Album: Japan: Fukuoka favs

Here’s the lovely outdoor seating area for when the weather’s a bit warmer. The pond is crossed by tobi-ishi (stepping stones), a classic feature of Japanese garden design meant to slow visitors down and change how they view the scenery step by step.

I stayed at the Grand Fukuoka hotel for 3 nights and it, too, was absolutely amazing despite being a bit on the, er, well-worn side of things. Very good service, INCREDIBLE breakfasts (even sashimi / chirashi bowls!), and… just 15-21K Hyatt points a night! (transferred via my Chase points). To put that in perspective, I just got 90K points as a signup bonus for a Chase credit card. And this hotel regularly prices nights at $500+!

Canal City Hakata’s Aqua Panorama fountain show, lit up in blue. This shopping-and-entertainment complex, opened in 1996, is built around a curving artificial canal and stages timed water-and-light shows in its central plaza every evening.

Arrived in Fukuoka. This is right outside the main train station. This illuminated square is Hakata Station’s East Plaza (Hakata Ekimae Hiroba) — likely part of the annual winter “Hakata Illumination,” when the trees and light sculptures go up each November through the holidays.