Tokyo to Fukuoka
We all managed to get some sleep on the flight but not a lot. Breakfast was served around 2 hours before our landing at Tokyo. We were all awake for that and back to the entertainment screens.
Landing was around 7 am, a full hour late with no chance of catching our original connection. There was a long walk, with travelators for those who wanted, to arrivals. There we had to complete arrival cards, queue for photos and fingerprints, and then again to have our passports stamped.
Our bags were slow to arrive. As we waited, a young man approached waving our names on a sheet of paper. He was there to advise us of our changed connection and how to get to it. I had activated my eSIM before leaving the plane and the Qantas app was already showing the new flight number but it was good to have that confirmed with information about how to get there.
Once we had our bags I had to complete a customs declaration (nothing to declare) before we could escape arrivals. We followed the advice from the young man and went downstairs to catch the free shuttle bus to Terminal 1. There we found JAL departures and tried a couple of counters before two young women took pity on us, printed our boarding passes, and retagged and dispatched our bags.
Security was easy. We spent some time browsing shops, not buying anything but looking at the displays, so different from home, especially the plastic demonstrations of food items. Eventually we found our way to our gate and waited for our flight.
We boarded a large aircraft, a 787-8, 9 seats across and fairly full of mostly men in business attire. Majella had suggested earlier that Fukuoka might be less crowded and hectic than Tokyo but it seemed we might be bringing our own crowd.
Our seats were in the middle at the back of the plan, row 56. Not long after takeoff when the seatbelt sign had gone off, one of the flight attendants approached and encouraged us to get up and look at Mt Fuji which was clearly visible through the window in the rear exit door. Depending on weather next week, that may have been our only chance to see it. Majella got a clear photo on her phone.
The rest of the flight was uneventful. We relaxed and were served drinks, coffee, fruit juice, or water. Majella and Lucas found amusement in the entertainment system while I just relaxed. There would be enough to do when we landed.
Once we had collected our baggage in Fukuoka we headed for the subway. Majella and I had IC cards from our trip with Sophie but we needed to check if they were still valid and worked in Fukuoka. If they did we would need to add value. Otherwise we would need three new cards. We found the right area near the subway entrance, asked about the cards, were assured they worked and had small balances, and were directed toward the nearby machines. With some fiddling, which was easier once I found the English button, I added value to our cards but could not see how to get a new one. Majella went to ask and returned with a man from the office who helped me through the process.
With working IC cards we boarded the subway and rode to Hakata, the main station in the city. Once we had found the JR office I waited in line with our passports to exchange our vouchers for 7-day passes. The counter was busy and slow. A male staff member who spoke very good English was working along the line to ensure that we were prepared when we reached the counter. He asked when we wanted the passes activated and what might be our first trip. When I reached the counter his note ensured that our passes were issued from tomorrow and our seats to Nagasaki were reserved.
Our hotel is a couple of stations away on the Nanakuma (green) line. We followed green signs through Hakata station and down 3 levels where we boarded the subway and rode to Watanabe-dori station. From there we walked the short distance to our hotel, Plaza Fuyo.
We were earlier than the nominated checkin time but were able to access our room. We had selected a traditional Japanese style room with tatami floor and futons. There were three of those folded along a wall. The toilet had a warm seat and enough controls to satisfy Majella. The bathroom had a shower on a flexible hose that fortunately reached far enough that we could use it in the bath to avoid water everywhere which evidently does not bother the locals.
Assured of our accommodation for 3 nights we dropped our bags and walked out toward the nearby city area. We needed food and Lucas had found information about the Fukuoka Public Piano. Although Lucas knew it was in the Solaria Plaza building it took us some time to find it. We rode escalators to the top of the building and then back down to find it in the street level foyer. Lucas played a few pieces and managed to attract some admirers who applauded his performance.
From there we wandered into some arcades where we looked at shops until we found a small restaurant where we ate some lunch. Lucas had fried chicken with rice and pronounced that better than the KFC which we saw along the street later. Majella and I shared a bowl of thinly sliced pork cooked with ginger and served over rice. We all managed with chopsticks but it was slow going. Lucas struck up a short conversation with a group of teenage boys at a nearby table. After that had gone on for a few minutes, Majella showed them video of Lucas playing the street piano. They were impressed.
There was some more time spent wandering in shops before we walked back to the hotel. By then it was a little after 4 pm and we were all exhausted. Lucas sat for a while but then lay on his folded futon and fell asleep. Majella woke him to roll out the futon and he went back to sleep.
Around 5 pm Majella and I went out to a nearby 7-Eleven to buy some food for breakfast. Japanese stores have little that we would recognise as breakfast food but we got some noodles, juice, milk, bananas, yoghurt, and a donut.
Back at our room we showered and relaxed. Soon after 7 pm we were both sound asleep.
Around 11 pm we were wakened by an earthquake alarm. We thought about going downstairs but it soon stopped and we went back to sleep.
