Our hostel was very close to one of the most famous temples in Tokyo so in the morning before we left for Tokyo we ambled around Akusaka temple. The way up to the temple is an alleyway of shops of allsorts selling traditional Japanese wares including sandals, fans, wigs and knives as well as lots Japanese snacks. Darren sampled black sesame Mr Whippy icecream and I munched on melon pan-a sweet sugared bread roll which was fresh from the oven. Akusaka is a very sumptuous Buddhist temple with a huge red lantern at the entrance gate. We fly to Fukuoka and we were met by my friend Kodasensei and her daughter Yuka. Koda-sensei used to teach with me at my school. To celebrate Koda-sensei ordered a mountain of takeout sushi which was delicious. There was so much that we got doggy bags for breakfast. Yesterday I took Darren shopping in Tenjin-the centre of Fukuoka. We spent almost two hours being wowed by the vast array of foods in the Mitsukoshi department store`s food hall (better than harrod`s!). In the afternoon Koda-sensei took us to Dazaifu, a small town outside Fukuoka with a famous zen Buddhist temple and a Shinto shrine for scholars. The zen garden in the temple was beautiful and extremely relaxing. We were the only visitors so the temple was wonderfully quiet. It was raining and misty-the perfect time to ebnjoy the green hues of a Japanese garden.　In contrast the Shinto shrine was bright red. It is a shrine for a famous scholar so children visit before taking University entrance exams. Darren fed the giant carp who writhed and slithered over each over the snack on the wafer crumbs. We both paid 100yen for a slip of paper with our fortunes which Koda-sensei was able to tell us were both very lucky. After the shrine I took Darren and Koda-sensei to my favourite tea shop for macha tea and a rice cake filled with sweet bean paste. We sat next to a tiny Japanese garden-very charming. On the way home we stopped to buy Japanese sweets and I was presented with some in the shape of Japanese autumn leaves. Darren and I spent the evening at backstage-a jazz club in Fukuoka listening to Saku-sensei, one of the teachers I worked with, playing the double bass with his band. Yuka, Koda-sensei`s daughter, stopped by and joined the band with her trumpet. Both she and Saku-sensei are amazing jazz players. Today visited Hakata station-the main station in Fukuoka which has had a major facelift since I lived in Fukuoka. Luckily the 100 yen (50p) shop has not moved. We spent a very happy hour shopping like royalty and spending barely anything. Over lunch we visited my old school. It was very nostalgic seeing the classrooms and corridors I knew so well 10 years ago. A lot of the teachers are still there so I had a great time introducing them to Darren. We walked back to the station with Ishi-bashi san my old kimono teacher. Even though I know only a little Japanese and shje knows almost no English we had a lovely catch up. It was wonderful to see her. This afternoon Darren went off to an internet café and tower records whilst I hit my favourite shop Incube-three floors of stationary! I was there for an hour and a half and could have stayed longer except that I wore myself out cooing over the beautiful Japanese writing paper and cards. We met up again for dinner at West`s a yaki niku restaurant where you grill beef strips at your table, dip them in sauce and devour it! We opted for the salad and dessert bar as well and now we are completely stuffed! Tomorrow we are off to Yufuin-a hot spring resort. You could say we are off to take the waters!