Situated in the remote countryside on the outskirts of Fukuoka City, is one of the most remarkable places you will find called Nanzoin Temple. I have been to hundreds of ho hum temples all over Japan but without a doubt this location has been absolutely the most amazing place you could hope to visit. The Nanzoin Temple is home to the largest reclining buddha in Japan and possibly the world. The actual dimensions of the statue are 41 metres long by 11 metres in height and it weighs in at 300 tons, so as you can see, it isn't small! A Reclining Buddha is a relatively rare site in Japan as most are sitting or standing. Sitting indicates that the Buddha is meditating whilst the reclining pose represents the fact that the Buddha is just about to die and enter the state of Nirvana. This state is much more common in South East Asian countries such as Thailand and Laos, so we have discovered a rare find here in the rural confines of Fukuoka.

Without a doubt the best and most popular Shrine in Fukuoka Prefecture is the Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine. It is dedicated to the God of Learning and as such is busy all through the year with many student visitors coming here to pray for upcoming success in their educational endeavors, especially during examination time at various periods during the year. 6000 or so Plum Trees have been planted on the site and they begin to bloom around early February to early March. Of course the Cherry Blossoms are also unique to the area and it must be added that during Autumn the leaf changing season of the incredible beautiful Japanese Maple Trees are exceptional and worth a to visit the Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine in mid to late November. The entrance to the shrine is a long street lined with small stalls filled with local specialities, a variety of food and drinks and of course many different types of souvenirs that one can take back home after their travels in Japan.

Couples Rock is connected by a large Shimenawa (rope) which is 30 metres in length and weighs 1 tonne. The male rock is 11.8 metres high and the female rock is 11.2 metres in height. Shimenawa is a thick, twisted, straw rope that in ancient times, was believed to have the power to ward off evil sprits or was used to cordon off sacred area as a talisman and as a result many objects connected with Shinto Shrines are decorated with these types of ropes.

The Futamigaura park/ cemetery is dedicated to peace, tranquility and harmony. These are absolutely some of the emotions that will be felt during the time here whilst enjoying the awe inspiring view that are available to behold. This location isn`t well know by the traveling public so I should imagine there aren't too many tourists in the area. A great place to meditate and or just enjoy the scenic beauty.

Everyone loves Ramen! It is the lifeblood of the populace of Fukuoka and most of Japan to tell you the truth. Ichiran Ramen is originally from Fukuoka and has been exported all over the world. At first they have a viewing window where you can see the manufacturing process of the noodle component of the product. Ichiran`s soup recipe and process is a very heavily guarded secret so this portion of the process is not on the agenda unfortunately. Next, you can walk at your own speed through the Museum part of the Building which shows the history of the company, various aspects about the product and quite a few instructional and interactive exhibits which is very popular with the younger customers. Finally, the main part of the tour is the tasting and ordering of you favorite Ramen. I am sure that even an average ramen fan won`t be disappointed with the taste as there are many choices of Ramen open to the public thru a vending machine which starts the ordering process. The staff members are all friendly and are extremely polite to their international customers. and more than willing to flash you a smile and a wave at the end of the stay on their premises.

Every now and then you come upon a special place that instantly makes a strong and lasting impression on you. Suginoya Sake Brewery is just one of these places and as a resultt we make this location a regular attraction on our tours. Each member of the tour will be given a voucher to choose beer, Japanese rice wine, various liqueurs or a non alcoholic drink and of course you are welcome to buy more samples out of your own pocket.

Starting in the 13th century, the tribes of Mongolia succeeded in creating the largest empire in human history, which stretched from the Sea of Japan to Europe. In 1271, Kublai Khan renamed his empire the Yuan, and he sent an expeditionary force to invade Japan in 1274. Unfortunately for him, the invasion was unsuccessful. After this, the Kamakura Shogunate ordered its retainers in Kyushu to build a stone barricade in case of another Mongolian invasion. Most of the stones that were used in the Mongolian Invasion were transported to be used for the construction of the Fukuoka Castle and these stones can still be seen today at the remains of Fukuoka Castle. This is an amazing part of Japanese history in the fact that were able to keeping the rampaging Mongolians at bay (many say the 1281 Typhoon was a divine hand by the Japanese god`s to protect their lands) has resulted in the Japan we see and love today. If these efforts had been in vain, Japan would be a much different country today and one that maybe doesn`t speak Japanese?