Japan

A while ago I experienced something that that seemed new but authentic.  I visited a neighboring city that probably isn't well known or known at all amongst people outside of Fukuoka Prefecture, Nogata (直方市).  Nogata is approximately 20 minutes away by car (and 30 minutes for by bike on a good day).  I didn't think there would be anything interesting to the city, and to be honest, there isn't much for a tourist.  It's a city where people live.  However, a Japanese walking guide book had a suggested Nogata route, so Andy and I decided to give it a try. We first went to Taga Shrine because it had a place to park.  It was along the route and we thought it would be a good place to both start and finish.  It's a surprisingly large and well-kept shrine.  The parking area is large so it seems that when built, it was hoped to have been a major tourist destination.  It was however, empty.  It was a National Holiday and there were only 2 or 3 others there.  It's