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The 4th Azure Travelers Meetup in Fukuoka, with a Journey through Okinawa and Yoron Island

Published 2024-10-19

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The 4th Azure Travelers Meetup in Fukuoka, with a Journey through Okinawa and Yoron Island

On October 19, 2024, we held the fourth Azure Travelers meetup, the “Fukuoka Trip,” at Engineer Cafe in Tenjin, Fukuoka.

This journey did not begin in Fukuoka. I arrived in Naha on October 9 for an Okinawa trip with friends who share my interest in photography. I worked while traveling around Okinawa’s main island, crossed over to Yoron Island, and then continued to Fukuoka. Including the sightseeing after the meetup, the journey lasted 12 days, from October 9 through 20.

In this article, I look back at the meetup at Engineer Cafe and share plenty of photos of the scenery and food I encountered in Okinawa, Yoron Island, and Fukuoka.

The Meetup
The Journey
Summary

The Meetup

Meetup Overview

Azure Travelers is a community built around a simple idea: visit different parts of Japan and hold a fun meetup together with the local community. The journey began in January 2024 with Sapporo, followed by Kobe and Yamagata. Fukuoka became our fourth destination.

4th Azure Travelers Meetup: Fukuoka Trip with Alterbooth Inc.

Date and time: Saturday, October 19, 2024, 10:30–18:30

Venue: Engineer Cafe (1-15-30 Tenjin, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture)

Admission: Free

Theme: Various Microsoft Azure features

Hashtag: #AzureTravelers

Event page: connpass

Posts from attendees are collected in this Posfie recap. It follows the participants arriving in Fukuoka through the day’s sessions and the social gathering afterward.

Scenes from the Day

The morning featured a community introduction and panel discussion. In the afternoon, sessions covered Microsoft Entra External ID, Platform Engineering, a support system built with Azure, and Azure AI services. We also had a snack break with treats brought from around Japan and a round of lightning talks. Once again, technical conversations and connections made while traveling came together in a single day.

Attendees watching a session on the screen at Engineer Cafe — The Fukuoka Trip begins at Engineer Cafe

A panel discussion taking place on the stage at Engineer Cafe — The morning panel discussion

Attendees and speakers exchanging ideas at the venue — A discussion that brought the whole room in

Attendees listening to a session in the sunlit Engineer Cafe — The historic building gave the venue a memorable atmosphere

Snacks and souvenirs from around Japan arranged on a meetup table — Snacks brought from around Japan

Timetable

Time	Session	Presenter
10:30	Registration opens	Host: skmkzyk
11:00–11:10	Community overview	Naoki
11:10–12:00	Something Like a Panel Discussion	Naoki
12:00–13:00	Lunch break	—
13:00–13:50	Microsoft Entra External ID and Azure AD B2C	Yuta Matsumura
14:00–14:50	Azure, Platform Engineering, and Me	ussvgr / S.Yoshikawa
15:00–16:00	Break, snack introductions, and lightning talks	Lightning talk speakers
16:10–16:50	The Ultimate Support System I Built with Azure	Daichi Taguchi / Gucchi
17:00–17:40	Azure AI services and a Talk about Teeth	Hirono Baba
17:50–18:30	Session	Jun Kudo
18:30–	Closing and cleanup	07JP27

Because Azure Travelers values the connections made in each destination, only the morning community introduction and panel discussion were streamed online. The livestream is available in the YouTube archive.

Watch the livestream archive on YouTube

Handling Setup and the Livestream

I arrived at the venue early that morning to set up the room and prepare the livestream. We wanted to keep the focus on meeting people in person while also sharing the two morning sessions online, so I had the cameras and streaming setup ready before the doors opened.

As soon as the setup was complete, I briefly left the venue for Apple Fukuoka. I needed to do something about the iPhone I had dropped the night before, leaving its screen shattered. I will return to that story in the travel section.

The Journey

This journey began with a flight to Okinawa ten days before the meetup. I worked from hotels on weekdays and went out taking photos with friends on my days off. It became a long trip from Okinawa’s main island to Yoron Island and then Fukuoka.

October 9: From Haneda to Naha

I flew from Haneda Airport to Naha Airport. The flight was delayed, and I missed the last Yui Rail train. I took a taxi from the airport to my hotel and ended the first day with dinner from a convenience store and a beer.

October 10: Okinawa Soba and a 1-Pound Steak

Breakfast was Okinawa soba at Meshiya Genten. I spent the rest of the day working.

Working from the hotel made me want a second monitor, so I visited several electronics stores. None had a portable monitor in stock, so I bought an HDMI-to-USB-C cable instead and made the equipment I already had work as a better setup.

For dinner, I went to JUMBO STEAK HAN’S Mihama and polished off a 1-pound steak.

Okinawa soba topped with a large piece of meat at Meshiya Genten — Okinawa soba at Meshiya Genten

The 1-pound steak served at JUMBO STEAK HAN'S Mihama — A 1-pound steak after work

October 11: Meeting My Photography Friends after Work

I spent another full day working from the hotel. For dinner, I met my photography friends at Izumizaki Ryori-ten Dadada. From here on, photography became the focus of my time in Okinawa.

The lantern-lit entrance to Izumizaki Ryori-ten Dadada — Meeting my photography friends at Izumizaki Ryori-ten Dadada

October 12: From Nago to Cape Hedo

With my photography friends, I headed toward Nago. We had lunch at Pizza Cafe Kajinhou, sharing a large pizza before continuing to Cape Hedo at the northern tip of Okinawa’s main island.

A large pizza loaded with toppings at Pizza Cafe Kajinhou — Pizza at Pizza Cafe Kajinhou

At Cape Hedo, the blue sea stretched beyond the steep cliffs. The sky and water were both richly colored, making it a wonderful place simply to walk around with a camera.

Green cliffs and blue water at Cape Hedo beneath a summer sky — Cape Hedo at the northern tip of Okinawa’s main island

Dinner was at Asahiya. After driving north, photographing the scenery, and eating together, we called it a day.

October 13: Searching for the Okinawa Rail

Early in the morning, we drove north to photograph the Okinawa rail, also known as the Yanbaru kuina. I did not manage to photograph one, but on the drive back I saw one walking beside the road. Even without a photo, seeing one in person was a happy moment.

Afterward, we photographed Apogama. At low tide, the rocky shore and a large cave emerge, bringing the blue sky and rugged landscape together in the same frame.

A rocky inlet and blue sea at Apogama — Apogama at low tide

Rocks scattered across the shallows at Apogama, with a rock formation offshore — The rocky shore exposed by the receding tide

A large cave in a green-covered rock formation on the Apogama coast — A large cave opening onto the shore

Lunch was at Kinchichi Soba Onna, where I had Okinawa soba topped with pork belly and a large piece of fried tofu.

Okinawa soba topped with pork belly and fried tofu at Kinchichi Soba Onna — Okinawa soba at Kinchichi Soba Onna

In the afternoon, we also photographed Umusa Beach, then had dinner at Taishu Shokudo Izakaya Iroha. It was a full day spent chasing the scenery of northern Okinawa from morning to night.

October 14: Taking the Ferry to Yoron Island

I took the ferry to Yoron Island. From the deck, the water seemed to grow even bluer as we moved away from Okinawa’s main island.

Deep blue water and an island seen from the ferry to Yoron Island — The waters around Yoron Island seen from the ferry

A small boat bound for Yurigahama floating on clear blue water — A boat floating on Yoron Blue

I went to Okaneku Beach, but Yurigahama looked more likely to appear the following day, so I decided to wait. The white sand and clear water were already beautiful enough on their own.

White sand and vivid blue water at Okaneku Beach — Okaneku Beach, looking toward the waters off Yurigahama

Sunlight breaking through the clouds onto the water at Udonos Beach — Light streaming onto Udonos Beach

We visited Udonos Beach and Paradise Beach and kept taking photos until evening. Light streamed through breaks in the clouds while ships passed along the horizon. Even the same stretch of sea changed its expression every few minutes.

The silhouette of a person walking along Udonos Beach at dusk — A person walking along the beach at dusk

A red sunset and the silhouette of a ship crossing the horizon — The sun settling over a ship

Sunset clouds turning the sea around Yoron Island orange — Sunset over Yoron Island at the end of the day

Dinner was at Shokujidokoro Marutoku. I think I had yakiniku, if memory serves. The meal brought our first day on Yoron Island to a close after hours of taking photos.

October 15: The Waters of Yurigahama

This was the day we went to Yurigahama. The tide did not fall far enough to reveal the sandbar completely, and the water still came up to just below my knees. Even so, the color of the sea was extraordinary. Wherever I pointed my camera, there was a photograph waiting.

A kayak resting on the sand beside the blue water at Yurigahama — The sea on the way to Yurigahama

A small boat floating beside the white sand at Yurigahama — White sand and a red boat

Clear emerald-blue water stretching across Yurigahama — The kind of blue you could watch forever

Shallow water at Yurigahama beneath a wide blue sky — The water at Yurigahama still came up to just below my knees that day

We also saw a sea turtle in the water. Being able to photograph it swimming through the clear sea was a wonderful bonus.

A sea turtle swimming through the clear water at Yurigahama — A sea turtle at Yurigahama

In the afternoon, I took the ferry back to Okinawa’s main island. Lunch was cup noodles on board. For dinner, we went to THE ORION BEER DINING and spent our final night in Okinawa.

October 16: From Okinawa to Fukuoka

I flew to Fukuoka around midday. I rarely take daytime flights, so choosing a window seat was unusual for me. Photographing the islands, coastline, and the city of Fukuoka drawing gradually closer was more fun than I expected. It made me want a window seat on future daytime flights too.

Before leaving, I had steak at Steak House 88 Naha Airport. I was still eating meat right up until I left Okinawa.

A steak served at Steak House 88 in Naha Airport — One last steak before leaving Naha Airport

An Okinawan island surrounded by clouds, seen through an airplane window — An island visible after leaving Naha

A chain of islands in blue water seen from the airplane — Islands stretching out beneath the clouds

The city of Fukuoka seen from an airplane approaching to land — Fukuoka from the air

An ANA passenger plane taxiing at Fukuoka Airport — Arriving at Fukuoka Airport

My first dinner in Fukuoka was at Hakata Motsunabe Yamanaka Akasaka. I enjoyed the small dishes first, then settled in for the motsunabe.

Small dishes, including mentaiko, served at Hakata Motsunabe Yamanaka Akasaka — Small dishes at Yamanaka

Motsunabe topped with plenty of garlic chives at Hakata Motsunabe Yamanaka Akasaka — Motsunabe on my first night in Fukuoka

October 17: Work and a Baseball Game

I worked from the hotel all day. For lunch, I had ramen at Ippudo Daimyo.

Ramen topped with chashu and a seasoned egg at Ippudo Daimyo — Ramen at Ippudo Daimyo

After work, I went to Mizuho PayPay Dome Fukuoka for the Climax Series game between the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks and the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters. Hotaka Yamakawa hit a home run, and the stadium erupted.

I had a seat on the left-field side and expected to be surrounded by Fighters fans, so I bought a Fighters hoodie before the game. Everyone around me turned out to be a Hawks fan. I read the room and decided not to put it on.

The field at Mizuho PayPay Dome Fukuoka surrounded by packed stands — A packed dome for the Climax Series

Hotaka Yamakawa hitting a home run at Mizuho PayPay Dome Fukuoka — The moment Yamakawa hit the home run

Hotaka Yamakawa making his dosukoi pose after rounding the bases — Yamakawa’s dosukoi celebration after the home run

Hotaka Yamakawa, the hero of the game, high-fiving SoftBank Hawks fans — Yamakawa, the hero of the game, high-fiving fans

Dinner was horse-meat yakiniku at Bariki King Akasaka. I love this restaurant enough to visit almost every time I come to Fukuoka. We enjoyed everything from horse sashimi to grilled horse meat.

An assortment of horse sashimi at Bariki King Akasaka, labeled by cut — Sampling different cuts of horse sashimi

Horse meat cooking on the grill at Bariki King Akasaka — Grilled horse meat that I crave whenever I visit Fukuoka

I finally wore the Fighters hoodie before boarding my flight home. A Nippon-Ham fan saw it and said, “Tough result this time.” The hoodie I could not wear at the stadium ended up starting a small conversation at the end of the trip.

October 18: The Pre-Event Gathering and a Shattered iPhone

I worked all day again. That evening, we held our pre-event gathering at Sosaku Izakaya 10C Tenjin Daimyo, where I had more motsunabe. We moved to GASTROPUB ALES afterward and enjoyed some craft beer.

Just after leaving the bar, I dropped my iPhone and shattered the screen. I tried to arrange a repair at the Apple Store, but appointments were booked for the next three days. Going into the meetup without a way to contact anyone was not an option, so I bought a new iPhone and arranged to pick it up at Apple Fukuoka the next day.

October 19: The Meetup and a New iPhone

On the morning of the meetup, I arrived at the venue and prepared the room and livestream. Once everything was ready, I took a taxi to Apple Fukuoka.

My new phone was an iPhone 16. I moved the SIM from the broken iPhone, and just like that, I had a working way to contact people again. Excited by the new camera features, I returned to the venue and had fun recording video in Cinematic mode.

The box for a blue iPhone 16 picked up at Apple Fukuoka — The iPhone 16 I bought after the drop the night before

I covered the meetup itself in the first half of this article. After the morning setup, the sessions, and the cleanup were all complete, we headed to Nihonkai Shoya Nakasu Kawabata for the social gathering.

A sashimi platter featuring white fish at Nihonkai Shoya Nakasu Kawabata — The sashimi platter at the social gathering

Sashimi including silver-skinned fish at Nihonkai Shoya Nakasu Kawabata — More sashimi at the social gathering

Afterward, we visited the yatai food stalls in Nakasu, then finished the night with ramen and fried rice at Hakata Ramen ShinShin Tenjin. Even after a full day at the meetup, we closed out the night with one more proper meal.

Fried rice served at Hakata Ramen ShinShin Tenjin — ShinShin’s fried rice

Tonkotsu ramen topped with chashu at Hakata Ramen ShinShin Tenjin — Tonkotsu ramen to end the day

October 20: Aso and Sightseeing in Fukuoka

I woke up early and drove to Aso in Kumamoto Prefecture. The weather was poor, and it was not a day for taking in the scenery at leisure, so I turned around and returned to Fukuoka.

The wooden Daikanbo marker standing in the fog at Aso — An early morning at Daikanbo without much luck from the weather

Morning mist settling among the mountains of Aso — Morning mist flowing between the mountains

Back in Fukuoka, I had breakfast at Ganso Hakata Mentaiju. A whole piece of mentaiko sat on rice layered with nori, making it an unmistakably Fukuoka breakfast.

Mentaiju with a layer of nori and a whole piece of mentaiko at Ganso Hakata Mentaiju in Nishinakasu — Breakfast at Ganso Hakata Mentaiju

Next, I went to LaLaport Fukuoka to pay my respects to the life-size ν Gundam. Under the blue sky, it looked enormous. I took photo after photo with both my phone and camera, trying different angles.

The full life-size ν Gundam statue standing at LaLaport Fukuoka — The life-size ν Gundam at LaLaport Fukuoka

The life-size ν Gundam statue photographed from below against a blue sky — Looking up at it through my camera

Then I continued to Marine World Uminonakamichi. The sea otters were irresistibly cute, and I enjoyed the marine mammal show as much as the dolphin show. Even the walls along the passages between exhibits looked striking, giving me reasons to point my camera beyond the exhibits themselves.

The Marine World Uminonakamichi building beneath a blue sky — Marine World Uminonakamichi

The number of aquariums where you can see sea otters in Japan has been declining. Whether floating on the surface or interacting with their keepers, they were adorable, and I was glad I had come.

A side view of a green sea turtle swimming through an aquarium tank — A green sea turtle gliding through the water

A wall mural of a sea turtle swimming through blue water — A sea turtle mural along the passage

Jellyfish drifting under purple lighting — Jellyfish drifting through the light

A sea otter looking toward the camera from a rock — A sea otter that never stopped being adorable

A sea lion balancing an orange ball on its nose — A sea lion balancing a ball on its nose

A sea lion stretching on a platform beside its keeper — The lively sea lion show

A small sea otter being supported by a keeper as it enters the water — A small sea otter spending time with its keeper

A dolphin leaping out of the water toward an orange ball — A dolphin leaping toward the ball

Dinner was at Namihei in Nishinoura. The live squid sashimi was so fresh that it was still moving, and the remaining pieces were turned into tempura afterward.

Squid shumai served in a bamboo steamer at Namihei in Nishinoura — Squid shumai to start the meal

Translucent live squid sashimi served at Namihei in Nishinoura — Translucent live squid sashimi

Freshly fried tempura served after the live squid sashimi — The remaining squid, freshly fried as tempura

Through the restaurant window, I could see people surfing. The wind was strong that day, and the waves crashing against the rocks were powerful. I followed the surfers riding those waves with a telephoto lens.

A surfer riding a wave raised by the strong wind at Nishinoura — A surfer riding the waves beyond the window

Large waves throwing white spray against the rocks at Nishinoura — The strong wind made the waves even more dramatic

A white torii gate standing on the rocks beside the sea at Nishinoura — The seaside torii at Nishinoura, my final view of the journey

With that, the long journey that began in Okinawa came to an end, and I left Fukuoka behind.

Summary

The journey began with a delayed flight and a missed last Yui Rail train. I worked from Okinawa and Fukuoka on weekdays, visited Cape Hedo and Apogama with photography friends, crossed to Yoron Island by ferry, and photographed the sea and sunset at Yurigahama.

In Fukuoka, I kept eating my way through motsunabe, tonkotsu ramen, horse meat, mentaiko, and squid while also catching a Climax Series game. Then came the unexpected part: shattering my iPhone the night before the meetup and picking up a new one on the day itself.

At Engineer Cafe, we spent the day listening to talks on different aspects of Microsoft Azure and connecting with people who had come from around Japan. After Sapporo, Kobe, and Yamagata, I felt that Azure Travelers had created another set of new connections in Fukuoka.

The waters of Okinawa, the sunset on Yoron Island, the islands seen from the plane, and Fukuoka’s baseball and aquarium all gave me reasons to pause because I had a camera in hand. Thank you to everyone who traveled with me and everyone who spent the day with us at the Fukuoka venue. See you in the next city.