Friday, December 20, 2013

Day 6 - Train ride to Futsukaichi 二日市-> Walk to Nishitestsu Murasaki Station 紫駅-> Train ride to Nishitestsu Futsukaichi Station 西鉄二日市駅- > Transfer to Dazaifu Station大宰府駅- > Autumn Leaves at Komyozenji Temple at Dazaifu光明禅寺@太宰府 -> Dinner at Ippodu Ramen 一风堂拉面

After checking in, we left for Komyozenji Temple at Dazaifu, 光明禅寺@太宰府 to view the autumn foilage. As it was raining and sun will set at around 5pm, we need to hurry. We took a limited express train to JR Futsukaichi 二日市. The train journey was quite short. We got off at the third stop.
This was taken outside the Futsukaichi Station 二日市駅. Its mascot was a very sweet little girl.

Futsukaichi Station 二日市駅 - a small station.

Futsukaichi is also a hot spring area in Chikushino. There are two public hot springs and it costs @200yen/person per use and a pricy 41-room hotel Daimairu Besso (emperors, war lords and government officials used to stay here) that offers hot spring and accomodation in this area. This hotel has a also package which costs 5775yen/person that includes a meal, lunch or dinner and private hot spring.

From JR Futsukaichi Station, it was not impossible to walk to Nishitetsu Futsukaichi Station. However, since it was drizzling and Murasaki (purple) Station was nearer, about 300m away, we decided to pay additional 150yen (from Murasaki to Futsukaichi) to save the energy in walking.
Then we made our way to the Nishitestsu Murasaki Station, 紫駅. Its station name was also in purple! Nice!

Nishitetsu train was not covered by JR pass so we needed to buy a ticket from the ticketing machine - 150yen to Nishitetsu Futsukaichi Station. Strangely, you cannot buy a 300yen ticket to Dazaifu Station. A separate 150yen ticket had to be purchased at Nishitetsu Futsukaichi Station in order to travel to Dazaifu Station, 2 stops away from Nishitetsu Futsukaichi.

At the platform of Nishitetsu Futsukaich Station, waiting for the Nishitetsu train to arrive to go to Dazaifu.


Upon arrival at Dazaifu Station, we ran to temple as the last admission was at 430pm. The Komyozenji temple was directly opposite from Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine. Admission to the temple was 200yen. When we arrived at the zen garden, wow, we were awed by the immense and impressive autumn foilage. It was such a beautiful sight! You cannot set foot on the zen garden but can only view it from the classical wooden platform. Shoes must be removed before entering the temple.











After we had enough of the foilage, we left the garden reluctantly
Entrance to Komyozenji Temple

Signboard outside Komyozenji Temple

More autumn foilage just outside the temple, though not as impressive as that of the zen garden in Komyozenji Temple but still, it was a pretty sight.



The buffalo outside Dazaifu Tenmangu 大宰府

Entrance to Dazaifu Tenmangu

Enroute via shopping street to Dazaifu Station

A very quiet shopping street en route to Dazaifu Station since the sun had set and most of the tourists had left.

Outside the Dazaifu Station

Single trip ticket back to Nishitestsu Futsukaichi Station 西鉄二日市駅

A unique lamp at the station

Dazaifu Train Station Platform

The train to Nishitestsu Futsukaichi Station 西鉄二日市駅

Back at JR Hakata Station, we went to the top floor to have dinner at the renowned Ippudo Ramen.
JR Hakata Shopping Centre was really gigantic and enormous. This floor had very posh deco and flooring ... Outside the Ippdo Ramen shop.

Signboard outside the shop - canvassing votes

They had a English speaking waiter on site and a English menu. Free flow of cold tea with any ramen ordered.
Condiments - bean sprouts, sichuan vegetable, garlics while you wait for your ramen.
Original flavoured Ipuddo Ramen 白丸元味 @680yen - Very very yummy thick pork stock. Noodles was also very nice! Hubby loved the egg with half cooked yolk.
Hubby ordered the new flavour 赤丸新味@ 780yen- also very yummy!

Five gyozas @210yen

Additional order of 2 eggs @ the promotion price of 150yen
After dinner, went to check out the rooftop garden but it was closed due to the bad weather. We would have to come back the next day. Continued to the hugmonous and mammoth bookstore and more shopping.

Itinerary :

Day 1 - Overnight Flight to Fukuoka, Kyushu via SQ

Day 2 – Fukuoka福岡Airport to Hakata Station博多駅 via airport shuttle bus/subway - > Deposit luggage at Hotel Active! -> Buy and book JR passes/tickets -> Limited Express Sonic reserved Train ride to Kokura小倉-> Transfer to JR Kaogoshima to Mojiko 門司港 駅 Kitakyushu -> Mojiko Retro Train Shiokaze-go (観光トロッコ列車 「潮風号」) -> Mekari Park via Mekari Spectacular Landscape Busめかり絶景バス-> Meraki second observation deck 和布刈第二展望台-> Kanmon Pedestrian Undersea Tunnel ナナオすくらっぷ 関門トンネル人道 to Honshu Main Island, Shimonoseki下関-> Sanden Bus to Karato Area -> Kanmon Steamboat/Ferry to Mojiko -> Mojiko Retro Town -> Mojiko Retro Observation Room -> Old Customs Building , 旧門司税関 -> Blue Wing Moji Bridge, ブルーウイングもじ -> Baked curry (yakikare 焼きカ) lunch at Ant Bee-> Kitakyushu Commerative Library of internation Friendship, 国際友好記念図書館 -> Mojiko Hotel -> Port House, 港ハウス -> Minato House -> Kaiyo Plaza -> Old OSK Line Building, 旧大阪商船-> Old Mitsui Club , 旧門司三井倶楽部 -> Check in to Hotel Active! Review -> Shinkansen to Kumamoto 熊本Night scene around Kumamoto Station -> Tram ride to Karashimacho Shopping Street 辛島町 Shimotori (下通り) -> Dinner -> Christmas Deco at Hakata

Day 3 - Breakfast -> Shinkansen to Kumamoto -> Around Kumamoto Station -> Train ride to Aso via local train JR Hohi line -> Around Aso station阿蘇駅 -> Bus ride to Aso West station -> Ropeway to Mt Aso阿蘇山/ crater of Mt. Nakadake, Aso -> Bento Lunch -> Bus to Kurokawa 黒川 -> Review of Iyashi no Sato Kiyashikiいやしの里 樹やしき -> Private Roten-buro Outdoor Onsen -> Kaiseki Dinner

Day 4 – Onsen -> Breakfast -> Hut/Teahouse by the river -> Kurokawa town -> Bus Ride to Yufuin 湯布院- > Lunch at Hidamari Shokudo -> Yufin Shopping Street , Yufumi Doori (由布見通り -> B speak Roll -> Yunotsubo Kaidou (湯の坪街道) -> Drop luggage at やわらぎの郷やどや -> Lake Kinrinko金鱗湖-> Kinsho Croquette, (金賞コロッケ)-> Check in to Yawaraginosato Yadoyaやわらぎの郷やどや(Review) -> Yufuin Station -> Lake Kinrinko金鱗湖 at late evening -> Dinner at ぶんご亭 -> Private Indoor & Outdoor Roten-buro Onsen - 露天-やわらぎの湯 -> public onsen

Day 5 - Private Onsen at 中の湯 -> Breakfast -> Yufunin Shopping Street -> Train ride Yufu ゆふ to Beppu別府-> Beppu Station -> En route to Hotel Aileホテルエール-> Deposit luggage -> Takegawa Onsen 竹瓦温泉-> Lunch at Youme shopping centre basement -> Kannawa鉄輪-> Kifunejo Castle 贵船城-> Yukemuri Tenboudai 別府湯けむり展望台-> Check in Hotel Aile ホテルエール(Review) -> Onsen -> Dinner

Day 6 – Sunrise -> Onsen -> Breakfast -> Train ride to Oita大分 on Limited express Sonic -> Around Oita Station大分 -> Train ride on JR Kyudai to Yufuin -> Train ride on Yufu no Mori (ゆふいんの森, The Forest of Yufuin to Hakata -> Check in Hotel Active! -> Train ride to Futsukaichi 二日市-> Walk to Nishitestsu Murasaki Station 紫駅-> Train ride to Nishitestsu Futsukaichi Station 西鉄二日市駅- > Transfer to Dazaifu Station大宰府駅- > Autumn Leaves at Komyozenji Temple at Dazaifu光明禅寺@太宰府 -> Dinner at Ippodu Ramen 一风堂拉面

Day 7 - Breakfast at Hotel Active! -> JR HAKATA CITY Tsubame-No-Mori Hiroba (Roof Garden) -> Gion Area祇園 - > 龙宫寺 Ryuguji Temple -> Shofukuji Temple (聖福寺, Shōfukuj ) -> Kushida Temple櫛田寺院-> Kami Kawabata Shopping Alley香美川端 -> Shintendo 新天町-> Ohori Park 大濠公園, Ōhori-kōen - > Fukuoka Castle Ruins 福岡城, Fukuokajō -> Late Lunch at Yayoiken Gionヤーよい轩-> JR HAKATA CITY Tsubame-No-Mori Hiroba (Roof Garden) -> Tenjin 天神Shopping ->Dinner at Ippodu Ramen Shopping at JR Hakata Station

Day 8 - Breakfast - > Morning flight Home Sweet Home

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