Muji at Daimaru ― 2025/02/18
I found a coffee spot at Muji in the basement of Daimaru.
Although the price of a paper cup of coffee was higher (250 yen, no refills) than at the now-closed Muji on West Street, the portion size felt larger. I couldn't drink it all.
The good thing was that the coffee was self-service, but the service counter was manned. I suppose that in this way safety and hygiene could be ensured to some extent. You pay, someone behind the counter hands you a cup and allows you to operate the coffee machine.
Plus, you can snack on the packaged treats sold on the same floor with your coffee (though I think some common sense is required). I estimate the total cost to be under 500 yen. Not my everyday price for a 10-mimute break, but reasonable enough to take a break on a decent chair in an air-conditioned department store.
A Fine Day ― 2025/02/19
The weather has been fine here in Fukuoka for the past several days, with the maximum temperature hovering around eight degrees Celsius - not bad for the middle of winter.
The problem, however, is that it is freezingly cold indoors. As our houses are not built for winter, we don't have double-glazed windows or central heating. I keep myself warm with a little electric heater, a five-year-old Uniqlo ultralight down and slipper socks in my room. Air-con is out of the question. It is inefficient by my standards.
I know that almost a third of Japan has now been hit by incredibly heavy snow, and I'm sorry to say this, but I can't help feeling cheated when the temperature in Fukuoka doesn't reach 10 degrees, just as I felt when it was over 30 degrees in Sapporo in the summer.
More Realistic? ― 2025/02/20
Image retrieved from 第25回 全国陶磁器フェア in福岡2025
This event is tableware-only and the entrance fee is much lower (600yen) than the exhibition I was considering going to.
If I want to see a lot of cups and bowls at once, this might be a more realistic option.
But the transport to the venue should be quite costly, probably over 1000 yen. Which means that either way I have to pay 1600 yen just to look at tableware that I might not even purchase...
... I am beginning to think that the tableware sections in department stores are good enough for me; they are conveniently located and free to browse and open all year round, or maybe I have outgrown the period of my life where I am passionate about tableware (or try to show off show off my good taste).
Citrus! ― 2025/02/21
Strawberries are no longer an everyday fruit because of their sky-high price, but citrus fruits are still relatively accessible and there are plenty of supply now.
The other day I found domestically grown grapefruits (230 yen each) for the first time.
The "grapefruit" looked very much like a grapefruit, but it tasted much like what we call the "pearl kan" as it is said to share some genes with the grapefruit. While the pearl kan tends to be lower priced, but has a lot of seeds, this "grapefruit" is more expensive, but has no seeds and is therefore easier to handle.
Today's Treat ― 2025/02/21
Pancakes and self-serving soft drink bar (around 900 yen in total) at Royal Host
Manipulated by my obsession with the idea that "I shouldn't miss the pancakes since I've come all the way back to Fukuoka". Although there are a couple of branches in Sapporo, Royal Host is not as accessible as Rokka-Tei or Ryugetsu from our place.
New but Outdated ― 2025/02/26
Even in this remote area, an e-scooter hire service has been introduced (see here for details of the service).
But I think I heard that they are already banned in some countries because they are too dangerous to ride alongside four-wheeled vehicles on public roads. I wonder what's the point of adding such mobility in this area, where cars, motorbikes and even bicycles (with some cyclists riding the wrong way round) share the same narrow roads.
Is it only me who smells something fishy in this development, like that of the exercise equipment linked to the bribery case? I certainly hope not.
Today’s Cat ― 2025/02/27
Today's outing.
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