The Creepiest Sign In Japan?

Another of Fukuoka's #1s!

This is the sign for local sweets company Fugetsu. The sign is on the side of their building facing the Nishitetsu Tenjin-Omuta line between Ohashi and Hirao stations. Adorned with red eyes that light up at night, their mascot, Yuki-usagi ("Snow Bunny") glares menacingly at the trains' passengers.

(Source: http://plaza.rakuten.co.jp/manotakanori/)

 Here's a closer view:

Interesting marketing strategy: scare the f##k out of potential customers.

Of course, 'Yukiusagi' refers to the kind of Japanese confectionary the company makes. It's a kind of marshmallow filled with jelly. Or egg yolk. I'm not quite sure. In any case, they're shaped like rabbits and usually white. For comparison, this is what the actual confectionary looks like:

 (Source: user Muyo, Wikimedia Commons)

As you can see, the bunnies' eyes are indeed red, but they neither glow nor bleed, and are much smaller. Cute, not creepy. 

Why, then, is the sign like something out of a horror movie? We may never know.

Fukuoka Overlooked, Part 1: Nokonoshima's Hilltop Tower

Fukuoka Overlooked is a series on less-well-known places to visit, things to see, and businesses to patronize. Everyone knows about Fukuoka Tower, Yahoo! Dome, Hakata-za, and the yatai of Nakasu, but here we'll be showing the hidden gems and little things of interest that most tour brochures omit.

First up: Nokonoshima's lookout tower.

Nokonoshima, or Noko Island, is one of Fukuoka's most-visited tourist hotspots, as well as being a favorite with locals. Different species of flowers populate its fields nearly year-round, and sandy beaches with a view of the city await Summer's beachcombers. But most people only visit for the fee-for-entry park, and overlook the rest of the island.

The toll-park only occupies a small portion of the island's northern area. The rest is free to explore! So instead of taking a bus from the ferry terminal straight to the park, consider setting off on foot and winding your way around the island.

At the center of the island is a small hill which makes for a good 30 minute hike. It leads up roads lined with old houses, new schools and seemingly unused fields. At the top, there's a 20-metre or so lookout tower with an excellent, panoramic view of Fukuoka city and the entire harbour area.

Fukuoka Is Awesome Will Be Awesome

Welcome! This is a brand-new blog dedicated to the awesomeness of Fukuoka, Japan.

A bustling commercial center of over 1.5 million on the West coast of Japan, Fukuoka is an under-rated, overlooked city. This blog's goal is to promote the city across the English-speaking world.

Anyone interested in submitting content - articles, photos, links - can and should contact us!