Our friend Max called us up to invite us out to one of the big Shinto Festivals in Fukuoka, the Hojoya Festival at Hakozaki Shrine. The shrine is very famous in Fukuoka and it has been around since 923 AD. The festival happens every Sept and runs for an entire week. He told me it was the Ginger Festival and there definitely was a lot of fresh ginger for sale. The closest comparison to an event in the US would be the State Fair.
There were food vendors everywhere, but instead of funnel cakes, hot dogs, and cheese steaks, they had cucumbers on a stick
okanomiyaki (dinner omeletes) 
grilled meat
and chocolate covered bananas
They also had the classic carnival games like ring toss, air guns, and inflatable animals. One of the activities that I hadn't seen before was the goldfish wrangle
you are given a small plastic bowl and a net.
of course in true carnival fashion, there is a catch. Get this, the net is made of paper and the fish literally fell through the net.
I then just scooped one up with the bowl.I also tried my ninja skills with the bow and arrow. I was able to hit the balloon on my second shot!
There were easily thousands of people there. It really was about the size and scope of the state fair and just like the state fair, they had a horror maze
Inside the shrine there was a flower show by a Japanese master gardener
and a cannon from the time of the mongel invasion (1400's)
One of the more popular spots was the fortune booth. for 300 yen (~$3), you get a fortune that covers your studies, business, health, etc. You also get a prize with every fortune. I got chopsticks, but the woman behind me won a flight from FUK to Osaka!
After you get the fortune, you tie it to something around the shrine...in this case a local pine tree.
I had a good time hanging out with Max and his wife. On the way out, I picked up some ceramic spoons and cups from one of the many ceramic booths. I think we are going back on Friday in order to find a new home for Frankie
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