From Mountain Mists to Mall Mazes :
Our final driving leg brought us from the steamy streets of Beppu back to the urban energy of Fukuoka. We had a strategic plan: drop the bags, ditch the car, and survive Christmas Eve in the city without getting lost in a rice field (or a shopping mall).
The "Onsen Towel" Vista:
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| Rest Stop at Kusu Westbound stop |
The two-hour drive on the expressway was a gloomy but gorgeous farewell to the Kyushu highlands. As we passed Yufuin, thick clouds hovered over the town like a white onsen towel draped over a bather's head. We drove through a sea of clouds flowing down the mountainsides—breathtaking, a little eerie, and thankfully free of black ice. We stopped for a udon lunch at misty Kusu, soaking in the mountain air one last time.
The "Final Boss" of Driving:
Everything was going smoothly until we hit the Fukuoka exit. The circular roads and muddy surface streets turned into a "Final Boss" level of navigation. We ended up in the wrong lane, and shared a brief moment of terror before finally finding the hotel. Shedding the car keys at the Orix depot felt like winning a marathon!
KFC, Comics, and Canal City:
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| Celebratory drink to a safe drive back to Fukuoka |
It’s Christmas Eve in Japan, which means the queues at KFC were legendary (the traditional festive feast!). We opted for a different celebration: a massive cheesecake and cold brew at Nana’s Green Tea (3,000¥), which was pure bliss.
As the rain started, we did some last-minute "essential" shopping. Pat grabbed a tiny one-person umbrella, and I bought a bilingual Snoopy comic book to join my ever-growing "Learn Japanese" library. We eventually wandered into Canal City Hakata, a mall so mind-bogglingly designed I’m still not entirely sure how we got out.
A Tentative Tendon Ending:
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| Takao, the tendon place at Canal City Hakata |
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| Finale in Japan |
Without a dinner plan, we stumbled into a cozy Tendon (tempura bowl) spot (Takao). For 4,000¥, we got two massive tendon bowls and all the pickles we could eat. It felt very "Osaka style"—hearty, fast, and top-notch. Our night ended with a high-speed "shopping march" to Tenjin to hit Itoya 30 minutes before closing, followed by a bus ride back and a celebratory guzzle of free hotel soda.
How we managed 14,000 steps after half a day in the car is a Christmas miracle.
The Full Circle:
There’s a strange sense of relief in exchanging a steering wheel for a bus ticket. Today reminded me that while the mountains are for vistas and quiet reflection, the city is for the happy chaos of neon lights and "Plan B" dinners. We started this trip in Fukuoka as nervous newcomers, and we’re ending it as people who can navigate a "bush drive," score 75% on a samurai quiz, and find great tempura in a labyrinth.
Kyushu, you've been a wild, steamy, and delicious ride.