Hi guys! Budz here again!
This time, let me share a story that's not fieldwork-related but just as exciting: a chance to bring our research to the scientific community.
Together with my labmates (Leon, Tunyu, and Eyad), I flew to Fukuoka for AOGS 2026, a five-day conference that brought together researchers from across the field.
I got to present part of our study on flood risk modeling in Marikina. It was just a small slice of my research, but I walked away genuinely happy with the feedback, like a question of how changes in adaptation get factored into our risk model. After my talk, a Filipino researcher in the audience came up to me. She said they always assumed vulnerability was something you once assessed and that's it: a fixed number that stays the same. But I showed how vulnerability actually shifts over time. She agreed that the affected community is neither static nor homogeneous, and both the hazard model and the vulnerability model need to capture that movement. It's the kind of reaction that only really lands when it comes from someone who's thought deeply about the same problem. A nice reminder of why it matters to put your work out there and let other people sit with it.
Outside the conference, this was actually my first time in the southern part of Japan. There's no shortage of food and travel recommendations online, but honestly, I mostly just followed wherever my labmates led me HAHA huge thanks to them!
Fukuoka is famous for tonkatsu (pork) ramen, and I learned something I didn't expect: Ichiran , the chain every tourist in Tokyo lines up for, actually started right here. On our last day, we tried a local spot called Hakata Issou Ramen and waited almost an hour in line for it. What made it stand out wasn't just the taste but the smell. You truly knew you were eating pork from the aroma alone, not just the flavor. Maybe that's how truly good bowl of ramen should hit you: every sense should be activated, not just your taste.
We also managed to squeeze in a few spots that felt uniquely Fukuoka. Everything still felt new to me, even the places that reminded me a little of Tokyo, which is probably why I couldn't stop taking pictures (sorry, not sorry✌️). One thing that really struck me: no matter where you go in Japan, everything just... works. The transportation, the services, all of it. It actually made me want to explore more of Japan; there's clearly so much more to discover.
I'm incredibly grateful for this opportunity, to Kawasaki Sensei, and I'm looking forward to sharing our next story.
Ohori Park. A big pond ringed by a 2km running course. Joined the night joggers here.
Iki Shrine along Ikinomatsubara Beach.
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