Day 6: Back to Hakata (October 2015)

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Friday, 23rd October 2015

Following my 3 nights excursion in Kagoshima with a brief stopover at Kumamoto, I was back at Hakata this afternoon. It was the same JR Station that greeted me when I arrived at 2pm - choke full of people, suffocating at times and yet full of energy and convenience as I made my way to my hotel. Hakata Green Hotel was where I was going to stay following the not-so-inspiring stay at Hotel Nikko a couple of days ago.

This was a good hotel with newly refurbished rooms and a very welcoming lobby and staffs. I was given a room on the highest possible floor which commanded a nice view of the city through the somewhat smallish windows.

I was going out again, making full use of my Kyushu Railway Pass for the final time today to neighbouring Yoshizuka Station. Upon arrival, I headed straight to Higashi Park. Even though we were coming towards the end of October, temperatures were still hovering around the low 20 degrees during the day.

Only a couple of trees in the park have shredded their summer greens to autumn browns. Still, this was a nice place to wander about with welcoming streams of water that playing melodious tunes throughout the park. I walked to the 24-hour supermarket too - to pick up some fresh produce, some souvenirs and some kgs of Japanese rice for mum since I had some space left in my baggage.

Hakata Port Tower was where I was going to spend my evening today. This was a somewhat forgotten gem located along the northern coast of the city after a short bus ride from downtown Fukuoka. Opened throughout the year from 10am to 10pm, this picturesque, 70m Port Tower commanded a beautiful view of the city from the top. Unlike other observatories in the city, admission to this one is totally free.

I was here and it was nice to warrant a visit as the night skies greeted me from the coast of Japan.

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