 8am when she left for work. He and I walked to the train station together and found a Krispy Kreme shop to enjoy some breakfast! (anyone who knows me knows I can never turn down a donut) At 9am, we went our separate ways and I headed to the airport. I have felt exhausted all day, my eyes remaining only half open. I tried sleeping on the 2-hour bus ride home, but various factors prevented me from getting much sleep (like the person who continued to fart on the bus, poisoning my nose!). I am so glad I took this opportunity to see Fukuoka. It was well-worth the money and effort! I have uploaded photos to the following shutterfly site:

http://romansadventuresinasia.shutterfly.com/

Videos to come.

And now, I sleep.

One Month In...

I can't believe I've already been here for a month. How time flies by! I think working 10 hours a day helps the time go quickly. I feel like after a month, I'm very well settled into work, and am fairly well acquainted with Pohang. I still have a lot to learn, such as the language, figuring out some of the bus routes, how to read a menu, etc. but that will come with time.

Last night I got to partake in a cultural experience. Not Korean culture, but South African. A friend and I were invited to a South African bri (BBQ) in the town of Gyeongju, which is a 30 minute bus ride away. A group of 12 of us met up at a park along the river, and ate good food, played guitar, and socialized. I was able to learn a bit about South Africa and the culture. Of all the foreigners living in Korea, I think I know the least about South Africans and their country/culture. So it was educational spending an evening with them.

I had a frustrating week at work, and for a seemingly common reason among English teachers. Some of my afternoon classes have not been behaving well, and some students in particular have been pretty awful. Before coming to Korea, I had an expectation that Korean students would be very well-behaved and disciplined. It turns out that I was sadly mistaken. Since my school is for-profit, it is run like a business, and any business's top priority is pleasing the client. Well the clients of my school are not the children but the parents. So we have to do anything we can to please the parents, even if that means not disciplining their kids. There is really nothing we can do to discipline the kids when they are misbehaving. We can't send them out to the hallway, because they'll miss valuable class time. We can't make them write sentences, because that is considered manual labor and barbaric in Korea. There is no such thing as detention or demerits at our school. When we asked our directors during a staff meeting what we can do when our students misbehave, all they said was don't do the things I just mentioned. So we feel clueless and helpless. It has gotten to the point in some classes that it is very hard to teach while certain students are being rude, constantly talking, and sometimes yelling at me or other teachers. We asked the directors if they would call some parents to talk to them about their students' behaviors, but unfortunately, there is no guarantee these parents will be called. Depending on the parents, the directors might decide not to call, fearing that a call would cause the parents to pull their kids from our school. Needless to say, it is a very frustrating situation.

I was challenged to another arm wrestling match last Friday night. This time I won, so I'm currently 1-1 in my arm wrestling record. I'll keep you posted on future challenges.

I must say, I have loved watching CNN's international network here. They cover stories from all around the world, and also stories from America. They have been spending the week doing various focus stories on Mongolia, featuring stories about their economy, traditional music, Buddhism, and other aspects of the country. I appreciate having more worldly news than what we get in the States while still being able to keep up to date with American news.

I've been loving my turkey sandwiches for lunch! God bless Costco.

Looking forward to getting my first pay check next week! And very much looking forward to my trip to Japan next weekend!!

Much love to you all!

Be well,
Roman

ps, a few people had requested a video of my walk to work, so here is a youtube link to it. It's nothing exciting, but you can get a good sense for what my neighborhood looks like.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPC23czIoVw