Fukuoka Tower

Another good lie in. Had some nice dreams too. Had a couple of slices of toast, before we all went out to Fukuoka. Some went to try to get into an art museum, but it was shut. The rest of us hit Starbucks, and Hagen-Daas (some good Japanese shops).

We then caught the bus to Fukuoka Tower. The buses are pretty cool here, as with all the public transport. You collect a ticket when you board and it has a number on it, depending on the zone you boarded in. There's a board at the front which then says how much it has cost you so far, which updates at each stop. You then pay the driver when you get off.

The tower was pretty cool, but in the end it was just a big tower with a viewing platform. It's nice to look out over the city, but I don't think I'll be going back too often. The coolest view, though, was of the mountains in the distance, covered by clouds. Some even looked like they were floating in the sky. On the 3rd floor is something they call a "Love Compass". Supposedly, if you stand on it, face your loved one, and say something, they'll receive the message.

After that we went for a little meander on the beach, since we were right on the coach. We sat on a wall by the sea until it got dark, and then took the bus back in to Fukuoka. Most of us ate at a little ramen stand, which was really nice. It's quite a cool eating experience, since you'll all crowd round this little stand with a bunch of strangers and all slurp away at your noodles. The food was yummy, too.

Looks like Junichiro Koizumi is going to win today's election, as well.