Khristian Snyder – Travel Journal

Fukuoka

After saying goodbye to my Dad, I hopped on a flight from Hokkaido to Fukuoka, jumping from the cold of northern Japan to the far southern part of Japan. I was looking forward to warming up a bit here in the south and I was really excited to explore this different part of Japan, Kyushu which I have always heard great things about.

My hotel was in a bustling part of the city…the red light district (accident!). I was back to work for one more week so I spent the early part of the day working from my cool capsule hotel and the evenings exploring the city’s vibrant streets and food scene. Thankfully, I was able to connect with a friend, Ian, and his wife, Nanako, as they have been living in Fukuoka for some time. They were able to take me to some good food spots, picked me up for the English meeting, and we spent a day exploring the nearby coast and eating some delicious seafood. Always great meeting up with friends and getting a personalized tour!

Nagasaki

At this point of the trip I was only planning my next spots about 1 week in advance. I had heard some great things about Nagasaki and many said it was an underrated city to visit in Japan. The new shinkansen almost reaches all the way from Fukuoka to Nagasaki so that makes for a quick journey there. The city was stunning! Nestled between the vibrant green hills and the sea, the area was bustling with delicious local foods and gorgeous views. After wrapping up my last day of work for the next few months, I took a cable car up to one of the nearby mountains to watch the day turn to night and city lights come to life.  I also took some time to visit the peace museum which was a memorial of the atomic bomb that devastated the city in 1945. The museum was sobering, learning about the many stories the survivors told of that horrific day. I also visited the hypocenter where the bomb was dropped.

You would never know that the city had gone through such a dark time. I visited a park on a sunny afternoon and it was full of people enjoying the beautiful day. Laughter echoed through the air. Dozens and dozens of smiling kids playing baseball and other sports. Girls practicing dance routines. A couple strumming their ukuleles together beneath the warm afternoon sun. It was such a contrast from home and refreshing to see.

I often get a bit stressed picking a good place to eat dinner. I strive to find non-touristy places that have interesting foods and ambiance but it can be a bit challenging with the language barrier and places being booked out. On my last night I went to an Izakaya that was fully booked the night before and thankfully they had one seat for me left. The waitress didn’t speak much English but it was such a fun night. We were able to communicate a bit and she helped me order an assortment of amazing fish and meats. When I was leaving the restaurant she came running outside, her smile beaming in the night, to say goodbye. Nothing matches Japanese hospitality!