Goodbye, Fukuoka

Tuesday I said bye to this great city, and even greater group of friends. I will really miss these people...

JUNKO.

The event organizer and manager of Kieth Flack, the best club in Fukuoka. If anyone knows the musical pulse of the city, it's her–whether live thrash-punk, gay-pink-girl dance parties, house and techno nights, German DJs...she's there and smiling. She's one of the coolest girls I've ever met.

KO_CHAN.

Along with YUJI, this DJ/record collector/event organizer/soul and funk expert knows more than you ever will about 60s and 70s American beat music. And he's Japanese. He works at Keith Flack with JUNKO.

YUJI.

He's–and I'm not kidding–one of the world's experts on old funk and soul. Something of an icon among record collectors on ebay, he learned English by listening to Isaac Hayes, Texas funk, and Ike and Tina. And his family's curry company makes some scrumptious chicken and beef curry.

YAMA-CHAN

He's in his kitchen, with a Texas shirt that he habitually wears. His yatai, or street food stand, has some of the best ramen in Fukuoka (a city famous all over Japan for the stuff). Yaki ramen/soba, Korean style beef, stir fried vegetables...This was my favorite place to eat in Japan.

MIKI.
Her family owns Ikiko brand of mugi shochu, a popular Japanese whiskey. She was born on a small island off the coast of Nagasaki. She surfs and cooks. Need I say more?