2013 Softbank Fukuoka Hawks guide book

My random, desktop image of the day is this one from two years ago. I suppose I took this photo because of the irony of spelling perfect incorrectly. The “all battle results of the 2012 season” also sounds more intriguing than saying “last year’s box scores”.

Posted on July 6th, 2015 under Japan. Tags: baseball, engrish, fukuoka, Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8 AF-S NIKKOR G ED N, Nikon D750, Sadaharu Oh Baseball Museum. Comments Off on Parfect Guide

View from Fukuoka’s Hilton Sea Hawk Hotel of Fukuoka Tower (福岡タワー)

I thought about wandering over to the Fukuoka Tower for an aerial view of Fukuoka, but the view from the top of the Sea Hawk was similar, uncrowded (just me!), and free.

Posted on May 19th, 2015 under Japan. Tags: aerial photography, fukuoka, Hilton Fukuoka Sea Hawk, Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8 AF-S NIKKOR G ED N, Nikon D600. Comments Off on Fukuoka Tower

Kashima Honkan‘s genkan (玄関) Fukuoka, Japan

I’m currently reading Gail Tsukiyama‘s The Samurai’s Garden, and while the book is generally enjoyable, her frequent references to the genken (sic) will be really annoying to anyone who understands Japanese.

Posted on May 16th, 2015 under Japan. Tags: fukuoka, Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8 AF-S NIKKOR G ED N, Nikon D600. Comments Off on pick a slipper

福岡 鯉

Posted on April 16th, 2015 under Japan. Tags: fukuoka, Nikon 24-120mm f/4 VR G lens, Nikon D600. Comments Off on Fukuoka carp

Hakata ramen (Fukuoka, Japan)

My first morning in Japan in almost three years and I found myself jet-lagged, hungry, and roaming empty streets. When this “morning ramen” (朝ラーメン) sign caught my eye I instantly knew what I was having for breakfast. At just 290 yen (about $3) I wasn’t expecting greatness, but I didn’t care.

博多ラーメン

Tonkotsu ramen is about my favorite kind (after Matador’s beef variety), and Hakata ramen is basically synanomous with tonkotsu. Is there a difference? I’m not sure. Let me know with a comment if tonkotsu doesn’t equal Hakata-style ramen. Anyway, I was literally in Hakata so this bowl made perfect sense.

Most ramen places have you pre-pay through a vending machine. Not so here. Partially because of that, and perhaps because I was jet-lagged, I accidentally forgot to pay until I was at the door leaving. The poor girl behind the counter was probably sweating bullets that this strange foreigner was going to stiff her for 290 yen.

Posted on March 16th, 2015 under Japan. Tags: fukuoka, Nikon 24-120mm f/4 VR G lens, Nikon D600, ramen. Comments Off on Ramen for breakfast