Good Habits and Food by Ryu Aomi

Out of the major cities of Japan which includes Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka, Kyoto, Sapporo, and Fukuoka, Fukuoka is the hub of our southern island Kyushu and is a smart city that has an international airport just 10 minute train ride away from the city center. For a big foodie like me, local food is very important when I visit a city. After living in Hokkaido which is said to be the food capital of Japan, and the kitchen of Tokyo Tsukiji and Ginza area, I learned Fukuoka is my favorite place for good food. I've just started discovering Fukuoka, but I want to share with you what I love about it so far. Smart and compact City When it comes to how smart the city is, Fukuoka is probably my favorite city in the world right now.  I'm always amazed how close the airport is to the city center, just 2 subway stations apart. Fukuoka Airport is still compact and not as big as Narita or Kansai, the two biggest airports of Japan, nor is as busy like Chitose in Sapporo. The city center, Hakata has...

  I participated in the KIFF(Karatsu International Film Festival) the other day and a film maker from India asked me what is good to do in Karatsu. I settled in Karatsu City, the second largest city in Saga Prefecture but still quite small with a population of 100,000, just 4 months ago.  So, I'm still learning what is good to do, but I'm really engaged just by taking an hour walk around the city center of Karatsu. I live in an Akiya, 60 years old but just 7 minute walk from Karatsu Station, and I love having a garden. Life is much slower now, and just spending time in the garden and going for a walk gives me much joy.  Today I want to talk about my morning routine, especially my one hour walk around the city center. Love the Beach Just a 5 minute walk from my house is the beach. Especially on a sunny day this already boosts my mood. I take a right and then I see Karatsu Castle. There are quite a few locals choosing my same course for their morning exercize. We say ohayo ...