Kobe & Fukuoka 10th,
Japan 2017-2018

Early in the morning, Kobe has changed face completely. Where there was crowds of people, night and lights now empty roads and turned off illuminations take their place. Security fences that marked the path are tightly stored at the sides waiting for their next use. The change is staggering.

Yesterday, I did a quick visit to Nankinmachi (南京町) the Chinatown in central Kobe to take a snack. Now, in the daylight, I visit the neighborhood again to better enjoy its architecture.

Kobe infrastructure is a wonder in itself. Elevated bridges and railways, seawalls that try to protect the city from water surges and many other human made structure paint the city with its permanent presence.

I am looking for the Nunobikime waterfall that should be behind the Shinkansen Kobe station. I see some signs painted in a tunnel below the station. The place looks shady and not very promising but I follow the signs. The walk is worth it. Just after the tunnel there is a slop that goes up the mountain. After a small stroll I get to the waterfall. It is not the most spectacular that I have seen, but it would have been a shame to miss it being already so close.

I go back to the station and get into the train. Even that the Shinkansen concept is more than fifty years old, it still is a marvel to admire, and a practical and fast way to move around Japan.

After the two hours trip from Kobe, I go for a troll in Fukuoka without any concrete direction. It is a moody day but it is not so bad as to stay in the hotel but I do not have much day left either.

As I walk thru old streets I find a temple and enter for a quick visit, I have not seen anything else interesting enough for a stop. Now I know that I stumbled up the Shōfukuji (聖福寺) temple. It was originally build in 1195 and it was the first zen temple in Japan. It is an impressive casual finding.

Today, I do not do so much more. Tomorrow I will wake up early in the morning to go to Nagasaki. I will be back to Fukuoka in a couple of days.