Hakata Station- Train Observation Deck: Fukuoka City

For many people of there that love trains, Hakata Station in Fukuoka City had their thinking caps on when designing the new Station.  When the new design was unveiled in 2011 it had a new incredible feature, that being the Observation Deck on the 9th floor.  Actually its more like a brilliantly designed Train Cart with windows that overlook the various train tracks below.

Spend 10 minutes here and you are bound to see numerous trains arriving and departing Hakata Station.  Quite a few local and express trains are observed but its the Shinkansen (bullet trains) that is what everyone wants to see. Suddenly in the distance a speck turns into a train that is enormous in length like the longest snake in the world.  It just goes on and on and complete overwhelms and makes the other trains look insignificant.

It`s just a marvel to watch one in action let alone travel on one (which I have many times) and I can tell you that are worth every yen you have just to experience once in your lifetime.

Anyway, for a mere 10 minutes of your time I am sure you will throughly enjoy the experience and be amazed by Japanese technology that is respected around the world.

Please click here to see Hakata Station on a map:

Please click the photos below to enlarge:

Trains coming and going

Please click on the video below to see more about Hakata`s Observation Deck:

Hario Wireless Towers: Sasebo, Nagasaki Prefecture

A real historical and important WW2 site that still remains in Nagasaki to this day, is called the Hario Transmission Towers.  They were the starting point of the message sent by officials to proceed with the attack on Pearl Harbor.  As a result of this, the Hario Transmission Towers will forever be remember if only in an infamous way.  

It must be mentioned that despite heavy bombing in Sasebo during the war, the towers remained standing.  This leads to an interesting theory that the American`s purposely left this site alone in the belief that it would come in handy in the future when Japan would eventually be defeated.

Construction began on the three 446-foot transmission towers at the station in 1918 and was completed in 1922. Improved communications were needed as Japan began to expand its empire. The Russo/ Japanese War triggered a need for strengthening Japan`s Wireless Infrastructure thus manpower and money was poured into the project at an amazing pace and as a result the project was completed in a record time.

This facility is still prized for its engineering and wireless technology and along with its historical background has been designated as an Important Cultural Asset.  The Hario Wireless Towers symbolizes the development of technology in Japan which has resulted in the highly developed and technologically advanced 21st Century society that exists today.

I have visited this site many times in the last 2 years and have made it a regular stop on Tour Nagasaki`s itinerary.  This area is a special place indeed.  Amazing nature contracting with technology from yesteryear,  the sheer size and speed that these towers were constructed are to be commended as one can only get a grasp of their enormous girth once you are standing and or walking around the circumference of its base.

Of course, American`s in particular will feel more emotional at the Hario Wireless Towers but realistically the site should be viewed as a small piece of history and a culmination of many different events that occurred before the message was even sent.  In many ways, this site should be seen as a technological site and not as a WW2 historical site in my opinion.

Please check out the Hario Wireless Towers here on a map:

Please click the photos below to enlarge:

One of the towers

Well signed location

English Translations

Size is enormous

Transmission Station

Surrounded by nature

Reaching to the sky

Please click on the videos below to enjoy the views of the Hario Wireless Towers: