We got up, got to Gimhae via the light rail, and by 1pm we were checked in to our hostel, the Khaosan Fukuoka. Actually it's the best hostel I've ever stayed in and more than worth getting a room in if you can (book in advance). Clean, quiet and only 2400 yen a night. With only half the day finished we opted to head to Gion, north of Hakata station (which we were a short walk from). Gion has a few old temples, some dating back over 1000 years, though most have undergone major restoration since WWII. There were some amazing shrines and temples.
This pagoda is five stories
these are graves, some are 1000 years old.
We spent a few hours there in the heat (it was 33-35 every day) then ducked out for a coffee. And how the Japanese make coffee. Coffee shops are everywhere in Korea but they rarely serve actual coffee. It's these weak Americano's where you need to drink 8 just to have them take effect. Not so in Japan. After that we took a long walk through a market selling various street food, clothes and Busan makgeolli. Actually the Korean influence was everywhere in Fukuoka. Most signs were in Japanese, Korean and English (in that order) and I met Koreans almost every day. e didn't buy anything but we did hang out before walking to Canal City, a 5 story mega complex built along one of the canals. It was a Tuesday afternoon but still very busy and yet oddly quiet (that became a theme in Japan).
Canal City
Once Canal city was finished we grabbed a beer and sat at a patio enjoying the view of the rivers and relaxing. By this time it was getting dark and we were both beat so we opted to head back to the hostel, relax on the roof there and get an early night.
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