Day 64 (March 5): Fukoaka (Hakata), Japan

On this final day in Japan Anne and I opted out of the Road Scholar group tour of yet more temples and shrines—group members are grumbling—and went exploring and shopping on our own. Near the port we visited a shopping center geared to port visitors. Highlight for us was the massively tall aquarium and a class of cute Japanese day care kids.

Unable to find more authentic Japanese goods in this shopping center, two kindly clerks suggested we go the Kawabata Shopping Arcade. We took a taxi there and had fun shopping. 

Anne purchased nice bowls, chopstick rests, and two beautiful pieces of brocade-like cloth made in the shop seen in lower left photo of panel below. We did not eat in the ramen restaurant nor purchase the $400 kimono.

At an expensive "English" tailor shop I purchased an old fashioned crossover (continental) tie that was shown to me when I asked about bow ties. I didn't really know much about it but liked the look of it and the fact that you didn't have to learn how to tie it, you just cross it over at the neck and secure it with a nice tack pin. It came with matching pocket handkerchief. It cost be 40 bucks, which made Anne wince. The fact that I'd never seen anyone wear one should have given me pause. Later I discovered in online search that this was "continental" tie popular as formal wear in the 1960's "Mad Men" era. I'll either be the talk or snigger of the ship when I wear it. I found quote from Gentlemen's Quarterly: "These ties are actually still available from some western-themed retailers today. I wouldn’t wear one to a black-tie gala but I think it would look sharp on a young groom or prom date with a Mad Man-esque skinny suit." 

You'll see my lovely patterned continental tie (not that plain black one) in a couple of weeks when I wear it to the next formal night on the ship. 

It did occur to us that this accoutrement had been in the shop since the 1960's and that the two distinguished salesmen had a good chuckle in seeing it go out the door.