Nijo, a Charming Seaside Expedition
An Ocean Playground of Nature, Food and History
Located inside Genkai Quasi-National Park and Sefuri Raizan Prefectural Park, Nijo-machi is a town blessed with marvelous natural beauty. Visitors will be charmed by its numerous outdoor sites, including Ukidake Shrine, Tonbo Mountain’s breathless view of the pine trees below, and the lovely sand beach along the Shikaka shoreline. Nijo-machi also has a rich history marked by important monuments. Among these are the ancient burial mound Choshizuka, as well as Ryukoku-ji, an 800-year-old Buddhist temple. The town itself is delightfully agricultural, which contributes to its other allure: the delicious fresh foods available everywhere. Nijo-machi’s culinary pleasures center on the local produce market Fukufuku no Sato, located near JR Dainyu Station. Offering seasonal foods straight from local fields and seafood plucked right out of nearby Fukuyoshi Port, Fukufuku no Sato is always bustling with local and out-of-town shoppers. Helpful shopkeepers will even fillet your fish on demand. Finally, dip into the soothing waters of the Nijo onsen, Kirara no Yu. Full of healing minerals that bubble up from the spring, Kirara no Yu has the full assortment of onsen facilities, with a rotenburo (outdoor bath), swimming pool and health room.
Oaza Fukae 1360 Nijo-machi, Itoshima-Gun, Fukuoka Pref.
092-325-1111
http://town.nijo.fukuoka.jp
Fukufuku no Sato, where locals and visitors meet
092-326-6886
9:00~17:00
Nijo Onsen Kirara no Yu
092-325-1126
10:00~21:00
Adults 500 yen , Children 300 yen
Access
40 minutes by car from Fukuoka City. Take the West Kyushu Highway and get off at Fukuyoshi Interchange
** Nijo Travel Information!**
Matsusue Goro Inari Shrine Blindfolded Women’s Sumo
12/8 (Mon.), Matsusue Goro Inari Shrine
Wearing white clothing and a divine mask, kneeling women try to knock each other down without the aid of sight in this unique form of sumo. A traditional event held in thanks for the harvest and as a prayer against illness and natural disasters, the sight of the women seeking each other out on the mat never fails to stir the crowd.
15-minute walk from JR Ikisan Station
Fukui Kagura
New Year’s Eve, Hakusan Shrine
At 12:15 AM on January 1, Fukui Hakusan Shrine is the site of a Kagura performance, a Shinto ritual of music and dance. The performance is a tradition dating back to the Meiji Era. Although the ritual was abandoned for a time, it was revived in 1973 by locals eager to preserve their customs for future generations.
15-minute walk from JR Fukui Station
Chaption
Lovely local ladies fight it out on their knees
An important tradition of Nijo-machi
