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| Totoro Forest |
From Runway to Ramen :
The adventure began on 13 December with a late 10 PM departure (delayed by 1 hour) from Singapore on Thai Airways (TG410,TG648), with a brief transit in Bangkok before an early 8 AM landing in Fukuoka.
It felt like a long day, though it was packed with anticipation, will undoubtedly test our resolve against jet lag.
Our first morning in Japan began with a quick transition: landing, securing the ORIX car near Fukuoka Airport (130000¥ full insurance, 0 excess ), and pivoting immediately south towards the promise of the Itoshima Peninsula.
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| The field where the rice we ate comes from |
We paused for a restorative teishoku lunch at Itoshima Shokudo Homori (a farm to mouth restaurant), savouring the simple serenity of a meal overlooking tranquil rice fields before our whimsical hike (450¥, 2 teishoku inc coffee).
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| The place is not quite like in the anime |
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| Pat's signature pensive side view |
The famed "Totoro Forest" delivered its magic, leading us through gnarled camellia arches to a breathtaking viewpoint high above the Genkai Sea, where the raw geometry of the basalt columns met the ocean’s expanse.
The day's driving concluded swiftly with a 45-minute highway sprint back to Fukuoka. By then Pat had troubling staying awake. It was terrifying.
Shedding our luggage and the car at the hotel felt like an official release into holiday mode. A short subway ride took us downtown, the cold, crisp air immediately directing us toward the lively Tenjin Christmas Market.
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| Shin Shin seen from across the street where we queued for 15 minutes in the cold/rain |
Fortified by new warmth from Uniqlo (Pure Merino polo 2990¥), we dove into the city's culinary heart: a delicious, crowded pilgrimage to Shin Shin (15000 ¥ ) for bowls of famous Hakata ramen (queuing 15 minutes in the cold was dedication and resolve for us)
Our evening concluded with a reflective walk near the illuminated Central Park waterfront—a moment of urban beauty. True to our travel form, our planned breakfast shopping quickly became a massive midnight haul (thnk daifuku, strawberry mochi and caramel custard)
By 10 PM, our new Hayakaken cards (bought at Kaizuka Station) whisked us back to the hotel, satisfied and ready for the adventures ahead.
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| It is comforting to know that just outside the hotel is a shokudo that sells what we call 'economic rice' for the working class and broke tourists |