I would like to introduce Hakozaki, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka, one of the towns where I was born and raised.
Japan’s three major Hachiman and Hakozaki shrines are located, and the Japanese military commander Hideyoshi Toyotomi has a history of holding a tea ceremony in Hakozaki.
This time, I’m not talking about such major things, but about one cultural event.
My friend says, “Hakozaki has an incense smell.”
There is a part of memory that is unclear. I’m sorry if I made a mistake.
There are many Jizo in Hakozaki.
Jizo is said to be the guardian deity of children in Japanese culture.
Many people worshiped Jizo and offered incense sticks.
Every July, there is an event where children offer incense sticks.
I checked the Jizo Festival “doll decoration” that is held in Hakozaki every July.(Japanese site)
箱崎で毎年7月に行われている地蔵まつり「人形飾り」を調べてみた。
Certainly, at this time, the smell of incense sticks can be found all over the town.
When I was a kid, this festival was called “offering incense stick(Senko-Sashi 線香差し)”.
When children offer incense sticks, adults give sweets.
I think it’s different from Halloween, but you can get sweets together.
There were Jizo in various places in the olden days.
A stone in the corner of Hakozaki Shopping Street called Kinshai Dori.
It used to be a very lively shopping street, but in recent years it has become very lonely.
There are always offerings here as well.
※Kinshai is a dialect of Fukuoka.
Kinshai means come on.
I remember that there were many Jizo here, but I don’t know what happened.
Isn’t it common in every country to thank and worship the guardian deity?
There must have been a lot of Jizo in Hakozaki, but this time I’ll leave this alone.
Introducing Hakozaki’s charms other than Jizo
1.Okyuto
Okyto is said to be a seaweed processed food that originated in Hakozaki and was born in the Edo period.
2.Ramen
Since there was Kyushu University in Hakozaki, there were many ramen shops.
Ramen noodles that are cheap and full are becoming popular, and some of shop have become famous.
This ramen shop called “Shunyoken” is a long-established store still operating in Hakozaki, where Kyushu University moved.
3.Location of the drama
One of the most popular police and action dramas in Japan, “The Western Police (Seibu-Keisatsu)” was filmed in Hakozaki.
My grandfather went to see the drama location.
Reference video
西部警察 PARTⅠセレクション 大門BOX1 TVスポット 30.Ver
I hear that the scenery in this area is almost the same as it was at that time.
Hakozaki has more places to introduce, but this time it’s here.
Would you like to take a look again at the place where you grew up?
If you look at it from an adult’s point of view, you may see something else!