Neko-chan in Japan: Fantastic Fukuoka!

May 1, 2008: Philippines -> Fukuoka -> Nagasaki

Our flight through Philippine Airlines Manila to Fukuoka was delayed, We finally left Philippine airspace approximately 4:30 pm and I got through Fukuoka airport Immigration and Customs past 8 pm.

I was seated next to a friendly and kind Japanese man. I first noticed him chuckling when I complained in the dialect to the stewardess that I was really hungry and my stomach was throwing embarrasing sounds. The stewardess was kind enough to offer me peanuts after takeoff. He had also called my attention to help give a warning when a woman in the lavatory didn't lock the door and people kept trying to get in. Three of us passengers seated near each other kept telling people not to get in the lavatory for the next 10 minutes. Tee-hee-hee! 

After our dinner on the plane, when the Japanese noticed I was perusing through my Lonely Planet Japanese phrasebook, we struck a conversation and he was giving me tips left and right which proved to be very useful to me later..especially the one about it being Golden Week and for me to make a reservation and exchange for my coupon as soon as I got to a JR Station.

Working past midnight every night for the last 2 weeks had taken its toll and I snored the rest of the flight away, waking up just in time to pull the rented cellphone and queuing up for Immigration and Customs. 

In attempting to make a call, I found a problem. I was tired and mad and hungry, however I was in Japan at last. 

Link on getting your own phone and using it in Japan plus my phone problems at first in:  <a href="http://cuh888.multiply.com/journal/item/44/Kitty_Trail_Japan_2008_-_Calls">http://cuh888.multiply.com/journal/item/44/Kitty_Trail_Japan_2008_-_Calls</a>

Carrying only some ensaymadas and cheese rolls from "Mary Grace" didn't put me in any trouble with Customs so I passed through easily enough, After pulling my bag (which was already kindly set on the floor instead of going around the carousel), I proceeded to the Information Center, got some Nagasaki brochures, asked for the bus schedule (got pointed to the other stall) and then went to check their toilets :-) I also set my watch by 1 hour ahead since I was now officially on Japan time.

Going to the JR Station was already a bit late and would require a taxi, plus I planned for only 7 days use of the JR Pass so bus was definitely the way to go.

The bus departures schedule and stall was near the cellphone rentals stall. The bus journey from Fukuoka to Nagasaki would take more than 2.5 hours and would be departing from Fukuoka airport by 9:42 pm. The ticket cost 2500 Yen. That was the first breakup of my first 10K yen bill. 

The in-charge showed me how to push the bill through the machine, push the button for the amount and get the ticket and change. There! Easy as pie and my first introduction to how things work in Japan for tickets. This is how it usually is for bus and train ticket dispensers as well as vending machines.
The bus stop stand would be #2, which was left of the usual exits from the airport terminal. I moved out of the arrival area through one of the numerous exit doors and stared at the vending machines. I was a bit hungry already but I could only see rows and rows of drinks. I called Joy and told him I was on the way to Nagasaki on the next bus and told him to please have some leftovers for me as I would probably be arriving past 12 midnight. 

Luckily the last stop of the bus would be in Nagasaki and I would be thrown out by that time even if I could not recognize the place or the characters announcing Nagasaki bus stop. 

I went out and waited with a group of young men at the bus stop. I knew that Fukuoka also had nice places to visit but sadly I could only see it that night, since the next time I would be passing by would be on my way to Osaka, and I would probably have a few minutes only to make the train transfer.

Your luggage will be hoisted over with some help by either the driver or one of the bus company's employees so don't worry about hauling it into the luggage area under the bus (although maybe they just do it for foreigners because I certainly didn't see them help put the luggage in for the other Japanese on the bus).

The bus started off on time and after plugging my Ipod earphones, I alternated between snoozing fitfully and staring at the passing countryside on the way to Nagasaki.

Places to check out if ever one has time to visit Fukuoka again:

- Fukuoka Castle and Ohori Park - its location allows you to see views of Fukuoka

- Shofukuji Temple - believed to be the oldest Zen temple in Japan

- Tochoji Temple -  on the second flooor is Japan's largest seated wooden Buddha

- Kushida Shrine - Fukuoka's oldest shrine

Delete Reply bubu34 wrote on May 18, '08 if not for the arrows..:)

Delete Reply bubu34 wrote on May 18, '08 and so? you knew where you're going to? :)

Delete Reply bubu34 wrote on May 18, '08 I believe you've emjoyed it..

Delete Reply chitoirigo wrote on May 18, '08 "...Carrying only some ensaymadas and cheese rolls from "Mary Grace" didn't put me in any trouble with Customs so I passed through easily enough..." This will be a nugget of wisdom on that still to be written travel guide on "Cat Walking in Japan...on a Filipino Budget." A veritable and probably uniquely Pinoy habit. :-)

Edit Delete Reply cuh888 wrote on May 18, '08 corek Nons...e naka kanji pa..so mahirap basahin..kaya pa ang hiragana and katakana even if medyo slow ako..pero...its really difficult if there is no English equivalent.

Edit Delete Reply cuh888 wrote on May 18, '08 bubu34 said and so? you knew where you're going to? :)  well, I knew I wanted to get to Nagasaki somehow...on that same night... Come to think of it...I think its also one thing which is hampering the tourism natin...if we want to make it easy for locals and foreigners to visit our country and tourist spots, it should be made easy to do so...not that one has to plan a line of attack like a general in an army on how to get from point A to B... well, unless one has money and just arranges everything through an agency...since I was trying to see as much as possible on a budget, I didn't go thru an agency at all...ala backpacker ika nga...

Edit Delete Reply cuh888 wrote on May 18, '08 bubu34 said I believe you've emjoyed it..  "nakatapak na ako sa Japan"...yehey!!!!

Edit Delete Reply cuh888 wrote on May 18, '08 mahilig tayo ng pasalubong di ba? TIP: make your pasalubong always to be of food and wag masyadong damihan...so that in case its not allowed you can eat it...or like me..since my flight was delayed, I had some for lunch..LOL!

Edit Delete Reply cuh888 wrote on May 18, '08 oops..TIP pala...this time from the Yonzon family... don't bring meat or anything which has a seed to Japan...even if cooked meat pa yan..or another case...like pickled or preserved fruits, at least take out the seeds as its a big NO-NO.

Delete Reply hugzone wrote on May 18, '08 ahh Japan...ang sarap ng feeling pagtungtong mo sa kanila.

Delete Reply hugzone wrote on May 18, '08 Nadala mo ang Mary Grace hanggang Tokyo?!

Delete Reply hugzone wrote on May 18, '08 Hindi ba kayo pinakain dahil na-delay ang plane?

Delete Reply hugzone wrote on May 18, '08 Mahirap yata katabi ang isang pasahero na may kumukulong tiyan at naghihilik pa!

Edit Delete Reply cuh888 wrote on May 18, '08 hugzone said Nadala mo ang Mary Grace hanggang Tokyo?!  hanggang Nagasaki lang *grin* sa sarap ba naman, buti umabot sa Nagasaki pa nga yon eh...

Edit Delete Reply cuh888 wrote on May 18, '08 hugzone said Mahirap yata katabi ang isang pasahero na may kumukulong tiyan at naghihilik pa!  who are you talking about? *blink, blink*

Edit Delete Reply cuh888 wrote on May 18, '08 hugzone said Hindi ba kayo pinakain dahil na-delay ang plane?  pinakain after take-off na...which was too late in my opinion..remember alanganin ang oras nila..so by the time I got to the airport I was thinking don na lang ako kakain, augmented by the plane dinner/merienda... and I did eat siopao don sa airport at 2 pm..pero ground into non-existence yata by my intestines when 5 pm came along...

Delete Reply gwiz wrote on May 18, '08 I enjoy passing through Fukuoka airport (my NW flight to the US midwest has a stopover there). I love viewing the beautiful giant patchwork quilts decorating the main hallways (these change every now and then to coincide with the themes of the season) as well as the permanent giant ceramic mosaics. Did you notice these, too, Cat?

Edit Delete Reply cuh888 wrote on May 18, '08 gwiz said I love viewing the beautiful giant patchwork quilts decorating the main hallways (these change every now and then to coincide with the themes of the season) as well as the permanent giant ceramic mosaics. Did you notice these, too, Cat?  *hems and haws*...parang wala akong nakita on the way going to Immigration, Customs and the luggage carousel then out to the exit doors... hmm...it was either I didn't pass it on the way or I didn't notice passing it (unless stressed ako sa cellphone SIM not working)..oh no...*sobs*

Delete Reply skyriver911 wrote on May 19, '08 siguro had you put a coin in one of those vending machine, may lalabas na cute guy hehehe you should have tried it, Cat. malay mo.

Edit Delete Reply cuh888 wrote on May 19, '08 skyriver911 said you put a coin in one of those vending machine, may lalabas na cute guy hehehe  well, there were some guys who put coins in....and all that came out were drinks...(tumitingin pala para makita pano i-operate hehehe)....bakit do ko naisip yon pala no? grrrrr.....

Delete Reply oselle wrote on May 28, '08 anong pag kakaiba nung yellow sa red? pareho ng pitture eh ;)

Edit Delete Reply cuh888 wrote on May 28, '08 at a guess I'd say the bus for the red are domestic..pang ikot sa Fukuoka...while yung nasa red, palabas...kaya siguro highway bus...hehehe I think this is why when I was waiting at bus stop 2, muntik akong makasakay ng di pang Nagasaki...parang may mga buses din don yata nag-stopover...e buti nalang di ako natuloy naglagay sa luggage ko... there are places where there may be bus skeds, but the problem is naka-kanji din ang places...and may ibang meanings yung signs...thats why minimal ang bus-travel ko while in Japan..at least if train e pwede pa magisip and magtanong and mag-park sa train station while you plan out your plan of travelling

Delete Reply chitoirigo wrote on May 28, '08 cuh888 said at a guess I'd say the bus for the red are domestic..pang ikot sa Fukuoka...while yung nasa red, palabas...kaya siguro highway bus...hehehe I think this is why when I was waiting at bus stop 2, muntik akong makasakay ng di pang Nagasaki...parang may mga buses din don yata nag-stopover...e buti nalang di ako natuloy naglagay sa luggage ko... there are places where there may be bus skeds, but the problem is naka-kanji din ang places...and may ibang meanings yung signs...thats why minimal ang bus-travel ko while in Japan..at least if train e pwede pa magisip and magtanong and mag-park sa train station while you plan out your plan of travelling  Napaka-orderly talaga ng mga Hapon, ano? Parang ang sarap guluhin! It will be a paradise for me, hehehe....

Edit Delete Reply cuh888 wrote on May 28, '08 I must admit, while I am thankful at such orderliness and attention to processes, I agree with you that I feel that little imp of mischief na sarap nga guluhin...kaya nga nilagyan ko ng philippine coin ang vendo machine...pero after I got my drink already...

Delete Reply chitoirigo wrote on May 28, '08 cuh888 said sarap nga guluhin...kaya nga nilagyan ko ng philippine coin ang vendo machine...pero after I got my drink already...  Hahahaha..... so cool Cat!