Hiking Mount Homan in Dazaifu
Its a national holiday, theres only one mountain of note that people living here go to, its peak leaf season, the internet warned of jam packed trails.
I went anyway, and it was perfectly fine, yes there were other people, but it didnt slow my progress at all.
Todays mountain is called Mount Homan, it is near what turned out to be the tourist favourite shrine and shopping location of Dazaifu.
I had allowed time to get here, because it seemed like a lot of stations, and one change, so I boarded the train which was a limited express, which then went directly to the station I needed, bypassing 20 others.
The small train to the shrine near the mountain was waiting for me, so all in all, 30 minutes at most.
The shrine however, was not really near the mountain, time for supplies and a 45 minute walk to the next shrine which is the start of the mountain, there sure are a lot of shirnes.
Once at the mountain, it was time to limber up, I had decided to go as hard as I could, after reading the path is all big rock steps that never end from the gate to the peak.
This description turned out to be exactly right, some of the steps were very high, and unlike most mountains, it got steeper near the end, the final grand rock staircase was over 400 steps straight up.
I pushed on as hard as I could, completely soaked with sweat on what is a beautiful 20 degree sunny day. I had dressed for the occasion is shorts and t-shirt, passing all the locals in their mountain survival gear.
There were quite a few people hanging around the top as you can see below, behaving like Koreans with mini radios blasting and gas stoves. There was also a small wolf puppy who was extremely happy. I hung around just long enough to take in the view, and headed down the looping path which rejoined the main path about half way down.
I swear I passed some people on the way down who I had passed on the way up, they were still not even half way. I saw a lot of people who I thought might need CPR at any moment, doubled over taking in huge breaths.
I got sick of answering Koninchiwa to everyone choking and attempting to Koninchiwa me whilst they were on their way up, but I feared failure to answer would end up with me being on the news as a rude foreigner.
Once back at the botttom, I decided to go explore the now extremely busy shopping and shrine area, and eat some street snacks. A highlight here was a little girl all dressed up who looked in a pram to see a baby under a blanket, and then a bulldog poked its head out and barked at her. She screamed and fell over. A minor argument between the two women who were the parents of the bulldog, and the parents of the kimono clad child then ensued.
Update!!!!! High resolution panoramas are back, links to the left in the table of contents area!!!!!
I got off the train at the last stop on the tourist spur line and spotted the shopping street. The hiking guide made no mention of this. Awesome weather despite rain being forecast.
Shrine number 1 of 10 today. They all seem to be having Labour Thanksgiving celebrations of some kind.
It was about a 45 minute brisk walk from the train to the start of the mountain trail, thats todays mountain in the distance.
The grounds of this shrine were nice and leafy.
The shrine itself, small and boring. Thats enough shrines for today.
Time to hit the trail, it soon became giant rock steps.
You cross a road a couple of times but there was no road to the peak itself today. That didnt stop all these people driving to a crossing point and starting their walk from half way up.
I called them lazy to their lazy faces.
Every now and then, another gate.
Like most mountains in Japan, there is rarely a view until you get to the top due to excess trees in the way. Hence when you do get a view, best to take a photo in case cloud rolls in.
Cloud was indeed rolling in, the next valley is a sea of cloud.
Now I am at the top, and theres Fukuoka.
And heres the other way again, OK thats enough view.
At the top, theres this thing with a bell. I guess its a shrine. There are no public toilets on the peak itself....
There are lots of people hanging around having a picnic.
Time to abseil down using the chains.
This takes you to a camp ground, which does have public toilets. I stopped here for my pocari sweat.
After this I put my camera away, in case I fell flat on my face during the descent.
Back where I started and the shopping street is now a hive of activity.
The place is popular enough to not only get a starbucks, but get a specially designed culturally appropriate starbucks.
It was a very nice street, there are shops selling crap but also some good shops, including branches of the museum shop, people making chopsticks, someone carving owls.
This seems to be the local snack, so I got one. Its red bean again, but unsweetened. The crispy shell was also not sweet, but it was hot as hell.
Since the above snack was flavourless, I thought I would try this one. I thought it would be ice cream but no. I think its rice crackers, with rice paste mixed with green tea. Also flavourless.
I had visited the street of flavourless snacks.
Eating ramen at ramen stadium in canal city
I stepped outside this evening, and the sky seemed to be 2 metres above my head, and it was very windy. It was forecast to rain this morning but didnt, but it felt like there was about to be a cyclone now.
Sure did have a lot of rain on this trip.
This required a sudden change of plans, I stood out the front of the hotel googling for indoor locations as the cloud seemed to get thicker and thicker, swirling all about. I could see it even though it was dark.
I decided on the nearby, canal city, apparently a futuristic indoor / outdoor shopping centre between Tenjin and Hakata complete with lasers. The internet tells me its designed by the same famous guy who designed the Osaka mall with the roof garden which I remember from a few trips back.
Course mentally plotted, I followed the canal from my hotel to the city named after the canal, it did not rain yet.
At one point, I looked outside from behind glass after being 2 levels underground for ages and there was a river running down the street! But it wasnt raining, I raced to get a better look, but by the time I got outside, just puddles were left, and I walked back to my hotel without a drop of rain from the sky.
Thats enough about the weather. This did however result in not many photos.
Canal city, and a canal.
Fukuoka sure seems to love their ramen, not only is there a big competition in town, now theres a stadium.
I watched the laser show for a while, and discovered its very hard to photograph lasers.
I wasnt going to have ramen, but the promise of soul burning devils ramen had me sold. Wasnt spicy, sorry Japan, go to Taiwan and report back please.
It was however delicious, best ramen I have had, the best kind of noodles, they are thinner and chewier.
The ramen stadium is not what I imagined. Its 10 stores next door to one another. I had an iron chef vision that was not fulfilled.
Everything you need for a happy life.