Fukuoka City: Dec 29-30. 2018

I visited Fukuoka City in northern Kyushu. The city has about 1.6 million people, the 6th largest population in Japan and the biggest in Kyushu.

It has been a gateway between Japan and Asian countries for thousands of years.

Tenjin is the busiest commercial and business district of the city. Large shopping malls as well as office buildings stand in the area.

Nishitetsu Fukuoka (Tenjin) station locates in the center of the area.

Underground shipping areas have also been developed. The design is chic.

Nakasu is another busy shopping and entertainment area. It is on an island in the Nakagawa River.

There stands a huge commercial complex on JR Hakata Station.

The ruin of Fukuoka Castle locates in the western part of central Fukuoka.

There were two separate towns – Fukuoka in the western part and Hakata in the eastern part of the area – in the Edo era. Bushi or soldiers lived in the former and merchants lived in the latter. The two towns merged into Fukuoka City in the Meiji period.

The developments of the bay area are accelerating. I visited Yafuoku baseball dome. There are commercial complex facilities near the dome. The construction of residential apartment is underway, I found.

I saw many foreign tourists, including Chinese and Koreans, in the city. There were about 3 million foreign tourists arrived in Fukuoka in 2017, according to the city. The number increased by 3.7 times in 5 years.

The traffic and other signs are written in Japanese, English, Chinese and Korean. I saw the occasions that drug store stuff attracting Chinese tourists.

The area has been a gateway between Japan and Asia from the ancient era. Small countries in ancient Japan brought tributes to Chinese dynasties, including Later Han dynasty (1st-early 3rd century) and Wei dynasty (3^rd century). The exchanges were made through northern Kyushu. A gold seal was presented from Han emperor to a king of small country in Fukuoka area in the 1^st century. The seal was found in the 18^th century in a small island near the city.

Many Korean people came to Japan through Kyushu between 4^th and 7^th century through northern Kyushu. Japan joined the Battle of Baekgangsent in the Southwest part of Korean Peninsula in 663. The ships were sent from northern Kyushu.

The area received two waves of raids by the Yuan dynasty of China (under Mongolian rule) in the 13^th century. Toyotomi Hideyoshi sent troops to Korean Peninsula in the 16^th century. The defense walls against the raids remain in some part of the city.

Now the city is connected with Busan of South Korea, Shanghai of China and other cities in Asia by ship. There are many flights from Fukuoka to foreign cities. The airport locates quite near from the central city.

They enjoy good foods. There are many open-air food stalls in the city.

Dazaifu: Dec. 29. 2018

Dazaifu locates about 16 kilometers southeast from central Fukuoka City. It is famous for Tenmangu Shrine.

I visited there for the first time in about four decades.

The shrine was first built in the early 10^th century to enshrine Sugawara Michizane. He died here after being forced to move from Kyoto to Kyushu as a result of political conflict with the ruling Fujiwara family.

As he was a brilliant man, he was later regarded as a god of wisdom. Many students visit here to pray their success in studies.

There is an approach from Nishitetsu station to the shrine. It is about 200 meters. Tens of shops and restaurants stand along the street.

It is the year-end season. The shrine staff members were doing their preparation works for the new year. They receive millions of visitors every year.

Iki Island: Dec. 27-28, 2018

Japan has 4 major islands – Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu and Shikoku – and about 6800 smaller islands. People live in about 400 islands.

I visited Iki Island, one of small islands which is about 60 kilometers west from Fukuoka City. There lie Tsushima Islands in the west of Iki Island. Both Iki and Tsushima Islands locate between Kyushu and Korean Peninsula.

The island is about 17 km form north to south and 14 km from east to west. The population is about 26 thousand. There are four towns – Gonoura, Katsumoto, Ashibe, and Ishida – under Iki City. The major industries are fishery and agriculture

It took about an hour by a jet wheel ship from Fukuoka to Gonoura port, in the southwest part of Iki. The sky was blue and the air was fresh when I arrived there in the morning of Dec. 27.

There are many beautiful spots in the coasts. Saru-iwa, in the west coast of the island, is one of the examples. I could see the Tsushima Islands behind a monkey-shape rock. (See also the 3ed photo from the top)

Many people live with the sea. There are many fish boats in the port of Katsumoto Town, in the northwest part of the island. Many of the boats are used to catch squids. They use electric lamps to attract squids in the night. (See the 2^nd photo from the top)

I saw old women selling marine products and vegetables on the streets near Katsumoto fishery port. I also found people making ans selling dry fish products in Gonoura. (See the 4th photo)  

Six small statues of Jizo, guardian gods, stand at the seacoast of Yahata in Ashibe Town, in the eastern part of the island. They are called Harahoge Jizo. There is no official record on when and by whom the status were made, but it is said that Jizo statues were built to console the spirits of the dead in the sea. (See the top photo)

The island has many shrines. Some are in the mountainous areas.

Some are in the sea.

The island has been a gateway to Asia. There was a small country in the island in the 3^rd century (1800 years ago) and the Chinese people sometimes visit here, according to historical record in China.

The ruin of the capital of the small country is now called Harunotsuji Iseki. It locates in the southeast part of the island.

The island experienced harsh raids by Yuan dynasty in the 13^th century. Most of the residents were killed. Some monuments remain.

Roads and other infrastructure are well arranged. Foods are delicious. There are many things to talk about in Iki.

Year-end season in Tokyo: Dec. 22, 2018

Tokyo is entering into the year-end season.

We have Christmas decorations everywhere in the city.

Christmas trees are placed in many places, including Takashimaya Times Square in Shinjuku.  

Small trees are located in the supermarkets and other shops.

Special Christmas displays are also made. This is places in the bus terminal facilities in Shinjuku.

Shops also sell yew-year decorations at the side of Christmas goods.

This is the last year-end season o the Heisei era as current emperor will step down next April.

Phnom Penh and Killing Fields in Cambodia: Nov 9-11, 2018

I visited Phnom Penh for the first time. It was the second journey to Cambodia as I stayed in Angkor Wat about 20 years ago,

I visited the Killing Fields in Choeung Ek, a small village about 17 km southwest of Phnom Penh. Nearly 20,000 people were killed here between 1975 and 1979 during the Pol Pot regime.

There were more than 100 grave halls here. Tens to hundreds of people were buried in each hole. The dents show where the grave halls were made. (See the 2nd Photo) 

Some grave halls are covered with a roof to preserve. About 450 bodies were buried here.

More than 100 bodies of mothers and babies were buried here. Babies were killed struck to a tree nearby.

A memorial tower was built in 1988 to console the spirits of the victims. (see the 5th photo)

About 5000 human skulls are places in the tower. (See also the top photo)

There were about 300 concentration camps throughout the country during the Khmers rouges period. About 3 million out of total population of 8 million were believed to have been killed.

The visitors listened the explanations of the tour guide or the audio tape seriously in Choeung Ek memorial park. I heard no laugher there.

I also visited a genocide museum in Phnom Penh. The site was uses as a detention center n the Pol Pot era. It was known as S21. Total 20 thousand people were carried in; only 7 survived. The site was formerly a high school.

Various kinds of torture were conducted here. Barbed-wire nets were installed in the outside corridor to prevent suicide. (See the 3rd photo from the top)

A quarter of a century have passed since the end of Cambodia civil war in 1993 The country is now in the process of reconstruction.

The economy is developing rapidly. There are many constructions of buildings and roads in the city. This photo is from southern outskirt of Phnom Penh.

The Monivong Blvd., one of mains streets of the city, was busy

The rainy season has just finished and the dry season has come. I found people enjoying their time outside.

Many families gathered in front of the royal palace. (See the 4th photo)

A firework show was played on the Tonle Sap River.