Onga River Pumping Station, a world heritage in Nakama, Fukuoka

After visiting the Imperial Yahata Steel Works, we went to the Onga River Pumping Station in Nakama. Like the above-mentioned Yahata steel, this is one of newly added world heritage site in Japan, designated as Sites of Japan's Meiji Industrial Revolution: Iron and Steel, Shipbuilding and Coal Mining.

The pumping station was built in 1910 by the State-owned Yahata Steel Works, nine years after its opening. It is still working now, and it seems that 70% of the industrial water required for the steel works has been provided.

When I took a picture from a viewing platform, a kindly old man told us about history of the pump room. He's a great guide, he explained us in more detail. He gave us a piece of paper, too.

The Imperial Yahata Steel Works, a world heritage in Kitakyushu

After visiting Tanga Market, we went to the State-owned Yahata Steel Works in Yahatahigashi-ku. This is one of newly added world heritage site in Japan, designated as Sites of Japan's Meiji Industrial Revolution: Iron and Steel, Shipbuilding and Coal Mining.

We came here at 2:30. There is an amusement park called Space World located at the site of a steel works plant but it was closed at the end of 2017.

We parked a car in front of the entrance. When we went there we got a picture postcard for free. But the place is too far away, so we have to go a long way.

A distant view of the head office building from the observatory. In July 2015, four buildings from its establishment were registered as a world heritage site, but such a building is a private. For this reason we can only see one thing, the old main building office.

Walking tour of Tanga Market, Kitakyushu

In the afternoon, we walked around Tanga Market in Kokura. The market, so-called the kitchen of Kitakyushu, is located in Uomachi which is the biggest arcade in the downtown of Kokura.

Let's take a tour.

Like Nishiki Market in Kyoto, the place is very crowded by both locals and tourists.

Once I got out the arcade and went to see the market building along the river.

The floating building. Look at the picture. You can see that the west side of the market is standing on the Kantake River.

The Hawaiian Airlines flight to Fukuoka is back!

I heard a great news! A non-stop flight to Hawaii is back! According to Nishinippion Shinbum article yesterday that Hawaiian Airlines announces the resume of a direct flight between Honolulu and Fukuoka as soon as possible. The airline plans to operate 4 flights a week from November.

From Wikimedia Commons

The Hawaii based airline began operating a scheduled service to Fukuoka in April 2012. However at that time there was the Delta flight already existed between two cities. They are competing against each other, and finally Hawaiian was withdrawn from service in June 2014. Delta Airlines, on the other hand, was suspended flights to Fukuoka on May 8. The direct flight between Fukuoka and Hawaii will be disappear in eight years, but it will be come again this autumn.

Say good-bye to the Delta Airlines flight to Fukuoka/デルタ航空福岡便ラストフライト

I took pictures of the Delta Airlines (DL/DAL) last flight to Fukuoka yesterday. It was the last time to see DL planes in Fukuoka, so I want to see goodbye for 7 years and half.
昨日はデルタ航空（DL）の福岡便ラストフライトを撮影しに行きました。DLのホノルルー福岡線は2011年12月から7年半にわたり運航してきましたが、ゴールデンウイーク（大型連休）明け翌日の昨日をもって撤退してしまいました。しかし昨日、ハワイアン航空（HA）が11月からホノルルー福岡線を週4便で運航再開することがプレスリリースで発表しました。同社はDL就航後間もない2012年4月から乗り入れていましたが、その当時はDLとの2社体制だったので市場競争に勝てずわずか2年で運休となっていました。

At 5:17 pm, the plane from Honolulu was landing on Rwy 16. The aircraft registration number N176DZ was used for flight of the day.
午後5時17分にホノルルからのDL599便が滑走路16へ着陸。機体番号はN176DZでした。

The plane was started push back at 7:28 pm, 12 minutes earlier than scheduled.
飛行機は予定より12分早い午後7時28分にプッシュバックを開始。

The plane was taking off at 7:44 pm. The spirit of Atlanta was gone but not forgotten.
午後7時44分に飛行機は離陸。残念ながらDLは見納めとなりましたが、この秋からHAがA330型機で戻ってきてくれるので楽しみです。

Visiting Fukuju-ji, the Obaku-shu temple in Kitakyushu

On May 2, we went to Fukuju-ji (福聚寺), an Obaku Zen temple in Kokurakita-ku, Kitakyushu. Fukuju-ji, the family temple of the Ogasawara clan was dedicated by Ogasawara Tadazane, the first daimyo of Kokura Domain.

The temple was built in 1665 by Ogasawara Tadazane with support from Sokuhi Nyoitsu, a Chinese monk.

The entrance gate of Fukuju-ji in front of a big parking lot. The other side of the temple gate called Fujimon (不二門) is normally closed, so you have to go from here.

Passing the temple gate, then go straight down the sando road to the main hall.

A temple office just behind the main gate.

Main Hall. The current one was rebuilt in 1802. Most of the temple buildings were burned down by fire in the Summer War of 1866 but not the Buddha Hall see the picture below.

The big orange colored Gyoban, which is located beside the Buddha statue, is a sight to behold in the Obaku-shu temple only.

The drum tower.

Apart from the old one in the above, there is a new bell tower.

The Mausoleum of Ogasawara family looking over the Chumon temple gate.

The Kaisan-do founder's hall on the left is connected to the mausoleum in the corridor. 

After that we went to see the other side of temple gates. This is the Somon at the entrance of a temple.

Going through the Somon gate, then turn right and going to a path for a while. At the end of it, the small Ryuka Kannon-do Hall built in the late 1710s.

We finally came to the Fujimon main gate. The gate is closed so you have to use other side door.