MEXT Scholarship Series: How time flies - Tadis Dillon

How time flies. It has been little over a year since I came to Japan now but the time has passed quickly until now. Now with the current global crisis time is moving a little bit slower seeing that I am indoors most days and taking most of my lectures and meeting online at home.
 

As it is finally summer (thank goodness) and I am free of the cursed cold I began to think of the activities I would could have done on this Month . In July of 2019 two locations within Fukuoka (my current home away from home) I visited come to mind.
 

In the Tenjin – Hakata region of Fukuoka July 1st Marks the start of the Hakata Gion Yamakasa festival. This festival was a unique one for me as men in loin cloths running around a city from 5am in the morning is not a common site to say the least. In this festival men from seven districts compete via a time trial race through the streets carrying decorative one-ton floats. Apart from admiring the enormous effort required to undertake this task the floats themselves are interesting to look at as well.
 

Second is the little known but beautiful region of #ITOSHIMA which is located about an 1hr West of the Main Hakata- Tenjin area of Fukuoka. While Tenjin has the action Itoshima has the relaxation. Kind of reminds me of the Trinidad – Tobago Dynamic where Trinidad is for the faster life while Tobago is the cool-down zone. At itoshima I was able to see beautiful waterfalls, experience Nagashi Somen where you eat cool noodles from a water flowing on a bamboo chute and relax at some lovely beaches. If ever in Fukuoka though not as well known a visit to Itoshima should definitely be on the itinerary.
 

I hope that I can visit these sites again soon. Here’s to a brighter 2021. Mata kondo!


MEXT Scholarship Series: How time flies (Japanese Embassy Facebook)