Japan is one of my favorite travel destinations, so it’s no wonder that for this quarter alone, I have visited Fukuoka, Tokyo and Niseko already.…
Japan is one of my favorite travel destinations, so it’s no wonder that for this quarter alone, I have visited Fukuoka, Tokyo and Niseko already.
My first Japan trip of the year was to Fukuoka, the birthplace of ramen. My Assumption HS ’81 classmates led by Popsie Gamboa came together again for our annual “field trip,” thanks in part to the promo ticket sales of Philippine Airlines last year. A special note of thanks to Chiqui dela Merced and Mariel Mesina of the PAL Makati Ticket Office, and Tinnette Nisce as well.
In Fukuoka, we headed to the JR Hakata Station, which houses Tokyu Hands, Hankyu Department Store and more than 300 boutiques and restaurants. Our usual nightcap was at Donki, a 24-hour discount store selling everything Japanese and more. We also loved the Tenjin Chikagai or Underground Shopping Center, the largest underground shopping center in Kyushu.
Fukuoka is known to serve the best wagyu in Japan. Among the brands the Assumptionistas tried was Saga, which is from black cattle fattened in adherence to the regulations of the Japan Agriculture Cooperatives.
We also snuck in some culture, with an excursion to the Fukuoka Castle Ruins, once the home of the local daimyo (feudal lords). Built in 1601, it is now a park featuring the remnants of the 17th-century castle. A short distance away is Ohori Park, named for the moat that once served the castle.
Tocho-ji Temple is home to the largest seated wooden statue of Buddha in Japan. It has a five-story pagoda. Built in 806, it is where the lords of the Kuroda clan are buried.
Since Fukuoka is the birthplace of ramen, we hied off for dinner at Ichiran. This restaurant takes its ramen seriously. It serves only one item, tonkotsu ramen, and since the 1960s, it has dedicated itself to perfecting it.
Usana and ‘onsen’
A few weeks later, I headed to Tokyo on the invitation of Usana Celavive Skincare, the leading cellular nutrition company that worked with Toyo Beauty Co.
