JonDent - Exploring Electronic Music: New Fukuoka - Old Hakata

Saturday 11 November 2023

New Fukuoka - Old Hakata - Japan -1

Fukuoka is a city located on the northern shore of the island of Kyushu in Japan. It is the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture and is one of Japan's major cities (6th largest) , known for its rich history, vibrant culture, and economic significance.

This is the exit from the train station. My first view of the city on a rainy day.

Fukuoka is situated on the northern coast of Kyushu, Japan's southernmost main island. It faces the Genkai Sea to the north and is surrounded by mountains to the east, west, and south.

Very modern, neat, clean & tidy .... as is all of Japan

Fukuoka has a long history dating back to ancient times. The area was an important harbor during the Nara and Heian periods and later developed as a castle town during the Edo period.

The city played a significant role in trading with the Asian continent and was known as Hakata in ancient times. In reality Hakata was Japan's first international city. Since it's harbor faces the Korean Strait, it is the closest major city in Japan to the rest of Asia.

There are loads of temples in this city.

Mangyoji Temple features the tomb of the nun, Meigetsu, who in her youth used to be a well known prostitute in the town of Hakata.

The temple dates from 1529

According to legend, a white lotus bloomed from her buried corpse.

Below are pics of Ryuguji Temple.

The local people call the temple " Ryugu" which is a Japanese word for underwater places where mermaids are said to live.

Not sure how old this temple is., but legend says that a mermaid was captured on these grounds in 1222.

This next temple is Tochoji temple.

Founded in 806 AD by Kukai

It is the main temple of the Kyushu Sect of Shingon Sect. The mountain name is Nanyue Mountain, and the Zhengzun is Kobo Daishi.

According to legend, in the first year of Datong (806), Master Kobo built the Tochoji Temple after returning from his studies in the Tang Dynasty.

The cemetery in the temple houses Tadashi Kuroda, Mitsuyuki Kuroda, the third-generation lord, and Jitaka Kuroda, the eighth-generation lord. This became the family temple of the Kuroda family.

There is a huge sculpture of the Great Buddha of Fukuoka in this temple complex.

It was begun in Showa 63 (1988), and it was finally completed after four years. It is 10.8 meters high and weighs 30 tons. There are 7 or 13 Buddha statues carved on the 16.1-meter-high light back, and 5,000 small Buddha statues are also enshrined on the back wall.

I was not allowed to take any pics of this statue, so you'll have to go there yourself to see it.