Hello again!
Happy to say we are safe & sound (& full of good Japanese food) on the other side of the world. Hope you don't mind the break from our regular crafty programming, but we'd love to share our Japanese adventures (amongst other things) whilst we're here.
We're having the loveliest time exploring our temporary hometown of Fukuoka. Fukuoka is the largest city in Kyushu (the most southerly of Japan's four main islands) and the sixth largest in Japan - this means all the excitement of a Japanese city without (for the most part) all the crowds.
Our apartment is nestled in a lovely residential area from which we can practically smell the ocean and are within 20 minutes walking distance from interesting sights, great shopping and the city's large urban park - Ohori Koen.
Speaking of which, I grabbed my camera as we wandered through the park yesterday en route to (and from) our daily adventures so we could share a slice of this urban oasis with you.
The manmade lake is full of ducks, cormorants, herons and big fat koi. (And swanboats!) As you watch them, it's easy to forget you're in the middle of a city of 1.5 million people.
While fishing is prohibited in most of the lake, there are a few fishing spots where it is allowed. As we walked through at dusk yesterday, we were delighted to discover people of all ages fishing.
It is a really lovely spot to people watch - from the lovers in their rowboats to the kids on the playgrounds to the healthy set jogging around the track, there seems to be a little something for everyone here.
Yesterday, the park was filled with school kids on an art field trip, all sorts of gourmet dogs out for their daily walks and this charming group of old friends, chatting away lakeside.
And it's just as nice when the sun sets!
That's all for now - is there any thing or place in Japan that you're curious about?
