A Fukuokan's Notes from Sapporo

Today I came across an event named “North-Kumamoto Autumn Tourism and Produce Fair” held in front of the FUKUOKA City Hall.

Our next-door neighbour prefecture Kumamoto is doing extremely well in many ways.

First of all, it has a very successful local mascot called “Kumamon”

while no Fukuokan “Yuruchara” has been known nationwide.

(for more details, see my previous post here http://leastguidefukuoka.asablo.jp/blog/2012/09/26/6584945)

And it has a number of popular tourist sites, such as Mt. Aso, Kumamot castle, numerous hot springs and historic sites, and Amakusa beach…very envious.

Furthermore, its farming products always appear on the market a bit earlier than those produced in Fukuoka, which adds extra value to the Kumamoto products.

Recently, Kumamoto seems to try selling its charms to Fukuokan people more aggressively than ever.  It’s not only once I have come across Kumamon (I mean, a man or woman in a Kumamon suit) campaigning something, such as tourism, events, or local foods of Kumamoto, in the city centre.  And shelves in local supermarkets have been occupied by Kumamoto items.

To be honest, as a person with full of local patriotism (in other words, a narrow-minded bumpkin), I have seen the Kumamoto invasion with a slightly bitter feeling. Then, this event. I thought I should throw pebbles at the Kumamoto people there for using the city hall plaza (supposedly) maintained by our tax money without my permission. But …I must confess Kumamon is irresistibly cute and I couldn’t help entering this gate hoping to see Kumamon once again. 

Unfortunately Kumamon (again, I mean, an animate Kumamon) wasn’t there, but despite the fact that it was a weekday morning, there was a reasonable crowd. Local snacks looked attractive, and fork crafts very genuine and charming.  Walking around the venue, I began to feel like traveling the prefecture…you know, I am very easy to persuade. At a stall which sold freshly harvested, locally grown (long adjective phrase!) vegetable, I got a cabbage (JPY150)

and a fat bunch of nira (JPY100),

and was told they would open a vegetable stall in a local department store in three weeks’ time.

To reward their very consumer-friendly pricing (prices of vegetables have been skyrocketing for the past few weeks—a cabbage of this size could be as high as JPY 298 at local supermarkets), I volunteer to publicise the event (see the image below). …

Don’t you think Kumamoto is doing really well?