Stories of MayaSafiera

Kin-In Park: A Story of National Treasure

19 Apr 2011 Leave a Comment

by mayasafiera in Student Exchange - Fukuoka Tags: kinin park, shikanoshima

This week I have a homework given by my professor, Ichiki sensei. For this homework, WJC students should find out about Kin-In. In fact, first I heard that word, I had no idea what it was about. But my trip to Shikanoshima few days ago (read the previous post) made me realize that there’s a park named Kin-In Koen in Shikanoshima – I read a city-sign at that time.

In my dormitory I searched in Google for keyword of “Kin-In Park”. You know what, what I found then, were many posts of “Linkin Park”, my favorite band when I was in Junior High School.

Anyway, in the next day, I decided to go to the park with Fifi. We were so curious to go to Kin-In Koen. We were going to Shikanoshima by the same bus (Nishitetsu Bus No.21) and  in the same way as the day before.

We had to get down at Shikanoshima bus stop and wait about 50 minutes to get the bus going to Kininzuka, closest bust stop to go Kin-In Park. It was so cold and then we decided to take a walk while waiting the next bus. Fortunately we found a famous shrine nearby. The name of the shrine was Shikaumi Shrine. From the shrine we could enjoy a broad scenery of the sea. It was so beautiful.

Next: Nishitetsu Bus No.1 >>> Kin-In Koen…

Finally…we got it…!

Kin-In Park is located close to the sea. There was only one bus stop of Nishitetsu Bus (in front of the park) and there was no bus stop for the opposite way. Well I was a bit confused about how to go home to my lovely dormitory. Then I asked a Japanese and he said I could just wave my hand to stop the bus. Hmm…then it was my first time stopping Nishitetsu Bus by waving my hand.

I took some pictures in the park and getting around too. I think Kin-In Koen is a large park. We could see some nice places, for example, the main-point-of-interest (the gold seal, of course), and a small yard represented Japan, looked like a map.

But anyway, the gold seal in the park is not the real one. I heard that the original gold seal is in Fukuoka City Museum.

Furthermore, as informed in the explanation board, Kin-In is a gold seal said to have been given by Emperor Guangwu of the Chinese Han Dinasty to the king of Nakoku, a small state in the current Fukuoka area of Japan during the Yayoi period (from about 500 BC to 300 AD). The actual seal is very small: about 2 cm³ and made mostly from pure gold. Gold seals were used to seal important official documents or letters. People tied a box containing such letters or documents with a string, sealed the knot with clay, and stamped the clay with the gold seal so that it could not be restored once opened. The gold seal served to protect the confidentiality of documents.

About the park itself, Kin-In Park was established in 1975 to honor the place where a gold seal with the inscription “Kanno-Wano-Nano-Kokuo” (King of Nakoku in Japan) is said to have been excavated in 1784. The park not only lets you reflect on the long history of Shikanoshima Island but also offers a good place for a full view of Hakata Bay. In addition, the site has grass fields and a famous cherry blossom-viewing spot.

Felt enough visiting Kin-In Park, I and Fifi stopped the first bus – by waving our hands – and then got down in the front of post-office. Again, after checked the bus schedule, we unfortunately had to wait about one hour for the next bus going to Tenjin. There were two old ladies next to us selling their oranges and strawberries. I bought one pack of strawberries and the old lady gave me three extras. Thank God. ^^