Fukuoka: An Overview

After a 14-hour bus ride where I had the embarrassing misfortune of waking up using a fat man's arm as a pillow, I awoke in a new prefecture: that of Kyushu, the southernmost landmass in Japan. My destination is the city of Fukuoka, where I've come to join Ken (who, having left Tokyo a week prior, has been noticeably absent from my latest adventures.)
 Without going much into detail about specific attractions (I'll delve into that later) let's look at the city from a glance.

The local urban landmark; Fukuoka Tower

Fukuoka is defined as a coastal city with a population of 1.4 million; that's several times less than that of Tokyo, and falls just a little short of that of Montreal, my own home town. Whereas Tokyo is a massive metropolitan sprawl of a city, and Kyoto is identified by its remarkable preservation of yonder days of centuries past, Fukuoka has more of a friendly, livable feel to it, combining facets of the island culture of Kyushu with its modern tone and ample green spaces. The sky rises here don't intimidate, and yet the skyline has ample definition.

Canal City shopping center

Fukuoka being very coastal, a lot of the city's internal architecture plays on the presence of water, streams and rivers. The prevalence of these almost feel like a theme, while also playing a large role in the local diet. Ken's father himself is an avid fisherman, who I may or may not have a chance to go fishing with during my brief stay.

My first day in town had me dodging through the streets of the city's busiest districts, while taking brief looks at a shopping center here and the large local park there, interspersed with a temple and what's left of an ancient castle in the middle of the town.

What lies in wait for me in Fukuoka is a food culture that is different than that of Tokyo, and many (including Ken) would argue, a lot better, as well as a small plethora of discoveries. By the time I'm out of here I would have taken you through at least the local children's science museum, a haunted ninja-themed house (not to be mistaken for a ninja-themed haunted house), and New Year's at a local temple. If I can, I'll also try a special local dish that definitely isn't for the squeamish. If they'll tag along, maybe you'll meet one or both of Ken's sisters along the way, but this will determine that.
Discovery awaits!