I used to think the Huis Ten Bosch “Kyushu’s Biggest Fireworks Festival” (九州一 大花火まつり) was simple: buy a ticket, sit down, wait for the show, go home. After actually doing it, I realized the experience gap isn’t about how much you spend—it’s about whether you can control friction costs : crowd pressure, walking distance, time spent holding a spot, exit flow, and energy loss. If any one of those goes wrong, “dreamy” turns into “endurance mode.” The good news: make the right cal

Escape the Tourist Noise If you think Kyushu’s autumn is only about Lake Kinrin in Yufuin, you may be missing the most breathtaking night of the season. In November, I originally planned to squeeze into Yufuin with everyone else for a roll cake. Then a local friend told me, “If you want to see a real Japanese autumn night—go to Hita .” Hita, often called “Kyushu’s Little Kyoto,”  hosts a two-day candle festival every year on the second weekend of November : Sennen Akari (千年あか

For most visitors to Fukuoka, Dazaifu Tenmangu  is a daytime destination—crowded shopping streets, lines for umegae mochi , and students praying for academic success.Yet if you visit in late September, I strongly recommend experiencing Dazaifu after dark . Around the autumn equinox (September 20–25), Dazaifu hosts its most important annual ritual: the Shinko-shiki Grand Festival (Jinkōshiki Taisai) . Recognized as an Intangible Folk Cultural Asset of Fukuoka Prefecture, the f

Yutoku Inari Shrine → Ouo Shrine’s Sea Torii → Kaidomaru Seafood BBQ → Karatsu Kunchi Festival (No-Car, Real-World Travel Diary) A no-car travel diary from my working-holiday days in Japan: a day and a half from Fukuoka into Saga—Yutoku Inari Shrine’s striking vermilion “floating” hall, Ouo Shrine’s three sea torii that transform with the tide, a standout seafood BBQ lunch at Kaidomaru, and an unforgettable night at Karatsu Kunchi (Karatsu’s autumn festival). Honest notes on