Kodomo Gion Festival: The Float That Walks Through the Sea in Saga
The Kodomo Gion Festival was held this past weekend in the small community of Kodomo, near Yobuko in Saga Prefecture. We made the day trip from Fukuoka to witness the love and effort the local community continues to put into this traditional festival, and came away deeply inspired by what we saw.
Hakata Gion Yamakasa: Experiencing Fukuoka’s Most Important Summer Festival
Local confession: even though I live in Fukuoka, I have only been to Yamakasa’s main event, the Oiyama, a handful of times over the years. The race starts before sunrise, the crowds are intense, and I am very much not a morning person. Still, Hakata Gion Yamakasa is one of those events I think is worth experiencing at least once while you are in Fukuoka.
Tsuetate Onsen: A Forgotten Hot Spring Town on the Kumamoto–Oita Border
Tsuetate Onsen is a quiet hot spring town on the Kumamoto–Oita border, known for its riverside streets, Showa-era buildings, historic bathhouse culture and peaceful atmosphere. Once a busy onsen destination, the town is now slowly finding new life through local businesses, renovated stays and visitors looking for a slower, more atmospheric side of Kyushu.