Visiting Aburayama-kannon (油山観音) Temple, Fukuoka

After a short walk in Mount Aburayama,  we went to Shokaku-ji, a Rinzai temple in Jonan-ku, Fukuoka. It's very close to the mountain, about 10 minutes by car.

We didn't see any parking lot around there, so we had to find a nearby parking area. Luckily, there is a space for cars in front of a rest room on the opposite side of entrance to the temple. We stopped our car there, then went up the steep stone stairs to the temple.

When entering a temple, you'll see the bell of happiness drum tower and Hibari Kannon-do (ひばり観音堂) Hall. The Hibari Kannon-do Hall was built in 1994 which the hall was dedicated to Hibari Misora, a female Japanese ballad singer who died on June 24, 1989.

The bell of happiness as seen from the entrance. Making our good luck to ring the bell.

Main Hall.

The wooden Avalokiteśvara statue is the subject of mountainous faith that has been enshrined in the main hall. It has been designated the Cultural Properties of Japan by the government in 1906.

 The 16 Rakan stone statues next to the main hall.

Views of Central Fukuoka from the precinct. It was a really great view with the Seaside Momochi waterfront area, Fukuoka Tower in the foreground and Hawks Town (Fukuoka Dome and Hilton Sea Hawk) in the center picture.

 

Go hiking to Mount Aburayama, Fukuoka

On May 20, we went hiking to Mount Aburayama. It was a beautiful sunny day, so we had decided to go the Central (Katae) Observation deck to take panoramic photos of Fukuoka.

We stopped our car in the parking lot in front of tourist information office. There's a lovely water wheel next to the parking lot, many people stopped and take a closer look at it more interesting.

We've never been to the Meoto-iwa (夫婦岩) twin rocks before, so we really want to visit there. We had decided to go to the rocks first, then climbed up the steps to the view point.

Walking a mountain path towards the twin rocks for a while, we'll reach the rocks. It is considered to be one of the sixteen most famous views of Aburayama. Next to the rocks, there is the Meoto-iwa observation deck which was built in 1969. From here, you can see great views of Fukuoka and the Hakata Bay.

After taking a short break, we were going to the Central observation deck. I already came here in March but the weather was so bad; a spring haze from China covered in the whole city, I couldn't take the best pictures!

A view of Momoland Aburayama cottages from the observation deck.

China Airlines "Masalu Taiwan" livery flying to Fukuoka on May 8/チャイナエアラインの「Masalu Taiwan」特別塗装機が福岡へ飛来！

On May 8, I went to the airport to see the first Finnair flight to Fukuoka in the morning. After that I was watching planes takeoff and landing until noon. However, some flights such as a morning flight of Jin Air from Seoul was canceled due to the decrease number of international tourists to Kyushu by the aftermath of Kumamoto earthquakes on April 14 and 16.
先週の日曜日（8日）はフィンエアーの就航日だったので朝早くから見に行きました。その後正午ごろまでいたのですが、去る4月14日と16日の熊本地震の余波による九州への外国人観光客減少でジンエアーの午前便など一部便が運休となっていました。

I'm posting movements of a China Airlines Airbus a330-300 Masalu Taiwan special livery landing and takeoff. The aircraft registration number B-18358 is currently in use both for their short and long-haul flights such as Japan, South East Asia and Australia. The plane, in cooperation with the aboriginal council of Taiwan, draws up the lives of Taiwan's indigenous into the aircraft. It was released on March 11, 2014.
この日はチャイナエアライン（中華航空）のA330-300「Masalu Taiwan」特別塗装機（機体番号：B-18358）が台北からの午前便で飛来しているの見れてとてもラッキーでした。当機は台湾行政院原住民族の暮らしを機体に描いた特別塗装機で2014年3月11日に公開しています。

The plane from Taipei was landing at 10:20 am.
台北発の飛行機は午前10時20分に着陸。

The CI111 return flight to Taipei was taking off at 11:37 am.
午前11時37分に台北行きCI111復路便が離陸。

Finnair welcomes to Fukuoka!/祝！フィンエアー福岡就航

I took pictures of a Finnair flight AY075 from Helsinki yesterday. It's the first flight of Finnair to Fukuoka on this day, so I want to take pictures of it. I left home at 6:45 in the morning, and headed off to the Rwy 16 in about an hour. Here, it's the best place for plane spotting. When I arrived there, some plane spotters came here already. Like me, they take pictures of the airline's inaugural flight to Fukuoka.
昨日（5月8日）はフィンエアーの就航フライトであるAY075便を撮影しに行きました。朝6時45分に家を出て自転車で向かい、1時間ほどで絶好の撮影スポットである滑走路16へ到着。すでにそこには大勢の飛行機マニアたちが記念すべきフライトを撮ろうと駆けつけて来ていま した。

At 7:47 am in Japan time, a plane from Helsinki was touched down. The aircraft registration number OH-LTO is a Unikko special livery in collaboration with Marimekko, a well-known Finnish design brand.
午前7時47分にヘルシンキからの就航便が着陸。機体番号はOH-LTOでフィンランドの有名デザインブランド、マリメッコと連携した特別塗装機「ウニッコ」でした。

After the arrival of a plane at Gate 50. No boarding bridge is installed here, so all passengers and crews must be moved to the terminal by bus.
50番ゲートに到着後の飛行機。ここにはボーディングブリッジが設置されていないのですべての乗客乗員はバスでターミナルまで移動しなければなりません。

The AY076 return flight to Helsinki was taking off at 10:06 am.
午前10時06分にAY076便ヘルシンキ行きが離陸。

Have a pleasant journey to Europe!
どうぞヨーロッパでの楽しいご旅行を。

Finnair to launch Fukuoka - Helsinki route

Finnair will begin operating a scheduled service to Fukuoka on May 8. Finnair announced that will be launching a service between Helsinki and Fukuoka immediately after the KLM flight was discontinued on January 5. It will be maintained direct flights between Fukuoka and Europe.