Join me as we visit famous cultural sites in Hakata with Koharu, an English-speaking geisha! She’s one of seventeen active “geigi” (the local term for geisha) in Fukuoka. In this episode, we’ll visit Jotenji Temple’s inner grounds, take a rickshaw, visit Hakata Senen-no Mon, Tochoji Temple, Kushida Shrine and enjoy tea inside a private chashitsu (tea room). We’ll also see other geisha perform on stage. It’s the ultimate tour of Old Hakata Town!

英語も話す博多の芸妓・こ春と一緒に、福岡博多の観光に行ってきます！承天寺、博多千年門、東長寺、櫛田神社を人力車に乗って巡る究極の博多観光。

TIME STAMPS / CHAPTERS
02:40 Meeting Koharu (geisha)
04:40 Jotenji Temple garden
06:38 Inside Jotenji Temple
09:20 Zen rock garden
13:00 Origin of Hakata Gion Yamakasa
16:54 Walking on Jorenji-dori
18:00 Senen-no Mon
19:05 Rickshaw start
22:00 Riding the rickshaw!
25:50 Visiting Myoraku Temple
28:00 Hakata-bei (walls)
31:30 Terminology: Geigi vs Geisha vs. Geiko
37:50 Visiting Tochoji Temple
40:40 Pagoda at Tochoji Temple
47:00 Last leg of the rickshaw ride
52:05 Arrival at Kushida Shrine
54:35 Arriving at Tea House
56:22 Samurai sword rack
58:35 Crawling into the
Tea House
1:00:00 Wagashi - Japanese sweets
1:06:07 Drinking matcha
1:13:20 Tour of Kushida Shrine
1:17:10 Multilingual Omikuji
1:18:48 Yamakasa - Kazariyama display
1:20:45 Chikara Ishi
1:28:00 Entering Hakata Kenban (geisha/geigi association)
1:31:10 Introduction of other geigi/geisha
1:34:10 final talk and goodbye!

Note: Koharu-san participated in this live stream own here own accord and time. She makes no claim to be an authority on sites we visited, Zen, or tea ceremony - this was just for our - and hopefully - your enjoyment!


About me
Nick Szasz, a Canadian who has lived in Japan for over thirty years. Mostly in Fukuoka and a few years in Tokyo and Osaka. I’m the founder and publisher of Fukuoka Now, a monthly printed bilingual magazine about Fukuoka and Kyushu for international residents and visitors from overseas https://www.fukuoka-now.com/ I live in Itoshima and post about that here: http://www.itoshima-now.com/

I reply to all comments, so leave one! Press the “like” button and please “subscribe” so you’ll get the next episode!

Email inquiries are welcome at [email protected]

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福岡から発信する国際人向け多言語メディア「Fukuoka Now」編集長ニック・サーズが、福岡九州の「今」を英語と日本語でお届けします。月刊情報誌Fukuoka Nowから、webサイト、SNS、そして、YouTubeチャンネル「Kyushu Live」でのライブ配信と、多様な手法で福岡九州の魅力を配信中です。1998年創刊から続くメディア運営で培ったリサーチ＆編集力で、地元の人にも人気の国際視点での情報をお楽しみに！

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Kyushu Live（九州ライブ）はFukuoka Nowが行う動画メディアを使ったプロジェクトです。お仕事の話も大歓迎です。
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