Kyushu 2023 - Dinner at Hakata City

At the train station before taking a bus to Hakata, I was at some 2nd storey building and took this photo. It reminded me of Shibuya crossing, but smaller, and quieter. In fact, I think this one is a lot nicer as it's a lot more organised and cleaner. I love this photo, so I'm putting it here. 

Back at Hakata Station area again.

I think this was the first time we walk outside the station and see how huge it was. The day before, we were just hazy from our red eye flight and was just headed to our hotel, not really taking the time to look at this grand station.

There was a summer plum wine fair happening here. You could try a variety of wine for a small price. I was surprised my husband wasn't as interested in it.

I got to pick the dinner restaurant, so I went for beef of course! 

Here is the set I ordered. I looked so nice and juicy, but the meat was actually roast meat and served kinda cold. But it was a nice dinner.

My husband had this beef butter rice set which was also great. We don't really spend a lot on high end restaurant. Our price range was usually below 20sgd a good meal a day, and a less expensive meal the rest of the day. Luckily in Japan, you can get really nice delicious meal with that kind of budget. I'm headed to the west next month, and I am wondering how I am going to survive with their high prices there.....

Kyushu 2023 - Dazaifu Temple and Ruins Walk

Finally, we reached the main Dazaifu temple. It was lovely, no doubt. I just don't know why I wasn't more impress with it as I did other things I saw that day. It felt like just a 'need to do' item on my travel list somehow.... Was I getting jaded of Japanese temple? 

We also saw the famous red bridge here. It was made even lovelier by the water, the tress and the blue sky on that day. But it was also quite crowded. Those nice photos you see in these blog, was either edited with the people cut out, or a lot of time was spend waiting for the place to be empty out.

After completing the shrine, it was still early afternoon, so we decided to go explore the ruins! Above is the map we found along the way. Lol. Seriously, this day trip was not very well planned out! We spend the next few hours walking in hot sun, in deserted village roads, in fields of ruins etc! What an adventure!

Ya, I was expecting something like Rome when I see the word "ruins". It wasn't anything like that at all! In fact, there was hardly anything to see except maybe building foundation of the ruins, and maybe some stairs. But they did kept the area empty, so it was fun running around the field of nothingness.

The path also covers some grave of famous monks of the area, and we decided to go pay our respect. I don't know what is it with me and graveyard, but I am always fascinated by them. The famous wasn't like those family grave. It was in fact rather simple looking, and quite wild, in some desert part of the village...

There were also quiet temples you could visit where the ray of heaven shines through....

And some of the temple (actually only one) even has a sand art in the compound area.

It wasn't anything elaborated, just simple designs on the ground. Nobody even got mad if you walk through them. Were you allowed to walk through them? I wasn't sure. I try not to.

There was even a lady that looked Christian near a pond in one of the temple ground.... It was really quite a unique walk with many unique things we saw.

The one good thing about wandering lost is coming across beautiful sceneries like this one above. Sceneries that you won't see if you follow some tour group. Sceneries that you dream of seeing since you grow up and live in South East Asia where the weather is forever hot and humid or monsoon rain. 

To see such vast green field with slopes, and a sole pink sakura tree there! What a dream come true!

Thank you to all the small gods and big ones we encounter here in Japan. Of all the places I've been to, I always find myself coming back to this country. It was kinda like my spiritual home :)

Our walk lead us one station away from Dazaifu main station. We took a local train back to Dazaifu since our ticket gave us the power to take any train or bus in the area! Haha. The power you feel when you own such a ticket. I love Kyushu so far, and I've only been here 2 days!

Around 4pm or 5pm, we took the train back to the one we started from, and then a short bus ride to Hakata City again.

Here's a selfie of us with all the crowd on the famous red bridge of Dazaifu. Crossing the bridge means crossing over to heavenly realm :)

Kyushu 2023 - Dazaifu Doll Museum Tenjin Story Hall

As promise, a post on each and every display of Tenjin's life story. starting from his mother giving birth to him..... There will be no narrative in this post. I took them for keepsake to post here. I guess you could zoom in on each at there are explanation (only in Japanese) on them. But I do apologised if the descriptions may not be too clear. Anyway, enjoy the beautiful dolls and display!

Kyushu 2023 - Dazaifu Doll Museum Mask Collection

 

One of the section in the doll museum that I love very much was these mask. I don't know why mask are part of dolls, but they were there on display, and I was a fan!

I am fascinated with Japanese demons and monsters too, so I love looking at these more than I did the dolls.

Some explanation of some of the mask.

And these six were my favourite, cause of the lack of colour of them, and the different faces each one of them have. Ya, I like mask so much that I have one post dedicated for it, lol.

Kyushu 2023 - Dazaifu Doll Museum

After lunch, I decided I wanted to visit the Doll Museum, which we had coupons for! I am not a fan of dolls, but I thought a Japanese doll museum was something rather unique to see instead of visiting more gallery and museums. So we used our coupon to get a small discount, and headed to the entrance. 

The doll museums was actually underground at the basement.... I wonder why, lol. Was it to stop the dolls from coming up at night? Kidding! Anyway, the entrance down was rather cute, lined with drawing of dolls. 

I love these simple Japanese drawings. I would often take photos of them when I see such unique art. I find that Japanese people treasure uniqueness a lot more than other people. 

The doll museum display started of with some explanation of Tenjin. There are train station and town area named after it. So apparently he is a famous guy here. And he is also often seen sitting on a cow.

Here were so many type of dolls and figurine of him here. 

The museum path then leads into a hall of the story of Tenjin. 

Here, every display tells a story of a chapter of life of Tenjin, from his birth, till his death. I will do a separate post just on the whole chapter! Yes, I actually took every single display's photo. The reason I think I am fascinated with Japanese doll museums might be the Japanese fabric that they use for the dolls. I love fabric, so I find it interesting to see the beautiful designs on them, especially in Japan.

After the hall of Tenjin, which consist of hall the museum, the other half is more on cultural dolls. 

It was nice that there were explanation in English!

I really like this museum as it was kinda like dolls and figurines, and some of the figurines were made of ceramic or clay, another materials that I love.

So many lovely dolls!

Above might have been made of wood.

The details of each was just lovely.

So elegant.

Wooden doll that looked kinda like birds. I think these were also a kinda of messenger of the gods. 

Nearer to the end, there were even live sized dolls. I didn't like these as much cause they kinda scares me, especially the long hairs. Those always reminded me of Japanese ghost. My father has a Japanese doll in his room which I hate, but at the same time fascinated by it. I am always suspicious that their hair are made from real human hair... I suspect that one day that doll would eventually belong to me....