#FollowChanwonTo: Fukuoka Castle, Tenjin & Kimono, Fukuoka (4)

Flower Trip in Japan- [Oita: Part 1, 2] + [Fukuoka: Part 1, 2 , 3 , 4 , 5] + Tokyo [ 1] + Summary Post (to-do/ how plan / expenses)

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Hello Sweeties💕 Welcome back to my blog. I keep on thinking how to link all my post together so it's easier for you guys to refer. So I created and linked everything on the bottom of my first photo on my blog post. I will slowly add on the links once I'm done with the next post. To recap, I called this post as our Flower Trip in Japan as this is the main purpose of our trip. We travel end of the Sakura season and for this whole series, I just wanna show to you guys that Japan is more than just Sakura and Limzy created a name for this trip, which is Road Less Travel.

If you accidentally found my blog and currently reading this then remember to always check back. All of this post is more like a story-telling kind, more personal and funny. At the end of the post I will make another one which is more informative and it's like the ALL-IN-ONE kind of post which similar to most of my Japan Itinerary post on my blog. I hope with all these effort, you can plan well on your coming trip and can enjoy reading my little blog. 

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Yes, back to the topic. It was super exhausted after days of waking up at 6am during our trip in Fukuoka. So in between of all our flower trip, we also plan to have like a lazy day kind of itinerary. So in between the previous Wisteria Garden and the next Nokonoshima Island Park, we actually plan to have an one day break lol. Which mean we can waking up late and just play around in the town. Not going to go through the long distance travel. 

If you are having an one week trip or maybe a 5D4N one then should be fine. But when you are having a two weeks trip like this, especially with all transit and transportations, it's best if you could plan 1 or 2 days with less itinerary. So you won't feel so tired after you back to your homeland and you can also at the same time rest your mind. Am I right?

So yes, this part 4 is a day for us to rest. At first I plan it to Kumamoto since we got our JR pass for Kyushu Region and we thought of fully utilise it but sometime I'm just too old for busy schedule. So I ended up just let it be my next visit prefecture, so for now the whole trip is still Oita > Fukuoka and we end our trip staying 3 more days in Tokyo before we back in Kuala Lumpur. But I really happy we make a little change in this trip so I could take my friends to experience something diff. It's Gina first time to Japan and I thought why not we go to rent kimono and walk around the street then visit the castle too.

All of them said 'Let's do this'. And Yeezen didi must be really tired. He is like the one who help us carry everything and still bring 4 super heavy camera lens out & I really feel bad for him if he get sick HAHAHAH! Later people saying that I'm a bad boss and I need to be responsible for all my team's health condition. Maybe one day we should go body check together because I desperately need that. 

OMG I'm out of the topic again. So yes, but before we go to rent the kimono, I just did the last min research on google map and see which shop near to the place we visit and where is the location of the castle. After done with all the last min plan, we also have to keep our luggage packed and move to our second HomeAway homestay in Fukuoka.

So this is last photo I took in our first Fukuoka Homestay.

Our very cincai breakfast. All is Gina's haul and we just tumpang photo! She's such a talented person on doing all flatlay but since we woke up really late & got no time doing amazing flatlay. This is a 3 min version of breakfast flatlay lol.

 Sweat like hell because my luggage is heavy and the weather is just too hot for us.

- Our Second Fukuoka HomeAway Stay -

After check out, we actually asked the second homestay's owner whether can we just do a quick drop off on our luggage since the check in time on the next homestay is in the afternoon. Like I have been researching all the listings and also been using HomeAway app to book for years, I always so happy because I actually take time to read all the comment and review for the listing and this owner is so nice.

She allowed us to drop off our luggage so we no need to wait until 3pm only can check in. Next, since it's our last few days in Japan and when I book my stay, it's quite last min so this is the few nice one which fall within our budget and also near our first homestay. So we no need carry a lot of luggage and walk like hell with it. 

So this is me, with my luggage. The luggage is almost same weight as me lol. Then my dress is super long. I have to tie everything up so that I can walk like a queen. This second stay just RM130 per person per night. I actually think it's cheap and it's a bit far from the subway station. We walk around 12-15 mins to the station. So it's like you get what you paid for. If you pay more, the homestay is more convenience. Normally for my experience, for RM150-190 per person per night, I can get the one really nice in HomeAway. Now I book homestay until I became a pro already.

But due to the limited date available, this is the only one I found because it was the golden week in Japan. Everything fully booked and I'm so picky must look for elevator. Since the beginning of our trip we stayed in those super huge one, the remain 2 nights (actually consider one night as the second night we actually need to wake up in midnight and go to the airport to take local flight to Tokyo) we just want a cozy one to sleep! So the second one is more budget, small compare with the first one but just nice also.

HAHAHA this is from my phone lol. Not so fancy but I love to show you the real part of us! This is a photo taken by Didi when we are discussion and looking at our Kimono photos we took. There are three beds, small but everything there.

Our Fukuoka 2nd Homestay: Click here

2x Double Bed + One Sofa Bed

Left is the closet door, Right is the kitchen area and washing machine. The area behind the closet door (opposite the entrance) is our toilet.

 Wet & Dry toilet

Photo taken in late night after we back. So this is the complete view of our Fukuoka second homestay. I pasted the link on the photo above, you can always check it back. If you are a budget traveler with your friends and this could be in your favourite homestay too. If you are looking for something bigger, feel free to always check out the listing in HomeAway app and I got you a discount code. Enjoy 8% off by entering [HOMEAWAYCHANWON] Bookmark this for your reference.

After we drop off our luggage, we just walk back to the subway station and guess what. We accidentally bumped into this beautiful spot nearby our homestay.

Please take few mins to appreciate this. Then we just randomly take some #OOTDchanwon here and I have to plan when to upload the OOTD on my instagram. 

Can you see I'm too short to wear this? AHAHAHAHAH

 I love Spring, I love all the colors and we ended up just taking photo in front of the spot.

 Road less travel 

Can you believe this is the first proper selfie of us? AHAHAHAHAHAH Sorry Yeezen, you always stand at the back because you are too tall. Fyi, he's one head ++ taller than me. 

So after all, we decided to explore Tenjin and I'm finance one mah, of course I get a full day ticket so that we could save more! If you wonder, our 5 day JR pass expired already! So travel back in a normal way by getting their 1day ticket or one way ticket depending on your itinerary & plan.

- TENJIN -

Tenjin is the largest shopping area in Kyushu. It's like a shopping street in Tokyo! Also lots of shopping complex & food / restaurants here.  One special thing about here compare to the area I stay in Hakata is that all the department store and contemporary shopping buildings just stand side by side with each other. There are more crowd here compare to the area we stay. Like even the Kimono Rental shop is around here.

On a side note, there is also a 590-meters long underground shopping mall located in Tenjin. Since we wanted to take our lunch here and rent our kimono here, I think this is the best place for us.

Searching for food and google map + ing

The street

-  DEAN & DELUCA -

I'm sooooo hungry after all the check in & out in the morning. So now is time to treat our stomach with some good food. We are here waiting for our lunch at DEAN & DELUCA, Tenjin. 

Then you realise you need to take a photo of the food but you just can't wait to give it a bite. lol This is what I did in most of the time, I dont like people wait for me to take photo lol. So I just ask everyone to eat and at the end I just take one photo for my blog. Nothing fancy but this is amazing! Love Gina & Limzy's recommendations. Because I'm not familiar with western food but this is...so good! See all the potato, bread and beef lol.

Hehe, one last thing about our lunch. We ordered this beautiful sakura dessert. I forgot the name and we just simply take a photo with our camera and eat! AHHAAHAHAH OMG SO BEAUTIFUL and nice as well. I think this is limited in Japan only.

Zoom in for you! 精緻 Dessert and well presentable for this Spring Season! 

Went to look at the new collection of Laduree product. It's launched now in Malaysia and I always doing little research even when I'm oversea. The price has not much diff compare the one selling in Malaysia. So now no need to ask people to help you grab in Japan, you can get it anytime in Malaysia.

-  KIMONO RENTAL @MINE, TENJIN -

Next, is the most exciting part. It's like my 9743893274932 times wearing Kimono but I still love doing this with lots of my friends. Also, each time I'm trying diff color Kimono so from my experience, get the colourful one so it look good in picture and if you are prefer something more mature then you can choose slightly nude color. Next time I come out with some #ChanwonTips for you lol.

I google and research the price and everything. This is the best I could found in Fukuoka so far. We actually plan to return on the next day because we can't come back on time. So the cons is we can't leave our belongings here because when the time we back to Tenjin, it's already closed. Most of it close at 6 or 7pm. Remember to ask before you rent it and some allow you to return on the next day without charges. 

If you can come back on time, then you can put all your belongings in the coin locker! I love travel to Japan because it's so safe and I have no worries about my belongings. If other country, I might consider first if it's safe or not.

It's around RM140-150 for a whole day. Some you can get cheaper like RM120 but from my experience about 3,500-4,500 yen consider reasonable. Like within RM150 also consider okay, if you wanna hair do or make up then you can top up! But for now, I just go to the normal one because I did tried the premium one previously. Since it's Gina first time here, she getting a premium one with silk looking kimono. So her theme of the day is 富太太 (rich women) while Limzy & I is 小妹 (helper)🤣🤣🤣

Then we keep l laugh and looking at each other. Also drama a bit but it's really fun when you travel with good partners! I love both of them!!

Limzy's is the cat one, Mine is the rabbit obi & a more cheerful color! Just looking at the color we pick, you could definitely know our personalities. AHAHAHAHAHAH

 Dressing Area

 If you are doing make up here then they use only good product. Can you see that? Using Shu Uemura OMG! One of my favourite Japanese bauty brand too.

Each person take around 45 mins to dress in a Kimono. Sometimes when it's too crowded it might takes longer. If not much people in the shop then it's faster. 

The next to-do is walking on the street with Kimono. I never do this in a modern street before. Normally I wear Kimono in old Kyoto street or those small town in other prefecture. I never like this walking in the middle of all the modern building + very hard to find partner in crime doing this. I love doing silly things with my friends. AHHAAHAH They also very happy to do it with me. I'm blessed! AHHAHAHAHA

Theme： 穿越時空到2018 哈哈哈哈 I love how contrast it is.

caption this：

沒看過traffic light不會過馬路的穿越時空小姐 xD

（ three girls who came from the past, who haven't seen traffic light before + not sure how to cross the road) 😂😂😂

*My blog is quite entertaining lol

 On our way to Fukuoka Castle

If you watch my insta stories then you know the reason behind this photo! Actually it's an inside joke. Only we could understand lol. But I try to explain it to you guys. So the story is like this, after we finish wearing our kimono, before we leave the shop they actually passed us the 'Geta' (Footwear). So funny is both Gina & I got the correct size of our Geta and left Limzy. Then the old aunty just smile brightly and passed the last pair of geta to Limzy.

Then the point is the footwear is like 2-3 size smaller than Limzy's foot. You can see it from the picture above where Limzy show me her leg lol. Then I was so shock but at the same time looking at the happy smile from the old aunty I just feel it's way so cute. Then three of us asked again if Limzy could get a bigger one, then the old aunty just smile and say 'daijobu' (no worries is okay) in Japanese. Next, Limzy walk down from the staircase and she almost fall down from the staircase. Then I really can't tahan, I just laugh and I feel so sorry to Limzy. She's so pity how can she walk in that footwear.

Then I call the aunty and pointed at Limzy's footwear but the aunty still say Daijobu. Then there is staff can speak English and they also say is okay but she then passed us another footwear & ask Limzy to change. Once Limzy wear on it, it's the same size like the previous one. Also 2 size smallest, which is the same size like mine. At that moment, three of us were laughing non stop from the shop until the subway and til we reached the castle. OMG I think this is the last size left on the shop but just the way of their reaction is too precious.

Limzy walk like a snail and both Gina & I really have no choice and can't help. All our foot size is so small and we thought to wear back our footwear together but you know, 愛美 like die die want to wear a set of Kimono with the proper footwear, so no choice lo. The aunty just had me laughing my head off! I mean all of us keep laughing like a crazy one until we reached the subway and we try our best to calm down but this inside joke is damn funny. I guess only us can understand the joke! AHHAHAAHA Like the rest of the day, Limzy walk at the back and we also walk so slow because I can't walk behind Limzy. Once I spot her footwear, I just laugh like a crazy women. Limzy is so kind as in she also dont wanna trouble the old aunty and just continue walk with her super small footwear.

See Limzy walk at the back.

After all the inside joke, we finally spotted this observatory spot at Fukuoka Castle. It was a beautiful day and we temporary forget about our inside joke. 

The View.

Then we also start to photoshoot in the observatory because we got no plan at all. This is the last activities before we head back to Hakata. So now please enjoy my photo taken by talented didi!

You guys always ask how I stay energetic and happy every time. I think travel is a good recharge session for me. Also because I always travel, I start to appreciate little things that happen in my life. Even it's just a normal day I feel blessed because it's not raining and I always bumped into something that could laugh my head off. Or maybe it's because my perspective of Happiness start to change over time. Now instead of blaming why it's happen or blame on someone, I decided to see and view from other perspective. Seek for alternative and also just follow the flow.

 I'm already 26 years old. Turning 30 soon but still look like a kid -.-

 這個表情像那種宮女傳 準備下毒給人那種 🤣🤣

後宮佳麗#1

 I dunno how to explain in English lol

Some joke is hardly explain without typing in Mandarin.

貴婦 +兩個丫環 

陪貴婦出來傳 #1

賞月 （笑）opps 是太陽不好意思～

小丫環今天第一次出遊記

Enough for the super funny caption OMG! This is a photo taken by Gina's phone! Look at my rabbit obi. So so cute!

I tell you whole of our trip, no need photoshop. No photo bomb at all. Look at this! It's actually a small area of wisteria behind us. Just the weather turned really hot like beginning of Summer, the wisteria of this area isn't as huge as the one I went before this day. 

- FUKUOKA CASTLE -

As you guys know I visited Himeji and some of the super unique castle at diff prefecture in Japan. This is the one that are mostly ruined. This is a very beautiful sakura spot in Fukuoka. The whole area covered in pink and with the remaining left of the building, it turned out to be one of the really unique spot of photography. Nowadays only ruined walls and a few turrets remain, and the park attracts visitors with walking trails and a few lookout points.

Around these photo spot area, there is a photography guide for you! I think this is really fun that they have this kind of photography spot.

We were so surprise this area is damn huge. We walk until like we just had our gym. That's why my face look super blush lol. But the most painful one should be Limzy. Because her footwear too small for her and she can only walk slowly, like a 'rich tai tai' or maybe 'xiu lai lai'. Gina also hard to walk because her premium Kimono was sooooo tight and just like wearing 4 layers of clothes. Me I can basically walk with anything. 

Ps: I hope one day Limzy could collaborate with Kimono company come out with her own kimono line. HAHAHAAHAHA Now when I think of anything that can draw on it, I think of Limzy lol. I would love to wear that on!

This photo took us like 15 mins to get a perfect shoot. Didi stand at the back waiting us walk til so far. In between we were like waving our hand asking is this the point we should stop. Then didi will shake head or wave at me then I will cue them walk in front. Limzy concentrate on walking with her footwear. Then we walk back again tried few times only can get a perfect shot with this!

 Do. Re. Mi

Then we too old, walk few mins already feel so exhausted. Then we sit down here and basically just doing nothing! Just take a deep breath before heading back and see whether we could continue take some photo with our beautiful Kimono. We rented and paid for it so must fully utilised it. 

Then we thought of something new. Yes, 貴妃出遊記#1 看魚看花看草！ 

Pretending like we are in the Hong Kong Drama Series.

 If someone here record for the behind the scene then you will laugh like hell. Imagine how we communicate with each other in this kind of distance. HAHAHAHAHA

Another perfect one!

After all of these crazy moments, we finally come to the end. Yes, so tired and I think I dont have any quota to laugh my head off again. 3 of us, three diff personalities but we compromise each other so well. I guess either way, for love or friendship, it's hardly to get a 100% match with your personalities. Only diff personalities help to compromise each other. We need to accept each of our diff and look at the good one & help each other to become a better person. 

So I dunno why suddenly I talk out of topic again but yes, just randomly came into my brain. Sharing whatever I feel like on my blog. 

Now this is the last photo! I guess that's all for my Fukuoka #4 blog post. Hope you enjoy reading my blog although it takes sometime to come out with it due to my busy schedule but I always have time for you guys. Love you to the moon & back! See you on my next post. Love, xoxo.