editors note: I was drunk.

i have to write this down real quick.

wandering around fukuoka after visiting the local mandarake i’ve got pulled into an empty yaatei (food stall). after eating and drinking there all by myself with the occasional visit of my defacto personal cook (who unsecesfully tried to invite more guests to his food stall) i’ve tried to find a decently full izakaya on my way to the hostel. I didnt suceed. Every bar I’ve passed was either empty or closed. I’ve returned to my hostel and sat in the shared space for a couple of minutes. shortly after a woman sat at the opposite side of the table.

still unsatisfied with my unsucessful search for a well visited bar i’ve bought a snack and a double lemon soda in the konbini next to the hostel.

sittig in the shared space at the hostel after downing half of my double lemon soda i’ve mustered up enough courage to speak to the woman sitting opposite of me. i’ve asked her if she wanted a postcard of the largest reclining buddha. the postcard was given to me earlier this day as an ticket to the buddhist tempel that houses the worldwide largest reclining buddha. i’ve intended to throw it away or to put some stamps on it and send it home. the woman gracefully accepted my gift with sheer sincerity. as it turns out she was japanese and the japanese dont do irony. after i’ve issured her that it was a gift (or trash if she didnt want it) we talked for a bit. my broken japanese served me well. she was from sapporo and a long way from home. she went to saga to eat squid, which is apparently the only thing saga is famous for. she went around filming cute trains with her camera. she knew the anime zombieland saga (which is why is knew saga prefecture). she recommended to travel to hakone near tokio as this is connected to neo tokyo 3 in evangelion. we talked about favorite foods, travel plans, german trains and things. after she said good night she returned to the shared hostel space where i was finishing my drink and gifted me a souvennir from saga. a stone fish in return for the beaten up post card i’ve gave her earlier.

the people here a insane. in a good way. holy fuck.

thats its. written at midnight at a hostel in fukuoka.

her name was kokona. i sincerely hope i remember this correctly.