Musings..Little and Random thoughts..Serendipity..

The Fox Wife and K-Drama School

2026-10-03T22:42:59.678+08:00

Some people think foxes go around collecting qi, or life force, but nothing could be further from the truth. We are living creatures, just like you, only usually better looking….

In Chinese tales, very often we have the good and the vile. Fox women are always the vile who tempt and beguile scholars/men; those shape-shifting beautiful, lustful and wicked vixen whom no men can resist until it is too late. The 狐狸 in Chinese and the gumiho in Korean tales. Winter in Manchuria, 1908. Told through the alternating perspectives of Bao, an aging investigator and the mysterious Snow, the Fox wife traces the journey of Snow as she chases the photographer who caused the death of her cub daughter. From Manchuria to Moji in Japan (today’s Mojiko), vengeance was the only thing on her mind. Along the way, she “infiltrates” the household of a wealthy family running a Chinese medicine shop that is plagued by a curse—their eldest sons always die before their 24th birthday. Hot on her heels was Bao who has the ability to detect lies as he hears a distinct ringing in his ears whenever someone lies. He is hired to investigate the mysterious death of a beautiful young courtesan found frozen in the doorway of a restaurant, a death rumored to involve foxes. Fascinated by fox lore all his life, Bao's investigation turns into a dogged pursuit of Snow across the snow. They never really met though the owner of the Chinese medicine shop, Tagtaa, was really a friend of Bao from the past.

I read the book as if I was watching a drama unfold in front of me though I didn’t place any real actor/actress’s face to each character. I imagine Shiro and Kuro to be extremely good looking though these two are very different in their approach to life. In fact, though Kuro does not appear until the middle of the book and does not have that much coverage, he is my favorite character right from the day when he saved the young Tagtaa. While Snow spends the entire book carrying the heavy, visible weight of her grief and a burning desire for revenge, Kuro operates in the shadows. His love for his family was just as fierce, but he expressed it through silent protection rather than an overt chase. Unlike the chaotic, selfish, and manipulative Shiro, Kuro possesses a quiet dignity, loyalty, and a deep capacity for genuine love. His devotion to Snow isn't flashy—it is a steady, quiet anchor throughout the story.

The relationship between Bao and Tagtaa is a classic case of "what could have been,", a missed opportunity. Had both spoken their truths earlier or if the timing of their lives hadn't been pulled apart by the rigid expectations of society then, they might have shared a beautiful, lifelong romance. Might. Still, I am happy that even though the romantic window of their youth has closed, the warmth of their rekindled friendship provides a different kind of salvation. I supposed love doesn't always have to look like a traditional marriage to be meaningful.

In the end, I picture Kuro and Snow navigating the next few centuries together, quietly supporting one another, healing from their loss, and ultimately completing that 1000-year pilgrimage. And for Bao and Tagtaa after decades of carrying their own separate griefs and loneliness, I hope that simply being in each other's presence again provide something much warmer: peace, comfort, and companionship in the twilight of their lives. May Bao’s health improved with the help of Tagtaa.

This is Yangsze Choo’s 3^rd book; I read the 1^st book The Ghost Bride and will probably try to read her 2^nd book, The Night Tiger 😊.

It was the word K-Drama that made me borrow this book from the library. A pop culture inquiry into why we love Korean television sounds interesting. Grace watched a lot of Korean dramas and weaved them into her own growing up story, including getting a doctorate in film and television studies from the University of California after watching 10,000 hours of K-dramas. A heartfelt history interfused with personal reflections. Hers is not a glam story; in fact a rather hard life growing up as a Busan-born Korean émigré raised in New York – prolonged parental abandonment and neglect, physical abuse, sexual assault, constant feeling of worthlessness, being in debt, addicted to self-inflicted cycles of abuse, living with complex post-traumatic stress disorder. Stories are like medicine and though they are by no means a replacement for therapy and treatment, Grace mime K-dramas for medicine to help mend her wounds, face her fears, gave her valuable lessons to move forward with confidence and anticipation. At the same time, she analyze K-dramas in the context of local and international politics, sociocultural and historical contextualization of Korean television. So the book is actually part media analysis and part vulnerable personal memoir.

Shows discussed include: Squid Game, SKY Castle, Crash Course in Romance, Extraordinary Attorney Woo, My Mister, Something in the Rain, One Spring Night, DP, Guardian: The Lonely and Great God, Autumn in My Heart, Winter Sonata, Our Blues, Stairway to Heaven, Penthouse, Search WWW, Descendents of the Sun, My Liberation Notes….many of which I had watched but never had them analyzed in the same manner as the book. PPL, makjang, sexual repression, queerness, alcoholism and drug addiction, gender discrimination, child abuse and bullying, IMF crisis, American luncheon meat as Korean food, chicken and booze and amnesia are all covered. Definitely, not frivolous pop culture.

Initially, I thought the book provides deep-dive episodic or character analyses of specific shows but instead the book is structured as a broad thematic essay where a major cultural or psychological framework (like product placement, Confucianism, or trauma) is established and brief, rapid-fire examples were drawn from multiple dramas to illustrate the point. I am still okay with this but when Grace shifts from witty pop-culture commentary into heavy psychoanalytic jargon and dense clinical talk about C-PTSD or trauma theory, the book can suddenly feel like a dry university textbook, stalling the momentum of the reading experience. At this point, I normally tend to switch off 😊. I did finish reading the book.

Mid Autumn Festival and the Weekend After: Lunch @Sheung Wan Noodle Shop and Dinner @The Gathering Beasts

2026-09-29T23:36:00.000+08:00

Mid-Autumn festival fell on Sept 25 this year. I normally don’t pay much attention to this festival other than perhaps getting a mooncake or 2 for the day or look our for that full moon. This year, I made a trip home for a short family gathering as well as to check out the local TCM and to have my bi-annual dental scaling. Flew MAS. Changi airport was kinda of busy that afternoon but I don’t think that was attributed to the festival. But the mood was in the air when I saw this decoration featuring adorable bunnies with mooncakes, giant moons and flowers.

I read there are more décor, including lanterns on display at the Canopy Park in Jewel but I didn’t have time to check that out.

This display that simulates a highly realistic, hyper-detailed cascade of rushing water splashing over giant boulders is still the most popular with tourists as I see many standing around taking photos of the installation.

Unlike the real-water Rain Vortex at Jewel, this installation is a multimedia digital canvas built with 892 curved LED tiles nestled between lush vertical green walls. It stands 14 meters tall and 17 meters wide. The color changes too.

Went for lunch at Peach Garden who was running a 50% promotion off its dim sum. Not a bad deal if you are dining in a group but alone, I ordered the siu mai (@$4.90 after discount) and a bowl of century pork porridge @$8.80 (50% does not apply).

Porridge was thick and good to warm the stomach; siu mai was well, siu mai.

Flight was smooth and on time. Was served the usual pack of peanuts, a pack of overly sweet Famous Amos cookies and a bottle of water. This is already not bad as you get probably just a bottle of water or nothing at all from other airlines. Sis picked me up from Sentral and we went for a tosai at a local mamak shop.

I call this a savoury, thin South Indian crepe made from a simple, naturally fermented batter of rice and lentils. Like that it is thin and easy to finish without having to share. Was given 2 different types of curry and a mint sauce; did not like the curries but ate most of the mint.

There was no celebration but I did have my share of the moon cake bought from Ipoh from Ming Yue, that popular bakery. No frills; just the regular paper box unlike those expensive casing that does nothing but jack up prices.

The 莲蓉 with double egg yolk was good with lots of melon seeds. Sinful though. I normally like mixed nuts but found this version baked a little too soft. With the haze, the full moon was not visible.

Over the next few days, stopped by different places for food. This is Lei Cha thunder tea rice @RM12,90 from a coffee shop in Old Town. Historically, Lei Cha was a peasant dish born out of hardship. Hakka migrants moving through rugged terrains used whatever wild greens, herbs, and grains they could forage or cultivate. These are chopped into tiny, uniform cubes (long beans, manioc greens, tofu). When mixed, no single ingredient dominates; they form a collective harmony. The essence of the dish to me is really the paste itself, which typically is not a gentle soup; it is intense, astringent, and herbaceous. Some are more minty than others but a good one reveal a deeply comforting, earthy warmth; again, good ones are not easy to come by.

This version is frankly quite bad. While there is rice, veggies and peanuts, they don’t lend that well as it is no different from economy rice with bit sized veggies. The soup does not qualify as lei cha; it is salty and extremely diluted with little taste of tea leaves or mint. I should have ordered that ayam set instead ☹.

Went for brunch with Sis and Bro at Sheung Wan the day after Mid-autumn festival which is a public holiday in places like HK; afterall, celebrations for the festival normally take place in the evening and late into the night so having a day off after allows people to enjoy without worrying about waking up early the next morning 😊. Back to Sheung Wan. As the name implies, it is a place that offers HK food. It isn’t really a big place with tables and chairs placed close to each other just like in HK. Bro is a regular and the chef occasionally stopped by our table to chat with Bro. Looking through the menu, I saw Hong Kong staples, including wanton noodles, beef noodles, congee and Shunde specialties, including fish balls and fish curd dishes served with rice noodles. And deserts as well as HK milk tea, ying yang, herbal tea and ling lok 檸樂. Prices are not exactly cheap though.

I ordered a beef brisket and tendon soup with HK wanton noodles RM26.80++ upon recommendation from Sis.

Beef brisket was tender but the tendon was a little undercooked and therefore hard to bite through. Upon hearing this, the chef brought over a couple of softer pieces as substitute. Many reviewers praised the beef broth but somehow I thought it could pack a more massive beef punch like those in Kau Kee.

We shared several dishes. This is Shunde fish curd soup 顺德鱼腐汤 @RM21.80++, a famous traditional Cantonese delicacy originating from Lecong Town in Shunde, Guangdong.

Understand that it is made from fish paste with a generous amount of whisked eggs and folded into the fish paste. A soft spongy texture. I like the taste and the tofu like feel. But only 5 pieces equivalent to RM 4.36 apiece.

This is the Zhongshan crisp grass carp skin 中山脆鯇魚皮 @RM22++.

Grass carp is apparently a special variety of grass carp that feed on fava beans, giving its meat and skin an incredibly crunchy, crisp texture. Here we eat only the skin tossed in some light soy sauce with a hint of sugar, white pepper, a generous heap of julienned ginger and scallion threads, and mala (?). Lots of peanut and sesame seeds were added. Reminded me of what we had in Guangzhou in 2024. I find the taste a little underwhelming here; you will like it if you like crunchy stuff.

This is the street egg waffle 鸡蛋仔 @RM11.80++, a famous street food of HK.

Legend had it that the snack was invented in Hong Kong in the 1950s. Grocers and street vendors didn't want to waste cracked or broken eggs that couldn't be sold to customers so they mixed the “damaged” eggs with flour, evaporated milk, and water, pouring the batter into an egg-shaped iron mold to create a cheap, delicious snack for the working class. Here it was served with kaya and butter just like our normal toast, I supposed. I prefer it without any of these. Crispy and not too sweet, it has to be eaten once served while hot.

I had an almond tea with egg white@RM13.80++. Served warm; appreciate that these are made from real almonds and not some paste.

I also had the milk tea @RM9.90++ which was served in a mug with a handle and a cover. Not sure why though.

Bro pointed out the place also served century egg that cost RM9++ a piece which he said is very good. Next time maybe.

Overall bill for the 4 of us came out to be RM287.10. Certainly not cheap. By the way, the hugely popular Village Park which is in the vicinity is one that is more affordable.

Sheung Wan Noodle Restaurant
5, Jalan SS 21/56b, Damansara Utama, Petaling Jaya.

Bro in law bought us dinner at this restaurant called the Gathering Beast聚兽堂, a supposedly Asian Chinese fusion place. High end. It even has a dress code according to BIL – no shorts, slippers, round tees for man but nothing mentioned specifically for women. Not sure if this was strictly observed as I do see men in shorts in photos in google reviews 😊. Anyway, the restaurant isn’t a big place and tables were actually placed rather close to each other among antique earthenware, ornate figures and calligraphy on the wall. Warm lighting. Open kitchen, where we can see the hanging quail.

We went through the menu; not an extensive one with starers, appetizers, signature proteins, broths, meat, staples and desserts. A long wine and drink list. BIL did the order.

The 1^st dish is grilled Japanese squash @RM52++. Kabocha squash, cincalok, cauliflower and belachan crumble. Looking at the ingredients, you can imagine how different the dish would taste compared to just a steamed version.

This is the fried quail@RM39++ each. We ordered 4 whole quail and they were brought to us in a cage😊. Understand that each bird is marinated with aromatic spices, then deep-fried to achieve that delicate balance of crisp skin and tender, juicy meat. Wonder how it got that reddish hue. Quail belongs to the chicken family so it taste a lot like chicken; no wonder I prefer the HK styled pigeon especially those crispy and meaty ones.

Next came leek curry @RM38++. Spicy leek served with focaccia.

The wild caught grouper @RM288++ came next. This is the most disappointing dish of the night. Overcooked and likely not fresh (very fishy). BIL complained and when the bill came, noted that this was discounted at 50%.

The 36-Hour baked Chicken @RM188++ is one of the most popular dish at this restaurant according to BIL which requires pre-ordering. Based on the menu, the chickens used are corn-fed chickens which people gives the bird a richer, slightly sweeter flavor profile, more intramuscular fat, and a naturally golden skin compared to standard grain-fed chickens. The corn-fed bird is submerged in a specialized aromatics-and-salt brine for a full 36 hours, sealed and slow-cooked to gently render the fat and lock in the juices until the meat becomes completely tender. Served on a layer of yellow chicken jus flecked with finely chopped spinach or herbs, keeping the meat moist and ready for dipping.

The presentation is a little odd to me - two whole chicken legs, complete with the claws intact, are dramatically draped across the top of the dish. Chicken is juicy and tender. Pretty good.

4 pairs of braised goose feet @RM312++, the most expensive dish for the night and my favorite dish. Flavorful and tender but rather small; just when you start to enjoy the bite, it is almost gone. A claw @RM39++ is too pricey though.

This is braised Chinese cabbage in chicken broth @RM48++. Another good one though looks like a rather simple dish. Rich broth; sweet with the cabbage. Found bamboo fungus in it.

Golden fried rice RM58++. I like this too, finding it aromatic with that geragau/dried shrimp and char siew. Looks “beautiful’ too.

This is an interesting dish. Called golden fried kuey teow @RM78++, it is fried noodles submerged in a rich fish broth. A little like ying yong?

The noodles are deep-fried and submerged in a rich fish broth, mimicking the crispy and saucy textural contrast of Cantonese-style ying yong noodles. BIL mentioned that the broth had been double boiled for hours; umami. Generous portion of fish added. Another favourite of mine.

Only 3 choices for desserts. We ordered 2 to share – 3 tau fu fah @RM28++ each and the black sesame cake @RM18++ each.

The tau fu fa has ginger syrup and topped with homemade okura powder and triple toast French brandy. Maybe that accounts for the steep price.

How many pieces did we order? 6 pieces I beleive. The cream Chantilly on the sesame cake can be much better if the cake was less dry. Bro believes that they had wanted to warm up the cake but overdone that or forgot to spray a little water on it before the warm up. What a pity.

Service was ok. Overall, a rather good but relatively expensive dinner.

The Gathering Beast
29A-G, Jalan PJU 1/43, Aman Suria, 47301 Petaling Jaya, Selangor,

Flew back yesterday, At KLIA, stopped by Oriental Kopi for some food. There was a long Q as usual.

Sis in law recommended lontong, a new item on the menu. Ordered one @RM26.90++. I finished the various vegetables in the dish but left most of the lontong untouched as they were a little hard and I was not exactly hungry but just wanted to try the dish out.

The fresh soya chincau was good.

Managed to reach home by 9pm.

What I Ate In One Week (and related thoughts)

2026-09-11T22:10:00.000+08:00

Inspired by Stanley Tucci’s What I ate in a Year, here is my attempt at recording what I ate the last 2 weeks.

1 Sep to 4 Sep

The whole week was spent in office meetings. Lunch was catered for; not exactly interesting choices though the caterer did try to offer different varieties. There was chicken rice, nasi briyani, dim sum and even Peranakan. I appreciate the variety but wish the taste was better. My favourite out of the lot was the beef rendang Peranakan set. Beef was tender though a little too spicy for me. I like that there were lots of vegetables and the acar was firm and crunchy.

I also had nasi lemak and while this was from a famous local brand, I found everything a little too dry – the rice, the wings, the chicken cutlets all could do better if they were moist and juicier.

Dinner is normally simple. The only photo I had of my dinner this week is this steamed minced pork with steamed broccoli. I would like to regard this as healthy eating though this is more due to a lack of cooking skills 😊.

Food aside, an interesting piece of news entered my radar this week.

The government has finally decided to ease its archaic restrictions over the showing of dialect movies, something which I thought was long overdue. Thanks to Dear You. Films that are entirely in dialect or have majority dialect content can be shown with no caps on the number of screenings as long as Mandarin subtitles are shown and a mandarin dubbed version of the same film is also available. This would take effect in September. I just have to wait and see if that means I now can watch Cantonese movies without having to cross the causeway.

5 Sep

Weekend is always my favorite part of the week; the whole day is mine to spend without having to allocate 8 hours to work😊. Thought I should stay away from the chicken rice so off I went to Shinjuku Restaurant for its daily set lunch. Which turns out to be omelet with spinach and croquette. Had this in my previous visit. Despite that, still enjoyed the food. Egg with spinach and cheese is quite a combination. Simple pleasure.

After lunch, it was back to Orchard Central. Noted this relatively long Q outside Yo Chi, the popular frozen yogurt & acai shop from Australia. There was a Q right outside the shop and another one round the corner.

Should I Q? Asked the ladies and none of them had tried the yogurt. Since the Q moved rather fast, decided to give it a try. Most in the Q were youngsters – W said while the parents make money, the young spend. I rather believe the old don’t like cold stuff and have no patience to Q. The line did move fast and within 25 minutes, I was right in front of the shop. Everything here is self-service. Grab a cup, choose your base – I chose the signature tart yogurt and acai. Pull the handle at the dispensing machine and watch the yogurt/acai slide into the cup. Understand that the yogurt here is made from fresh milk from Aussie cows, not powder and the açaí blend is made from organic, sustainably sourced Açaí berries. Next I moved to the toppings section – fruits (strawberries, kiwi fruits, pineapples), crumble, flakes, chocolate fudge brownie, almond, lychee, m&M, oreo, all sorts of sauces, pistacchio etc. I scooped in strawberries, lychees,almond flakes, pistachio and pistachio papi. Place the cup on the weiging scales and pay by weight at $3.50 per 100 g. This cost $6.76 as I was conscious as what I scooped in.

Worth it? Since everyone raves about this, a non-raver like me makes no difference. The Q will continue...

It is probably not wrong to say that AI is shaking up everyone and everything. Jobs are lost to AI, smart scams are emerging with A1, your boss wants you to increase productivity using A1. AI, AI, AI. Hardly a day passes by without anyone not mentioning AI. This AI related piece of news caught my attention. Heng Dian Studios where most of the C period dramas are shot, now needs to offer tourists packages for some acting experience, as a new lease of life. Apparently, AI is causing a recession for dramas and the studio needs to keep afloat. And what better way than to target tourists who may want to dress like Empress Dowager, sit on the throne with those long fingernails and hear all those eunuchs say 嗻 in unison. Just keep those nails to yourself and the heavy headgear in place.

Team building, anyone?

6-Sep

Sunday. What better way to start the day with breakfast other than my regular oats with soy milk. Not toast with eggs this time but macaroni with luncheon meat topped with an egg. Set came with a cup of milk tea and a piece of toast bread with butter. Xin Wang is one of those café that offers HK styled food and their breakfast sets mimic the sets A, B, C char chaan teng offers in HK. I always associate macaroni soup as something you feed to patients, at least that was what Mum would cooked for us when we were sick. Why it became the quintessential cha chaan teng comfort food, served as a breakfast set is beyond me though according to Gemini, it is the ultimate culinary symbol of East-meets-West fusion, created out of necessity and tailored perfectly to the local lifestyle. Just like the Swiss sauce chicken wings. The macaroni was rather bland but the soup savory so when you placed them together, they complement eac each. I didn’t like the luncheon meat; way too peppery. That toast was good; served hot with that butter on top. Milk tea lacked that strong tea flavor; a little too mild.

This set costs $6.90++ and it is pretty good value

A piece of news caught my attention as I ate my macaroni. France officially implemented its landmark anti-ultra-fast-fashion effective September 1, 2026. According to that article, this law is the world-first environmental law designed to curb overproduction and textile waste. It legally targets businesses that flood the market with massive volumes of low-cost, disposable clothing by imposing financial eco-penalties, sweeping advertising bans, and mandatory environmental transparency ratings. So ultra fast fashion giants like Temu and Shein are obvious targets. They must pay immediate per-item eco-penalties (€0.25 to €12 in 2026, scaling up to €20 by 2030) and are completely cut off from marketing to the French market via ads or influencers. Impact? Higher prices for consumers, loss of revenue for influencers who target consumers of fast fashion. While this is a French law. a major EU-wide tax law took effect on July 1, 2026, delivering a second structural blow to international e-commerce platforms. Any parcel shipped from outside the EU (like a direct-to-consumer package sent from a factory warehouse in China) with a total value of €150 or less is now hit with a mandatory €3 customs duty per item (previously exempted). Is the law a necessary environmental shield or a form of protectionism?

I remembered Shein’s 1st physical store in Paris was opened with immense fanfare in November last year in BHV Marais department store. Unfortunately, the support didn’t last. The partnership was declared a "strategic error" by the department store’s new management team and as protesters, environmental activists and local fashion workers regularly gathered outside the building chanting, "Shein, c'est la honte!" ("Shein is a shame!"), Shein was ordered to completely vacate the department store’s premises by Christmas this year. Such a sad farewell.

Any impact locally? Not directly on the consumers. But since Shein is headquartered here, any major operational slowdown or heavy penalty in its core European markets would likely directly affect its corporate tax revenue and transaction volume flowing through the financial ecosystem. We shall wait and see.

8-Sep

Went lunch with the ladies at Yue@Aloft, Marriot Novena. Not exactly a convenient location even though there is a shuttle from Novena mrt. We missed the shuttle so we grabbed our way there. Weekday semi-buffet special at $17.90++. Restaurant was rather empty; not sure if it was due to the location or the quality of the food. Seated at this rather big round table; servers were friendly as they explained what semi-buffet means. Choose a main from 10 choices with a couple of items like assam prawns and spring onion & ginger sliced beef requiring an additional $2. Salad and dessert bar is complimentary. We ordered kung pao beancurd, Sarawak white pepper bak kut teh, sweet & sour pork and sizzling eel with chilli bean paste. Each main came with a bowl of rice.

Didn’t like the bak kut teh dispute being able to get additional soup; meat was too tough – either overcooked or too lean; I inclined towards the latter.

I do like the sweet and sour pork; decent sized pork pieces compared to some which are more corn starch than meat. Not overly vinegared.

Bean curd came with red, yellow and green capsicum and cashew nuts and drenched in kong po sauce. I ate quite a few pieces so they must have passed my acceptance level.

I was looking forward to the eel, generous portions but not the type of “unagi” I like.

Salad bar had the normal lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, cucumber, corn, peas, dried cranberries, bits of bacon, walnut and even acar. Reasonable amount of choices and I had several helpings. Good complement to the main.

Dessert was miserable. I only remember tau huey and left the rest untouched.

Average food. Good meet catch up. I doubt we will be repeat customers.

9-Sep

Took half a day off in the morning to go to JB UTC to have my passport renewed. Not much of a crowd outside Kranji MRT but there was a jam as the bus inched its way towards the immigration, a good 30 minutes for a short distance. Reached SG immigration by 8.34am. Fortunately breezed through immigration, got back on 170, cleared MY immigration and managed to get to UTC by 9.05am. Took a Q, waited for my turn, had my photo taken, paid, waited and waited to be called by the collection counter. It was a weekday so I assumed the crowd I see today is much more controllable than weekdays.; the process is actually more efficient than what I anticipated as things were moving. Anyway, by 11.30am, I collected my 10-years passport 😊.

Decided to have a quick lunch after that long wait. Hua Mei was the closest. Ordered the signature wat dan hor @RM12.90++ and a green apple with sour plum juice @RM8.90++.

Was expecting a tasty wat dan hor but this one was a little bland though there was a slight wok hei. I requested for green cut chillies and those lifted the blandness of the noodles. The juice was good especially on a hot afternoon. I finally saw that pulley that was used to transport food between levels 😉.

After lunch, took the bus back across the causeway. Quite a smooth journey.

12-Sep

Went for lunch at Sun With Moon. It was running a Kyushu Finest promotion and though I reminded myself to stick with the regular menu, I still found myself ordering one the lunch set from the promotion menu. Called the Kyushu Grand bento @$39.80++, it is described to showcase Kyushu’s finest flavours featuring sashimi (tuna – not to my liking as not the fatty parts; salmon was ok and I like the very buttery swordfish), Kagoshima buri, braised pork belly (tasty but a little too much fat which I had to cut off), Kumamoto fire roll, taipien spring roll, mini chanpon noodles (bland) and a mentaiko chawan mushi (something different but I was too full to really enjoy this). Plus strawberry ice cream.

The fire roll had prawn tempura, avocado and cucumber, topped with seared chasu, black garlic sauce and chilli threads. Normal like any rice rolls and I didn’t like the chilli threads.

Spring roll was inspired by Taipien, which is Kumamoto's glass noodle soup filled with vegetables and soup, did not leave much of an impression.

Overall, an average set. A reminder to myself - stay with the regular menu.

As I sat having my strawberry ice cream and sipping the complimentary hot green tea, I read about the prime minister's annual salary going up from $2.2M to $3.6M and entry level minister from $1.1M to $1.8M. I look at all the recent RIF going on among the companies, including my own and how my own miserable pay package had been stagnant for the past few years and wonder what is going on. The world is never fair and we probably have ourselves to be blamed for our own situation. 阿彌陀佛.

Phew. Can't write a book..

What I Ate In One Year (and related thoughts)

2026-09-10T23:52:20.649+08:00

The tittle caught my interest – how could someone write a book on what he ate in a year. 3 meals a day for 365 days = 1,095 dishes. Will the dishes be repeated, will there be 1,095 dishes to share? Turns out it was more a diary of where he went, the movies and events he did, the company he kept, his family time. His shopping at farmer’s market. Plus musings and thoughts. Interesting? Some pages were while others were less entertaining. Some of my favourite pages on food and places/restaurants he visited:

Strozzapreti Antonietta, a thick pasta with parmigiano, pesto and small tomatoes. Strozzapreti which means priest chokers. On page 4 of the book, during the Middle Ages, “Catholic priests felt it was appropriate to freely help themselves to the eggs harvested by their poor parishioners,” which spurred those parishioners to “make their pasta without eggs, resulting in a very thick pasta they would serve to the priests in the hope that they would choke to death. One other popular legend suggests that Catholic priests, who historically held immense wealth and privilege in these regions, loved the pasta so much that they would eat it too quickly and choke themselves out of pure gluttony. Would love to get “choked” by these pasta.

Testaccio, an area built on broken amphorae, a graveyard from the 1st to 3rd Centuries CE where vessels containing ancient ingredients are still buried. During the Roman empire, vast quantities of oil were transported across the Mediterranean in heavy, bulbous clay jars called amphorae, a type of terracotta jar, which could hold up to 70 litres of oil each. After the oil were decanted, the amphorae could never be reused; instead they were broken and systematically stacked in neat, terraced layers to form a hill. Years later, it was discovered that caves could be dug out of the hill to serve as restaurants and bars. Checchino dal 1887 in Testaccio was one restaurant Stanley visited where he had Carciofi alla romana and a rich lasagna Bolognese. An interesting area I would love to visit.

There was a trip to Piatto Romano in Testacci where he had good appetizers- fava beans with sauteed greens and guanciale. Baby zucchini marinated in vinegar and sugar for 3 days. Tiny Carciofi alla giudia which are ubiquitous fried artichokes of Rome originally cooked by Jewish population. This dish was born in the historic Roman Ghetto, a walled, squalid, and flood-prone quarter where Pope Paul IV forced Rome’s ancient Jewish population to live beginning in 1555. Under strict papal laws, the community was barred from buying luxury ingredients or trading in high-end goods. Jewish housewives had to rely on cheap, readily available, under-utilized ingredients that non-Jewish Romans ignored—including the prickly, local edible thistle: the artichoke. Deep-frying in abundant olive oil became a cornerstone of their cooking because oil was far cheaper than butter or lard. I never really had artichokes before but would love to have these fried artichokes.

I tried capturing a list of the food mentioned in the book but gave up halfway but it is not wrong to say that pasta is a big part of his everyday meals; not surprising since he is Italian. The list I managed to capture is already quite a long one;

Taverna Trilussa in Trastevere – bucatini all’ Amatriciana, salami, prosciutto, zucchini flowers stuffed with mozzarella, red and white wine.

Pommidoro in San Lorenzo – Carciofi, sweetbreads, lamb chops, 3 pasta - alla gricia, all’Amatriciana and spaghetti alla carbonara

L’Eau Vive run by French Carmelite nuns and opened since 1969. Food is classic French with one or 2 Italian options. A restaurant with high vaulted, frescoed ceiling.

Farmers market in Rome – focaccia, slice of pizza with guanciale (cured pig cheek), sheep’s milk ricotta and honey.

Stracciatella, an Italian egg-drop soup made with chicken broth, escarole and eggs. Soup is life in a pot. I supposed just like how 蛋花汤 is considered the ultimate Chinese comfort food when you are under the weather 😊.

Suzi Tros (Greek) - yoghurt with dill, baked focaccia, taramasalata (Greek fish roe dip), sea bass carpaccio and tuna tartare.

St John, owned and run by Fergus Henderson with a urban, rustic, aesthetic. Deep fried Welsh rarebit, middle white pork belly with mustard, anchovy toast and parsley salad, lemon sole with tartar sauce, calf’ liver with braised chicory and pickled walnut, wedge Salad and a bottle of Chablis.

An Italian place – boiled then grilled artichokes, meatballs with tomato sauce, ricotta with lemon oi and a hint of black truffle and grilled focaccia. None particularly good and the focaccia was gross as it tasted like someone had run it over with a burning car. Pappardelle with peas and pancetta.

Rova, 33 years in business. Fried zucchini flowers stuffed with mozzarella and anchovies. Fried soft shell crab, Carciofi alla giudia with prosciutto on the side, suckling pig, pappardelle with a meat ragu, gnocchi with lemon butter sauce and asparagus.

The Old Bank – oxtail arancini, slat and pepper calamari, braised pork belly and tenderloin.

Warm sandwich of ox tongue, homemade pickles, and mayo on toasted bread. Artichoke, alla giudia

Cannellini beans, canned tuna, red onions, tomatoes, olive oil. Risotto, steak and salad, sushi in LA, squid ink risotto with shrimp, paglia e fieno pasta (2 different kind of tagliatelle, one made with flour and egg and the other with spinach added) zucchini, basil, garlic, Parmigiano and a bit of butter, chicken and vegetable dumplings, seared wagyu beef, spaghetti with tomato sauce, steamed mussels in white wine with shallots and garlic, soba noodles in homemade chicken broth with chopped chives, garlic leaves and scallions, pasta, ramen, spinach pasta with sauce (fresh tomato, onions, garlic and basil), oysters, pasta with butter and cheese, conchiglie pasta (larhe shells) with minced onion, garlic, fennel, seeds, ground Italian sausage and tomato sauce, asparagus with soft boiled egg, chicken liver appetizer on a piece of toasted baguette with chopped egg, cucumber and dill, beetroot salad with lettuce and squares of toasted goat cheese in a light olive oil dressing with fresh peas and peas shoot. Oatmeal with honey and almond milk. Pomodorini with feta cheese, olive oil and basil on mini toasted crackers. 2 egg omelet cooked in a bit of butter and olive oil, topped with anchovies and sliced tomato on a warm buttered baguette. Crabmeat appetizer dressed with olive oil and lemon, eggplant parmigiana. Fresh tomato sauce with spaghetti, asparagus risotto, chicken caccitore, steal oreganata and fish stew. Spaghetti with tropea onion, roasted/baked sea bass. Potato leek soup. Spaghetti con Tonno. Meatballs. Cod alla livornese. Mushroom risotto. Fettucine with peas, onion, guanciale, string beans and fresh tomato. Rainbow chard.

There was a restaurant he visited where food was terrible; actually, fucking terrible. Stanley’s observation - everything else was served on oversize, slightly concave rectangular plates, which is a sure sign that the food will be awful. All we need is only, a simple plate, a simple bowl, a simple fork, a simple spoon, a simple knife and good food. I couldn’t agree more 😊.

There was also a Aurelien’s Mayo recipe:

1 egg yolk, beaten with a tablespoon of Dijon mustard

Sunflower oil, drizzled in slowly while you continue to beat until the mixture becomes thick and you can create peaks, salt, pepper and a squeeze lemon to taste

Rome, Los Angeles, Scotland, Aspen, Bordeaux, Florida, New York…were some of the places he went to during the year. There are mention of famous people and friends – Ralph Fiennes, John Lithgow, Isabella Rossellini, Jamie Dornan, Cillian Murphy, Sam Rockwell, Matt Damon, Saoirse Ronan and Harry Styles, Tucci and his brother-in-law, the actor John Krasinski, have an away day at Guy Ritchie’s country house where he push Tucci into the kitchen whee they finish grilling a fish and ripping off the meat with their bare hands. Even King Charles wanted to have dinner with him though that dinner did not materialise.

Ok. The book is about the logistics of his life in that one year - international travel, airport disasters, him cooking for his fmaily (haha..always pasta with butter for his youngesr daughter), musings on food and hotels, his various works. Not a cookbook, no receipes, no photos but mainly names of dishes most of the time. Perhaps the title of the book should be changed to My Days in 2023 or The Starry Travelogue. But still, I am now curious about Searching for Italy and Taste: My Life Through Food.

If I were to record what I ate in a year, it would probably be rice, rice, rice and rice 😊.

I ate a piece of bread, sipped white wine, and attempted to chat with Cillian Murphy but was too starstruck to form proper sentences ~~ Stanley Tucci

Legalese

2026-09-03T22:58:33.271+08:00

Learnt 2 new interesting word/terms today.

Autarky - an economic term that describes a state of complete self-sufficiency and economic isolation. When a country or nation chooses to operate in an autarky, it establishes a entirely closed economy. This means the country does not engage in international trade — it produces all of the goods, food, energy, and resources it needs completely within its own borders, relying entirely on itself without any external imports, exports, or assistance.

If it is used in contracts? If it is a macroeconomic or political trigger involving a country, an "autarky clause" is a highly specialized protective provision found in cross-border financial transactions, infrastructure projects, and international joint ventures. If you are a foreign software provider or parts manufacturer, you can no longer legally send data, receive payments, or ship products to that country. The clause allows you to terminate the contract immediately without being sued for breach. If a country forces financial autarky, an international partner cannot get paid or retrieve their profits. The clause protects the foreign entity by terminating the agreement and stopping all further work or shipments before incurring massive losses.

The clause does not exist because a country will successfully build a self-sufficient utopia. It exists because a country might be forcefully cut off from global banking, logistics, and legal frameworks. If that happens, performing the contract becomes legally, physically, or financially impossible, and the clause ensures the parties can legally walk away.

Time is of Essence. I thought it simply means something is urgent and immediate attention is required. However, if used in a contract, a "Time is of the Essence" (TOE) clause dictates that the agreed-upon deadlines are absolute conditions of the agreement, rather than minor guidelines. If a party misses a deadline by even a single minute or day, it is automatically treated as a material breach of contract Such a seemingly innocent statement but with serious repercussions, A trap for the unwary.

@Random

2026-08-27T23:22:00.000+08:00

Happened to be in Mei Ling Food Centre and noted a short Q at this stall that had recently gone intensely viral, said to serve very good nasi briyani. Out of curiosity, I joined the Q and ordered the butter chicken nasi briyani at $7.50. I think they ran out of bowls and cutlery so the rice was served in a sort of paper plate and all I got was a plastic fork (I saw a number of guys being served food in bowls and with regular fork and spoon).

How was the food? Chicken was not marinated well; was bland and the sauce was not savory sweet as per Google reviews but a tad salty for me. Even the caramelised onions that many people raved about did not turn out well for me – I guess they had retain moisture, turning from perfectly tender-crisp to a tough, rubbery texture. In the end, the only item that turned out okay were the few pieces of acar on the side ☹. Should I conclude that I didn't taste the "best version" of the dish but a rushed, flawed batch? I guess I had caught the chef on a bad day or a busy busy busy day that left him overlooked the quality of the food. Or perhaps, things were hyped up too much by social media.

After getting my hair cut, I went for lunch at Xiang Mei Roasted meat in Bukit Batok. I had wanton noodles the last time so settled for char siew rice this time.

Char Siew was good as I like traditional, caramelized, and fatty char siew. Tender aromatic with crispy sides and charred bits. Just the way I like it. Also appreciate the soup that came with the rice.

Cedele is running a promotional weekday lunch set at $10.90. A sandwich and either a drink or soup. Had this pulled beef sandwich on Spanish bap and a mushroom soup.

Generous portion of pulled beef; well marinated and tender. Love the Spanish bap too especially when served warm. Mushroom soup was a little bitter to me. Won’t mind going for another but the promotion will end Sep 4.

Learnt that my favourite library will be closed end of this month for renovations. A 2-year large-scale revamp and modernization project and it is scheduled to officially reopen in late 2028. Why the revamp when it is not falling? I read that it is outdated with aging infrastructure that need to be replaced and modernised

As Singapore's oldest public library (opened in 1970), the building was officially gazetted for conservation in 2013. Because of this status, the closing required extensive preparatory work. The iconic, modernist exterior featuring "bow-tie" concrete arches will remain untouched, but the interior will be fully updated to maximize floor space, creating open, flexible zones for modern learning and digital technology. Essentially, it will look the same on the outside, but it will feel completely different, modern, and far more spacious on the inside! Wow, can’t wait but what do I do meanwhile?

I passed by this yellow pumpkin every time I go for my evening walks.

I heard of Yayoi Kusama, the artist, many years ago but I never know how to appreciate her colorful polka dots which appear jarring to me though I did think of visiting Naoshima, home to Kusama’s most iconic, landscape-defining outdoor masterpieces after reading about it in The Interior Silence. No, I have yet to make the trip. Looking at her colorful and playful works, I tend to associate Kusama with a bright and happy personality who sees the world in colors; someone who is trapped in a happy childhood, refusing to step out. Boy, I was wrong as after reading many articles, I had this feeling that point to a person trapped in an unhealed traumatic childhood. Widely celebrated as the "Princess of Polka Dots," her signature style was deeply autobiographical, originating from childhood vivid hallucinations of repeating patterns, auras, and talking flowers. She used polka dots as a way to cope with terror and panic. Repeating the dots endlessly allowed her to feel her individual ego dissolve into the vast, interconnected universe—a psychological process she called "self-obliteration". Articles say she was not painting to please an audience; she was painting to survive the unresolved terror of her youth. The West turned her mind-bending psychological trauma into selfie backdrops; her corporate engine generated hundreds of millions of dollars through blockbuster exhibitions and merchandise. She made her last public appearance in 2013 in New York after which she retreated to a hospital to continue her works, For 13 years, she reportedly continue to draw and paint, feeding the world outside her hospital the same polka dots and talking flowers, turning into a money machine (I wanted to use the term 摇钱树). Can I conclude that she remained trapped in the same unhealed childhood loop until she passed on 2 weeks ago at the age of 97 years old? Her death was announced 2 weeks late (some say to allow time for the estate to secure her assets and finalize market strategies before the inevitable global media storm hit) and her funeral was a public affair. I know many appreciate the legacy she left behind; I tend to see a frail, lonely bedridden woman confined to a modest psychiatric hospital room at the end of her days. I hope I have read and understood everything wrong.

May she finally rest in peace.

PS: Her other work in Orchard Central.

A number of articles on Japan caught my attention.

Mount Fuji at 3,776 metres is a popular tourist destination but it does not appear to be a very easy hike. Every now and then, we read about accidents on Mount Fuji. Perhaps due to a combination of severe physical exhaustion during the descent, a lack of preparation by novice hikers and the mountain's harsh, high-altitude environment presenting brutal conditions that catch thousands of tourists off guard every year. 2 months ago, a 58-year-old Swiss man collapsed from an illness while resting with his son at a mountain hut on the Fujinomiya trail and later died at the hospital. Just this week, I read another article of 2 accidents on the Mount Fuji trail. The 1^st was rather unbelievable. A 48-year-old father left his exhausted 7-year-old son alone on a bench at the 6th station for roughly 8 hours while he continued climbing to the summit with his older son. Fortunately, a hut worker found the boy and alerted the police who had to wait for 5 hours before reunited with his father. I wonder what the father was thinking when he left his son waiting at the hit. The 2^nd accident happened on the same day; a 33-year-old German woman had to be rescued from Mount Fuji after suffering from severe altitude sickness. Apparently, the woman actually chose to continue climbing to the peak despite knowing she was sick. I am not a hiker so I will never understand the “lure” of Mount Fuji which a bucket-list box is to check off. While it looks like a gruelling, rocky dust bowl up close, people are still drawn to it. I rather admire it from a distance 😊.

When we think cup noodles, we always think hot water. But this summer, we can forget the kettle. Nissin, for the first time in the brand’s 55-year history, is releasing instant noodles that must be prepared with cold water. Note: MUST which means hot water won’t work. Instead, just use chilled water straight from the refrigerator and wait five minutes and you will get a refreshingly cold bowl of noodles with a smooth, satisfyingly firm texture. Took Nissin 5 years to develop this. Ideal for summer. Spicy kimchi or chicken salt lemon? I wish they had marketed it earlier while I was still in Japan last month.

Another amazing piece of news had 1000 people used ropes to manually pull a 400-tonne castle back to its original foundation.

Only in Japan 😊

@Random

2026-08-18T00:15:00.000+08:00

@Random

Level up this week on 10-Aug 😊

Various lunches I had this week.

Chicken rice from a stall in Mei Ling Food Centre. Heng Long BBQ Chicken Rice This stall has the Michelin logo stamped on its stall. Michelin recommended. Had the roast chicken; didn’t ordered the usual chicken thigh and was given a portion of the wing section. Chicken was okay, some parts a little dry; not sure why this is recommended. Rice too dry.

Had lunch with the ladies at 旺爐 City Hot Pot @ Tanjong Pagar. I thought it is from China but it is actually a local brand with a concept inspired by Taiwanese hotpot with individual mini-pots rather than the large, shared pots. We shared a set that has everything according to the server. I had the herbal chicken soup. Side dishes like peanuts, acar, fruits were complimentary; sauces too.

Other than the red grouper slices, prawns and pork minced paste and prawn paste, the other items were just average and the beef slices could be fresher. Frankly, I don’t like the food here and unlikely to visit again.

This is olive fried rice with pork chop (猪扒橄榄菜炒饭) from Xin Wang Hong Kong Café at Anchorpoint. Also ordered the hot ginger tea which I learnt later is not freshly brewed but from a pack. Fortunately, the olive fried rice was pretty good, not oily and the pork chop tender and well marinated. Generous portion too. Won't mind having this again but not the ginger hot tea 😊.

Collected a new watch this week, Just in time as the one I bought from Lazada need to be replaced.

Read this article on the cost of retiring comfortably in countries around the world.

Singapore is the most expensive country for Americans to retire comfortably, requiring an estimated $1.1 million, while Pakistan is the cheapest at $187,000. India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Egypt are the only countries where the estimated retirement cost falls below $200,000.

Looking at these numbers, I wonder how these numbers are worked out and what assumptions were used as they appeared highly unrealistic to me. The only thing mentioned in the article was these figures are not individualized retirement targets and exclude healthcare and taxes, which can significantly affect the cost of retiring abroad. So what bother to come up a list that is practically useless? 真係得啖笑 🤪

There are so many internet buzzwords surrounding the workplace these days. Great resignation, quiet quitting, coffee badging, quiet firing, micro-retirement, task masking and just this week, I read this article on career cushioning. This term is the practice of quietly building a safety net and setting up a "Plan B" for your career while you are still actively employed. Effectively, getting an insurance policy against job insecurity, sudden corporate restructurings, or AI disruptions. Employees are scrolling job boards during their commute. saving roles, they’re not sure they want. Updating their CVs without any real intention of sending them. Not because they’re unhappy, but because they’re unsure. I don’t think career cushioning is a new trend but it has now transformed into a mainstream coping mechanism following all those massive serial layoffs over the last few years, unpredictable economic data, and the rapid displacement of tasks by AI. Everyone needs to hedge their bets. They aren't looking to get ahead; they are terrified of getting blindsided and left unprepared when the sword falls.

Career cushioning was exactly what T’s sisters had been telling her to do before the sword fell on her; unfortunately, she didn’t and I can sense her desperation these days. The rest of us are all learning from this.

That was this week.

Fukuoka and Tokyo in the Summer of 2026: Ichiran Dance Performance, I m Donut? and Kombini Sandwich

2026-08-11T22:37:00.000+08:00

Ramen is such a big thing in Fukuoka that it is referred to as the capital of tonkatsu ramen. A report I read indicated that it has close to 2,000 ramen shops representing Japan’s densest concentration of noodle-soup emporiums. Tonkotsu is that pork-bone broth made milky white by the deposits of fat and collagen extracted during days of aggressive boiling which incidentally is my fave ramen broth followed by paitan. Unfortunately, with all those food choices available in Fukuoka, I only had stomach space for one bowl of ramen at Shin Shin bypassing that mega-touristic but highly iconic Ichiran with a perpetual Q in the evening. But I did stop by to watch the nightly performance at Ichiran’s HQ which happens to be within walking distance of You Style Hotel Hakata where I was staying.

A crowd was already forming opposite the HQ building, a massive 12-storey lighted with red lanterns. At 8pm, 5 performers in red and black costumes appeared at the balcony of the 3rd and 4th floors and started dancing; complete with fans and swords.

A high-energy routine consisting of traditional-style Japanese dances, a light show, mock sword-fighting, and rhythmic fan dance. Show lasted around 15 mins and is performed by the branch’s employees. According to Ichiran’s website, the performance is to pray for the happiness and safe travels of both local residents and visitors to Fukuoka. Nice thoughts and a unique cultural display.

Japan's donut scene is currently defined by two - the legendary, long-standing dominance of Mister Donut and the massive viral explosion of "nama" (fresh/raw) brioche donuts led by the popular chain I'm Donut? which I understand has a perpetual Q at its outlets. Founded by chef Ryouta Hirako in 2022, when I first heard of I’m Donut ? I thought what a strange name with that ?. Is it doubting its donuts? According to its website, the ? represents the brand’s philosophy of constantly questioning and creatively expanding the rigid, traditional boundaries of baked goods. It is also because it expects its customers to ask if they are really eating donuts when they bite into their light and airy version. Interesting. I am not a donut person so I did not include a visit in my last trip to Tokyo in 2024. This trip, however, I managed to drop by not once but twice. First at its Fukuoka outlet which happens to be near to Toyoko Inn Tenjin and again at its Harajuku outlet. Both outlets are small and mainly do take away. The Fukuoka outlet just opened when I dropped by and there was already a Q waiting outside. Once inside, customers would just walk along the rows of donuts and make their choice. There were all sorts of glazed donuts – matcha, nama, white chocolate, lemon, Manhattan etc.

I picked up 2 donuts – pistachio cream @ ¥440 ($ 3.50) and nama chocolate @ ¥260 ($2.07). Best to have them when they are fresh. I like both; if I only can have one, definitely will pick the pistachio.

These donuts are not like the traditional donuts as they are airy and pillowy and less dense. Understand that this is due to the brioche dough heavily enriched with butter and extra egg yolks and this massive amount of fat is exactly what gives it that ultra-soft, tender crumb. By adding steamed Japanese pumpkin mash into the brioche dough, the vegetable moisture naturally breaks down the gluten strands which prevents the donut from developing that bready, elastic chew of traditional donuts. Rich and indulgent 😊.

Fukuoka outlet
1F Tokan Fukuoka Daiichi Building, 5-24-30 Watanabedori, Chuo Ward, Fukuoka, 810-0004, Japan

I guess I like these nama doughnuts enough to have them again when I chanced upon the outlet in Harajuku. It was early evening but there was still a Q which fortunately moved quite fast and we were given an order chit while in Q. I ordered 3 donuts this time – matcha @¥260 ($2.15), matcha with red bean @¥450 ($3.60) and the special peach and salted caramel @¥480 ($3.83). Eat it within minutes. It does not stay at its best for long as after a few hours, it tends to “collapse”.

Law of diminishing marginal utility? The donuts are still good but somehow, they feel less special compared to my 1^st bite.

Harajuku Outlet
TW Building layout at 1-14-24 Jingumae

Konbinis are everywhere in most big cities in Japan with the big three being Lawson, Family Mart and 7 -Eleven accounting for around 90% of the market share. In recent years, I had seen and read many raves about these konbini and the many “treasures” people can unearth from these places whether top breakfast foods at 7-Elevens, or how you can have three full meals a day eating only at FamilyMart or Lawson. And not forgetting those varied snacks only found in Japan. Think of that 7 Eleven in your shopping mall back home; do you ever see them in the same light? Not me. In fact, I shy away from such places who normally offer overpriced goods ☹. How then did konbini became so ubiquitous and central to life in modern Japan? I dunno but I did remember watching a you tube on how 7 -Eleven which originated in the US was brought over to Japan and the concept of a modern convenience store that offers most stuff needed to fulfill Japanese daily needs was born. Convenience is the key; these shops lined all the way to wherever you may choose to go – be it home, office or the station. The Big 3 can be found in every nook and corner. As I walked from the subway station to Toyoko Inn in Ikebukuro, for example, a mere 6 minutes’ walk, I passed by all 3 with more on the opposite side of the road. I always grab bottles of water or an occasional carton of milk back to the hotel from one of the Big 3. Or an onigiri, a salad or a sandwich. I am probably very late into the game as I recently fell in love with the sandwich from Family Mart. Crustless white fluffy shokupan (milk bread) with my favorite fillings – so soft that you feel you are eating cotton. I had them for 3 nights:

Mixed sandwich – tuna, egg mayo and ham with cheese and lettuce @¥321 ($2.55) from Family Mart in Fukouka.

Egg mayo sandwich, cole slaw and grilled meat on skewer for dinner. The egg mayo is one iof its kind; so comforting.

Again mixed sandwich – tuna, egg mayo and ham with cheese and lettuce @¥321 ($2.55) and cole slaw @¥258 ($2.04) from Family Mart in Ikebukuro for dinner.

These sandwiches are always available, tasty and the perfect thing to eat when you're in a hurry or when you are too tired to look around for food or need a bite just before going to bed. Okay, I know they are not the healthiest choice due to the high refined carbs and sodium but it makes me happy to bite into them. No wonder Anthony Bourdain called them “pillows of love”.

PS: As I was browsing the rows of snacks, I noted these monochrome packaging of Calbee’s products, a change to combat the hike in packaging costs due the Middle east war. They sure do stand out in a sea of colors. See that 石油原料節約 printed on the packaging.

@Random; Lunch@Sun With Moon, Conspicuous Waiting, 034 Avocado from Vietnam and F Forever

2026-08-10T19:29:00.000+08:00

The incident did have a certain impact on me; what happens if it recur? But I can’t stay home all the time for something that may or may not happen. So I still venture out though for shorter periods whether for lunch or buy groceries. And I was glad I still manage to go watch the imax version of the Odyssey (bought the ticket before the incident) though I was hesitant initially. Fortunately, I sat through the 3 hours without much issue and managed to reach home safely.

I had since moved back to regular food though I still avoid "hard" food that requires a lot of chewing. I had lunch at Sun With Moon over the weekend. Yes, I am beginning to miss Japanese food again despite being back only 2 weeks ago. The restaurant was celebrating its 21^st anniversary and there was a special Tokai Edition menu. Wanting to try something different and “good” food to perk my energy level up, I chose the Tokai Deluxe gozen set @$48.80++. It has Shizuoka oden, mini Gifu tanmen, gindara aka-miso, shirasu chawanmushi, ebi tempura and sakura ebi fritter, assorted sashimi, unagi hitsumabushi roll sushi and ice cream.

Looking at what I was served, I realises that some other sets in the menu offer much better value. The gindara was too a small portion; the ebi tempura was really small and I didn’t like the fritter and they were too hard for my still recovering lips though I did try to cut it into smaller pieces for easy push into my mouth. The assorted sashimi was 2 pieces each of salmon, tuna and scallop; only the salmon was okay, the tuna was bland and the scallops miserably small.

Made me missed the food I had in Japan more. The tanmen, described as “Gifu's signature comfort food featuring a rich, garlic-seasoned chicken broth with spicy miso, packed with flavorful wok-tossed vegetables and pork belly slices over ramen noodles” was decent as this is the first time I am having this kind of noodles. I don’t mind if it is not spicy. I am a fan of unagi hitsumabushi; this version has the unagi rolled into the rice infused with sweet savoury unagi sauce.

I do find 2 pieces of unagi in each of the 4 rolls but I find the seaweed a little too difficult to bite through. Had never managed to try oden in Japan and I was curious about this version. A piece of fish cake (I don’t like it as I am not sure how much fish is in it), half a hard boiled egg and a piece of radish – disappointed. The shirasu chawanmushi had gone cold after I finished the other items; I guess I prefer the normal chawanmushi.

I told myself to stick to the regular menu the next time.

While having lunch, I took the chance to also keep up with the latest. An article on “conspicuous waiting” caught my attention. Not “conspicuous consumption” but “conspicuous waiting”; the former refers to buying expensive and exclusive things to signal status whereas the latter refers to the behaviour of Gen Z in urban areas proudly post and display their long wait times for trendy goods—like limited-edition treats or event tickets—turning time spent in a physical queue into a status symbol. Apparently, in a hyper-hustle culture, free time is the ultimate luxury. Standing in a line for three hours to buy a cookie signals to the world that you are not chained to a desk. You possess the luxury of disposable time to spend on a whim. Having money is no longer enough to be considered "cool." Conspicuous waiting shifts the social flex to knowledge and effort. You have to know exactly which spot is trending today, and you have to be willing to wake up at 4:00 am to queue for it. It signals that you are an insider in the cultural loop. The goal isn't just to quickly grab a slice of cake or a Molly tea drink; it is to hang out, see-and-be-seen, and post the massive crowd on TikTok to signal that you are precisely where the culture is happening.

Oops. Is that why waiting in line seems a hobby of many these days? Not just for that iphone new launch or Audemars Piguet x Swatch "Royal Pop" Collection but almost anything new restaurant/cafe in town or a spot at any 网红点 just to get a photo at that exact same spot as seen online? The value isn’t in being a unique artist; the value is in proving you belong to a specific, high-status group. Replicating the photo is the ultimate trophy of completing that challenge. Buying a luxury car or a high-end designer bag is financially impossible for most young people. But buying a $6 viral pastry after a 2-hour wait is accessible. They trade time—which they have—for the same dopamine hit and social clout as a luxury purchase. To me, this act originates more from FOMO, the fear of missing out from being the 1^st to be there. Gemini argued that it is the modern, digital version of classic human behavior. In the 1920s, wealthy people stood on the decks of massive cruise liners to be seen. In the 2020s, Gen Z stands on a concrete sidewalk outside a new pop-up shop. The tool has changed, but the desire to publicly say "I am here, and I matter" remains exactly the same. This appears to be a global trend - I saw this in Tokyo just 2 weeks ago.

Ok. Perhaps I am just outdated.

Found these avocadoes from Vietnam recently at the market.

They looked like cucumbers with a long, curved, pear-like shape and has a really small seed when I sliced them open. Green skin (which remains even when ripe) and waxy reminding me of the Shepard from Australia; even the yellow flesh is smooth with a firm yet creamy texture like the Shepard. Minimal fiber. I understand that they are called 034 Avocado and mainly grow in the Central Highlands provinces like Lam Dong and Dak Lak in Vietnam, peaking during the summer months. Because it is a "wax avocado" (Bơ Sáp), it has a higher concentration of natural oils and lower water content than typical tropical avocados, making it an excellent source of dietary nutrients.

When ripe, I can cut them into cubes without much problem and have them with toast or with my salad.

A bit of history on its origin from several online articles.

In 1991, a farmer named Nguyễn Văn Dậu bought a coffee farm plot in Lâm Đồng, Vietnam. Hidden in the corner of the plot was a wild, forgotten avocado tree that had grown naturally from a discarded seed. By 1993, the tree began fruiting. He noticed it produced bizarre, cucumber-shaped avocados unlike anything anyone in the region had ever seen. The family realized the fruit wasn't just weird-looking—it was exceptionally creamy, had almost no fiber, and possessed a tiny seed. He entered the fruit into a high-yield, high-quality local avocado competition where it was officially cataloged as Entry #034. The fruit won second prize in the province. Instead of giving it a complicated botanical name, farmers and agricultural scientists simply kept calling it "034" to track its origin back to that exact award-winning entry.

I wonder how the seed got there in the 1^st place in 1991 😊.

M shared the following videos of F Forever concert in KL which she attended. Jerry and Vic are still good looking though their singing is not something to boast of. But I supposed no one care about their singing; the familiar songs and tune and their presence is all that matters.

Made me wish I had bought tickets for their SG concert but it is too late now as third party sites are offering tickets for at least $900 or more ☹.

Fukuoka and Tokyo in the Summer of 2026: @Random in Fukuoka

2026-08-08T00:04:00.000+08:00

While shopping at Daimaru, came across this arcade known as Elgala Passage Square with all weather glass canopy. This statue caught my eye.

A notable bronze sculpture known as “Little Girl III” by British modernist artist Lynn Chadwick (1914–2003); world-renowned for his unique post-WWII expressionist sculptures. His primary signature was using geometric shapes as gender codes to represent the human form without traditional facial features like the Triangles / Pyramids seen in this sculpture. Noted that Little Girl has no hands. Rather than carving realistic human features, Chadwick deliberately stripped away details like eyes, mouth, and hands as he believed that details like fingers and facial expressions distract the viewer from the raw shape of the sculpture. By omitting the hands, people will be forced to focus entirely on the sharp angles of the dress, the posture, and the structural silhouette of the figure. Leaving out the hands gives the figure a sleek, streamlined, and slightly robotic appearance that matches the industrial materials the sculptor worked with.

From Little Girl III, another art installation caught my eye as I walked around Tenjin Underground Mall which leads you to several malls. Right at the escalator entrance connecting the Tenjin Underground Mall to the basement entrance of the Fukuoka PARCO Department Store is this installation known as

"Tenjin Kappa no Izumi" (天神かっぱの泉 / Fountain of the Kappa).

The bronze figures scaling the white stepped waterfall are Kappa河童, mythical water-dwelling creatures from traditional Japanese folklore. This particular display represents a playful family of kappa splashing around in the water. If you look carefully at the head of the kappa, you will see a smooth, shallow indentation or water dish sitting on the very top of its head. According to legend, this dish must always remain filled with water whenever the kappa steps onto dry land. If the water spills out or dries up, the kappa instantly loses its magical powers and becomes completely paralyzed.

Another fun fact I noted is that Kappa are completely obsessed with cucumbers. This is the historical reason why standard seaweed sushi rolls filled with cucumber are universally called "Kappa Maki". Interesting.

The large egg-shaped structure suspended above the waterfall is a modern addition from the fountain's major renewal project. It symbolizes incubation and the birth of new culture emerging from the PARCO mall. If I am around at the right time, I will be able to see images of the deep sea, Japan’s 4 seasons or the universe and outer space being projected onto the egg.

Both Little Girl III and the Kappa installation pieces are products of Fukuoka's aggressive urban design choices in the late 20th century - the post-WWII "Museum Without Walls" where Japanese municipalities and major developers adopted a philosophy that high art should be accessible to everyday working citizens. These 2 pieces represent western avant-garde masterwork and traditional Japanese cultural icon being placed directly into walkways, train stations, and shopping centers ensuring that as cities modernize rapidly, they do not lose their distinct local identity.

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While I am aware of MUJI Café, I didn’t know MUJI offers ice cream too. In MUJI Daimaru Fukuoka Tenjin, I came across a MUJI café that offers ice cream and drinks. I ordered a melon soda at ¥390 and a chocolate nut ice cream at ¥290 and sat at the café’s wooden chair and table to enjoy the air conditioning as well as the ice cream.

Nothing special but it is a good respite from the hot weather. The ice cream counter here is part of a deliberate "Community Space" concept launched by MUJI. Rather than just being a retail store, MUJI designed this specific location to be a social hub where shoppers, families, and locals can gather, slow down, and connect. By creating a cozy in-store café format that pairs fresh-ground coffee with unique ice creams, they offer a welcoming, low-cost pitstop () right in the busy center of Tenjin. I noted people were just sitting around enjoying their drinks. The place also has a water cooler where you can fill up your own tumbler 😊.

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I walked into Book-Off Super Bazaar on my way to GU in Mina Tenjin. I only knew Book-Off as a place that offers 2^nd hand books and CDs/records but this is Super bazaar so it offers clothes, shoes, bags as well as anime figures, trading cards (Pokemon, Yu-Gi-Oh), manga, and hobby collectibles. Looking around, noted that everything was nicely packed – books on shelves and clothes properly hang on racks.

I wasn’t really keen on getting anything as I skimmed through the racks of clothes. Japanese culture emphasizes a high level of respect and preservation for personal belongings. That explains why clothes are properly placed rather than piled up in a mess.

Yes, thrifting is an absolute phenomenon in Japan.

Many of the vlog videos I saw on Japan mentioned visiting Japanese arcades as a must-visit cultural experience. While I do watch Japanese anime, I am only an occasional fan so these arcades do not interest me that much though I see them everywhere in Tokyo. In Mina Tenjin, there is a whole floor dedicated to this activity – GiGO arcade. There were schoolgirls, children and adults crowding around machines. I see claw machines but different from the ones shown in Korean dramas which are always full with toys, dolls and plushies but those in Japan also include anime figures, snacks, and gadgets.

I understand that the claw machines in Japan are also known as "UFO Catcher"; though it is a trademarked brand name owned by SEGA, dating back to 1985, it has become a generic name in Japan's everyday vocabulary for claw machines.

There are also Sweet Land 5 Arcade Machine with bright cabinet and a large clear dome to clearly display all prizes in an unintrusive way.

I understand they dispense candies and you may hit a jackpot with massive, premium prizes—such as giant novelty-sized boxes of Chupa Chups, luxury chocolate gift packs, or boxed character merchandise. They appeal to parents who frequently use these machines to entertain their young kids; a thrilling "arcade experience" of controlling a mechanical crane and winning a prize by themselves, without the high skill barrier of advanced UFO catchers.

Arcades may seem like the places of yesteryear in many countries, but they are still a very popular and lively scene in Japan.

After visiting Kushida Shrine, I stopped by Canal City Hakata since it was in the vicinity. Completed in 1996, this monstrous looking complex is designed by American architect Jon Jerde who also designed Roponggi Hills in Tokyo. With bold architectural design, rounded and clashing shapes, bright colours and labyrinthine structure, I read that upon completion, it completely revitalized the surrounding historic neighbourhoods and reversed years of local economic decline. To me, it looks like an ugly spaceship and a rather complicated one with 5 different zones - Sea Court, Earth Walk, Sun Plaza, Moon Walk and Star court.

An artificial canal runs through the entire complex hence its name Canal City; reminding me of the Shoppes at Marina. Upon further research, I found out that when the developers of Marina Bay Sands wanted to design the Shoppes, they deliberately hired the Jerde firm to replicate the exact same "water-themed experiential retail" blueprint they pioneered in Canal City Hakata and added the traditional Chinese wooden Sampan boat rides, allowing visitors to float down the retail rows—a direct evolution of the "shoppers as performers" theater concept pioneered in Fukuoka. Interesting.

Back to Canal City Hakata. I was told to look out for the “Dancing Water” show which I did.

Other than the fountain show, I didn’t find the mall that interesting.

Rest In Peace

2026-08-07T16:15:00.000+08:00

Death is a harsh reminder of the fragility and inevitability of life, and it will continually make its presence known. While death is happening around us everyday, it is normally the death of a minority that attracts our attention or affects us. Those close to us, those that we know on a personal level or celebrities whose music or movies may have helped us survive breakups, loneliness, or difficult youth. In the recent 2 months, a number of well-known HK film personalities had passed on; people whose movies and songs had either accompanied many throughout the growing up years or provided entertainment and added joy someway or other in life.

On June 3, Chung King-fai (鍾景輝) passed on at the age of 89.

Affectionately known as "King Sir," he was universally revered as the godfather of modern Hong Kong theatre and television. He was an actor, director, and the founding Dean of the School of Drama at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA) and mentored generations of superstars. He established TVB Artiste Training Class in 1971 which launched the global careers of cultural icons like Chow Yun-fat. I don’t know much about his earlier years but I remember watching him hosting the documentary “Stories from Afar" (尋找他鄉的故事). His deep, soothing, and slow-paced cadence beautifully captured the melancholy and resilience of leaving one's homeland:

喺好耐以前，有啲人認為，頭上有片瓦、腳下有塊土地，係唔夠嘅。所以，佢哋不惜離鄉別井，漂泊半生……走到偏遠嘅世界角落.

I also remember him for his roles in TVB dramas - 甜孫爺爺, 牛下女高音. I didn’t get the chance to watch him play Professor Morrie in the play Tuesdays with Morrie but he will always be remembered as a legendary teacher who spent his life molding generations of Hong Kong actors/actress.

On June 12, Barbara Chan Man-yee (陳敏兒) passed on at the age of 65.

I remembered her as a leading 1980s TVB actress with my favourite being 獵鷹, 当代男儿 and 男兒本色. I also remember her as the wife of Liu Kai Chi (who passed away in 2021 after battling with stomach cancer) and how they raised their children through personal hardships dealing with their young child’s battle with leukemia and their own illness andmental health battles.

Shi Nan-sun (施南生), a well-known Hong Kong film producer and distributor passed away on July 13, 2026, at age 75 due to organ failure.

Alongside director Tsui Hark, she masterminded the production of world-famous classics like A Chinese Ghost Story, Once Upon a Time in China, and Infernal Affairs. Because she worked in the background as a producer, I am less aware of her when compared to the faces I see on screen but I have seen many of the movies she produced.

3 days later, Patrick Tse Yin (謝賢), the cinematic icon affectionately known as 四哥passed away on July 16, 2026, at the age of 89.

A major pillar of Hong Kong’s golden era of Cantonese cinema and father to actor Nicholas Tse, his passing marked the fading of an iconic generation of post-war screen stars. He was the definition of screen charisma from the 1950s all the way into the 2020s. He famously never broke character in public, always sporting his trademark slicked-back ponytail and stylish sunglasses. And may I add charming his way to many a lady’s heart. Though I have seen only a couple of his early Cantonese works, I had seen his all his TBV dramas like 千王之王 and 萬水千山總是情 and his later movies like Shaolin Soccer (少林足球) and Time (殺出個黃昏). He was one of those actors who was constantly in the limelight – years ago, every year, he and his family would appeared on the front page of Ming Pao; his love relationships and those of his children always kept people interested and at the age of 85, he was awarded Best Actor at the HK Film awards for his role in Time. Some people are born to be in the limelight and Patrick Tse is definitely one of them.

Just 2 days ago, Lai Pei-tak (黎彼得), another actor and veteran Cantopop lyricist died on August 5, 2026, at the age of 76.

Looking at him, one may not recognise this uncle as an actor but those who had been listening to the 1980s Cantonese songs would definitely know these verses well:

難分真與假
人面多險詐
幾許有共享榮華
檐畔水滴不分差

命裏有時終須有
命裏無時莫強求

我哋呢班打工仔
通街走糴直頭係壞腸胃
揾嗰些少到月底點夠洗? (奀過鬼)
確係認真濕滯

六嬸三太公，大眾開檯喇面似蓮蓉又放工打餐懵，圍埋砌幾圈，論呀論英雄誰是大英雄（大英雄！）落手〔上！〕，三隻東〔碰！〕度到啱，三叫二五六筒截正糊，真陰功，騰騰震，似隻骰仔路中通

學生哥好溫功課咪淨係掛住踢波
最弊肥佬左無陰功囉同學亦愛莫能助
學生哥好咪書囉咪日夜掛住拍拖
顧住十幾科科科喎面懵懵一肚火
螞蟻亦要搵野食唔做事確係無益
少壯就要多努力來日望自食其力

Or Leslie Chung’s Monica, Anita Mui’s 將冰山劈開 or Alan Tam’s 愛人·女神 or that song we hear each year during CNY, 財神到.

Songs that ruled the airwaves once, songs that represent the sentiments of many, songs that accompanied many through their growing years. And now that person who penned these songs that captured the gritty, witty, and authentic heart of the working class has passed on. Such is life.

We know celebrities or leaders from TV or news. Their deaths feel like we lost someone we know. Celebrities often seem frozen in time, wealthy, and protected from normal human problems. Their death proves that money, fame, and beauty cannot stop time or aging. If someone like that can die, it reminds us that we and our loved ones will too.

May those that passed on rest in peace.

Though their curtains have fallen, their voices, melodies, and stories remain.

To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die ~ Thomas Campbell

Do you not know that a man is not dead while his name is still spoken ~ Terry Pratchett

Fukuoka and Tokyo in the Summer of 2026: Hakata Station

2026-08-04T23:57:00.000+08:00

After my mosutnabe dinner at the Hakata Station, I walked up to the rooftop of AMU Plaza that features an open air park called Tsubame no Mori Hiroba. It was past sunset so it was kinda of dark up there. Standing 60 metres above the ground, it offers panoramic 360-degree views of Fukuoka City. But not exactly a very good view. Instead, what caught my attention were the number of tori gates leading to a small shrine, the Railway Shrine. It was rather dark so my photos of the shrine did not turn out well.

Between the third gate and the altar is a circular clearing with a bronze sculpture featuring 7 children called the Enmusubi Shichifuku Doji, or the “Seven Children of Good Relations and Good Fortune.”

Why 7? They represent Kyushu’s seven prefectures (Fukuoka, Saga, Nagasaki, Oita, Kumamoto, Miyazaki and Kagoshima); arranged along the rope in a specific order that mirrors how the Kyushu Shinkansen (bullet train) line and main rail lines connect the island from north to south. Even in the dark, I can see that the 7 children are all bald as they are sculpted as doji (童子), a child-spirit who serves the gods or Buddhas. This is the work of Satoshi Yabuuchi who is famous throughout Japan for creating bald, chubby-cheeked, mischievous child characters. He believes that hair hides the raw expressions of a character. By keeping the sculptures completely bald, you can easily see the joyful, determined, and playful emotions on each of the seven faces as they work together to pull the train rope.

There was quite a crowd up there that night enjoying the wind and perhaps the view. Somehow, I felt that the view was restricted and I was not really impressed.

Anyone visiting Fukuoka will definitely need to go to Hakata Station – it is much more than just a place to catch a train; it is a massive, bustling vertical city where transport, shopping, gourmet dining, and culture seamlessly blend together. From here, you can get on the Sanyo Shinkansen to Osaka and Tokyo or the Kyushu Shinkansen to Kumamoto and Kagoshima. The airport is just a 5 minutes ride away on the airport line. It is also a vertical shopping paradise - AMU Plaza & AMU Est:, Hakata Hankyu) and KITTE Hakata. A place where you can find many restaurants.

At the basement level of Hakata Station, there is a popular shop with a perpetual Q called il FORNO del MIGNON. This is one shop that appears in many Fukuoka vlog where you can buy miniature, bite-sized croissants in various flavors, the core flavors being plain, chocolate and sweet potato. You pay by weight in cash. Curious, I joined the long Q which fortunately moved fast. Most people walked away with bags of the mini croissants but since I was only trying out the flavor, I bought only 1 plain (¥56), 2 sweet potato (¥203) and 2 chocolate (¥151) for a total of ¥410 ($3.50).

They were still hot as the croissants were baked fresh. The chocolate ones have bits of chocolate and the sweet potato bits of sweet potato but they were glazed with a sweet syrup-based to give it a slightly caramelized sticky sweetness which I did not fancy. They lean closer to a sweet bread roll shaped like a croissant than an actual flaky pastry. I supposed cheap and fresh comfort food to many; hence its popularity even though I don’t find them that good. They do remind me of Mini One in Orchard Ion that offers the same mini croissants though at a considerably higher price and not even as good as the ones from il FORNO del MIGNON.

I was curious about the name il FORNO del MIGNON. French? Italian? Seems it is a unique, grammatically messy hybrid of Italian and French, created by a Japanese company.

Il forno means "the oven" or "the bakery," in Italian and del means "of the. "Mignon” is a French word that means "cute," "dainty," or "small and delicate". Put them together, it means the “bakery of the mini”, a classic example of what is known in Japan as Franglais or "decorative foreign branding." Think Comme des Garçons which is purely French and translates to "Like some boys” 😊.

Hakata Station, more than just a train station.

Fukuoka and Tokyo in the Summer of 2026: Daimyo and Kushida Shrine @Fukuoka

2026-08-03T23:11:00.000+08:00

While researching on Fukuoka, Daimyo came out as Fukuoka's coolest, most creative, and trendiest youth district and often compared to Tokyo’s Harajuku or Shimokitazawa. Think vintage fashion, independent street culture, craft coffee, and vibrant nightlife. From the polished shopping malls in Tenjin, it morphs into a labyrinth of narrow, winding alleyways that date back to its history as an Edo-period samurai castle town. Some articles even called it, arguably, the fashion capital of Kyushu. This description caught my interest and it was one of the places that I went to. It was a hot afternoon as I made my way to that neighbourhood after lunch at Kurodahan. Yes, there were narrow winding alleys, some vintage shops better curated and nicely presented (ie no messy piles of clothes), some cafes, an interesting bookshop piled with books (hmm what else was I expecting), international brands like Supreme, Paul Smith and well known 2^nd hand names like Ragtag and 2^nd Street.

Perhaps it was the hot weather. Perhaps it was a weekday. Perhaps the timing was wrong. Perhaps it was just me but I found Daimyo very quiet and rather boring. I am glad it is not full of tourists or giggling schoolgirls but the vibe is certainly not what I expected. I went to most of the shops that were opened that afternoon, went through the racks of clothes at 2^nd street and Ragtag (found nothing I like), had gyukatsu and stopped by Daimyo Softcream for its famous soft serve. Called the “Ferrari” of soft serve, the shop utilizes elite Italian Carpigiani machines, widely considered the absolute best in the world, to whip the ice cream. The matcha soft serve at 700 yen that I had did had that dense, velvety texture that feels almost like marshmallow. It came in a black charcoal cone. A good way to beat the heat.

Walking around, I noted that most buildings are raw, unpainted concrete buildings with exposed steel beams and corrugated iron panels. You will not miss those overhead electric wires similar to what we see in many streets of Japan. It is also not surprising to see stores on the 2nd or 3rd floors.

I did not spend a lot of time in Daimyo; perhaps I did not identify all the interesting parts but this is not a must go place unless you have plenty of time to spare or you happen to be in the vicinity.

Kushida Shrine is definitely one place that is included in many Fukuoka itinerary. It is the most important Shinto shrine in Fukuoka, serving as the dedicated guardian temple for the city's historic Hakata district. Founded in 757 CE, this highly revered urban sanctuary anchors Fukuoka's rich cultural heritage and acts as the grand stage for its most famous annual festival, the Hakata Gion Yamakasa. Initially, I wanted to exclude this shrine but since it was near to where I stayed, I decided to pay a visit before my lunch appointment at Toriden. The shrine has 3 entrances and I chose to walk via the Kawabata Shotengai entrance.

The 1^st thing that caught my eyes is that stone water pavilion, Chozuya (or Temizuya), which is something you ill see in every Shinto shrine. In Shinto belief, everyday life accumulates spiritual dirt, negativity, and bad luck Washing your hands cleanses your physical body, while rinsing your mouth symbolically purifies your mind and speech so you can approach the gods in a clean state. This is a simplified version of misogi—an ancient ritual where people would submerge their entire bodies in a sacred river or the ocean to purify themselves before prayer. I did the same as what others did.

Walking into the courtyard, I saw the Kazari-yamakasa floats of the Hakata Gion Yamakasa which I understand would be on permanent display throughout the year.

This is the front side (omote) of the float which depicts a dramatic historical samurai or mythological battle scene. It features a warrior on a charging white horse navigating crashing blue waves and steep mountain terrain. It represents courage, strength, and victory over adversity.

This is the back of the float called Sendasutte which traditionally depicts softer legendary folklore, dynamic nature motifs, or popular folktales.

This year's float has this massive, brilliantly colored blue koi carp (nishikigoi) swimming vertically up a waterfall. In East Asian folklore, a koi that successfully swims upstream and leaps over a legendary waterfall (the Dragon Gate) transforms into a powerful, celestial dragon. Joining the koi in its conquest is a young, strong child, Kintaro (Golden Boy), a legendary Japanese folk hero known for his superhuman strength, as both move in tandem to overcome all odds. This side represents perseverance, overcoming great obstacles, and ultimate success. It is a powerful visual prayer for children to grow up strong, healthy, and capable of conquering any challenges in life.

What is the annual Hakata Gion Yamakasa festival? It is fundamentally a dedicatory Shinto ritual belonging exclusively to Kushida Shrine. The festival's entire origin is rooted in the shrine’s purpose of offering community protection. In 1241, Hakata was devastated by a terrible plague. A Buddhist monk named Shoichi Kokushi was carried through the streets on a wooden platform, throwing sacred water to cleanse the epidemic away. This ritual purification merged with the Shinto traditions of Kushida Shrine, birthing the festival. Interesting that this decades old festival is still being observed today.

As I walked on, I noted this wooden sign and since I don’t read Japanese, the only words I recognized were 夫婦銀杏 which translates directly to "The Couple Ginkgo".

Using google translate, I translated the sign:

Couple Ginkgo (Meoto Ginan)

“In Hakata, the characters for ginkgo (銀杏) are traditionally pronounced and read as "ginan".

This particular Couple Ginkgo consists of two massive trees rooted together at the front. The female tree bears a bountiful harvest of bright, golden-colored ginkgo nuts every autumn. Because it bears fruit so abundantly to sustain future generations, it is widely revered as a sacred spirit tree (Reijoku) for marital harmony, fertility, and matchmaking. It receives deep devotion and many prayer wishes from both local shrine parishioners and visiting worshippers alike.”

Ok. The "couple tree" is next to the sign. This natural phenomenon sparked a local legend where singles go pray for help to find a faithful, lifelong romantic partner and married couples pray for a harmonious, long-lasting marriage; as the tree bears so many nuts, couples visit to touch the bark to pray for fertility, safe childbirth, and healthy children.

I am now at the main entrance gate (Seimon).

Looking up I saw this Zodiac Ceiling Compass (Eto Ehoban).

I always thought that zodiac animals is a Chinese belief but according to Gemini, Japan adopted it centuries ago and integrated it deeply into its own Shinto culture with some changes like replacing the pig with wild boar (Inoshishi / 猪) and the ram/goat with the fluffy sheep (Hitsuji). The gold arrow in the center points toward the Ehō—the single luckiest direction of the year according to traditional Japanese geomancy (Onmyodo). Every single year on December 31st, the shrine priests manually turn the arrow to face the upcoming year's lucky direction 😊. Looking at the zodiac signs, I wonder if Japanese believe in “fan tai sui”. According to Wiki, yes and it is called Yakudoshi (厄年 - "Unlucky Years"). While Chinese “fan tai sui” system focuses on how your specific zodiac animal clashes with the ruling star of the current year, the Japanese Yakudoshi system calculates your unlucky years based entirely on your age and gender. The ages most often considered unlucky in Japan are 25, 42, and 61 for men, and 19, 33, 37 and 61 for women, though there is much regional variation. Hmm…would I rather adopt the Japanese version rather than the Chinese version where I could encountered many more years of "fan tai sui" throughout my life?

From the zodiac sign, I moved further into the main grounds and noted a row of tori gates. I always thought tori gates were outside the main entrance and painted red. But here I see rows of stone tori as well as a red wooden tori tunnel. This is the Shimenkake Inari Shrine (注連懸稲荷神社) that features both a red wooden torii tunnel and a parallel stone torii tunnel right next to each other.

These red or vermillion gates date back over a century to 1890 (明治廿三年 - Meiji 23rd Year) but I understand that a standard red wooden gate only lasts about 15 to 20 years before it becomes structurally unsafe and when a gate rots, the shrine removes it, and a new merchant sponsor pays to erect a brand-new one in its place. In Shinto belief, vermilion represents the power of the sun and life, acting as a powerful spiritual shield to ward off evil spirits, bad luck, and diseases. Local business owners and merchants donate them as tokens of gratitude for their financial success.

As for the stone tori, the inscriptions on the stone gates show various years from the late Meiji Era - 明治四十四年 (Meiji 44th Year / 1911) and 明治廿三年 (Meiji 23rd Year / 1890) which means these gates could be as old as 136 years. The core philosophy of Shinto centers on the worship of nature. Leaving these gates in their raw, unaltered state (unpainted wood or unpolished stone) is considered the highest form of spiritual purity. The rough grey texture allows the gate to blend seamlessly into the trees, dirt, and moss of the courtyard.

Walking through the tori gates would lead you to the main hall. A little statute caught my attention as I wonder why Belgium's famous Manneken Pis is doing in a shrine?

Turned out that this is the "Hakata Yamakaki Kozo" (博多やまかき小僧 - Hakata Float-Running Boy) designed by Fukuoka graphic artist Isao Nishijima to humorously celebrate the local festival culture. There are 3 of these in the city.

Looking at the boy closely, you can see that his hair is styled with a "ring" of material wrapping completely around his hairline as if it is a traditional cotton hand-towel that has been rolled and twisted tightly into a rope. This represents what festival runners wear to keep heavy sweat out of their eyes while they sprint through the summer heat. Not only that. The boy is wearing a shortened cotton festival vest as well as a traditional white loincloth (see the little “tail” at the back) worn by the men who sprint with the one-ton floats through the streets. But why is the boy pissing? At its basic level, the statue is a functional water fountain meant to keep the shrine's koi fish pond clean and oxygenated. The artist chose a whimsical "peeing boy" style (Manneken Pis) as the act of spraying water is the most important visual element of the Hakata Gion Yamakasa summer festival. While the float runners run in the scorching heat, observers stand on the sidewalks with buckets of water, continuously drenching and splashing the runners with water to cool them down and purify their path. Should I be surprised that every detail is properly thought out? Of course not since Japanese are well known for their thoroughness 😊.

In the koi pond, I saw golden koi swimming around.

In Shinto, natural moving water is the ultimate symbol of purity, life, and renewal; the open koi pond continuously absorbs and filters out negative energy from the grounds, keeping the sanctuary spiritually clean and vibrant. As Kushida Shrine houses the Shimenkake Inari Shrine (the god of business luck and commercial wealth), the golden koi act as a living extension of that prayer for wealth and business prosperity. It is believed that watching a golden koi swimming toward you is traditionally seen as a sign that financial luck, successful business deals, and general good fortune are coming your way. I wish that is true as I watched the golden koi swimming towards me 😊.

This is the Shimmon (神門 - Deity Gate), which is the inner ceremonial gate leading directly into the most sacred prayer section of the courtyard.

Not far from the main shrine ate various shops selling amulets, lucky charms etc. Also present is a machine that sells omikuji. I joined a group of youngsters to get a copy. You can choose the language – English, Japanese, Korean, Chinese and each slip cost 100 yen. I got a number 1 Very lucky omikuji and I hope this good fortune follows me through the year. Your luck is fantastic right now (No. 1 / Great Blessing), but don't let your guard down is how I should view this omikuji.

For those whose omikuji is less fortunate (Kyo (凶 - Bad Luck) or Daikyo (大凶 - Great Bad Luck), they are usually tied on the musubidokoro (结び所) on the wall of metal wires that symbolically leaves the bad fortune behind so it cannot follow you into your everyday life.

These slips are tied in a knot to physically "binds" and anchors the negative energy directly to the shrine grounds. You are handing the problem over to the resident gods (kami) and shrine priests. Once tied to the rack, the fortune is under their protection, and they will eventually burn the papers in a sacred ritual fire called Otakiage to completely dissolve the bad luck into smoke.

In Japan, Shinto shrines receive zero government funding and rely entirely on private donations from corporations, local neighborhoods and regular citizens for its daily operations. This is due to a strict constitutional separation of church and state implemented in Japan after World War II, meaning shrines like Kushida must run completely like independent, non-profit community organizations. The tori gate donations are the bigger ones; the smaller annual contributions from local shopkeepers, restaurants, or individuals are listed on structures called Hōnō-gaki (奉納額 / Hōnō-bando), which are monumental wooden financial donation boards.

Compared to Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine, Kushida Shrine is structurally very small and compact. It does not take long to walk around the grounds. Yes, it is small but it turned out to be an interesting visit offering many stories, like a beautifully curated, open-air storybook where the secular world of business, festivals, and comedy collides directly with ancient Shinto mysticism.

The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page – Saint Augustine

One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things – Henry Miller

Fukuoka and Tokyo in the Summer of 2026: The Accomodation - Toyoko Inn and You Style Hotel Hakata

2026-08-02T23:09:00.000+08:00

Toyoko Inn is one of those business hotels in Japan that I am familiar with though I recently also had good experience with Smile Hotel, another business hotel in Tokyo. Toyoko’s rates are reasonable and the overall environment and cleanliness good; though most of the facilities may not be directly next to a subway, there is always one within walking distance. Toyoko Inn Tenjin is probably a 5 mins walk away from Exit 12C of the Airport Line but walking from the subway gantry to Exit 12C may take another 10 mins but because you are walking in the Tenij underground mall surrounded by many shops, it is a pleasant walk. The hotel is in a side alley off the main street with a number of food places nearby though I didn’t eat in any of them. Check in was efficient but since check in time was 3pm, I left my bags at the hotel and only went back after dinner (and almost couldn’t find the hotel as I could not really use live view that well at night ☹). Toyoko Inn hotels share similar set up so I knew what to expect.

Would not consider the size of the room big but it is comfortable for one. Bathroom has a bathtub and shower gel/shampoo and if you need stuff like cleanser, toner, moisturizer, comb or shaver, these are available at the reception and you can actually take away as many as you like.

There is an empty fridge, no complimentary bottled water offered but there is a cooler, hot water and a coffee machine in the main lobby. Wifi works. There is a hair dryer, a kettle, slippers and yukata to sleep in. Basic amenities no doubt but at ¥8,940 ($71.06) per night with free breakfast thrown in, it is actually quite a good deal. Breakfast was served at the lobby area which also served as a sitting area for guests throughout the day. Nothing fancy for breakfast; mainly all sorts of onigiri, pastries, soup and drinks.

Some people complained about the menu being the same each day but I ended up having a couple of onigiri each morning with coffee before setting off for the day 😊.

Toyoko In Tenjin
5 Chome-15-14 Watanabedori, Chuo Ward, Fukuoka, 810-0004, Japan

You Style Hakata was the other hotel I stayed in Fukuoka. It was a last minute booking after reading about the ongoing renovations in Hotel Éclair which I had to cancel. While the 1^st night was at a more reasonable rate at ¥ 13,800, I had to pay ¥29,800 for the 2^nd night which happened to be a Sunday. Not sure what was the reason for the high rate that day but this was about the cheapest I could find unless I stayed at a dorm or capsule hotel. In the end, I paid ¥44,300 ($351.87) which included an accommodation tax of ¥700. Pretty step for a local business hotel. You Style Hakata is located about 5 mins walk away from Exit 7 of the Nakasu-Kawabata subway. Again, 5 mins is if you taking the subway from the hotel (like taking the train to the airport), otherwise exit 7 is a 5 mins walk away from the ticket gantry since exit 7 is at the other end of the station. The other landmark is the Hakataza Theater and the hotel is just round the corner of this huge building. Around the hotel are several restaurants, including Toriden where I had mizutaki, Hitsumabushi unagi restaurant, izakaya and you can easily walk to Kawabata Shotengai, Kushida shrine, Yatai Nakasu and Icihran HQ. Location wise, it is very convenient. The hotel itself is much smaller than Toyoko Inn Tenjin. Check in was by an elderly polite man who gladly kept my luggage since I was there way before check in time. The room itself is slightly bigger than Toyoko Inn and has almost the same basic amenities but newer looking ones since the hotel is only slightly more than 5 years old.

Instead of a coffee machine in the main lobby, there is a capsule coffee machine and drip pods – 2 tea and 1 coffee drip pods in the room.

I find this a nice gesture; at least I can have a cup of coffee before heading out for the day. Bathroom looks rather similar to that of Toyo Inn; water pressure was good and towels were white and fluffy. There was a rather unusual notice to tell people to close the bathroom door to avoid causing a fire and to not dye hair in the hotel. Would anyone dye hair in the hotel?

Wifi works. There is no telephone but there is a mobile phone that you can use to call the reception.

There is a separate area to hang your clothes unlike Toyoko Inn where you just hang them in the area in front of the bed.

Similar arrangement in terms of amenities like combs, shavers etc where you can get these at the lobby area. A very comfortable stay overall.

You Style Hotel Hakata
10-1 Shimokawabatamachi, Hakata Ward, Fukuoka, 812-0027, Japan

In Tokyo, I stayed at Toyoko Inn Ikebukuro. Rates were slightly higher compared to 2024. Another change was check in and dispense of room keys is via check in machines at the lobby. Rooms are the same though I think they don’t do room cleaning everyday but just change the towels and make the beds.

Breakfast was the same as in 2024; fried noodles, rice, soup, side dishes like fried mackerel, corn, hijiki, salad, soup, tamago, pastries and fruit juice. Not fantastic but still good enough for the morning. My choice for 2 different mornings:

People were allowed to bring up trays of food to their rooms. As typical of all Toyoko Inn hotels, there is coffee, hot water and cold water throughout the day at the lobby. I am a member of Toyoko Inn hotel which grants you a free stay upon reaching 10 stays; I reached my 10^th stay this trip and got rewarded a free stay and saving ¥9,200 in the process. My 2 nights cost ¥18,810 ($149.92) which is only $7 more than what I paid in Fukuoka.

I will continue to stay at Toyoko Inn wherever possible 😉.

Toyoko Inn Ikebukuro Kitaguchi 1
2 Chome-50-5 Ikebukuro, Toshima City, Tokyo 171-0014, Japan

Discharged

2026-08-01T17:12:00.000+08:00

Spent a night at the hospital yesterday. Was put under observation after sustaining a fall at the platform while waiting for the train. Official diagnosis was syncope though I have no recollection of what really happened or how long I had passed out. Neither did the ECG, blood tests or CT scan shed any light. Unbelievable? But I am not surprised as certain things in life may not reveal themselves if the time is not right. I will however persist in finding out before it is too late. How? I am still figuring that out. I sustained split lips and was given 4 stitches; fortunately, the stitching process was less painful that I had imagined. The nurses and doctors were quite sympathetic and professional making the entire stay bearable. The nurse told me I slept well throughout the night but I was hearing loud noises during the night, not from other patients as the observation area had only a couple of patients, but some loud whirring noise which I found out later to be the staff vacuuming the floor. Huh. I never imagined a hospital would do that in the middle of the night while patients are sleeping. Anyway, I was discharged after given a bowl of horfun with 2 slices of fish and despite the stitches, I was still able to have it for breakfast. The fish was good but the horfun was a little on the hard side.

Thanks to T, I was escorted home carefully. I hope rest is all I need to get back in form.

Fukuoka and Tokyo in the Summer of 2026: Eating out in Fukuoka - Negitoro Don, Gyukatsu and Yatai (Part 3)

2026-07-29T00:02:00.000+08:00

I always thought that Japan has fresh seafood everywhere but was told by T that this is not the case as Japan has eight completely landlocked prefectures—including Nagano, Yamanashi, and Gifu—that has no access to fresh seafood. Ok. I shall kep that in mind should I choose to venture to these places in future. Fortunately, Fukuoka is famous for its ultra-fresh seafood, heavily driven by its proximity to the bountiful waters of the Genkai Sea. It has its own regional delicacies which include goma saba (fresh mackerel tossed in a rich sesame-soy sauce), tai (sea bream) and the popular blue fin tuna that most tourists go for. One of the local places recommended for its bluefin tuna was Kurodohan, a place I read is famous for it long Q. On my 2nd day in Fukuoka, I walked to Kurodahan from Toyoko Inn for an early lunch to hopefully beat the crowd. It was a really hot morning as I walked along the streets with an umbrella to shield off the sun. I must say google map worked pretty well and I reached the place without much wrong detour. It was around 11.15am and the 1st batch of customers were already in and there were 5 people in the Q when I arrived. I waited for around 30 minutes or so before I was shown a counter seat; while the restaurnt does not accept regular reservation, you could actually pay for a fast pass which allows you to specify an arrival time and skip to the front of the regular waiting line. Hmm, when did eating out turned into a Disneyland/Theme park adventure when you keep pay to skip the Q? There are around 8 counter seats but there is another seating area further in which I can't see from the counter. Had to scan and order. As the most expensive tuna bowl at ¥,6,200 was sold out, I ordered my favourite negitoro bowl with takuan (picked daikon) which was one of the cheapest on the menu at ¥,1,890 ($15.04). Cold water was complimentary (in fact all the resturants I went to offered water or tea). The negitoro don came with an appetiser (burdock), 3 condiments, gari ie pickled sushi ginger and a special sauce.

How to enjoy negitoro don? You can find instructions at the counter on the 3 prescribed ways just like when having Hitsumabushi unagi. 1st - eat with just the soy sauce available on the counter. 2nd way is to eat with Kurodahan's special sesame sauce. 3rd way is to add the condiments and have the don with mashiroyu (tuna broth).

I tried all 3 ways. I didnt find much difference in taste between the 1st and 2nd method but with the 3 condiments (arare ie cripsy balls of roasted rice, strips of kombu and wasabi) and the tuna broth, the taste was slightly elevated and if you are not careful, that wasabi would choke you with a sharp heat creating a savory, warm finish that cleanses the palate.

Still, I prefer having the velvety, melt-in-your-mouth negitoro as it.

After the meal, I was served a hot cup of tea. A good meal.

Tuna and Rice Kurodahan
Savoy Building 1F, 1-1-23 Daimyo, Chuo Ward, Fukuoka, 810-0041, Japan

Was in 2^nd Street in Daimyo when I noted a long Q outside a restaurant. Turned out to be Gyukatsu Motomura, a highly popular restaurant chain famous for serving deep-fried beef cutlets. The beef is cooked to a medium rare perfection (per its website) leaving the crust crispy while the center still raw; each diner gets a personal hot stone grill at their table to sear each slice of beef exactly to their preferred doneness before dipping it in rock salt or its signature sauce. A relatively new culinary trend in Japan popularized by brands like Gyukatsu Motomura which exploded in Tokyo around 2015. I had been to its Shinjuku South Exit branch in 2019 and decided to join the Q as I was feeling a little hungry. I waited for close to 30 mins before I was shown a seat at the counter; it is not a big place and most people were offered counter seats. I ordered the smallest set with 1 cutlet at 130g @ ¥ 2,110. While I sat and wait for food, I was served cold barley tea.

The set came with a bowl of barley rice, a side dish, a piece of mentaiko, a bowl of miso soup, a piece of warabi mochi, shredded cabbage and a small potato salad. Came also with 2 dipping sauces and tororo (grated Japanese mountain yam) and a dollop of wasabi. Rock salt as well as sesame dressing for the cabbage were found at the counter.

There were around 12 pieces of beef. Before wating, I placed each on the hot stone grill, turned it around until cooked to my preferred dones-ness.

I then dipped it into the sauces provided though my personal preference is to have it with the grated yam or just salt. I don’t like tonkatsu and though this beef is also breaded like tonkatsu, I am okay with this coating which is much finer than those found on tonkatsu. Tender beef texture making it easy to chew off the bite sized pieces. Not a bad meal.

Gyukatsu Motomura
1-chōme-14-5 Daimyō, Chuo Ward, Fukuoka

Every you tube vlog I watched on Fukuoka mentioned yatai (ie street food stalls) as a must go place since it is a living cultural treasure unique to Fukuoka; an intimate, atmospheric open-air dining culture right on the city sidewalks. Sounds interesting no doubt though I am reminded of pojangmacha (pocha) of Seoul or the dai pai dong of Hong Kong. Still, I did include yatai in my itinerary. In Fukuoka, there are 2 major areas where the yatai are located; the 1st being Nakasu and the 2nd being Tenjin. Nakasu which is the main red light district today thrives on late-night tourists and club-goers. The yatai area is along the Nakasu river and consists basically of a row of food stalls. As I walked towards that area, I saw many tourists walking in the same direction. There was arow of stalls; each with 8 to 10 seats surrounding the stall where you can sit and watch the chef cook and “perform”. Some stalls were very popular as evidenced by a Q whereas some others were less busy. The vibe can be described as vibrant, chaotic and unashamedly touristy. Loud conversation, clinking of beer mugs.

A bustling night festival; no place for a quiet dinner. I only went to soak in the atmosphere; didn’t stop for a meal.

Instead I stopped by a yatai in the Tenjin area outside Hakata station for a meal. This is a much smaller area not specifically meant for yatai and there are probably less than 10 stalls there. I understand that these yatai used to be patronized by the local salarymen before hitting home; however, these are now mainly serving tourists.

The yatai I stopped at is the rather popular Yatai Mamichan. I was squeezed next to 3 ladies from HK; the other people seated around me were obviously tourists. This stall has an English menu. Since I was only here for the experience, I simply ordered a bottle of oolong tea and a plate of fried noodles. The chef was quite a performer as we see him frying with flames flaring.

My plate of noodles came topped with bonito. Not exactly good as it was too salty.

I ate my noodles quickly as there were people standing around waiting for a seat. Afterall, this is a place where you "get a drink, eat your ramen, soak in the view, and move along".

Visiting a yatai lends a different experience for tourists just as it is when visiting a dai pai dong or a pocha. To many people, it could be a novelty. I understand that running a yatai is an incredibly brutal, exhausting way to make a living; the stalls need to be dismantled and set up each night. Behind the cheerful, romantic glow of the lanterns lies a grueling daily routine that leaves most operators running on less than five hours of sleep. For that, I think they deserve a visit 😊.

Some hisrory on the yatai:

According to Gemini, yatai were present in massive numbers across the entire nation of Japan immediately after World War II, not just in Fukuoka. In the late 1940s, almost every major bombed-out Japanese city—including Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, and Kobe—was filled with thousands of makeshift street stalls serving as the primary source of hot food and community comfort during a time of extreme food shortages and economic collapse. Thousands of yatai lined the streets around major train stations (like Shinjuku, Ikebukuro, and Umeda), selling cheap sweet potato alcohol (shochu), offal skewers (motsuyaki), and early versions of ramen

As Japan's economy rapidly modernized into the 1950s and 1960s, the Japan government began to view these yatai as unlawful obstacles to progress. Ahead of the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, the Japan authorities launched aggressive city-wide sweeps to present a "clean, modern, and Westernized" Japan to the world. Citing strict food safety, hygiene laws, public sidewalk obstruction, and a desire to dismantle black markets, Tokyo, Osaka, and most other prefectures successfully enforced a total ban of yatai, which systematically wiped out this street stall culture. However, Fukuoka’s stall owners were uniquely defiant. They immediately unionized, forming a powerful collective voice that fought the local police head-on, arguing that the government had a moral obligation to protect the livelihoods of honest, working-class citizens. Because of that fierce local resistance, Fukuoka became the historic anomaly—successfully preserving a vibrant slice of post-war Japanese street life that the rest of the country completely erased. Nonetheless, strict mid-1990s laws eventually restricted permit transfers of yatai to direct family members only, causing stall numbers to plummet from over 400 to roughly 100 and threatening them with total extinction. In 2016, when Fukuoka’s forward-thinking mayor, Sojichiro Takashima, recognized the value of these vanishing stalls, the restrictive generational rule was abolished and a public bidding system that allowed young, creative entrepreneurs to secure street permits was introduced. Modern yatai in Fukuoka now serve everything from French cuisine and craft cocktails to game meat and international fusion, safely preserving this intimate open-air dining legacy for a new generation of locals and global travelers alike.

Fukuoka and Tokyo in the Summer of 2026: Eating out in Fukuoka - Motsunabe, Mizutaki and Hakata Ramen (Part 2)

2026-07-28T23:58:00.000+08:00

When I asked for food recommendations in Fukuoka, one item that came up quite often was Motsunabe or 牛肠锅 which I interpreted as beef intestine hotpot. In fact, when it comes to regional dishes in Fukuoka, Motsunabe features on the culinary checklist right alongside Hakata ramen, mentaiko, mizutaki and eating at a yatai food stall. Seen many you tube videos on it and it sounded like you it is a hit and miss as some people like it whereas many others found it too oily. I told myself I got to try this. Which I did on my 1^st night in Fukuoka. The restaurant I picked was Hakata Motsunabe Oyama at Hakata Ichibangai (博多1番街) in Hakata Station as this place offers motsunabe for a single person unlike many others that require at least 2 to dine. Because of that, there were quite a number of solo diners at the restaurant. Not knowing the size of the serving, I ordered a basic miso hotpot. Just as what I had seen in various videos, I was served a pot packed with cabbage, garlic, a piece of tofu and rows of garlic chives with chili flakes on top.

Looking at the creamy broth as it bubbled over a hot gas stove, I was imagining a complex umami flavored broth and could wait to drink in. I lifted the motsu (beef intestine) from the pot, blew it and place inside my mouth. Soft and spongy no doubt but still a little too much fat for me. At least there was no odor. I tried several other pieces together with the cabbage and the chives and still felt the oil oozing in my mouth. Or should I consider myself getting collagen at the same time? Did I miss the intestinal wall or was it nonexistent? Ok, the crunch is due to the wall but the fat portion was still more prominent. As for the broth, it was too salty to be drank as it is; at least for me. I was glad though for the vegetables and the tofu which helped to reduce the impact of the fat.

Not wanting to “waste” the broth, I ordered a champon to soak up the “nutrients” of the broth.

These noodles are round, straight, medium-thick strands and reminded me of yellow Hokkien mee. According to various online articles, Champon noodles were created in 1899 by Chen Ping Shun, a Chinese immigrant running the restaurant Shikairō in Nagasaki who wanted a cheap, highly nutritious meal to feed poor Chinese exchange students living in the city. The word "champon" is widely believed to have come from the Hokkien Chinese phrase chiā-pn̄g (吃飯). How interesting.

Anyway, I added the noodles into the broth and finished off the meal. Dinner cost ¥ 2,877 ($22.93) which included a table charge of ¥330. A table charge in Japan is most commonly called Sekiryo (席料) and I understand is charged by izakaya, bars and casual dining spots. For this restaurant, it is stated in the menu that this fee includes water, hand towels and an otoshi (appetizer). For this trip, this is the only restaurant I went to that had this charge.

So, do I belong to the “hit” or “miss” group? It was neither as given the chance, I would certainly like to give it another try at another restaurant and perhaps with a different broth. Afterall, I do like intestines.

Now for a bit of history on the origin of this dish. Again, based on various online articles, 'motsunabe' is believed to have originated in the early Showa period, shortly after the end of World War II, from Korean immigrants working in coal mine in Fukuoka. Animal internal organs (offal) then were legally considered waste and routinely thrown away; starving miners realized these discarded parts were packed with calories and nutrients and began using them in hotpots. In the 1960s, commercial restaurants in Fukuoka picked up the dish, refined the cleaning process to remove odors, added mountain loads of sweet cabbage, and introduced local Champon noodles to finish the meal. Some people love it as the Ultimate "Umami" bomb whereas ladies apparently view it as immensely rich in natural collagen. Well, to each its own 😊.

Hakata Motsu-nabe Ooyama
B1F JR Hakata City, 1-1 Hakataekichuogai, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka

Apart from motsunabe, I also tried two dishes on Fukuoka’s specialty checklist – mizutaki and Hakata ramen. What exactly is mizutaki? Well, it is another hotpot with slow-simmered chicken in rich, collagen-packed, milky-white broth made using bone-in chicken. Invented in Fukuoka during the 1890s, where it became a favorite dish of the professors and students of Kyushu University Medical school, it is a interactive meal eaten in a very specific, traditional sequence to maximize the natural umami flavors of the local Hakata Jidori chicken. I made a reservation at Toriden based on the high score at Tablelog; the place appears popular as I could only manage a lunch reservation despite checking 2 days in advance. The restaurant is actually on the same road as the hotel I was staying in so getting there after a morning visit to Kushida Shrine was easy. Even before the place was opened, people with reservations were already waiting outside. Specific courses are served and I opted for the Tenjin which is the base course at ¥7,700 ($61.37) with 6 dishes.

A dedicated server was assigned to help me throughout the course. The hotpot was brought to the table.

While waiting for the soup to boil, the appetizers – boiled Toriden egg with minced chicken meat miso and seasonal vegetables were served. The saltiness and deep umami of the minced chicken miso cuts perfectly through the sweet, heavy creaminess of the runny yolk. I should have taken a photo of the egg yolk.

Sliced raw mackerel with sesame sauce was next. This does seem to be a popular dish in Fukuoka as this is my 3^rd of this dish this trip. Just a few slices but very fresh and less salty than what I had in Yanagibashi Rengo Market.

The broth made by using whole chickens simmered for hours was bubbling and the server ladled and handed me a cup of the hot broth. I was told to savor the broth first. I could add a pinch of salt or that special yuzu pepper to enhance the taste.

I drank the broth slowly (1^st time I am having chicken broth in a ceramic cup resembling a large sake cup known traditionally as an Ochoko or Guinomi) taking in the taste - a deeply comforting, savory sweetness. I understand this first sip of the meal is to help awaken my palate and appreciate the pure, unseasoned state of the soup before the chicken pieces and vegetables alter that flavor.

While I was drinking the soup, the server was cooking the chicken pieces. This was what I was served – mainly the thigh and drumstick served with green onion (negi). According to the restaurant’s menu, Toriden uses Kyushu raised free range chicken which had been marinated in Toriden’s secret sauce. Ok. These pieces are tender yet firm. I wish there were more pieces and yes, I did not take in the skin.

The server ladled in the restaurant’s house made chicken balls (tsukune) crafted from the thigh and breast meat blended with coarsely grounded chicken gizzard. Vegetables, glass noodles and tofu were added.

The chicken balls were ok.

I like the chicken wings which were tender and came off easily from the bones. They looked braised but were actually boiled in the broth and that brownish look was due to a splash of citrus ponzu sauce poured over the wings immediately before serving. The dark specks sprinkled over the chicken skin are not black pepper or braising herbs. It is Yuzu Kosho (a fermented Japanese paste made from green chili peppers, yuzu citrus peel, and salt). Good.

Finally, rice was added to the remaining broth together with an egg. The server swirled and stirred the rice around until it turned a golden yellow color. A dollop of mentaiko and toasted sesame seeds were added and this yummy looking bowl was placed in front of me.

When stirred together, I got a very warm, comforting, delicious bowl of porridge that had absorbed all the rich chicken soup. The mentaiko added a saltiness while the sesame seeds gave the porridge an earthly depth; this is easily my favourite of the course.

Dessert was yuzu on ice which was basically just some fresh yuzu citrus peel on ice. The server told me that was sherbet but it look like just ice blocks to me. I understand yuzu is highly acidic and contains natural citrus oils that could "cut through" the heavy richness of the chicken broth. But there is very little of these yuzu peels and am I expected to suck each block of ice? This is the weakest link of the course and a pity since it affects the overeal feel of the meal.

After dessert, I was served a cup of hot tea, a polite, silent signal that the meal is officially concluded.

Overall, it is not a bad experience and the quality of the food (other than the dessert) is good. Service is attentive. I would like to try mizutaki again should I visit Fukuoka in future but I would pick another restuarant like Hakata Hanamidori or Mizutaki Nagano.

Toriden Hakata Main Store
1F Hakata Kojiyaban Building, 10-5 Shimokawabatamachi, Hakata Ward, Fukuoka, 812-0027, Japan

PS: this meal reminded me of Tsukada Nojo in Plaza Singapura though they are obviosuly not the same.

While ramen can be found everywhere in Japan, each prefecture or region have its distinct ramen style. In Fukuoka, there is Hakata ramen originating from the Hakata district; a ramen characterized by its rich, milky pork-bone broth (tonkotsu), ultra-thin straight noodles, and a customizable noodle firmness. According to my research, ramen is big in Fukuoka with the Famous 5 identified as corporate giants Ichiran and Ippudo, Ganso Nagahamaya and local faves, Shin Shin and Hakata Issou. I am not exactly a ramen person but to leave Fukuoka without trying Hakata ramen seems unforgivable. I didn’t want to try Ichiran and Ippudo and was told that there is a perpetual Q for Hakata Issou so my best bet would be Shin Shin. That was what I tried one night after my yatai experience. It was almost 9pm and since I was shopping in Parco, decided to have ramen at Shin Shin which was located at the basement level. No Q and I was shown a counter seat and ordered the regular ramen bowl at ¥1,030. Firmness option – regular.

Broth was oily but flavorful. Did looked and tasted like it had been boiled for a long time. Thin noodles reminding me of the local wanton noodles. A generous handful of finely chopped raw green onions, stripes of wood ear mushrooms which were rather bland but they provided a distinct, crunchy texture that contrasted with the thin noodles. Was initially disappointed with the 2 pieces of thin and miserable looking cha su but after taking a bite, realised that they were flavorful and tasted like stewed pork but still too thin. Egg was not like the normal onsen egg; it reminded me of tea leaves egg instead.

Overall, not a bad ramen though it did not convert me to being a ramen lover.

Shin Shin
Fukuoka PARCO Main Building (Honkan) B1F, 2 Chome-11-1 Tenjin, Chuo Ward, Fukuoka, 810-0001, Japan.

Fukuoka and Tokyo in the Summer of 2026: Shintencho Shotengai and Kawabata Shotengai

2026-07-27T22:49:00.000+08:00

While huge malls are still being built in the big cities of Japan, many tourists are kinda of attracted also to the neighbourhood shops especially those traditional covered markets filled with local shops known as Shotengai 商店街. Though these are mainly a shopping street of around 100 to 500 meters with shops that cater for your daily needs, they have actually come a long way. While the birth of independent stores was built during the 16^th century, it was the railway boom in the 1920s – 1930s that helped many residential suburbs to explode around railway stations. Merchant families bought up the narrow strips of land leading directly from the train station exit out to the residential neighborhoods and opened shops which created a perfect pedestrian funnel: workers stepping off the train would naturally walk through the shotengai to buy dinner on their commute home. Many shops were traditionally family run, and operated by the community they serve. The golden age of these shotengai was during Japan's post-WWII economic miracle, specifically from the late 1950s to the mid-1960s. Large corporate supermarkets did not exist then and the everyday lives of Japanese centered on shotengai not only as shopping destinations for housewives or recreational spots for elderly and children but also as a place that fostered close community relationships. Unfortunately, with konbini and the opening of supermarkets and shopping malls and the young moving out of shotengai business, many shotengai became "shutter avenues" (ghost towns) as they face survival pressures having to compete with massive supply chains, and cheap prices of the corporate giants. Nonetheless, those shotengai that survived are still a part of Japan lifestyle and an area that interest tourists who wants to feel and get a slice of the Japanese daily life. Plus these streets normally have interesting shops that you may not find in big retail malls.

I visited 2 shotengai in Fukuoka this trip. Not part of a planned itinerary but more chanced encounters. On my 1^st day, after exploring Parco, I walked right onto the Shintencho shotengai and got greeted by this huge decorative installation which I later learnt is called a kazariyama float related to the festival Hakata Gion Yamakasa. Many people were busy photographing it so I did the same. According to several articles online, these floats are huge and tall and stood over 10 meters and weigh over 10 tons. In the past, these floats would be raced through the streets during the festival but when power lines were introduced in the Meiji Period (1868-1912), this became problematic to manoeuvre and were placed as decorative floats around the city. Each float has a front face (omote) and a rear/send off face (mi-okuri) which are carefully designed. It is created from scratch each year using un-nailed timber frames with master doll artisans spending months hand-sculpting the lifelike expressions, flowing silk armor, and explosive wave elements that breathe life into each scene depicted in the float. What does the float her says?

The omote reflects the Kabuki Juhachiban:Shibaraku (歌舞伎十八番暫) which represents one of the most famous heroes in classical Kabuki theatre—Kamakura Gongoro Kagemasa—freeing innocent people from an evil warlord by boldly shouting "Shibaraku!" ("Hold on a moment!"). This scene was chosen as a temporary farewell as the Shintencho float would be absent from the festival in 2027 while the district undergo a major redevelopment plan. Shibaraku is an emotional message to tell everyone to wait for its return.

The rear is equally interesting and meaningful. It is titled Sazae-san (サザエさん) which is Japan’s longest-running animated family. Its main characters are shown enjoying a vibrant shopping trip together under a giant clock tower which is the landmark symbol of the Shintencho arcade. The text "80th Shintencho" (80 新天町) celebrates the 80th anniversary of the shopping district. This scene reminds shoppers of the good times they had all these 80 years shopping in the area.

Interesting to note that while the omote represent the historical aspect, the mi-okuri is a mirror to the current society.

Looking around, apart from the float, the other structure that caught my eye is the large mechanical clock known as the Marchen Chime installed as a piece of public art. Standing 17 meters tall and 7.5 meters wide, it is Japan's very first automated musical puppet clock (karakuri clock) installed in a commercial shopping district. Complete with imported mechanical clockwork, internal gears, and automation systems, 12 heavy bronze bells lining imported directly from the famous Petit & Fritsen bell foundry in the Netherlands, puppets, clowns, characters dressed in European costumes and wooden houses, the entire ensemble has a very European feel and does appear a little out of sync with Japanese lanterns at the bottom and a surrounding filled with local fashion boutiques, knick knacks shops selling socks, noodle shops and standard Japanese signage.

But from several articles online, I understand that this clock was inspired by a traditional clock tower in Germany when the trade association of Shintencho visited Germany and decided to build one locally. The clock tower was completed and unveiled on July 26, 1981 to mark the 35th anniversary of Shintencho; a whimsical public art piece, a communal landmark where locals could gather, relax, and enjoy while in Shintencho.

As for the shotengai itself, I noted that it does not follow the traditional layout of a single, straight linear street but there were two parallel main avenues: North Street (Kita-dori) and South Street (Minami-dori) with a combined length of 288 meters. I walked along the 2 streets and noted shops selling ladies fashion, bags, socks, books and local vegetables and fruits. Restaurants too. The floor, paved with interlocking, multi-colored stone tiles, looks incredibly retro and makes you feel like a step into the past.

I stepped into a fruits and vegetables shop and bought a bag of tomatoes and 2 peaches. The peaches were not the best but sweet and juicy. Other than that, I did not buy anything else.

Shintencho was built immediately after World War II, officially opening its doors on October 15, 1946 making it a 80 years old institution. It was proposed as part of a local reconstruction plan to "bring back vitality, seasonal joy, and smiles" to a community that had lost everything in the war thus its name "Shintencho" which means New Heaven Town. By transforming a site of war devastation into a bustling center of commerce, the creators of Shintencho effectively laid down the original blueprint that transformed Tenjin into the thriving commercial downtown core of Fukuoka today.

As noted by the float, Shintencho would be undergoing a redevelopment in Spring 2027 together with Parco. I wouldn’t consider this a must visit in Fukuoka but knowing the historical aspect of the shotengai might render this an interesting place.

The Kawabata Shotengai has a completely different history. I chanced upon this arcade while looking for food one night on my way back to the hotel. Unfortunately, it was pretty late and other than a few ramen places, most shops were closed. The next morning, I was back again in this arcade after visiting Kushida Shrine. Yes, it was right next to the shrine though I have no idea why google map directed me to follow another route rather than directing me to walk all the way to the end of this arcade to reach the shrine. The history of Kawabata Shotengai is tied entirely to its physical position as the literal "front gate hallway" to Kushida Shrine. Unlike Shintencho, Kawabata is a long, straight street measuring 400 meters in length with over 130 shops dotted along the way. Officially formed over 130 years ago during the Meiji Period, it was developed as a classic monzen-machi (shrine gate town) ie merchants intentionally built a linear row of shops starting directly from Kushida Shrine's northern gate selling religious items, festival clothes, green tea, and hot food along this spiritual path. What about today? As I walked along the street, I noted pop and mum shops selling daily necessities, food shops selling ramen, sushi, beef, udon, matcha, shops selling green tea, shoes and clothes as well as 2 relaxation salon.

I also noted a few multi-generational, 100+ year-old businesses. This is Kadota Chochin-ten (門田提灯店), the legendary, 130-year-old paper lantern shop which sells hand pained traditional lanterns. Imagine selling lanterns and still in existence after 130 years. This is not surprising since lanterns are not just light sources but in Japanese culture, they serve as spiritual guides between the human world and the spirit world; in shrines and temples, the glowing lanterns act as a spiritual boundary, repelling dark energies and purifying the space for the gods.

However, I understand that even though the shop is the official master lantern makers for the Hakata Gion Yamakasa Festival and Kushida Shrine, local businesses are actually the largest and most consistent customers – think the Izakayas and restaurants, corporate signages or that neighborhood pub. I asked Gemini why despite modernization, the lantern is still a regular feature. The response:

When a stressed salaryman leaves a high-pressure corporate office at 8:00 PM, a modern plastic sign feels cold and corporate. The soft, amber, flickering glow of a traditional paper lantern passing through washi paper instantly communicates a shift in environment. It tells the brain: "The workday is over. Step inside, slow down, and relax." No modern flat-screen monitor can replicate that emotional transition.

Makes sense 😊?

Another old shop is one that sells traditional family Buddhist altars (butsudan) and religious articles. It has this dramatic artwork on the facade above the entrance depicting Buddhist altars, historic Hakata scrolls wrapped behind geometric golden clouds, perfectly matching the cultural heritage of the surrounding neighborhood. However, I also noted that the shops sells flowers as well as other cultural ornaments and candles in the shape of Japanese foods, sweets (wagashi), sake, and draft beer which are traditionally bought as memorial offerings to place on household altars for deceased ancestors.

This is the Kawabata Zenzai Hiroba (川端ぜんざい広場) which serves red bean soup.

When I looked into the shop, I noted a Yamakasa festival float on display. Float Number 8: Upper Kawabata Street. An interesting thing to note is that despite this being a kazariyama, it is actually allowed to be run on the street. The merchants of Kawabata had engineered a highly complex, secret internal pulley system. When Float Number 8 reaches an overhead cable or an intersection during the race, the top half of the giant statue mechanically collapses and shrinks down to clear the wires, then pops back up once it passes. How clever.

In addition, when the festival ends, while all giant floats across Fukuoka are completely dismantled and destroyed, Float Number 8 is the only one carefully wheeled back into this shop to be preserved for the rest of the year. Interesting.

It didn’t really take long to walk the 400 meters. I did 2 things here. First I bought a pair of made in Japan shoes from Spingle, a limited edition made from kangaroo skin at ¥21,100 ($168.25). Not sure what attracted me to the shoes but I bought them anyway.

The 2^nd thing I did was a body and foot massage at Ken-raku-en for 90 mins at ¥6,279 ($50.04); ad additional 5% was charged for credit card payment. The masseur was a Chinese and she told me that business was pretty good and that the prices could be kept low as her Chinese boss actually owned the shop. The experience wasn’t that bad though her style was a mixed of Thai and pressure point. After so many days of walking more than 15K steps a day, the massage was a relief.

I found Kawabata Shotengai more interesting and is worth a visit if you happen to be in the vicinity.

Fukuoka and Tokyo in the Summer of 2026: Eating out in Fukuoka (Part 1)

2026-07-25T23:57:00.000+08:00

I had a list of restaurants I wanted to visit in Fukuoka based on various online recommendations; it was quite a long list but I only made it to a few of them. Either because of lack of time or I was too tired to venture far after walking close to 15K steps. My first lunch in the city was at Hakata Robota Fishman, a place on my list. It is described as a izakaya opened in 2009 renowned for its nutritious dishes that minimize gluten and casein but I was there for lunch so it felt like a normal restaurant to me. Many people commented that reservation is required so I must be lucky to have got in without a reservation; in fact, the restaurant was not full that afternoon. The place is well known for the "Original! Sashimi Staircase Platter" Kaidan Donburi which features seasonal sashimi beautifully arranged on tiered wooden blocks. There is an English menu and to be honest, looking at what was being served to the neighbouring tables, I had the urge to try everyone of them. I fell, however, for the tourist trap, and ordered one of the beautiful “staircase” set instead, the salmon and salmon roe bowl @ ¥3,278 ($26.13). Tea was complimentary. Had to admit that presentation is good and fun to look at. Too pretty to be eaten 😊.

There are 6 side dishes laid out on the “staircase” starting with the Hakata specialty – mentaiko on the top followed by soft boiled eggs (Ajiho eggs+), goma (mackerel) with gluten free sesame sauce, sautéed maitake mushrooms with ponzu sauce, Hakata styled stew vegetables (including lotus roots, carrot and cucumber), simmered hijiki seaweed and mashed yam. I tackled each of these and while I like all of them, my favorite was the goma and the mentaiko.

As for the main bowl, the sashimi was fresh and the I like the rice with barley. Was served a cup of hot tea after the meal.

+ Ajiho eggs are a famous brand of premium fresh red chicken eggs produced by the Nogami Poultry Farm in Kurate Town, Fukuoka. The chickens are fed a proprietary feed blend, which includes yeast, seaweed powder from Norway, oligosaccharides, and organic microorganism. Further, the farm uses custom-designed, temperature-controlled "windowless" chicken coops built to eliminate stress for the hens.

Overall, a good meal and a good start for the trip.

Hakata Robota Fishman
1 Chome-4-23 Imaizumi, Chuo Ward, Fukuoka, 810-0021 Japan

Speaking of goma saba, this dish was on my list to eat since it is a culinary specialty of Fukuoka. Fresh mackerel sashimi with my favorite sesame sauce sounds very interesting to me. There were a number of places I had earmarked for this dish but finally had it in a restaurant at the Yanagibashi Rengo Market柳橋連合市場. I had been to this market in my last trip to Kyushu but it was noon then and most stalls were closed. This time round, since it was quite close to my hotel (less than 15 mins), I decided to walk there with the help of google map after breakfast. Still, not many stalls were opened and I could have missed the morning crowd.

It is a very small market with one street of around 100m with stalls selling fresh seafood, dried stuff like seaweed and kelp, fruit and vegetables and Japanese fishcake. Plus a few restaurants with one with a longer Q. A quick walk down the lane will probably just take 10 mins if you stop and look at the stuff offered at each stall.

A lady from The Fish Mongers & Restaurant came and showed me her menu. When I inquired about goma saba, she immediately told me they do serve this dish. It is a small place and instead of the counter seats, she showed me to a table and asked if I wanted beer to go along with the dish. At a whim, I ordered a small beer. It was still too early for lunch and apart from a table with 4 Malaysians and 2 lone diners at the counter, the other tables were empty. My lunch set came with a plate of sliced mackerel doused in sesame sauce and seeds with a slab of wasabi, a bowl of rice, a miso soup and a side dish.

Quite a generous portion of fish; fresh but have to admit that after many pieces, I did feel a little “jelat”. Plus there was a little too much of the rather salty sesame sauce. The rice and beer did help to dilute the saltiness. Overall, not a bad lunch at ¥ 1,650 ($13.11).

Yanagibashi Rengo Market isn't flashy and may not be worth a trip if you are looking for a place full of tourists and buzz like Tsujiki Outer market. It is a simple place which you can simply walk by without realizing it is a market. Still, the market has been in operation since the early Showa period (late 1920s–1930s), and it is filled with a nostalgic retro atmosphere where you feel you have slipped back in time.

The Fish Mongers & Restaurant
1-chōme-5-1 Haruyoshi, Chuo Ward, Fukuoka, 810-0003, Japan

Another dish on my to-try list was gyūtan (beef tongue). One restaurant in Hakata station was mentioned frequently as one of the places that offered value beef tongue sets for breakfast. But having to get up by 7.30am to Q does not appeal to me so I settled for dinner instead. The restaurant is called Tanya Hakata and is in the basement of Hakata Ichibangai, in AMU Plaza. Didn’t have to Q long for a counter seat. Many places had resorted to ordering via a tablet which had an English menu. Ordered the gytan set (small) at ¥1,580 ($12.59) and you can actually specify the amount of rice you prefer.

My set had 8 thinly sliced beef tongue served with thick slices of vinegared cabbage, a slice of lemon, a bowl of barley rice and a beef soup. The other main item is of course tororo (grated yam).

I can either pour the yam over the rice or just dip the piece of tongue into the yam. I chose the latter. Some people don’t like the sliminess of the yam but I love it. I was told that yam contains high amounts of amylase and other digestive enzymes which help your body efficiently break down the heavy proteins and fats in beef tongue; the slimy, slippery coating of the grated yam acts as a lubricant😊. The beef tongue slices were probably just seasoned with salt and pepper and grilled; they are flavorful enough but I prefer the thick slices from Gyutan no lemon. The cabbage was crunchy and refreshing.

Tanya Hakata
B1F Hakata Ichibangai, 1-1 Hakataeki Chuogai, Hakata Ward, Fukuoka, 812-0012, Japan

My 2^nd gyutan meal was at a restaurant located on the 6^th floor of Daimaru. I should have ordered the thick cut gyutan but was somehow attracted by the summer seasonal set it was offering at ¥2,858 ($22.70). This came with a piece of grilled gyutan served with a side of traditional pickled greens and a slice of lemon, minced beef tongue (tartare) with an egg and shabu shabu beef tongue - 3 in one was what got me interested. In addition, there is a bowl of soup, rice, a salad and Yamagata Dashi (山形だし) which is finely minced summer vegetables (cucumber, eggplant, and shiso) seasoned in a light soy sauce broth.

I was disappointed at the portion of the grilled tongue – they were chewy, flavourful and I like them. Much better than those from Tanya Hakata.

The tartare was not bad though it had a slight bite. Pop that raw egg, mix them up and it is another way of eating gyutan. As for the simmered slices of beef tongue, these were my least favourite. The salad and the Yamagata dashi were good and refreshing. If only I had more of the grilled gyutan, this would have been a good meal.

Sumiyaki Gyutan Higashiyama
6F East Building Elgala, Daimaru Fukuoka Tenjin, 1-4-1 Tenjin, Chuo Ward, Fukuoka, 810-8717, Japan

A bit of history: Gyūtan was created when Sano Keishirō, the owner of a yakitori in Sendai, opened a new restaurant called Tasuke (太助) that served beef tongue dishes in 1948. In his twenties (around 1935), while training as a chef in Tokyo, he learned the taste of beef tongue used in stews and other dishes from a French chef, and he continued to refine the seasoning to suit Japanese tastes. I have not been to Sendai but noted that there is an entire indoor street dedicated to gyutan called Gyutan Dori (Beef Tongue Street) located on the 3rd floor of JR Sendai Station. I must visit this place one day.

Fukuoka and Tokyo in the Summer of 2026: The Flight and Itinerary

2026-07-24T00:13:00.000+08:00

Was in Japan the last 9 days; in Fukuoka and Tokyo, to be exact.

Flew ANA to Fukuoka with a stop over in Tokyo on the return journey. Summer with brutally hot weather is not exactly a good time to be in Japan but I still went ahead thinking it should be bearable since most of my previous trips to Japan were in summer. Intent was to shop and eat. As usual, took a red eye flight that departed at 11pm. Having check in online, all I had to do was to print my baggage tag. With an intent to shop, I packed really light with my baggage weighing just 8.3kg. By 9pm, I had completed all checks and waiting to board. Boarding was on time and efficient. layout was 3-3-3; clean but everything looked kinda of outdated. We were offered a pack of goodies which had a piece of kitkat, cheese biscuits, a pack of snacks, a bottle of water and a cold bun.

Didnt touch any of them and wished there was a hot bun instead. Entertainment was not great but sufficient to keep you occupied for 6 hours in between bouts of sleep though screen was outdated and one had to scroll down a list of movies one by one.

Drifted in and out of sleep and managed to watch Project Hail Mary and Joy Luck Club. Just before landing, a hot meal was served for breakfast - I chose the pork with tofu and rice instead of the omelette. Pork was surprisingly flavorful and the fruits were refreshing.

Overall, service was okay though not exceptional. Landed at Terminal 2 of Haneda Airport slightly ahead of scheduled time at 5.45am. Though my final destination was Fukuoka, my port of entry is considered Tokyo so I had to complete immigration, pick up my bags, walked through customs and recheck my bag in at the domestic departure counter. I had completed arrival card registration and obtained a QR code. With this OR code, I had to first scan my passport, had my fingerprints scanned and photograph taken at this kiosk where upon completion, I was informed which line to follow for the subsequent process; I was given track A. There were not many kiosks available and I was fortunate that the crowd was manageable and I completed this scan by 6.06am. I next moved on to the immigration manual counter following Track A where an officer stamped my passport with a landing permission. There was a Q; I managed to complete this process by 6.26am. I next followed Track A to complete the customs process. I next grabbed my baggage and rechecked in my bag by handling it over to the ladies manning the domestic connection counter.

I then moved on to complete the security check process where water can be brought in. By 6.48am, I completed this process and ended up right in front of my departure gate 61. There was nothing much to do since there were only a couple of eating/retail places. I walked around and ended up having an onigiri set at ANA Festa Gate 60 Food Shop, a wholly owned subsidiary of ANA. Domestic Koshihikari rice, wrapped in crisp Ariake seaweed. Ok, but I wished there was more filling in the onigiri.

At 7.50am, boarding commenced and you just need to scan your boarding pass. Again it was 3-3-3 layout and the IFE screen seems more updated compared to the earlier flight.

Flight was slightly less than 2 hours and we were only offered a drink. Same as the earlier flight, the announcements were barely audible and I must say, unclear. Landed at 9.57am and I had collected my baggage by 10.24am. After topping my ICOCA card, I made my way to the platform for the Kuko Line (Airport line). The airport is very close to city centre and my hotel was just 4 stations away from the hotel. While the train ride was short, I did have a hard time trying to locate the hotel initially though after a day I found out that all I need to do was to walk towards Exit 12c along the Tenjin Underground Mall. My itinerary for my days in Fukuoka:

Day 1
Landed at Fukuoka Airport – took subway (airport line) to Tenjin station – walked to Toyoko Inn Tenjin hotel – completed check in – lunch at Hakata Robata Fishman – walked to Moonstar at Daimyo - shopping at Parco - Shintencho – ice cream at Muji – motsunable hotpot at Hakata Motsunabe Oyama at Hakata Ichibangai (博多1番街) Hakata Station – rooftop at Amu Plaza Hakata - overnight at Toyoko Inn.

Day 2
Breakfast at hotel - Brunch at Kurodahan – explore Daimyo area – late lunch at Gyukatsu Motomura – shopping at Mina Tenjin – GU, Bookoff – dinner at Mama Chanyatai – ramen at Shin Shin ramen at Parco – overnight at Toyoko Inn.

Day 3
Breakfast at I am Donut ? - Yanagibashi Rengo Market – lunch at The Fish Mongers & Restaurant – shopping at Tenjin Underground Mall – dinner at Sumiyaki Gyutan Higashiyama at Hakata Daimaru – yatai at NakasuYatai Yokocho – dance performance Ichiran – overnight at Toyoko Inn.

Day 4
Breakfast at hotel - Train to Mojiko – walked the Kanmon Pedestrian Tunnel – Lunch at Karato Market – lunch at Princess Phi Phi – shopping at Kitakyushu Outlet and Aeon Mall- dinner from Family Mart – overnight at You Style Hotel.

Day 5
Kushida Shrine – shopping at Kawabata Shopping Arcade - Lunch at Toriden - explore streets of Fukouka - massage at Ken-raku-en - Hakata Canal City - dinner at Tanya Hakata - Overnight at You Style Hotel

On Day 6, I flew to Tokyo. Took the Airport line from Nakasu-Kawabata station which was a mere 3 mins walk from You Style Hotel via Exit 7. Took the 8.04am train and arrived at Terminal 2 at 8.14am. Had to complete my check in at the counters on the 1st floor before moving to the departure gate on the 2nd floor. This was a bit of a mix up for me as I had always expected to do both at the same floor.

There was quite a long Q at the drop baggage line but fortunately, there were many machines available and with people around to assist, the Q did moved quickly.

After clearing security, I did some shopping at the few retail outlets available.

Boarding was not by rows but the seats aassigned - I was on a aisle seat and my borading group was 5.

Flight was less than 2 hours with only a drink being offered. Watched a great part of an unkown movie, K-pops. By 11.50am, we landed and by 12.03pm, I had collected my baggage. Took the limited express Keikyu line to Shinagawa and was there by around 15 mins.

From there it was another 25 mins ride on the JR Yamanote line from Shinagawa to Ikebukuro. By 1.40pm, I had completed my check in at hotel and my trip in Tokyo officially began. My itinerary:

Day 6

Subway to airport - flight to Tokyo - Keikyu airport line to Shinagawa - JR Yamanote line to hotel - lunch at Sakura Sushi - shopping at Harajuku, Cat Street and Sunshine city - dinner at Odashimon - Overnight at Toyoko Inn.

Day 7

Breakfast at hotel - Bus to Mitsui Outlet - lunch at Kantaro - shopping for toiletries at Sundrug Ueno - dinner from Family Mart

Day 8

Breakfast at hotel - Tsujiki Outer market - lunch at Sushi Zanmai - shopping at Global Works, Ginza INZ, Nishiginza - dinner at Sato Yosuke Ginza Inaniwa Udon - shopping at Lumine 1 and 2/PLST on the 4th floor of Marronnier Gate Ginza 2 - supper from Family Mart

Day 9

Breakfast at hotel - shopping at Onitsuka Tiger - lunch at Casual Tempura Restuarant - shopping at Ginza - dinner at Kazokutei Ikebukuro Tobu at Tobu Mall - train to Haneda airport.

My flight back was another red eye flight which left me with a whole day in Tokyo before going to the airport. After dinner, I went back to the hotel to collect and repack my bag. With Gemini’s help, I had identified the elevator at the South gate entrance for the JR Yamanote line which brings me all the way to the platform without having to cart my bag up a long flight of steps. Took the JR to Hatmatmasucho station to catch the monorail to Haneda. I was fortunate enough to get a seat on the train as the office crowd had died down significantly at 8.30pm. By 8.45pm, I was at the monorail station and though there was only the local train available at that time, I was at Haneda 24 mins later.

My bag only weighed 15.8kg though it felt heavy to lug it around; completed check in and security check by 9.50pm which left me close to 3 hours to kill before my flight. Not sure if it was due to late hours but there was only one miserable souvenir shop opened and after getting my potato chips, settled at a row of seats to charge my phone and to watch you tube. We will again given a pack of snacks, including a cold muffin which had yet to defrost completely. Completed watching the last part of K-pops and Sing Song Blue with Kate Hudson and Hugh Jackman. Breakfast was served before landing; this time round, I chose the omelette set which was a disappointment.

Landed in Changi at around 6.20 and I was on my way home by 7.10am.

As usual, it was a very tiring trip where I clocked on an average of 20K steps per day and I noted legs were swollen and my calves harden. Pokemon Go indicated that I had walked 71.2km for a week 😊.

I travelled by train all the time using my ICOCA card and apart from the occasional wrong exits, it had mainly been a smooth journey. I also used google maps most of the time and to avoid unnecessary wrong turns, resorted to live views each time I am uncertain. Paid mostly using my you trip with the occasional cash for top ups of the ICOCA card. Weather was brutally hot and many people, including guys, were using umbrellas most days together with the portable fans. I did managed to had different types of food, including the famed sandwiches from the konbini which I had never tried on all my previous visits. Had to agree that they are pretty good. As for shopping, I failed quite miserably on this front; though I did cover many shopping areas, somehow did not managed to find items that I wanted to buy. Clothes were either too young, too businesslike or too “aunty” for me. The brands I used to like had switched to focus on trendy street wear too skimpy for me and a lot of them were selling clothes of the same kind. I was disappointed in that aspect and would probably think twice about shopping for clothes in Japan. Still, overall, it was a good trip and though I won’t be able to make another trip this year during the cooler period, I will probably make another trip next year.

Days of Visit: 14-Jul-26 to 22-Jul-26

Shanghai and Hong Kong in the Summer of 2026 : The Flight and Itinerary

2026-07-04T00:02:00.000+08:00

Just got back from a trip to Shanghai/Hong Kong.

Just like my 2019 trip, I took Cathay Pacific; ticket cost SGD 578.30 with seat reservation thrown in. On hindsight; perhaps I should have save that seat reservation fee as there were still aisle seats available when I checked online. Took the red eye flight which took off at 1.45am and reaching HK at 5.50am. There was a layover of around 2 hours with the flight to Shanghai departing at 8.10. CX takes off from Terminal 4 and I had to take the free shuttle from Terminal 2. A 10 mins bus ride but I thought it was less than that as there was not much traffic along the way. Bag drop was fast and efficient since I had already completed check-in online and only needed to print the boarding pass and the baggage tag; in any case, there were ladies standing around to help.

By 23.15pm, I was already done with another 2 plus hours to kill. Terminal 4 was really quiet that night as I whiled away watching videos. This terminal is the newest among the terminals and I must say, it has a funkier feel.

This prominent, life-sized sculpture called Travelling Family by Swiss artist, Kurt Laurenz Metzler, caught my attention. It portrays a realistic, playful family snapshot while waiting in an airport - figures carrying luggage, children moving about, and a man casually reading a newspaper.

This artist’s other works called the “Urban People" can be found right outside ION Orchard. Just like the airport piece, the figures in "Urban People" capture the hustle and bustle of everyday city life. They are painted in vibrant primary colours (red, yellow, blue) and are extremely popular photo spots for pedestrians though it is difficult to get a good complete shot as there are always people sitting right next to it. My best shot:

Boarding was fast and passengers only need to stand in front of machines who recognize the face from that taken while dropping the bags. Scan the boarding pass and the barcode tells the machine what seat you are occupying, and the facial scanner instantly verifies that your face matches the passenger assigned to that seat. Sure makes the boarding process much more efficient. Seems that since Terminal 4 was built as a biometric playground designed to test automated systems, all boarding gates in Terminal 4 has this facial-recognition boarding infrastructure up and running; other terminals will be upgraded in phases. Plane was with 2-3-2 layout. There were blankets and pillows provided. Entertainment had enough movie choices for a flight of only 4 hours. I was sleepy but couldn’t really sleep yet too tired to focus on any movie though I did try watching Another World, but gave up half way. Not long after the plane took off, a hot sandwich was served together with a pack of chips, a bottle of water and a piece of chocolate.

That piece of sandwich (I would call it a pie) was one of the worst I had ever tasted on any flight. It was warm but the dough was thick and you could taste the flour. It was meant to have chicken and potato fillings but all you get was that thick dough as the fillings were so negligible. I am definitely disappointed and wonder why an airline like CX not check the quality of food it provides to passengers?

Flight landed on time at Chep Lap Kok airport at around 5.46am.

Security check at transfer counter was fast and efficient and by 6.07 am, I was done. Took a long walk to the boarding gate playing Pokémon along the way; it was still early and all shops were still closed except for the food stalls in the food court. Initially, I thought I should just skip breakfast but I still went up to suss around and settled for a ramen at Sushi Taka which is right next to the food court. This bowl of ramen cost HKD 78..came with seaweed and tasteless bamboo shoots; chasu did not live up to my expectations.

I was told this is no ordinary outlet but is a sister brand to the legendary Sushi Saito in Tokyo. There was no sushi being offered that morning so I supposed ramen was just a breakfast option. Still, the quality did not match the connection to a Michelin star. BTW, there are other options in the food court, including Gordon Ramsey.

Right opposite the food court is the LV store. It was still closed and this liquid-silver chrome sculpture caught my eye. Looks like an "exhausted traveller", so tired that he does not mind sitting on the floor to take a rest. The figure is rather stylish; styled in ultra-reflective, draped streetwear-style attire and sneakers; no wonder it is sitting outside LV.

While walking to the boarding gate, passed by a number of sculptures. Raise me High 1 and 2 by Hong Kong artist and sculptor, Rosanna Li Wei Han. On display were the artist's ignature ceramic fat figures sculpted out of coarse, grogged clay. These playful sculptures flying kites capture the emotions, anticipation, and whimsical moments of modern travel. Kite flying can be seen as a journey in the sky, a way to go free, acording to the artist.

Another sculpture is Heartfelt Love by Man Fung-yi.

This piece called Wind Concept visualizes the intersection of global navigation, travel directions, and the freedom of flight. The base of the sculpture is a large metallic compass rose marking navigational directions. From its center, polished stainless steel branches extend upward like roots or wind currents, supporting a flock of stylized, block-like birds in flight. It is by Hong Kong contemporary artist Kum Chi-keung.

I also noted long working desks where people could plug in their laptops to work though these were largely unoccupied that morning.

There were areas where you could fill up your water bottles with both hot and cold water. This is definitely one facility many people appreciate.

Boarding was again efficient. Just scan your face; this is the biometric facial recognition (often called a "Flight Token"). When you check in or drop your bags, the system links your facial data with your passport and flight details; a temporary digital token that replaces the need to physically present paper or mobile boarding passes. How convenient.

Flight was full compared to the earlier flight from Singapore. Took off around 8.10am. Layout was 3-4-4 and it was a full flight. Flight time was closed to 3 hours. Watched half of Marty Supreme. Was served dim sum for lunch and frankly, that was the worst dim sum I had tried - rubbery and thick skinned. I barely ate them.

Landed at Pudong around 10.55am. Had to first complete the finger printing exercise. There were a lot of kiosks available but only a couple of them worked. Fortunately, there were not that many tourists and I soon got my fingers printed. I next proceeded to clear immigration and by 11.19 am, that was done. Baggage claim was rather slow and I only got my bag at 11.33 am. Walked to the maglev ticketing counter and with my boarding pass got a ticket at RMB 10 less at RMB40.

Waited for about 10 mins before being allowed to the platform. The interior of the train is clean but looked kinda of dated. Light blue cushion covers; wonder how often these were cleaned.

Train took off at 12.02pm and at 300km/h, I was at Long Yang station 8 mins later. 30.5km covered.

Walked out of the station and headed towards Line 2 to take the metro to Century Avenue before changing to Line 9 to J’s place. With just one bag weighing 11.2kg, moving around was not an issue. Noted that at every metro station, you need to pass through security and have your bags (including handbags) checked. When the Q is long, it can be quite frustrating but lines do move rather fast. My itinerary:

Day 1
Settled into J’s place. Went to BOC to update my personal details – dinner at Mama’s Kitchen 妈妈家

Day 2
Went to BOC to settle transfer – lunch at 鱼都老味面 (丽园路店) – Watched Dear You at CooperStar Cinema (CooperStar影城) at LuOne mall – dumplings at Jia Jia Tang Bao佳家汤包 at 丽园路 – Apoli Itabakery – Wu Kang Mansion 武康大楼 – dessert at Shuangxi Laopu (双喜老铺) – dinner at Tang Shui Chuan Cai (糖水川菜) at Lu One Mall

Day 3
Went to BOC to settle another transfer – lunch at a shopping plaza in basement of Shanghai Science and Technology Museum Station (上海科技馆站) – visit Shanghai Museum East Branch (上海博物馆东馆) - Tsutaya Books at Taikoo Li Qiantan (前滩太古里) – Dinner at Colca

Day 4
Xintiandi PanLong – lunch at Ginza Nishikawa (银座仁志川) – walked around West Bund (西岸) – Dinner at 珑洱 at 1000 Trees Mall – Massage

Day 5
Nanjing Lu – Q for biscuits at Park Hotel – Hang He Lu – lunch at Xian de lai – Zhang Yuan -Starbucks Roastery – The Louis – dinner at Lulu restaurant

Day 6 morning. Left J's place at 8.55am and by 9.36am, was already in Maglev to Pudong airport for flight to HK. Train took off at 9.40am and by 9.48am, I was already in the airport.

By 10.31am, had completed all check in and immigration. Note that for security purposes, power bank, umbrella and tablet had to be removed from the carry on and if you forget to do that, your bags may need to be rescanned. Was feeling a bit hungry so decided to stop by this dim sum place (there are very few places to eat) for a bite. Made the wrong choice and ordered this awful toast bread with butter. Never again.

On my way to the boarding gate, passed by these sleeping pods; all empty and wonder if there will be any takers. Not sure how much is the cost per pod.

Flight took off on time.

Was served this pork with potatoes that came with a mango haagen das ice cream.

Completed watching Marty Supreme and half of Pass and Goal. Landed at HK airport and with few tourists (officers more than tourists), cleared immigration by 15.27pm. Bought a tourist mtr card for HKD 170 and headed for the bus stop. Took A11. Bus is comfortable with announcements in English, Cantonese and Mandarin. Unfortunately, the wifi in the bus does not work. My stop was Macao Ferry Terminal and I had to use google map to walk to Y hotel.

Day 6

Checked in to Y Hotel - Dinner at Kwan Kee – shopping at Beverly Island/Laforet at Causeway Bay – Dessert at Grindle 研香

Day 7
Lunch at Chau Kee – West Kowloon Cultural District – tea at Australia Diary Milk – Dinner at Mak Man Kee Noodle Shop (麥文記麵家) – shopping at Allied Plaza – dessert at Tsui Yuen Dessert (翠苑甜品專家)

Day 8
Lunch at Lau Sum Kee(劉森記麵家) – dessert at Kung Wo Beancurd Factory (公和荳品廠) – chee cheong fan at Hop Yik Tai (合益泰小食) – shopping at Hong Kong Industrial Centre (香港工業中心) – dinner at Good Hope Noodle 好旺角 – dessert at Heart Warming

Day 9
Lunch at Joy Hing – settle banking issues in HSBC Causeway Bay – tea at Keung Kee – dessert at Kai Kai – Central – Dinner at Tsim Chai Kee – walk from Pier 7 to Macao Ferry Terminal – dinner at Kam Fung Congee Shop (金豐粥店) – bus A11 to airport.

Took the red eye flight back allowing me a whole day to wander around HK. The hotel was only around a 5 mins walk away from the airport bus station so it was no hassle getting there. Journey to the airport only took around 40 mins since I boarded just before the western harbour crossing. Arriving at around 21.15pm, I had a good 3 hours to kill before departure. Check in and immigration was smooth (somehow, I could not use the e-gates so had to clear immigration at the counters – ok, there was no Q). Shopping was out for me so had to make do with watching videos. Flight departed on time at 1.45am, was smooth and apart from completing watching Pass and Goal, I spent the time trying to sleep. Was served that same miserable sandwich/pie as per the flight to Shanghai. Landed at 5.27am and by 5.40am, I had cleared immigration. Claimed my baggage 9 mins later and had to wait for the free shuttle to Terminal 2. That was quite a long wait as the bus operates from 6am onwards. The bus came at around 6.08am and by 6.20am, I was in the mrt. Though it was only 6.30 when I got onto the Tuas bound train, the train was crowded; make me realize that there are many people who had to be up very early in the morning to get to work or school.

Weather in Shanghai was much cooler than Hong Kong as it was cool until the last 2 days where the weather during the day was much hotter; there was no rain. In HK, the weather was considerably hotter at around 35 degrees with short snatches of rain one evening. On Day 9, typhoon signal no 1 was hoisted though there were no rain or strong winds

Overall, it was a tiring trip and as usual walked a lot. My main objective for the trip was to settle banking matters and with the help of friends managed to resolve with ease. Both HK and Shanghai were not the same as in 2019 when I last visited though there were parts that appear familiar. Shanghai, in particular, had lots more new places one could visit though I am beginning to feel fatigued looking at stuff that were polished and therefore less authentic. My alipay worked very well and the QR code for travel made it easy for me to enter and exit each metro station. It was good meeting ex colleagues and reminiscing about the good old days. Life has been kind to all of us as everyone appears to be doing well and in good state. Till the next time we meet, I wish them well.

Date of Visit: 24-Jun-26 to 2-Jul-26

Last Week Of May

2026-05-31T00:00:00.000+08:00

May is the month with the most public holidays this year – 2 with long week end. Labour Day (May 1), Hari Raya Haji (May 27) and today being Vesak. Yea, tmr, we are off. If you plan your holidays starting from May 23 till June 1, you will get 9 days off by taking only 4 days off. Unfortunately, May is off limits for me due to it being the year end. As such, these days were spent either planning my upcoming trips or on work. 胡里糊涂过了这些日 😊. Always envy M. She always manage to get off on all these long weekends. Right now, she is in Milan retracing the steps of Miranda Priestly.

It goes without saying that May had been a busy month. I wish everyday had ended with such colors in the sky.

I finally leveled up to Level 68 after more than 5 months whereas Sui had already reached level 70 even though I was ahead of him months ago.

My journey so far:

Level 67 on Dec 23, 2025

Level 66 on Oct 17, 2025 after Pokemon changed its leveling system to rebalance the XP curve and I was automatically pushed up many levels.

Legacy 43 on Oct 16, 2025

Legacy 42 in Dec 2022.

Despite being a busy month, I still kept my weekends free. Last Sunday, as usual dropped by Sun with Moon for lunch. Ordered one of the cheapest item on the menu – tonkatsu tamago toji set @$24.80++.

Not the first time I am having this but I would probably stop ordering this for a while. I had never been really fond of Tonkatsu unless they are exceptionally special. The side dishes ae not that bad though it is time the choices get updated.

As I was sipping my hot green tea. I read that Gardenia would be shifting its bakery production to JB and its Pandan Loop facility will completely cease operations on 30 June 2026 and 141 of its employees retrenched.

Reason? Cost cutting as well as severe labour constraints following Singapore’s tightening foreign worker quotas and high domestic labour costs make staffing a 24/7 manufacturing line increasingly difficult. Will we still get fresh bread? It seems that would remain as same-day trucking is possible with JB geographically close enough for fresh loaves to be baked, packed, and trucked across the Causeway into the supermarkets every single day. Will price be reduced? No as the move is meant to maintain commercial competitiveness and absorb global inflation. Without relocating, the high costs of running a 24/7 facility in Singapore would have likely triggered a retail price increase instead. In addition, relocating introduces new cross-border customs fees, checkpoint clearances, and fuel costs for daily transportation. Ok. So it is all a numbers game.

Popped by Zara. Noted many military styled garments; it seems the overarching theme behind these military-style garments is the Napoleon Jacket Trend, which has taken over the season as a key viral "it-item". Looking at these smart and masculine looking jackets, I find them rather heavy and hot for summer with materials like denim, decorative cord loops, stiff linings, and dense embroidery, a recipe for a heat stroke.

I then noted some lightweight dresses and blouse with the same three horizontal fabric tabs across the center of the chest which are directly inspired by the classic toggle closures found on historical military and Hussar jackets. Perfect for summer. Nope, I did not buy any.

I then walked over to Somerset 313, stopping by Kinokuniya to look at the latest books and Best Denki to get a drum for my printer. A number of books caught my attention:

I will probably checked them out when I am done with the 3 books I am currently reading.

Hoping for a better and more relaxed month in June. Yea, I am finalising (or trying to) my Shanghai/HK trip.

Beijing Summit: Lil X 虎头包 and The Thucydides Trap 修昔底德陷阱

2026-05-16T00:08:00.000+08:00

While most people were focusing on the political/economic aspects/outcome of the Trump/Xi meeting in Beijing, a number of us were more interested in the 花边新闻 aka the fluff. From the many photos being circulated around, it is probably not wrong to say that Elon Musk was the most “popular and most wanted” guest. During the formal dinner at the Great Hall of the People, attendees, local officials, and major tech figures swamped Elon Musk for photos. Videos of him spinning around, rolling his eyes, and pulling exaggerated funny faces went viral globally. But wait, there was another new star that could rival him. Yes, none other than his 6-years old son, X Æ A-Xii (nicknamed "Lil X") which he brought along to Beijing. As I watched them stepping out hand in hand, I couldn’t help wondering what is 6-years old X doing in such a high level meeting. Is this proper? But the local press seems to love him as all eyes turned to what he was wearing. A traditional, pale blue-gray Chinese-style embroidered silk vest designed by the niche custom brand Sheicai Chu. Complete with the perfect accessory - a traditional, handcrafted tiger-head shoulder bag made by ethnic minority artisans from the Ya Xiaoqi Handcraft firm in Guangxi with traditional Zhuang brocade embroidery.

It was reported that this tiger bag is a perfecr example of modern "gouchao"国潮 which translates to "China-Chic", a massive contemporary fashion movement where younger generations and local designers take ancient folk elements—like old-fashioned children's cloth toys—and redesign them into trendy, modern street-style accessories like phone crossbody bags. So cute little X was embracing china chic as he waved to his "fans" like an experinced diplomat. By the way, Lil X is no stranger to publicity. From "meetings with foreign leaders to the control room of a SpaceX launch", X is his favorite work sidekick, referring to him as an "emotional support human", whatever that is supposed to mean. Some called X his "complementary accessory", a” mini Elon” but X is probably just a blank slate, a protégé to mold through a unique "executive boardroom apprenticeship” with extremely early, immersive exposure to world leaders, factories, and tech strategy.

Hopefully, Lil X has his share of growing up as a normal kid.

Checking google, I understand that historically, tiger-head items (shoes, hats, and cloth doll pouches) were strictly made for babies and young children to ward off evil spirits and bring good health. With China chic movement, it is now updated to be a trendy product for adults who want a nostalgic, artsy street-style look. Following X’s appearance, both the vest and tiger bag became an instant to get item as orders for them escalated. Another case of follow the wind "跟风" as a tangible, affordable way to buy into a elite lifestyle? FOMO? National pride fueled by seeing the son of the world’s richest tech tycoon wearing China chic? I dunno but Elon Musk probably has the last laugh walking away from Beijing having charmed the public, trended on every local algorithm, and successfully humanized his tech-tycoon empire in his most critical global market.

A side note. How does one pronounce X Æ A-Xii? According to AI:

X: Pronounced simply as the letter "Ex".

Æ: Pronounced as the word "Ash" (which is the traditional linguistic name for the "æ" symbol ligature).

A-Xii: Pronounced as "A-Twelve". The original birth name was spelled with the number "A-12," but they legally changed it to Roman numerals ("A-Xii") to comply with California birth certificate laws that require standard English alphabet letters. It represents Archangel-12, Elon Musk's favorite reconnaissance aircraft.

Aiyoh, which father would name his kids as if they are robots/machines or mathematical formulas or sci-fi names? It is simple for the father to name his children any names he fancies but it is the child that will live by them. Everywhere these children go, their names invite immediate flashing cameras, public curiosity, and endless questions about their father. Heavy anchors. But with Elon Musk as dad, what more can you expect 😊?

Another more serious matter that had many you tubers commenting on was the Thucydides Trap. 修昔底德陷阱 in mandarin, a term I have not heard of before. It was reported that in the Beijing Summit, President Xi warned Trump about falling into the trap and that both should actively avoid any catastrophic, unintended military conflict. From a you tube video that I saw, I learnt that the Thucydides Trap is a historical trigger for war dated back to the Greek times and named after ancient Greek historian Thucydides, who famously observed that the Peloponnesian War became inevitable because of the growth of Athenian power and the fear which this caused in Sparta - "It was the rise of Athens and the fear that this instilled in Sparta that made war inevitable." Hmm, was China referring to itself as Athen and US as Sparta? AI says yes, but with a highly specific, defensive twist as while Xi accepts the “China as Athens, U.S. as Sparta" framework, he rejects the historical conclusion that they are doomed to repeat the ancient bloodbath —essentially telling Trump that if both superpowers act with rational restraint, "Athens" can continue to grow without "Sparta" needing to fire a single shot. Trump’s response? He claimed: "Now, the United States is the hottest Nation anywhere in the world, and hopefully our relationship with China will be stronger and better than ever before!"

Glad to hear that from the “G2”.

@Random

2026-05-13T23:57:00.000+08:00

@random

Went back to Sio Pasta for lunch. It was just after 11am on a Sunday and there was a short Q. This time round, I ordered its monthly best pasta ie the best mentaiko pasta@ $16.80++ which I had rather good reviews. It came with a huge dollop of mentaiko on top together with stripes of nori, spring onions and bites of garlic.

Mix the mentaiko with the pasta and dig in. Some referred to it as umami; I found it slightly salty and after many bites, it got a little jelat. While I do appreciate the generous portion, I was thinking perhaps it could be a smaller portion at a cheaper price as the salted kelp pasta. Yes, I prefer the fried egg, cheese and salted kelp pasta with a more layered taste 😊.

I had to order the baguette and fig butter @S$4.80++ which many had been raving about. 2 pieces of toasted baguette with a slab of homemade fig butter. Eat it while still warm and though there is the taste of fig, I thought the butter portion was a little too much as I bit in. That is just me as I much prefer a little more fig.

I was seated at the community table and opposite me was a couple who ordered a little too much food. However, as the restaurant does not cater for takeaway of leftovers, the lady had to go buy a container to take home the pasta. Not sure if this is a good policy to have from a service point of view. Plus, I also wish the restaurant could at least offer water.

This is pork soup and rice @$17.90+ (no GST) from a Korean café at Fusionopolis. Café is opened by a Korean chef who aim to serve traditional Korean dishes with a twist as well as Korean bakery. Some called this a hidden gem so I was curious and wanted to check it out.

A few pieces of pork with rice and noodles in the soup. Peppery soup. Ok but wish there was more rice. Banchan was kimchi, broccoli (hard) and bean curd (the best of the lot to me).

The interior is spacious and there is a corner with cushions and low chairs just like your home.

Iris Cafe
Solaris #01-11, 1 Fusionopolis Walk, S 138628

Another spot in Fusionopolis. Japanese sets during lunch and a drinking spot at night. Been there a couple of times with F and T and this time, ordered the Iberico pork jowl and sashimi set @$16.50++. Served with a bowl of rice, a chawanmushi, a miso soup and a side (macaroni and potato). I like the pork jowl chasu which was nicely grilled; tender and smoky. Very good.

JINHO shokudo & BAR.
1 Fusionopolis Pl, #01-14 Galaxis, S138522

T suggested going to Hawker Street at 100AM Mall for lunch. A new place that just opened in April 2026; I had been to its largest food court in CK Tang. Its selling point is mainly its collection of Michelin brands in one location. In 100am site, there are 5 of them - Tai Wah Pork Noodles, Wok Hei Hor Fun, Song Fish Soup, Fei Fei Roasted Noodle and Da Po Hainanese Chicken Rice & Curry Chicken Noodle. T and I walked around the rather small area to suss out the stalls. Instead of the brand names, we both settled for Pang's Hakka Yong Tau Foo (小彭客家菜). The stall offers thunder tea rice as well. Looking at the yong tau foo, at least they do not appear to be the mass-produced version, Settled for the very basic set at $6.80. Hor fun tossed with minced meat with around 5 pieces of stuffed items, mainly bean curd stuffed with fish paste. 2 pieces of radish were included in the soup. Very average and I realised that my set did not include any stuffed bitter gourd which were reserved for the more expensive set.

Would I return? Most likely not.

We went for dessert at SweetDots (甜心点点) on the 3rd floor. Had previously tried its signature pistachio and was disappointed with its texture. This time ordered the bean curd with ginko @$4.50 and a plate of chai poh chee cheong fun @$5.50. Unfortunately, both fell short of my expectations; the bean curd sheets had not fully dissolved and was too watery for my liking. I supposed it is a matter of expectations as mum’s version was always with bean curd fully disintegrated, smooth, rich and creamy.

As for the rice rolls, these were only average as the sheets were a little too thick and tend to stick together. Seating is not that comfortable as it is not a place for you to sit and linger. But we did sat there for quite a long time talking about financial problems.

Pang’s Hakka Yong Tau Foo
100 Tras St, Level 5, S 079027

Hawkers Street

SweetDots
100 Tras St, #03-16, S 079027

Read that to beat the heat and to conserve power to combat soaring global energy costs, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government officially update its workplace dress code to allow public servants to wear shorts, T-shirts, and sneakers to the office. This represents a massive shift for Japan's traditionally rigid, suit-and-tie corporate culture. In the past, as part of the Japan’s Cool Biz campaign, civil servants could forgo ties and jackets but not bearing their legs so the current energy crisis must be so acute for Japan to break that last cultural barrier. Still, I don’t think it is a pretty sight to have older male colleagues walking around in office with their bare hairy legs. Some called it “kimoi” gross or creepy. I kinda of agree especially when there is no definition of what’s “too short” or “what’s appropriate”.

Well, desperate times call for desperate measures.

The government’s move aside, I also read an article on Calbee’s announcement that packaging of 14 of its products, including its bestseller "Potato Chips" and "Kappa Ebisen," will go monochrome from May 25. This change is due to instability and shortage of printing ink and other materials amid tensions in the Middle East. What else. Vibrant packaging requires printing ink made from naphtha, a petroleum-based derivative and for Japan, roughly 40% of its naphtha consumption is from Middle East. Rest be assured that only the packaging is changed as the quality remains. "石油原料節約パッケージPetrochemical Material Saving Packaging” will be printed on the packaging. My 1st reaction? Those monochrome black and white bags look eerily sombre reminding one of funerals. But then if these are placed on a shelf with other bright neon colors, these would be a standout because they do look out of place.

Considering the cultural importance placed on packaging standards in Japan, going down this route must be a desperate move to overcome a crisis. At least Calbee had chosen to compromise on the wrapper rather than quality of the products or reduce its size. I also like the idea of printing “Petrochemical Material Saving Packaging” on the packaging, a transparent move that makes people equate that as an act of national resource conservation. A visual downgrade but a badge of civic responsibility; consumers would support this. And who knows, this may be a smart crisis management move turned brilliant accidental marketing as these monochrome packaging may become highly sought after cultural items by consumers and snack collectors 😊.

I am again reminded of “desperate times called for desperate measures”.

Day Out @Jalan Tan Hiok Nee and Jalan Dhoby - JB

2026-05-10T17:57:00.000+08:00

Dropped by JB today. Initial intent was to catch a movie – Cold War 1994 but since I had seen the special screening of the movie, decided to just to ronda ronda. Took the Tebrau shuttle and was in JB Sentral by 9.55am. Since I had not been to Jalan Tan Hiok Nee 陈旭年文化街 for a long while, decided to walk there instead of going to KSL Mall or Mid Valley. Walking through JB City Square to Jalan Wong Ah Fook, I noted that City Square is undergoing a major overhaul and quite a lot of tenants had moved out – among them Uniqlo, Old Town Coffee, Kwong Woh Tong, Watsons. Understand that the overhaul would be completed by early 2028; right now, while the mall is still operational, it has nothing very much to offer. Jalan Wong Ah Fook is still as messy with ongoing construction of the Coronation Square and the nearby RTS Link Chagar Station. Surprisingly, despite not being there for ages, could still remember the way to Tan Hiok Nee especially when I saw that Hindu temple - the Arulmigu Rajamariamman Devasthanam Temple. It is the oldest Hindu temple in JB, originally founded in 1911. It is highly recognizable by its vibrant, 75-foot tall multi-coloured gateway tower (Rajagopuram).

Next to the temple, there are rows of shops selling colorful garlands of flowers. As I walked past, sweet smelling scents floated in the air. Fresh jasmine, roses and marigold.

It was a hot day despite being only around 10.15 in the morning. Walking quickly, I soon found myself in the familiar street where there are rows of Indian jewellery, sari and textile shops. This is Jalan Trus and is called JB’s Little India district. In the early 20th century, Indian immigrants—many brought to Johor to work on rubber plantations, railways, and infrastructure—settled around this downtown core. Merchants set up shop around the temple to cater to their specific cultural and daily needs. I won’t consider this a vibrant place, at least not this morning, as it was rather quiet with few shoppers. However, I did notice that these shops are particular about cleanliness as before entering the shops, you need to remove your shoes.

I understand that in Indian culture, a place of business is viewed as a source of livelihood blessed by the Goddess Lakshmi who is believed to reside in the shops; bringing filth from the street into the shop is seen as disrespect to the goddess and could bring bad luck or financial loss to the business.

Street art can be found in several corners of the street.

Passed by Hua Mui and made a point to come back later for lunch as there was a long Q in line. Turned into Jalan Dhoby which got its name directly from the traditional Indian laundrymen—historically known as dhobis (derived from the Hindi word dhobi, meaning washerman)—who lived, worked, and operated their trades along this specific street from the early 1900s through the late 1950s. Just like how Dhoby Ghaut got its name. A bit of history I gathered from various articles. When the Johor Bahru Railway Station was opened in 1909 and Johor formally accepted a British General Adviser in 1914, downtown JB was transformed into a bustling administrative capital. British colonial officers, civil servants, and wealthy rubber merchants created a massive boom for the laundrymen. During those times, laundering is a skill and these laundrymen from India had inherited such skills through a centuries-old hereditary caste system; an ancestral, designated occupation. Using water from the nearby Sengget river, laundering involved specialized skills like identifying fabrics, mixing natural bleaching elements, and the exact physical momentum required to swing and "flog" heavy wet garments against stone without ripping them. Apparently, the loud "slap-slap" sound echoing off the rocks of the Segget River on Jalan Dhoby was a daily affair then. I am reminded of what I saw in Korean dramas where people are seen stomping their feet on winter cotton quilts or bed sheets in big tubs while laundering. Likewise, in Chinese dramas, we often see women gathering at the river and rhythmically beat the clothes with a heavy, flat wooden paddle called the Yīshāng Bàngmáng / 衣裳棒) while washing. Fortunately, this manual flogging is now built into our washing machines. Walking along Jalan Dhoby, we no longer see any laundry shops but instead we have mainly cafes and eating places. The Replacement Café (selling local fare like blue pea nasi lemak instead of western) and IT Roo with its "The Best Chicken Chop in Town" are the only familiar names I remembered from my last visit; even the famous Salahuddin Bakery with its famous historic, room-sized charcoal brick wall oven is no longer in operations. Another victim of steep rental hike. What a pity though walking along the street, I found it quiet and with no crowds and wonder how high rental can be justified. There is a dim sum and fish noodle shop (rather high prices), a couple of gelato/ice cream places a place selling biscuits and snacks.

The iconic Red House is still there but closed.

Looks like the café I went to in my last visit had ceased operations. This building with its Straits Eclectic style with a roof lined with traditional Chinese rounded clay tiles and European-inspired decorative plaster relief carvings is owned by a prominent local Indian family but since it is gazetted as a historical landmark, the owners had to work closely with the Johor Bahru Tiong Hua (Chinese) Association and the local heritage committee to manage the space and ensure its architectural integrity is preserved. A fun fact. The building changes its coat of paint depending on who rent it. In 2011 to 2017, it was painted cherry red and white to mimic Malacca's famous Dutch Sqaure when Jalan Tan Hiock Nee was branded as a Heritage Walk. In 2017 to 2020, it was repainted in minimalist off white as it was rented by Let's Eat whose corporate brand colors was clean and modern. In 2020 to 2025, when Let's Eat moved out, Marybrown took over and since its corporate color is bright red, thet restored it to bright red. Since there is no new tenant yet, it is still red today. Red is certainly more striking than a white facade not forgetting how difficult it is to maintain the white 😉.

I found myself in Jalan Tan Hiok Nee street. This street has more people than Jalan Dhoby with a small crowd at Hiap Joo bakery and Kin Wah Coffee shop. A bit of history on Tan Hiok Nee 陳旭年. Well, he was a Teochew immigrant merchant who rose from poverty to become the wealthiest, most powerful Chinese leader in 19th-century Johor. Fleeing China as a penniless migrant, he was a miner in the Pahang mines before moving to Singapore to became a street cloth peddler in Telok Blangah. Like what we see in dramas, his honesty caught the attention of regular customers Temenggong Ibrahim and his son, Abu Bakar (who would become the first Sultan of modern Johor). He was invited by Abu Bakar to help develop JB and was given exclusive governance, taxation, and cultivation rights over huge river banks. He made a massive fortune by cultivating gambier and pepper (the cash crops of the era), alongside operating highly lucrative, legal opium and liquor monopolies. He effectively controlled the entire left bank of the Johor River. Until 1875 when political rivals conspired to frame him, he had to flee Johor to Singapore. All his assets and properties were confiscated. Still, his name was remembered when Jalan Tan Hiok Nee was officially formalized by the city council as part of a heritage tourism initiative in October 2009 as a Heritage Street and unveiled as the Jalan Tan Hiok Nee Heritage Walk.

Jalan Tan Hiok Nee was certainly less crowded compared to my visit more than 10 years ago. Hiap Joo is still the most popular as I see many walking away with packs of banana cake. You can no longer go into the shop as in the past (well more than 10 years ago) but just place your order at the counter. Each pack now cost RM16 and I bought one pack. No longer hot as in the past as everything is now prebaked and we no longer get the cake warm, right out of the wood-fired oven. Hopefully the taste remains.

Dona Bakehouse which is located next to Hiap Joo was eerily quiet.

I walked back to Hua Mui for lunch. There was a short Q and I was seated upstairs within 20 mins at the upper level. To get to the upper level, I had to walk up a creaky old wooden staircase to a dining area with large, traditional wooden louvered shutter windows wrap completely around the corner walls overlooking the hustle and bustle of Jalan Trus and Jalan Dhoby. There is natural sunlight streaming in with ceiling fans humming away. The seats are not that comfortable but if you enjoy the vibe of a 1940’s type setting, you can still sit back and enjoy the atmosphere.

Founded in 1946, this is certainly a popular restaurant both with locals and tourists. I have seen reports in the Star on the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Ibrahim’s visit to this restaurant. Apparently, his favourites are the chicken chop and the Hainanese coffee.

The last I ate here was in 2017 and I had the hor fun then. Since its signature is the Hainanese fried chicken chop @RM21.90++, decided to order just that plus a single piece of Hainan kaya and butter toast @RM3.20++.

My miserable looking piece of toast came first. I really can’t tell it this was charcoal toasted or the normal electric oven but it tasted normal. No smoky taste not grilled enough and not warm by the time it was placed on my table. Disappointed.

As for the chicken chop, it is a deboned chicken thigh coated in a batter and deep fried golden, Served with thick potato wedges and salad. Apparently, the brown gravy is good but I didn’t like the taste that much so I had the chicken mainly without sauce. Plus there was too much batter which I had to remove, Overall, it was only average to me.

The best of the meal turned out to be the green apple sour plum @RM8.90. Very refreshing with fresh apple juice.

Walked back to City Square and popped by Komtar JBCC. Not an interesting mall but the air conditioning was a welcoming change from the heat outside. Bought a few toothbrush at Guardian and stopped for a kuai ling go @RM 16 at Kwong Wah Tong. Unfortunately, while I ordered a hot/warm one, it turned out slightly warm and cold inside. Another disappointment.

Back to City Square. Not many shops were left in operations; Watsons and Hush Puppies had closed due to the renovation. The whole place looked deserted. I did not bother to walk around but just dropped by H & M and bought a black blouse for RM89.90. I then decided to have an early dinner at Meng Meng Roasted Duck (阿明帝皇鸭). Yes, I was craving duck meat all of a sudden. Ordered the duck drumstick rice at RM26.80++ and a glass of barley at RM5.80++.

Dang Gui Roasted Duck. The meat was juicy with a sweet-savory herbal gravy; the skin crisp. But the duck was rather skinny and despite being the drumstick, there was not a lot of meat.

Cleared immigration without any issue and quickly but there was a long Q waiting for the 170 bus. Noted that there are now 2 lines; one for CW and 950 and the other for 170. At least, the Q moved orderly and I was at SG immigration within 40 minutes. I was pleasantly surprised to find proper signage for buses after clearing SG immigration unlike in the past where Q were chaotic. Long overdue. Managed to get on bus 170 to Kranji station without much delay.

Had 2 pieces of the banana cake back home. Okay. Its quality had dropped and the taste is more bland and with artificial undertone. The taste of banana is practically gone. Another disappointment.

Overall, my trip to JB turned out rather boring as the places I went to all seem to have lost their charm and I am not sure if I will make another trip soon.