A wonderful BBQ dinner in Dazaifu, Fukuoka

After exploring tumulus in Yamaga, Kumamoto, we drove the super highway to returning home. Take a rest twice on expressway, we arrived at Chikushino Interchange at 7:15 pm. We had a wonderful BBQ dinner at Pojagi (ぽじゃぎ), a Korean Restaurant in Dazaifu city. We ordered Yakiniku (焼肉), Assorted vegetables, Bibinbup and Salad.

Shenzhen Airlines welcome to Fukuoka on charter!/深セン航空のチャーター便が飛来！

Shenzhen Airlines was flying to Fukuoka on a charter flight until May 2010. This photo is taken on 3 January of the same year.

深セン航空は2010年5月までチャーター便で福岡に飛来していました。写真は同年1月3日に撮影したものです。

Exploring Kofun in Northern Kumamoto, Part 2

After leaving Eda Funayama Kofun in Nagomi, we visited four tumulus in Yamaga (山鹿市).

First, we went to Iwabaru Kofun (岩原古墳群) and Kumamoto Prefectural Ancient Burial Mound Museum (熊本県立装飾古墳館), located next to the ancient tombs. However, that day was Monday, the museum was closed.

Iwabaru Kofun

Kumamoto Prefectural Ancient Burial Mound Museum

Next, we visited to Nabeta cave tombs (鍋田横穴), close to the city centre.

Then, we headed off to Obusan and Chibusan tombs, about 150m further up the road from Nabeta. However, we got lost a way to these tombs, so we turned back many times. Finally, we arrived Obusan at 5 pm.

• Obusan tomb (オブサン古墳) 

• Chibusan tomb (チブサン古墳), about 50m further down the road from Obusan.

AKB48's Rie Kitahara (北原里英) getting ready to celebrate her 22nd birthday today!

Happy birthday to Kitarie!

 NB:I do not own this photo.

A nice picture taken at Hong Kong International Airport in December 2005/2005年12月香港国際空港で撮影した貴重な写真

After getting off the plane, I took some buses at Hong Kong International Airport Ground Transportion Centre Bus Terminus. After a few minutes, Citybus (CTB) Dennis Trident 2 2260 (registered number: HW2791) on route E23 arriving at the bus terminus, and then Air Mauritius A340-300 to Mauritius takeoff on Rwy 07R. So precious!

飛行機を降りて香港国際空港の地上交通センター(Ground Transportion Centre)バスターミナルでバスを撮影していました。数分後、シティバス（Citybus; 現地名:城巴）のデニストライデントⅡの2260（ナンバープレート:HW2791)のE23番バスがバスターミナルに着いたときモーリシャス航空のモーリシャス行きA340-300機が滑走路07Rから離陸していました。とても貴重な一枚となりました。

Exploring Kofun (古墳; ancient tombs) in Northern Kumamoto (Part 1)

After leaving Kiyomizu-dera in Miyama, we took a super highway to Nagomi Town (和水町), Kumamoto. There are a number of ancient tombs in the area.

Getting off the highway at Kikusui Interchange and passing some intersections, we'll get to Eta Funayama Kofun (江田船山古墳). Here is a consist of two tumulus, Eta Funayama and Kokuzotsuka (虚空蔵塚).

Eta Funayama Kofun

Kokuzotsuka Kofun

To be continued...

Kiyomizu-dera (清水寺), Fukuoka, on 17 June

After leaving Yanagawa, we visited to Kiyomizu-dera, a Tendai temple in Miyama, Fukuoka.

Do not confuse the same name in Kyoto, one of the most celebrated temples of Japan!

History

Kiyomizu-dera (清水寺^?) is a Tendai temple in Miyama, Fukuoka, Japan. Its honorary sangō prefix is motoyoshizan (本吉山^?).

According to legend, Kiyomizu-dera was founded in the Heian period by Saichō, who went to China in 804 and 805, mastered Tendai Buddhism, and returned to Japan in 806. After he returned to Japan, he was guided to Mount Kiyomizu by a bird and found Nemu Trees in the mountain. He cropped them and created a pair of Bodhisattva Kannon statues, enshrining one in Kiyomizu-dera in Kyoto. The remaining Buddha is enshrined in this temple.

The sanmon main gate was built in 1745 by Yanagawa Domain Sadanori Tachibana. A three-story pagoda, a replica of the five-story pagoda Shitennō-ji Temple in Osaka, was originally built in 1836. The present pagoda was rebuilt in 1984. Both have been designated Prefectural Cultural Properties.

From Wikipedia

• Main Hall (本堂)

• The sanmon (山門) gate

• A three-story pagoda, a replica of the five-story pagoda Shitennoji-temple in Osaka.

Trip to Yanagawa (柳川) on 17 June

Yanagawa is a city located in Fukuoka, Japan.

Yanagawa is popular with Japanese tourists because of its 470 km of wide canals.

Yanagawa was originally constructed in the mid-16th century by the Kamachi clan. Before then, it had been a traditional farming village, with the canals used for irrigation; Tanaka Yoshimasa ordered the canals to be maintained and built a castle in Yanagawa, which is still maintained today.

• Ohana (御花): The villa built in 1697 by Akitaka Tachibana, the 4th lord of Yanagawa castle.
  "Ohana" is the nickname, and the formal name is "Shotokan". It is used as a hotel.
  It has a Japanese garden with a large pond named "Shotoen", and there is a Western style house built as a guest house in 1910.

•  Yanagawa riverboats (柳川の川下り), called "donkobune", are used to take tourists around the city.

• Kitahara Hakushu Birthplace (北原白秋生家): The house where Kitahara Hakushu was born in 1885. Since 1969, it has been opened to the public. Next to the house, there is the memorial museum opened in 1985.

• Namikura (並倉): An old red brick building along the canal. The scenery from the cruising boat is the symbol of Yanagawa. The building was built in the 19th century, and is used as the factory of miso.

Day tripping on 17 June

Yesterday, we were decided to take a drive to Yanagawa (柳川), Kiyomizu-dera Temple (清水寺) in Miyama, and exploring some tombs in Northern Kumamoto. We had fine weather on that day. First, we visited to Ohana (御花), a beautiful Japanese garden in Yanagawa. Next, we went to Kiyomizu-dera Temple. After leaving Kiyomizu-dera, we took a super highway to Nagomi, Kumamoto. There is a group of ancient tomb near the Kikusui Interchange on Kyushu Expressway, called Eta Funayama Kofun (江田船山古墳). Than, we visited four ancient tombs in Yamaga; Iwabaru Kofun (岩原古墳群) , Nabeta Cave Tombs (鍋田横穴), Obusan Kofun (オブサン古墳) and Chibusan Kofun (チブサン古墳). However, we got lost a way to Obusan and Chisan tombs, so we turned back many times. Finally, we arrived Obusan at 5 pm. We left there at 5:30, have a break twice on expressway, arrived at Chikushino Interchange at 7:15 pm. We had a wonderful BBQ dinner at Pojagi (ぽじゃぎ) Korean restaurant in Dazaifu. We got a home at 8:30.

Dinner in Nagasaki's China Town

We had a wonderful dinner at Shunkashuto (春夏秋冬; four seasons) Chinese Restaurant, open on 9 February at the site of Shinchi Business Hotel. We ordered Fried rice, two Spring rolls, Champon for each; Mayonnaise shrimp and beef with oyster sauce was divided in two.

• I ordered Egg fried rice and Spring rolls.

• My mother ordered Champon (850 yen), a famous dish in Nagasaki.

•  Mayonnaise shrimp and beef with oyster sauce

Reitai Bridge (霊台橋; Reitai-kyo), Misato, Kumamoto

Reitai Bridge, a stone bridge in Misato Town, Kumamoto. We visited there on 25 March on the way to Takachiho.

Sacré Coeur, Paris, France/フランスパリのサクレクール

I spent at Paris-oasis guest house for first 10 days in Paris. It is close to Sacré Coeur, a Roman Catholic church and minor basilica, located at the top of the butte Montmartre, the highest point in the city.

パリ滞在の最初の10日間をモンマルトルの丘にあるバジリカ聖堂サクレクール近くにあるパリオアシス(Paris-oasis)ゲストハウスで過ごしました。

 From the top of the butte Montmartre, you can see the magnificent view of the city centre.
モンマルトルの丘から市街を一望できます。

Planes used on China Airlines Fukuoka route/チャイナエアライン福岡線の使用機材

Today I introduce you planes that are used on China Airlines Taipei - Fukuoka route. China Airlines, Taiwan's national flag carrier, operates on their Fukuoka route twice per day. You can choose flights from your convenience. For example, if you're going to Hong Kong and South East Asia, you'll take CI111 morning flight, to North America, Oceania and Europe, will take CI117 afternoon flight. Presently, CI110/111 flights are mainly operated by A330-300s, and CI116/117 flights are subject to change without any notice. These flights are used by various fleets, mainly B737-800s; A330-300s and A340-300s for the busiest season.

 

今日はチャイナエアライン（中華航空）の台北ー福岡線の使用機材について紹介します。台湾のフラッグキャリアであるチャイナエアラインは福岡線を1日2往復運航して、利便性によってフライトが選択可能です。例えば香港や東南アジア方面に行く場合CI111午前便利用で北米、オセアニアやヨーロッパ方面だとCI117午後便利用となります。現在CI110/111便は主にA330-300機で、CI116/117便だと機材変更がしばしば行われます。それらの便は主にB737-800機で多客期にはA330-300, A340-300の機材を運用しています。

• A330-300

B-18311, the Sky team livery: This fleet was painted "Sweet" Taiwanese fruit livery until recently. However, it has been repainted with the Sky team livery last year which the airline joined to one of the world's airline alliance in September 2011.
B-18311スカイチーム塗装機:当機は最近まで”Sweet”台湾フルーツ塗装機だったのですが昨年(2011年9月に同社が加盟した)航空連合スカイチーム塗装に塗り替えられました。

• A340-300

• B737-800

Plane spotting on 7 June/6月7日の飛行機観察

I was watched international planes both Rwy 16R and 34R in the evening, between 5 pm to 7 pm. I'm posting four special planes takeoff and landing on both runways.

夕方5時から7時まで滑走路16Rと34R付近で国際線の飛行機を眺めていました。両方の滑走路から離着陸する飛行機のうち特別に飛来した4機をUPします。

• Air China CA954 (B737-800) to Beijing via Dalian taxiing and takeoff on Rwy 34R at 5:34 pm in Japan time./午後5時34分に中国国際航空CA954便(B737-800)大連経由北京行きが滑走路34Rからタキシング＋離陸。

The plane was delayed in 2 hours and 20 minutes behind schedule. Similarly, China Eastern Airlines MU536 (A319) to Beijing via Qingdao was delayed in 3 hours behind schedule.

飛行機は予定より2時間20分遅れていました。同様に中国東方航空MU536便(A319)青島経由北京行きも予定より3時間遅れていました。

• Hawaiian Airlines HA453 (B767-300) from Honolulu landing on Rwy 34R at 5:41 pm./午後5時41分にホノルルからのハワイアン航空HA453便(B767-300)が滑走路34Rに着陸。

I saw Hawaiian's B763s no wing let equipped in the first time. This is the last flight to land on Rwy 34R on this day. After that, the direction of takeoffs and landings were changed to Rwy 16R.

ハワイアンのB763のウイングレット未装備を見たのは初めてでした。この日は滑走路34Rに着陸した便で最後でした。その後離着陸方向を滑走路16Rに変更していました。

• China Airlines CI116 from Taipei (A340-300) from Taipei landing and taxiing on Rwy 16R at 5:55 pm./午後5時55分に台北からのチャイナエアラインCI116便(A340-300)が滑走路16Rに着陸＋タキシング。

Recently, A343s come to Fukuoka more often on CI116/117 flights because an increasing number of Taiwanese visiting Kyushu.

九州を訪れる台湾人観光客の増加で最近のCI116/117便はA343で飛来する日が多くなりました。

• Delta Airlines DL599 (B767-300) from Honolulu landing and taxiing and Jeju Air 7C1401 (B737-800) to Seoul takeoff on Rwy 16R at 5:59 pm./午後5時59分にホノルルからのDL599便(B767-300)が滑走路16Rに着陸＋タキシングおよび済州航空7C1401便(B737-800)ソウル行きが離陸。

Planes taken from another location/別の場所からの飛行機撮影

I took four international airliners takeoff before flight CX511 at 10 am on 21 May. This time, I tried to take a photo from another location, a sports ground facing to the Rwy 34R.

5月21日の朝10時台にCX511便の前に発着する国際線の4機を撮影しました。今回は滑走路34Rに面した運動場から撮影してみました。

• China Airlines CI111 to Taipei takeoff on 10:30 am./午前10時30分にチャイナエアラインCI111便台北行きが離陸。

• Singapore Airlines SQ655 to Singapore takeoff on 10:33 am./午前10時33分にシンガポール航空SQ655便シンガポール行きが離陸。

• Vietnam Airlines VN357 to Hanoi takeoff on 10:39 am./午前10時39分にベトナム航空VN357便ハノイ行きが離陸。

• Korean Air KE788 to Seoul takeoff on 10:50 am./午前10時50分に大韓航空KE788便ソウル行きが離陸。

Confucius Shrine (孔子廟; Koshi-byo), Nagasaki

Finally, we were visited to Confucius Shrine. The original shrine was built in 1893 by Chinese residents of Nagasaki but was destroyed by the atomic bomb explosion on 9 August 1945 and were not restored and opened to the public until September 1967. The shrine was extensively renovated in 1982.

Standing outside the shrine are 72 statues representing the 72 followers of Confucius.

A building at the rear of the shrine houses the Museum of Chinese History and Palace Museum. It features large illuminated photographs of the old Silk Road and models of early Chinese inventions such as the world's first seismograph. Displayed on the second floor are more than 80 treasure-class articles of varying antiquity on loan directly from the Chinese National Museum and Palace Museum in Beijing.