TTT2019: Day 9--Fukuoka

Goodbye Seagaia Resort:

The train from Miyazaki took us to Kagoshima-Chuo to catch the Sakura Shinkansen.  However, just outside of Kagoshima is Sakurajima, and ash is today dropping over the city, less than 8 miles away.  This is the most active volcano in Japan:

My Sakura shinkansen lunch of teriyaki pork:

One thing I learned just on this trip.  You can ask the bento store to microwave your meal.  Thus, my recent bentos have been a lot tastier. because temperature is an important factor.  

While the volume of cherry blossoms was less than the Oita to Miyazaki portion of our trip, there were signs that Fukuoka could well be at peak.  Hakata Station is in the middle of Fukuoka City, and we are staying at the Hotel Nikko Fukuoka, a short walk to the station:

While peak might yet not have been attained, several sites close to our hotel were worthy of a few photos.  First, Tochoji Temple:

Kushida Shrine:

Reisen Park:

I might mention, that as off the charts Miyazaki is with respect to world-renowned cuisine, there are no tours to those wagyu beef, caviar and mango sites.  There is no restaurant noted for serving these offerings.  So the Nikko concierge, who recommended Yakiniku Champion, in Hakata Station.

Unfortunately, that was a Korean restaurant, so we asked our server, is there a nearby restaurant that served wagyu beef steaks?  Nope.  Well, what about cold soba?  Nope.  Well...we settled on ramen.  So he not only told us where, but walked us way out of the way to Ippudo.  This was the best meal I've had since I arrived in Japan a week ago:

Tomorrow....Nagasaki.

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