In the old days it was divided into two sections by the Nakagawa River: the east area called "Hakata" was a town inhabited by Hakata merchants while the west, "Fukuoka," served as a castle town for the feudal Kuroda family. In 1889, the areas were merged and Fukuoka City was born. The name Hakata still remains however, as the name of Fukuoka's main train station. The city fans out from Hakata station in a westward direction and Nakasu, between the Nakagawa and Hakatagawa Rivers, becomes a neon illuminated entertainment district at night. The business district on the opposite side of the Nakagawa River, the area also called Fukuoka, is lined with office buildings and restaurants and slightly further west lie the ruins of Fukuoka Castle. The moat of the castle has long since been redeveloped into a park named Ohori Park. In the past, the port city of Hakata served as one of the nation's few gateways for foreign culture because of its proximity to China and the Korean Peninsula. Further into the past, Yayoi period inhabitants flourished in and around the area - a fact evidenced by numerous historical remains and cultural relics being discovered. Today though Fukuoka is the home of skyscrapers, a "Seaside Area" facing Hakata Bay represents the city's most modern of districts with its artificial beach stretching along the coastline as contemporary office complexes that have appeared along the Hakatagawa River will transform the city's landscape in their own right for at least the next decade. |
- Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine, Dazaifu City, Fukuoka Prefecture - September 21st (Sun)-25th (Thur), 2008 The Jinkoshiki-taisai, the annual autumn festival of Dazaifu Tenmangu, dates back to 1101AD in Heian-era Japan when a then officer of the Dazaifu Oeno Masafusa founded the festivities to commemorate Sugawarano Michizane, the deity to which the shrine is dedicated - in addition to showing publicly his appreciation of the year's harvest.  http://www.dazaifutenmangu.or.jp/ |
- Glover Garden and Kyu-gaikokujin-kyoryuchi (old foreign settlements in Minami Yamate and the Higashi Yamate areas) - September 13th (Wed)-21st (Thur), 2008 The Nagasaki Kyoryuchi Matsuri is a festival commemorating the life of the Scottish trader Thomas Glover (1838-1911) with many events appropriately held on the site of the older foreign settlements in this world famous city. Participants wearing foreign costumes designed as they would have been during the mid 19th and early 20th centuries will march in the festival parade and a walk rally, concerts and other events are also scheduled to be held. The festival is growing in popularity year by year and is more than worth a visit. http://www.at-nagasaki.jp/foreign/english/ |
- Koza Undo Park, Okinawa City, Okinawa Prefecture - August 22nd (Fri)-24th (Sun), 2008 The Eisa Festival was originally inaugurated as "Zento (island wide) Eisa Concour" in 1956, when Koza City was founded. Okinawa Zento Eisa Festival is a good representation of summertime Matsuri (Japanese festival) in Japan today. To the music of shamisen (three-stringed Japanese instrument), songs and drums, you will feel the real enjoyment of Eisa - traditional dancing in Okinawa. http://www.koza.ne.jp/ (Japanese version only)http://www.ocvb.or.jp/ |
- Kinko Bay, Kagoshima City, Kagoshima Prefecture - July 19th (Sat)-August 31st (Sun), 2008 This sightseeing cruise has become a signature summer event at Kinko Bay, departing at 7pm for two-hour bay cruises every night. Viewing the tremendous fireworks display on the bayside, visitors can refresh their body and soul in the cool sea breeze. Various events and an on-the-sea beer garden are also enjoyable factors. http://www.sakurajima-ferry.jp/ (Japanese version only) |
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