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This week’s B ME Bites Trivia Question:

Welcome to Edition #74 of B ME Bites! If the last edition dropped straight into Tokyo energy, this one keeps things moving… literally.

New cities, quick stops, Pokémon Centre progress, and a day that didn’t quite go to plan - until it did.

Because sometimes the best moments don’t come from the plan… they come from what happens when the plan falls apart.

(Reminder: B ME Bites is now landing in inboxes fortnightly - well mostly 😉 - while its new sister newsletter, Effortlessly Organic Living, takes the opposite week.)

Japan Adventures Part 11 – The Shinkansen Was Efficient. We Were Not.

What could possibly go wrong?

✨ 🚄 ✨ A Day That Covered Ground (Fast)

Some travel days are about slowing down.

This wasn’t one of them.

A return trip to Nagoya, a long ride down to Fukuoka, and a mission that was still very much in progress.

The Pokémon Centre list wasn’t going to complete itself you know 😄

🎮 Nagoya: The Stop That Started It All

Nagoya wasn’t just an unplanned stop.

The entire Shinkansen journey wasn’t part of the original plan.

It came about for one reason.

Things had been missed on the road trip.

The Nagoya Pokémon Centre.
The Fukuoka Pokémon Centre.
And the temple from The Last Samurai.

So instead of letting those go… a new plan formed.

A fast one.

One that allowed us to experience something we hadn’t planned to experience.

The first visit to the Nagoya Pokémon Centre didn’t go as expected.

A ticket system was in place to control how many people could enter the store at once. The wait time was longer than the time available, so the decision was made to skip it.

Heartbreaking for Nataasjia, but necessary at the time.

Fast forward to the return trip.

No ticket system.

Straight in… or so it seemed.

Except the goal wasn’t actually the store.

It was the medallion machine.

And that?

It was outside.

Near the exit.

No entry required.
No waiting required.

Just… there.

A return trip on the Shinkansen.

For something that had been accessible the…entire…time… 🤦‍♀️

👀 The Bits That Stick

Nagoya wasn’t just about the Pokémon Centre.

It was everything around it.

A bright red spiral staircase running the full height of a building.

Not hidden.
Not subtle.

The kind of design that makes you stop and question whether it’s practical… or just making a statement. I mean, do people actually use it? Or is it just for emergencies? One might choose to stay in the burning building rather than taking that particular staircase!

And then there was this.

A giant figure… casually standing there as part of Kiyosu City’s 20th anniversary.

Turns out the anniversary logo was designed by Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama — who was born in Kiyosu.

Because of course it was.

Japan doesn’t do things halfway.

Inside the same complex as the Pokémon Centre, more unexpected finds.

Pokémon Crocs.

And nearby, everyday items with a twist.

Sunscreen… featuring Pikachu.

It’s one of those things Japan does well.

Ordinary items.

Just slightly less ordinary.

✈️ Fukuoka: A Different Feel

From Nagoya to Fukuoka on the Shinkansen.

It’s a long travel day, but the bullet train makes it manageable. Fast, smooth, and easy once you’re on.

Fukuoka is often referred to as the “Flower City” and as you would expect, there were flowers everywhere. It was beautiful.

❤️🏮 Right Place, Right Time

Walking from Hakata Station, two things stood out straight away.

A heart-shaped post box.

Not decorative.

Not a photo prop.

A real, working post box.

It’s known as the “Angel’s Postbox”, sitting just outside the KITTE Hakata building.

A giant red heart, a golden arrow through the middle, and a tiny angel perched on top.

Very subtle 😄

And yes… people actually use it. It even has a slot close to the bottom that is the perfect height for small children to reach. 💘

It’s part of a small group of themed post boxes across Japan, often linked to a place or a story. This one leans into the idea of enmusubi - connections, relationships, a little bit of luck in that area.

Letters posted here go through the normal system.

Same delivery.

Just with a slightly more memorable starting point.

And then… something much bigger.

A Hakata Gion Yamakasa Festival float.

The timing wasn’t planned.

The festival was already happening while we were there.

Hakata Gion Yamakasa is one of Fukuoka’s biggest and oldest festivals, going back more than 700 years. It’s tied to a story about a monk being carried through the streets to cleanse the city during a plague.

What started as something practical… turned into a full city tradition.

The float here wasn’t one of the racing ones.

It was a kazariyama.

A display float.

And “display” doesn’t really do it justice.

These things are:

• over 10 metres tall

• incredibly detailed

• built in layers, almost like stacked scenes

Each one tells a story.

The front usually features historical figures, samurai, or legends.

The back can be something completely different. Sometimes more modern, sometimes unexpected.

The racing floats, called kakiyama, are smaller.

They’re the ones carried through the streets at speed by teams during the main event.

The big ones like this stay in place around the city during the festival period.

Which means even without seeing the race… you still get to experience part of it.

Next, planned first stop, Fukuoka Pokémon Centre.

Mission accomplished.

Another Pokémon Centre, ticked off the list.

No queues.
No system.

Just in, out, and done…winning! Or so we thought…

🍜 When Something Simple Becomes Complicated

Dinner was meant to be simple.

Ramen.

That decision had already been made for us.

Ririko’s mum is from Fukuoka.
Her dad is from nearby Saga.

And they had all said the same thing.

You need to try the ramen there.

So that’s what we went looking for.

A local spot found on Google - Kou-chan Ramen.
Nothing fancy.
Just the kind of place that looked like it knew what it was doing.

Except… one small detail got in the way.

Cash only.

After a full day of travel, there wasn’t enough cash left.

Feet sore.
Exhausted.
Hangry.

I have to admit I had a bit of a meltdown.
Well… more than a bit.

Just one of those moments where everything catches up at once.

Taasjia stepped in, told me to sit, and went to find cash.

Best daughter ever!

🍜 And Then… Ramen

Cash sorted.

Rich broth.
Thin noodles.
Fast service.
Kind, warm, understanding smiles.

And maybe it tasted even better…

because we had worked so hard for it.

😴 The Reset

Onwards to the Airbnb.

And one of the best sleeps of the trip.

Maybe it was the bed.
Maybe it was the exhaustion.

Either way… no complaints.

💡 Travel Lessons So Far

😅 If there’s a system… there’s always a system
(and you’ll usually figure it out… slightly too late)

🎯 Sometimes the thing you came for… isn’t where you think it is
(and occasionally… it’s right outside the exit)

💳 Japan isn’t cashless
(we tested that theory at the worst possible time)

🍜 If locals tell you where to eat… listen
(they’re usually right)

😅 Travel days hit harder than expected
(and somehow… all at once)

😄 And sometimes… the plan isn’t the problem
(it’s just the timing)

✨ Looking Ahead

The journey wasn’t slowing down anytime soon.

Next up in the adventure:

🏯 A return trip… to see something else that was missed the first time
🚡 Heading up into the mountains for a different kind of view
🎬 A location that might look a little familiar on the big screen

✈️ And then… a shift away from the mainland
🌺 A completely different pace, in a very different place

This next chapter… was about seeing what was missed.
And then going somewhere entirely new.

In Case You Missed It: B ME HQ Weekly Recap

🌿 Effortlessly Organic Living – Edition #12

Doing better doesn’t mean doing everything.

A simple reminder that progress can be small, flexible, and still count… even on the busiest days.

Read it here:

📰 You’ll Never Be Done (And That’s Okay)

🌅 B ME Sunrise Bites – Day 82

Sunrise on the Go: Bike Racks and Blooms

A travel morning, a Shinkansen to catch, and a sunrise that happened along the way.

Not much colour in the sky… but plenty in the details.

📍 Watch here:

📺 Explore the full journey on the B ME Sunrise Bites YouTube Playlist
(Remember to hit subscribe!)

Resource Roundup

Below is a resource list that has been created with you in mind. Whenever something new that could be helpful is discovered or created, it’s added to the list, so check it out from time to time. If you’re strapped for time, once you open the page below, click on Resource List in the top menu, then click on the “Health Tools” link for a list of items that could be helpful on your path to a better you.

The answer to this week’s trivia question is:

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Warm regards,

Shari Ware Chief Encouragement Officer at B ME Bites

PS - Here’s your Friday funny! (Watch it on YouTube)

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