BACKDATE: JAPAN KYUSHU DEC 2022 DAY 3

8/12/22 Thurs: We woke up at 8am and begun driving northwest towards Itoshima area at 9am, and we reached Sakurai Futamigaura's Couple Stones at 10.15am. So glad that we reached the beach earlier because after about half an hour or so, there came a group of Japanese tourists.

The draw here was two Meoto Iwa, or "wedded rocks" offshore. They are joined by a sacred rope to symbolise a happy marriage, and framed by a white torii gate on the beach. Some say you can witness "the blue hour" phenomenon before sunrise and after sunset, but it's hard to be there at such hours with our itinerary haha.

The morning was not that cold, so it's enjoyable there and we walked around for a bit to take some photos. *Shouldn't have worn that long skirt... made it difficult when I want to climb onto rocks on the beach.* We left at about 11am when we saw a car accident near the carpark entrance and there were police around. 
Reached Itoshima oyster hut area at 11.30am and we had to decide which one to go to given the long stretch there where there was easily 10 kakigoya (oyster huts). Apparently, the prices for the oyster change depending on the volume harvested, and each hut seemed to have their own specialty and promotion. 
We decided to go for Noburin a try first becauseみるくがき豊久丸 (Mirukugaki Toyohisa-maru) next to it was full then. Noburin was quite packed too. We were given their jacket to wear, sat around their charcoal grill and ordered one kg of oysters, six scallops, oyster rice and clam chowder soup. The oysters and scallops were all delicious, and the clam chowder soup shiok too. The oyster rice was so-so. *Our faces were red from the heat! Thanks to Potato who did the grilling mostly~* 

Decided to go toみるくがき豊久丸for second round because they have slightly different options. We had the grilled abalone with butter and eel, and also fried octopus over there. *They took orders via LINE app and it was all in Japanese, so we got one of their staff to help order online in the end.* We also had coke to go along with the grilled seafood... no regrets even if everything we ate came up to about S$80+ if I didn't remember wrongly. 

After lunch, we went to the back of these kakigoya to kepo the dock area. *Joking around saying how Jess can consider a property there because有山有水and the waiter looks not bad too~* 

Left the area at 1+pm and we stopped by a random Chateraise store because Jess wanted to have some snack/dessert. I saw this strawberry choux pastry that I really wanted one to try, but they were sold in packs of six yet have individual pricing (80 yen), so I "mustered up courage" to do my best to "communicate" with the staff that I wanted only one and she got my message lol! It was nice, and also the matcha mochi that Potato got me hehe.
We reached Daizaifu Tenmangu Shrine at 3pm or so, where we walked around the shrine built on Sugawara Michizane's (a court noble, politican and scholar) grave and enshrined him as the deity of learning, culture and the arts. 
Decided to pick our fortune for 100 yen each and it was funny how we each picked one with different degree of good luck! *Jess's nickname became“小吉”after this lol while Potato and I picked中吉and大吉respectively!* Walked to Tenjinsama-dori street and we had umegaemochi (130 yen), senbei, nice but expensive fried sotong stick (500 yen) and we ended up at one Sugi Bee Garden store where we bought some honey for family and friends before the whole shopping street closed at 5pm.
As most places were closed, we ended up at Danbo Dazaifu, a ramen place for dinner. *Potato insisted on participating in their IG promotion by liking them and taking a photo for free tamago~* I went for their classic ramen and it was not bad. We also ordered five gyoza to share for 240 yen. 
Refuelled our car for the first time for 2000 yen on the way back after dinner at 6.30pm. Then, we accompanied Jess to Hakata station to get her JR train tickets and shopped for the next morning's breakfast at the huge shopping basement in there. *Potato wore my white beanie which looked like a big xiao long bao on his head... "iconic" enough for me to watch out for in case we get lost in the crowd haha.*  
Ate some mochi Potato bought from Tenjinsama-dori street and had some Suntory again before sleeping... if memory did not serve me wrong haha.

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