Japanese Explorer

Wednesday, 10 Apr 2019 & Thursday, 11 Apr 2019

Up early this morning, it is a travel day. We changed the bed and reset the hotel. Then we had a light smoothie for breakfast. The drive to AeroParking was busy with traffic but once it cleared downtown Tacoma the drive was smooth. We were on our way to the terminal.

Second in line, the clerks would not open the counter for twenty minutes. In the meantime, I went to the electronic check-in terminal to print luggage tags. Then a line of agents arrived and lined up in a front of a dozen young women in All Nippon Airline uniforms. They were all young but one seemed to be the “lieutenant” in charge and she announced they wished us to welcome us to ANA and then they

355 all bowed in greeting before taking their places behind the counter. They processed us in quickly and moved Liz and me to seats further up in the aircraft. Then we continued to the South Terminal and sat down in the gate area.

Once we boarded we observed a very efficient and professional crew who made us quite comfortable. Showing a movie, we saw several people in traditional white-face make up and theater worthy Japanese costumes. They explained safety procedures in a highly delightful way. Later, as we departed the aircraft, they showed the filming of the exercise with the application of make-up, costumes, and cameramen recording the process. Very clever!

We departed on time at 13:20 and, thanks to crossing the International Date Line, we arrived after the nine hour flight at 15:30 the next day. After quickly processing Naritta Airport Immigration, we entered the waiting area where a young woman with a sign containing four names, met us and informed us it would take an hour to reach Hotel Grand Nikko Tokyo Daiba.

The hotel was built in 1998 and refurbished in 2008. It is an elegant hotel with many amenities and shopping venues. After checking in at the desk we were directed to the OnLine Vacation Desk where we were given our room keys, and received our instruction for setting out luggage and preparing to bus to the Celebrity Millennium in on Saturday morning.

A bellboy then led us to the elevator wing where I mentioned I would like to learn where I might exchange cash for Japanese yen. He guided us to a terminal exchange area and then took us up to our room. He explained the operation of lighting, television, and air conditioning and we collapsed for a few minuted before we realized the four restaurants in the hotel would be closing shortly.

We went to the Lobby Cafe for a quick supper of Penne Tomato and Cheese Sauce or Spaghetti Carbonara. Both were welcome and we were hungry. The other options were “Eggs sandwich, Chicken Breast Meat and Avocado Sandwich, or Mixed sandwiches” but we wanted a bit more than a ham and cheese sandwich. Then we returned to the room to partially unpack for tomorrow with a view of going to the ship the next day.

We tried to watch the news but all we could find was the BBC and once you see a half hour you have seen their news of the day. I turned on the 11th Hour podcast with Brian Williams but we fell asleep in the middle of the program.

356 Friday, 12 Apr 2019

Odaiba today is a large artificial island in Tokyo Bay, Japan, across the Rainbow Bridge from central Tokyo. Daiba were initially built in this area for defensive purposes in the 1850s. The original Odaiba opened in 1860 as a port and shipyard in the city today known as Yokosuka, site of the joint Japanese-US fleet HQ. Reclaimed land offshore Shinagawa was dramatically expanded during the late 20th century as a seaport district, and has developed since the 1990s as a major commercial, residential and leisure area. Odaiba, along with Minato Mirai 21 in Yokohama, is among a few man-made seashores in Tokyo Bay where the waterfront is accessible, and not blocked by industry and harbor areas. For artificial sand beaches in the bay, Sea Park in -ku is suitable for swimming, Odaiba has one, and there are two in Kasai Rinkai Park area looking over to the Tokyo Disneyland.

For breakfast we chose the Garden Cafe. The coffee in the room was instant but the restaurant coffee was much appreciated. When we checked in for the included breakfast we were given a placard with a number and invited to sit until our number was called. Five minutes late a waited called our sequence number and we were directed to a table for access to the buffet. We selected from both Japanese and Western breakfast menus. Omelets to order, congee, and vegetable fritters were fully enjoyed. Fresh, little strawberries, melon, and croissants were also appreciated. We are now refreshed for a day of local exploring.

The OnLine Vacation Desk gave us a map of the Tokyo Waterfront City. We marked the location of the hotel and then circled the Central Plaza, the Giant Sky Wheel, Mega Web, Venus Fort, and Aqua City. Our intent was to get in a walk and do some sightseeing as well. We set out with the guide's instructions but that left us turned around. Once we reached Shiokaze Park, and learned it has been

357 inaccessible since April, 2017. But we knew where we were and retraced our route one block back across the front of the hotel in the other direction.

The shopping center would not open until 11:00 o'clock but we observed the waterfront, the Statue of Liberty and the Giant Sky Wheel. We went inside Mega Web which allowed general entry into the building but not access to the actual cars on display. People were setting up for the day but would not be ready to show the 60 or so examples of various models of cars on display.

At Venus Fort Mall I wondered at the name but once the mall actually opened and we reached the 2nd floor I realized the shopping mall looked like a Las Vegas interior of a Roman forum. "VenusFort is a shopping mall designed to resemble a medieval European village. The Sky Feature Program displays a fantastical sky expanding overhead, creating a magical atmosphere where time flows unlike anything in the outside world. December 2009 saw the opening of the first outlet floor in Tokyo’s 23 wards, transforming VenusFort into a 'hybrid shopping mall.'"A bit cheesy but I guess they needed some sort of draw and they chose that topic.

We did stop at Lotteria, a MacDonald's clone, which had iced Pepsi and good French fries but the hamburger lacked the flavor of the familiar treat. The cold drink was just what we needed from our walk. When finished, we made our way back to the hotel and stopped at the bakery cafe for a couple of pastries for later. We also stopped at the 24 hour Hotel Grand Nikko Quality Store for some snacks. We will be staying in this evening and do not plan to go to the Garden Cafe again.

Saturday, 13 Apr 2019

We now knew the breakfast procedures and when we arrived at the Garden Cafe this morning we discovered there were fifty people in line. This time they did not issue a sequence ticket but just opened the doors for all of us to enter. For today we decided to eat Japanese. I placed udon noodles in a bowl and then transferred them to a wire basket for heating them up in boiling water. Then we added vegetables and seafood to the bowl. It made a very nice breakfast when combined with congee.

Yesterday we received a newspaper and read it before going on our shopping spree. Today we did not receive a copy so I asked for a paper at the concierge desk. They looked up our room number and saw that we were in the cheap suites and were not authorized a newspaper. Then the clerk motioned to follow him to a desk across the hall where he gave me a copy of the English language Japanese Times. It was the size of newspapers printed fifty years ago so it was a little unwieldy but it did the job.

The hotel staff picked up our luggage at nine o'clock and we went to the lobby to wait for OnLine Vacation personnel to arrive and direct us to the buses for the drive to Yokohama to meet the ship, In the meantime there were two wedding parties taking photos of the bride and groom on the hotel staircase. The hotel apparently is a popular wedding venue and these two couples were evidence of that.

An hour later a representative of our tour group arrived and we confirmed the presence of our luggage and it was loaded on the bus. Then we drove out of Tokyo for and hour before arriving at the International Ship Terminal. The drive was through nothing but concrete and steel. Evan a tunnel under Tokyo Bay. Once we arrived the bus offloaded and we were directed to haul our own luggage to the drop-off point, We just had two wheeled suitcases to drag along but others had much more luggage and

358 were very unhappy to be designated as their own porters for the exercise.

We cleared the check-in process and boarded the ship as our cabins were being released for occupancy. That meant we could drop off our back packs and begin exploring the ship. The Millennium was refurbished in the last two months and still had a “new car” feel. Alvin, our room (7031) steward, is from the Philippines. He introduced himself and showed us our stateroom and instructed us on the operation of the television. More than an entertainments source, it serves as a data terminal to review our account and make reservations for additional activities.

At the Oceanview Cafe we passed an area with several sinks and were encouraged to wash our hands before joining the buffet line. They also retained the sanitary hand cleaners they have used in the past. I think people will soon skip the sink washing as it takes a much longer time and creates a choke point.

Yokohama is the second largest city in Japan by population, and the most populous municipality of Japan. It is the capital city of Kanagawa Prefecture. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of Tokyo, in the Kantō region of the main island of Honshu. It is a major commercial hub of the .

Yokohama's population of 3.7 million makes it Japan's largest city. Yokohama developed rapidly as Japan's prominent port city following the end of Japan's relative isolation in the mid-19th century, and is today one of its major ports along with , , , Hakata, Tokyo, and .

Yokohama was a small fishing village up to the end of the feudal period, when Japan held a policy of national seclusion, having little contact with foreigners. A major turning point in Japanese history happened in 1853–54, when Commodore Matthew Perry arrived just south of Yokohama with a fleet of American warships, demanding that Japan open several ports for commerce, and the agreed by signing the Treaty of Peace and Amity.

It was initially agreed that one of the ports to be opened to foreign ships would be the bustling town of Kanagawa-juku (in what is now Kanagawa Ward) on the Tōkaidō, a strategic highway that linked Edo to and Osaka. However, the Tokugawa shogunate decided that Kanagawa-juku was too close to the Tōkaidō for comfort, and port facilities were instead built across the inlet in the sleepy fishing village of Yokohama. The Port of Yokohama was officially opened on June 2, 1859.

At four o'clock we assembled at the theater for the mandatory safety briefing. This venue holds over 1,000 people so rooms from several decks reported for the briefing. The theater screens ran a loop of instructions concerning such information as reporting to the emergency station, the wearing of life vests, the operation of security lighting, and the sounding

359 of alarms to begin and end safety drills.

When Captain Alex Papadopulous concluded the briefing the ship's horn sounded the example alarms. A large crowd of people stood at the pier and waved at us at we pulled away from the pier. A band was playing and a fire boat was spraying water in salute of our visit. It was quite a celebration and I wondered if the attention was being given to Celebrity Millennium because it is a “new” (refurbished) visitor to the port.

We went to the Metropolitan Restaurant for dinner and requested Celebrity Select Dinning (anytime seating) to give us more flexibility for our meals as impacted by shore excursions or theater choices.

Sunday, 14 Apr 2019

Shimizu-ku was created on April 1, 2005, when became a city designated by government ordinance (a "designated city"). Its area is almost identical to former Shimizu city, which merged with Shizuoka city on April 1, 2003. Shizuoka annexed the town of Kanbara from Ihara District on March 31, 2006, and the town of Yui on November 1, 2008, adding these former municipalities to Shimizu-ku.

Since ancient times, Shimizu thrived as a harbor town due to its good natural harbor. In addition, five post stations of Tōkaidō were located in Shimizu: (Kanbara-juku, Okitsu-juku, Ejiri-juku, and Yui-shuku, all of which brought prosperity to the area during the . After the , an Imperial decree in July 1899 established Shimizu as an open port for trading with the United States and the United Kingdom. Shimizu became an international trade port for the export of green tea, as well as housing a major fishery and affiliated industries.

As we sailed into Shimizu I began to realize Japan is made up of mountainous islands which, at first glance, seem to hold numerous heavily industrial ports which extend heavily populated living areas and manufacturing centers from the sea right to the rise of the mountains of the inland prefectures. Everywhere one sees concentrated population and I am impressed how their culture and temperament exist in such proximity of many, very close neighbors.

There were several coaches assigned to carry the excursion Best of Shimizu with Lunch. Our guide was Yoko and she introduced our tour sequence as we drove to a parking area near Nihondaira Park. From there we walked over a mile long wood sidewalk through gnarled trees in a pine grove to the actual park. We observed volunteers working to clean up pine needles and debris along the footpath.

360 As we were driving to Nihondairia Park Yoko asked it she could tell us of the legend of the Hagoromo. We said we would love to hear it.

Hagoromo (The Feather Mantle) is among the most-performed Japanese Noh plays. It is an example of the traditional swan maiden motif. The earliest recorded version of the legend dates to the eighth century. The play however apparently combines two legends, one concerning the origins of the Suruga Dance (Suruga-mai) and another the descent of an angel onto Udo Beach.

A Once upon a time, a beautiful robe was discovered hanging on a pine branch in the Miho pine grove. A fisherman named Hakuryo took it and was about to leave when a heavenly maiden appeared out of nowhere and asked him to give her back the robe "Hagoromo" as it belonged to her. However the fisherman insisted it was his robe now because he had found it. Hearing that, she cried out in despair that she could not return to heaven without her robe. Hakuryo agreed to return the robe to her on the condition that he might see her dance the Celestial Dance wearing the robe "Hagoromo." The celestial maiden gladly accepted and danced for him, but upon finishing her dance suddenly vanished into a mist.

Then we continued deeper into the park and out into Miho no Matsubara, one of three key pine forests in Japan. 54,000 pine trees cover 4½ miles overlooking the sea. Here we walked on the beach which holds the clearest view of Japan's highest mountain, Mt. Fuji. Afterward we had time to stop at a little stall and purchased a packet of post cards of different views of Mt Fuji.

Our next stop was at the Sengen Shrine, where Yoko explained some of the traditions of Shinto belief. We cleansed our hands at the water trough near the entrance and walked the grounds of the shrine as our guide described the construction of the temple.

Shinto is the traditional religion of Japan that focuses on ritual practices to be carried out diligently to establish a connection between present-day Japan and its ancient past.

Shinto practices were first recorded and codified in the written historical records of the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki in the 8th century. Still, these earliest Japanese writings do not refer to a unified religion, but rather to a collection of native beliefs and mythology. Shinto today is the religion of public shrines devoted to the worship of a multitude of "spirits", "essences" or "gods" (kami), suited to various purposes such as war memorials and harvest festivals, and applies as well to various sectarian organizations. Practitioners express their diverse beliefs through a standard

361 language and practice, adopting a similar style in dress and ritual, dating from around the time of the Nara and Heian periods (8th–12th centuries).

At Sumpu Park we walked fifteen minutes through beautiful gardens to Sumpu Castle. First built in 1585, the castle was rebuilt after a fire in 1635. We crossed over the moat surrounding the castle grounds and walked through the grounds of the fortress before continuing on to our next point of interest.

Kunozan Toshogu is a shrine dedicated to the famous leader (1543-1616) who brought a long period of civil wars to an end and united all of Japan. Having spent the last decade of his life at the nearby Sumpu Castle, Ieyasu expressed his wish for a mausoleum on Mount Kunozan. Of the many Toshogu shrines dedicated to Ieyasu throughout Japan, Shizuoka's is second in importance only to Nikko's Toshogu.

The main approach to Kunozan Toshogu is from the south and involves a considerable climb up the mountain. Over a thousand stone steps zig zag up the mountainside, allowing for impressive views of Suruga Bay and the oceanside along the way. Travelers who would rather not subject themselves to the climb can access the shrine by ropeway from the north from the Nihondaira plateau instead.

Now our realization developed that we would have many exercises which would require long walks and climbing. The walks themselves were easy for us. The climbing up and down many, uneven steps caused more of a challenge for both of us. We began by going to a twelve- minute aerial rope-way to the Kunozan Toshogu Shrine. Yoko, our guide, giggled as we loaded the gondola. She said "these hold 50 people... Japanese size, but you people? Ha Ha.” Less of our group of course.

The shrine was built in 1617 in honor of Ieyasu Tokugawa. The buildings are painted with lacquer and decorated with gold foil. They have remained since they were

362 built and the wood pillars are original. They have been repainted every 50 years to preserve them. His grave is further up behind the main building of the shrine where he was buries according to his will. The grave was built facing west to his birthplace Mikawa and the ancient capital Kyoto.

It was a bit of an exhausting experience climbing to the shrine and the further climb to the actual grave. This was the first realization that uneven steps, often without railings, are getting more difficult and time consuming. Liz and I hung onto each other and I do "left foot, bring right foot next to left... and repeat" maneuvers in those cases.

We completed our day's adventure with lunch at what I would classify as a “Japanese truck stop” capable of feeding four coach loads of patrons at the same time. We all took our places at tables in the second floor portion of the restaurant. Each of those tables had places for ten people and each setting was jammed with small dishes of Japanese traditional foods.

I would equate this to Dim Sum. “Dim sum became popular as food eaten during tea parties. In China snacks and light meals are called dim sum. The word "dim sum" is not familiar to the Japanese. However, some popular dishes originated from dim sum, and they are indispensable for Japanese people.”

As mentioned, the place settings were completely filled and we were trying to figure out what we had and how we would eat the dishes. But everything was delicious. I enjoyed all of it, even the unknown.

When we returned to the ship it was time for the daily Captain's Club cocktail hour for elite and above passengers. Graeme Kelleher is the Captain's Club host and greeter for the Cosmos Lounge operations. He also hosts the Captain's Club breakfast in the Tuscan Grill each morning. He is from Zimbabwe and has a continuous patter he uses to

363 engage the patrons of each table each day.

Tonight's entertainment featured the Millennium Production Singers and Dancers in a compilation of Broadway hits.

Monday, 15 Apr 2019

Kobe is the sixth-largest city in Japan and the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture. It is located on the southern side of the main island of Honshū, on the north shore of Osaka Bay and about 30 km (19 mi) west of Osaka. With a population around 1.5 million, the city is part of the metropolitan area along with Osaka and Kyoto.

The earliest written records regarding the region come from the Nihon Shoki, which describes the founding of the Ikuta Shrine by Empress Jingū in AD 201. For most of its history, the area was never a single political entity, even during the Tokugawa period, when the port was controlled directly by the Tokugawa shogunate. Kobe did not exist in its current form until its founding in 1889. Its name comes from kanbe, an archaic title for supporters of the city's Ikuta Shrine. Kobe became one of Japan's designated cities in 1956.

Kobe was one of the cities to open for trade with the West following the 1853 end of the policy of seclusion and has since been known as a cosmopolitan and nuclear-free zone port city. While the 1995 Great Hanshin earthquake diminished much of Kobe's prominence as a port city, it remains Japan's fourth-busiest container port. Companies headquartered in Kobe include ASICS, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, and Kobe Steel, as well as over 100 international corporations with Asian or Japanese headquarters in the city, such as Eli Lilly and Company, Procter & Gamble, Boehringer Ingelheim, and Nestlé. The city is the point of origin and namesake of Kobe beef, as well as the site of one of Japan's most famous hot spring resorts, Arima Onsen. In 1995, Kobe was hit by the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, which killed over 5,000 people and destroyed thousands of buildings. Today the city is completely rebuilt, and few signs of the terrible event remain.

A very tempting excursion in Kobe was a trip on the bullet train to Kyoto. That was a one hour trip but the return was a three hour coach ride because it was impossible to secure a return on the bullet train. I am not sure why that was so but we did not wish to limit ourselves.

Instead, we boarded a coach as our guide, Miko, introduced us to the Highlights of Osaka. Here too we were introduced to Japanese culture as she told us the legend of Princess Kaguya, the Moon Princess.

A bamboo cutter named Sanuki no Miyatsuko discovers a miniature girl inside a glowing bamboo shoot. Believing her to be a divine presence, he and his wife decide to raise her as their own, calling her "Princess". The girl grows rapidly and conspicuously, causing her parents to marvel and earning her the nickname "Takenoko" (Little Bamboo) from the other village children. Sutemaru, the oldest among Kaguya's friends, develops a close relationship with her.

Miyatsuko comes upon gold and fine cloth in the bamboo grove in the same way he found his daughter. He takes these as proof of her divine royalty and begins planning to make her a proper princess. He relocates the family to the capital, forcing her to leave her friends behind. She finds herself in a mansion, replete with servants. She is also saddled with a governess who is tasked with taming her into a noblewoman. She struggles with the restraints of nobility, arguing that life should be full of laughter and struggle.

When the girl comes of age, she is granted the formal name of "Princess Kaguya" for the light and life that radiates from her. Miyatsuko holds a celebration in commemoration of her naming. At

364 the celebration, Kaguya overhears partygoers ridiculing her father's attempts to turn a peasant girl into a noble through money. Kaguya flees the capital in despair and runs back to the mountains, seeking Sutemaru and her other friends, but discovers that they have all moved away. Kaguya passes out in the snow and awakens back at the party.

Kaguya grows in beauty, attracting scores of suitors. Five men of noble standing court her, comparing her to mythical treasures. Kaguya tells them she will only marry whoever can bring her the mythical treasure mentioned. Two suitors attempt to persuade her with counterfeits. The third abandons his conquest out of cowardice, and the fourth attempts to woo her with flattering lies. When one of the men is killed in his quest, Kaguya falls into depression. Eventually, the Emperor takes notice of her. Taken with her beauty, he makes advances toward her, revolting her. Kaguya then demonstrates the ability to disappear at will, surprising the Emperor. Understanding that he has been too forward, the Emperor takes his leave.

Kaguya reveals to her parents that she originally came from the Moon after it spoke to her. Once a resident of the Moon, she broke its laws, hoping to be exiled to Earth so that she could experience mortal life. When the Emperor made his advances, she silently begged the Moon to help her. Having heard her prayer, the Moon will reclaim her during the next full moon. Kaguya confesses her attachment to Earth and her reluctance to leave.

Miyatsuko swears to protect Kaguya and begins assembling defensive forces. Kaguya returns to her hometown in the mountains once more. She finds Sutemaru and tells him she would have been happiest with him; Sutemaru vows to protect her. The two run around the grass field and Kaguya demonstrates the ability to fly. However, she loses it when they fly by the Moon, and the two drop into the water. Sutemaru wakes up on the grass field, thinking it was a dream, while Kaguya is seen in a carriage going back to the palace.

On the night of the full moon, a procession of celestial beings led by the Buddha descends from the Moon, and Miyatsuko is unable to stop it. An attendant offers Kaguya a robe that will erase her memories of Earth. Kaguya begs the attendant to grant her a last moment with her parents.

The attendant assures her that upon returning to the Moon, she will be free of Earth's impurities. Kaguya rebuffs her, saying that Earth is full of wonder and life. The attendant then drapes the robe around Kaguya, and she appears to forget about her life on Earth. The procession ascends to the Moon, leaving Miyatsuko and his wife distraught. Kaguya looks back one last time, and tears run down her eyes as she recognizes the love from her parents.

By the time she finished telling us of that piece of her nation's cultural heritage she then began describing our upcoming visit the shrine to Sumiyoshi Taisha, the guardian deity for sailors and deity

365 to bring prosperity. As we entered the grounds one is immediately drawn to the view of a magnificent arched red bridge which reflects an almost circular ring above and through the water.

Sumiyoshi Taisha Shrine (also known as Sumiyoshi Grand Shrine) is a sprawling shrine with picturesque grounds plucked from a storybook. One of Osaka‘s most famous shrines, it is the site of many of the nation’s most important religious rites and traditions.

Founded in the 3rd century, the of the shrine stretches over a thousand years. It is steeped in history — in fact, it was mentioned in Genji Monogatari (“The Tale of Genji”), the world’s oldest novel.

Sumiyoshi Taisha is a that embodies Japan’s ancient animistic religion. Three prominent Shinto deities are enshrined here, as well as the spirit of legendary Okinagatarashihime no Mikoto, known as Empress Jingu. The Sumiyoshi deities protect sailors and fisherman; though now landlocked, Sumiyoshi Taisha once faced the sea. There are over 2000 Sumiyoshi shrines scattered across Japan, but Sumiyoshi Taisha is the most famous and important, acting as the headquarters of the seafaring Sumiyoshi tradition.

A beautiful bridge called Sori-hashi is one of the most gorgeous features of the shrine. It’s nicknamed Taiko-bashi because when the curved structure reflects on the water below it forms a round shape reminiscent of a drum.

As we crossed over Sori-hashi bridge Miko began explaining some of the traditions of the Japanese at a Shinto shrine. She informed us that purification is an essential element in Shintō. The Shintō elements that provide purification are water, salt, fire, sand, and sake (alcohol). Before praying to the Shintō deity, worshipers and casual visitors are asked to purify themselves of impurity. The act of cleansing or exorcising impurity is called Misogi, and the actual washing of hands with water is called. Most large shrines have a stone wash basin where worshipers and visitors rinse their mouth and hands before approaching the deity. First the left and then the right hand is rinsed with water at the purification font, then the mouth is rinsed with water from the left hand.

Continuing on we came to the (entrance gate) which was marked with a shimenawa (special plaited rope) and shime or gohei (zigzag-shaped paper streamer). Placed at the entrances of holy places to ward off evil spirits, or placed around trees/objects to indicate presence of kami. Made of rice straw or hemp, the rope is called nawa. The pieces of white paper symbolize purity in the Shintō faith.

When at the main hall of worship petitioners ring the bell that hangs from a rope in front of the offering box. They bow twice, clap hands twice (make sure the Shintō deity is listening), bow once more, and then throw coins into the wooden offering box (100 yen is a typical offering). The prayer is made either before or after throwing money into the box. Another method is to throw a few coins into the offering box, then ring the bell, bow deeply twice with hands together, clap twice, and bow once again.

Shrines offer many diversions to visitors and in most cases, these involve superstition and magic. Nearly all shrines sell talismans to bring good luck or keep evil away. Lucky charms and protective amulets are called o-mamori. Shrines also sell o-inori (prayers to the kami written on pieces of paper) that magically help students pass examinations or sick people recover from an illness.

Ema are votive plaques. At most shrines, one finds a stand with hundreds of small wooden plaques attached to it. These votive plaques, sold at the Shrine, are called ema. Worshipers buy the plaque, write their wish on it, then hang it on the ema stand, in hopes the shrine deity will grant their wish. “All types

366 of wishes are made -- couples hoping to have children, students hoping to pass school exams, people looking for true love, etc.”

Next we drove to Nishinomaru Garden, the grounds surrounding the Osaka Castle. Our coaches were parked approximately fifteen minutes from the central, castle grounds. Walking through the cherry trees and alongside the castle moat we could easily imagine how this impressive castle served the warlord who unified Japan.

The construction of Osaka Castle started in 1583 on the former site of the Ishiyama Honganji Temple, which had been destroyed by Oda Nobunaga thirteen years earlier. intended the castle to become the center of a new, unified Japan under Toyotomi rule. It was the largest castle at the time.

However, a few years after Hideyoshi's death, Tokugawa troops attacked and destroyed the castle and terminated the Toyotomi lineage in 1615. Osaka Castle was rebuilt by Tokugawa Hidetada in the 1620s, but its main castle tower was struck by lightening in 1665 and burnt down.

It was not until 1931 that the present ferro-concrete reconstruction of the castle tower was built. During the war it miraculously survived the city wide air raids. Major repair works gave the castle new glamor in 1997. The castle tower is now entirely modern on the inside and even features an elevator for easier accessibility. It houses an informative museum about the castle's history and Toyotomi Hideyoshi.

The castle tower is surrounded by secondary citadels, gates, turrets, impressive stone walls and moats. The Nishinomaru Garden, encompassing the former "western citadel", is a lawn garden with 600 cherry trees, a tea house, the former Osaka Guest House and nice views of the castle

367 tower from below. Unlike most of the rest of the castle grounds, the garden requires an admission fee.

The entire Osaka Castle Park covers about two square kilometers with lots of green space, sport facilities, a multi-purpose arena (Osakajo Hall) and a shrine dedicated to Toyotomi Hideyoshi. The park is one of Osaka's most popular hanami spot during the cherry blossom season, which usually takes place in early April.

Miko announced that we would take a leisurely walk through the grounds however her pace resulted in stretching out our group. Part of that was also caused by some of us who were enjoying the magnificent gardens themselves.

The castle rises eight stories and although there were major repairs in 1997 and elevators were installed, those only go to the fifth floor. They are small and used to lift people who are challenged or intimidated by the climb. One then has to climb the remaining three floors to reach the ramparts. And everyone has to walk down all stairs except those confined to wheel chairs or requiring emergency descent. We were allowed to take photos within the five lower museum floors but in other areas photography was restricted.

Before we began entry to the castle museum Miko pointed out our meeting place to gather after an hour. We were to walk back to the coach as a group. Several people decided to return on their own and failed to notify the guide. The majority of the group then had to wait for a half hour as Miko searched the castle and entrance area. Frustrated, Miko finally decided to lead the rest of the group back to the coach. The missing guests were not admonished, I guess “the needs of the few outweigh the needs of the many!”

This evening our On Stage, at the Theater performance was: Matsumura-Gumi: Japanese Drummers “Combining instruments from all over the world with Japanese drums, these talented performers endeavor to send the message 'music does not know national boarders, there is just one world.' A special performance to

368 bring the sights and sounds of Japan and the world to life on the Millennium stage.”

Tuesday, 16 Apr 2019

Today we took advantage of the Kobe City free shuttle bus between the terminal and Motomachi (China town). We were dropped off at a side door of Kobe Department Store, directly across from the Chinatown gate. We walked through the main layout of the district to get our bearings and to scout out areas to explore. As we came back to the gate we decided to cross the street again and enter Kobe Daimaru Department Store.

The store is ten stories tall however there are also two basement levels. The top floor features gardens and restaurants. Basement level 1 is a food emporium, full of groceries, butcher shop, fish monger, bakery, and pastry shops. We are reminded of Bloomingdale's of New York, Harrods of London, and the KeDeWe (Kaufhaus des Westens) of Berlin. And the floors in between feature world brand names of clothing, cosmetics, chinaware, jewelry, sporting goods... the entire range of department store expectations.

Daimaru is a Japanese department store chain, principally located in the of Japan. The chain is operated by Daimaru Department Stores, a subsidiary of J. Front Retailing. At one time Daimaru was an independent company, The Daimaru, Inc.

Daimaru traces its history to Dai-Monjiya, a dry goods store in Kyoto founded by Shimomura Hikoemon Masahiro in 1717. The name "Daimaru" was first used for a store in Nagoya called Daimaruya, which opened in 1728.

The chain was incorporated in 1907 and reincorporated as Daimaru Dry Goods K.K. in 1920, changing its name to Daimaru in 1928. For several years in the 1960s, Daimaru was the largest retailer in Japan. In the late 1970s, Daimaru was the first Japanese department store to open in Thailand.[citation needed] However, its branches in Hong Kong closed in 1998, and other branches in Melbourne Central (in direct competition with Myer and ) and the Gold Coast in Australia closed in 2002 after nearly a decade of low profits, followed by Singapore in 2003.

It was fun shopping through the many floors of the store, especially knowing that we were unlikely to purchase any item which would not return home with us on our aircraft. It was just a couple hours of glorious window shopping.

As we left the front entrance to the store we noticed that directly back across the street, and parallel to the length of Chinatown, was Motomachi Shopping Street. With more than 140 years of history, it began as 220 houses and buildings which were lined side by side in

369 the Edo period (1600–1867). It developed even more as people gathered after the opening of the Port of Kobe. It was renamed as “Motomachi Street” on May 20, 1874 and this day became the anniversary of Kobe Motomachi Shopping Street. Today it is approximately 1.2 km and there are approximately 300 stores along the street. After we toured this area we returned back through Chinatown, looking for a place for lunch. We thought it would be wrong to be in Kobe and not taste the famous Kobe beef. We selected Kobe Beef Eikichi and were directed to the Teppanyaki grill where we were seated and the chef explained the menu, offered us three cuts of beef, and several weight choices. Then, as he grilled and cut our choice into bite sized pieces, he explained the different sauce choices and how one traditionally samples them. It was an interesting experience and we found the dinner was delicious. A bit pricey but well worth the opportunity to savor the beef and file the event in our memory.

After our late lunch we walked back to the shuttle stop and arrived as a coach was boarding to return to the ship. The ride took fifteen minutes and we were soon back in the terminal. Each of the port terminals we visited had different levels of community support. Most had information stands manned by local volunteers. Some added merchant stands selling local products. And a few, like Kobe, had volunteers teaching Japanese crafts like calligraphy, origami, and miniature making.

Liz had stopped and admired one of the consignment shops helping women passengers try on used kimonos, both in full assembly or tailored down just in ladies jackets. I think she thought some things would seem out of place on her, like the men we saw in Dubai buying a Muslim Thobe Loose Kaftan and still looking like an American tourist wearing a Muslim Thobe Loose Kaftan. Or me buying a ten gallon hat thinking I looked like a Texan in Dallas.

As we were walking to the gangway one of women at a

370 Japanese craft table asked Liz if she would like to make an origami crane or a turtle. She said yes and we sat down to listen to her guidance in folding two colorful birds. Neither of us thought we could make the intricate turtle but we did follow up our efforts in making a box. Liz also enjoyed a calligraphy lesson. We both had a good time so when we boarded the ship we got out our tip bags with Almond Roca and returned to the terminal to share them with the six volunteers working at that booth.

We told them they are made in our hometown and the company, Brown and Haley, has been licensed as the “Confectioner to the Emperor of Japan.” They were very impressed and told us that the emperor was currently in the news. Emperor Akihito of Japan will abdicate on 30 April 2019, being the first Japanese emperor to do so since 1817. His son, Crown Prince Naruhito, 59, will be inaugurated as the 126th emperor. The Enthronement Ceremony will likely happen on 22 October 2019.

Wednesday, 17 Apr 2019

Kochi Prefecture, on Japan’s Shikoku Island, is a largely rural area known for its mountains, rivers and Pacific beaches. Capital Kochi City has one of Japan’s best preserved feudal castles, Kochi-jo, established in the 1600s. The city's centuries-old Sunday market has hundreds of vendors selling food and other wares. Summer's Yosakoi Matsuri is a festival in which colorfully attired dance teams fill the streets.

371 The river plain now containing the city centre was originally settled as a castle town around the seat of the lords of Tosa Province, Kōchi Castle. The castle site was chosen by Lord Yamauchi Kazutoyo in 1601. The city takes its name from that of the castle. As the centre of administration for the province, and the prefecture which succeeded it, the town rapidly grew to become the largest settlement of the region.

Tomoko Kato, our guide in Kochi, introduced herself and then briefed us that there were numerous coaches on our tour, Highlights of Kochi. We all would see the same places however, we would begin at each venue at different times to reduce congestion. Our group began the morning at Kochi Castle. As we began climbing the numerous sets of steps we came upon a statue of a woman holding the reigns of a horse.

Tomoko related the legend of the horse. “In the medieval Japan, during the Sengoku period, when war was almost continuous, a good horse was dramatically improving the surviving chances of a samurai. Even more, the horse was helping a samurai to distinguish in battle, and thus to get a chance to raise in ranks.

But a good horse was rare and very expensive. The story says that Yamauchi Kazutoyo, a simple samurai retainer of Oda Nobunaga, found at a fair a very good horse, but it was too expensive. However Chiyo, his wife, bought the horse for him, by using the money received at their wedding. The investment was extremely worthwhile, because by using the horse Yamauchi was noticed by Oda Nobunaga, and since he distinguished himself in battle he received as a reward the entire Tosa domain (today’s Kochi Prefecture).“

Kochi Castle is the only castle in Japan still in possession of all its original Edo period architecture in the main citadel. Originally the site of Odakasa Castle (built in the mid-1300s), Chosokabe Motochika moved here from Oko Castle (in present-day Nankoku City) in 1587, only to relocate to Urado Castle three years later due to difficulties caused by flooding from the

372 nearby rivers. Yamauchi Katsutoyo relocated here from Kakegawa (in present-day Shizuoka Prefecture) thanks to his achievements in the in 1600. In autumn 1601, he set about building the castle.

Katsutoyo appointed Dodo Echizen, a famous castle builder, as chief magistrate, and proceeded with the castle’ s construction using stones and wood from the surrounding villages. However, because of construction diificulties, the third citadel of the castle was not completed for 10 years, by which time Katsutoyo had already been succeeded by the second lord, Tadayoshi. In 1727, the castle was mostly destroyed in a large fire, leaving behind only the main Otemon Gate. Restoration efiorts were started immediately, but due to economic struggle the restoration process took more than 20 years. The castle was abandoned during the Meiji Restoration and completely demolished save for the main citadel and Otemon Gate. The castle site is now a public park. Its nickname is ‘Hawk Castle’ from the shape of the tower’s eaves.

A unique feature of Kochi's castle is that its main tower (donjon) was not only used for military purposes, but also as a residence. In most other castles, the lords usually resided in separate palace buildings rather than in the castle keep. The castle's wooden interior maintains the appearance of it Edo Period origins, and the lookout point from the castle tower's top floor offers nice view of downtown.

This was the most interesting of the castles we had seen in Japan. The others all had great reputations and well documented the feudal period of Japan. These are now well apportioned museums which feature the life of the samurai, their armor, and their battles. The benefit of Kochi Castle is that it retains the atmosphere of how the samurai actually lived in the castle... what it was like living in a castle keep. We could view the screen rooms, the matted floor, and even the ceremonial tea room. It was more of what I expected to see in Japan.

Not far from the castle gate is Hirome-ichiba Market. Presumably our guide has “lost” people going to the market on past occasions because she gave detailed instructions, numerous times, on how to walk less than a half kilometer to the market. This was on a straight line on the only road controlled by a traffic light. People must have been nervous because they could not read Japanese signs but you could almost see the entrance to the market when standing next to that traffic light. So we moved in a tight group (like toddlers who should hold teacher's hand).

Hirome (locals drop the 'Ichiba') is made up of over 60 shops that fill this relatively small building. While the majority are izakaya's and restaurants, you can also find anything from fresh fish, to local produce, souvenirs, clothes and jewelry.

Large wooden tables with benches and stumps for seats are set out in a type of food court style, but is so much more than a food court. Hirome is all about friendliness and convenience. The open style allows people to get whatever food and drink they want, and sit anywhere that's open.

Liz and I were underwhelmed. We did find a couple of beers to sooth a parched throat after climbing the castle but we were too early in the morning to be looking for lunch. It was that way for the locals too. Many of the stalls were just opening and locals were sparsely occupying a few of the tables and looking at their newspapers. I had hoped to find a few worn souls drinking sake and smoking but even they had not arrived.

373 Our last stop was a drive to Katsurahama Beach, reminiscent to the beach and shops of the Jersey shore. The irony of Katsurahama Beach is that because of strong currents, swimming is prohibited. We walked up the hill to the beach overlook and discovered the statue of Sakamoto Ryōma, Japanese prominent figure in the movement to overthrow the Tokugawa shogunate. He was active for most of the Bakumatsu. One of his most noted accomplishments during this period was the negotiation of peace between Chōshū and Satsuma, two powerful provinces that had long been hostile to each other.

When we went through the numerous shops we saw photographs of Sakamoto Ryōma everywhere. He was born in 1836 and was assassinated in 1867. I am sure he was available when photography was being discovered and developed. These early photographs are everywhere. And on T-shirts, porcelain cups and plates, and on souvenir portraits. I could not help but be reminded of an early photo of Billy The Kid.

Returning to the ship, we relaxed and reviewed our Daily Planner for activities. For the past three days we have discovered Brian James, a guitar playing soloist who features songs from the 60s through the Beatles and up to today. He easily invites song recommendations and when he does not know the song or has not yet studied the artist, will attempt to begin to conduct research. We found he was absolutely the best entertainment regular on board and we followed his schedule throughout the ship venues for the entire cruise.

Thursday, 18 Apr 2019

Hiroshima is the capital of Prefecture and the largest city in the Chūgoku region of western Honshu, the largest island of Japan. Hiroshima gained city status on April 1, 1889. On April 1, 1980, Hiroshima became a designated city. As of August 2016, the city had an estimated population of 1,196,274. The gross domestic product (GDP) in Greater Hiroshima, Hiroshima Urban Employment Area, was US$61.3 billion as of 2010.[4][5] Kazumi Matsui has been the city's mayor since April 2011.

Hiroshima was the first city targeted by a nuclear weapon, when the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) dropped an atomic bomb on the city at 8:15 a.m. on August 6, 1945, near the end of World War II.

During World War I, Hiroshima became a focal point of military activity, as the Japanese government entered the war on the Allied side. About 500 German prisoners of war were held in Ninoshima Island in Hiroshima Bay.[15] The growth of Hiroshima as a city continued after the First World War, as the city now attracted the attention of the Catholic Church, and on May 4, 1923, an Apostolic Vicar was appointed for that city.

During World War II, the Second General Army and Chūgoku Regional Army were headquartered in Hiroshima, and the Army Marine Headquarters was located at Ujina port. The city also had

374 large depots of military supplies, and was a key center for shipping.

On Monday, August 6, 1945, at 8:15 a.m., the nuclear weapon "Little Boy" was dropped on Hiroshima from an American Boeing B-29 Superfortress, the Enola Gay, flown by Colonel Paul Tibbets, directly killing an estimated 70,000 people, including 20,000 Japanese combatants and 2,000 Korean slave laborers. By the end of the year, injury and radiation brought the total number of deaths to 90,000–166,000. The population before the bombing was around 340,000 to 350,000. About 70% of the city's buildings were destroyed, and another 7% severely damaged.

The public release of film footage of the city following the attack, and some of the Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission research about the human effects of the attack, were restricted during the occupation of Japan, and much of this information was censored until the signing of the Treaty of San Francisco in 1951, restoring control to the Japanese.

Karori was our guide for the Highlights of Hiroshima. We drove through the city as she described our first tour of the city as she spoke of the history as we made our way to the Peace Memorial Park and Museum. Climbing out of the coaches, we joined many people alongside the Atomic Bomb Dome, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that marks the epicenter of the blast.

The Hiroshima Peace Memorial, originally the Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall. The Product Exhibition Hall building was originally designed by the Czech architect Jan Letzel.

375 The design included a distinctive dome at the highest part of the building. It was completed in April 1915 and was named the Hiroshima Prefectural Commercial Exhibition (HMI). The building was located in the large business district next to the Aioi Bridge and was primarily used for arts and educational exhibitions.

The building was the only structure left standing near the bomb’s epicenter. Soon commonly called the Genbaku ("A-Bomb") Dome, due to the exposed metal dome framework at its apex, the structure was scheduled to be demolished with the rest of the ruins, but the majority of the building was intact, delaying the demolition plans. The Dome became a subject of controversy, with some locals wanting it torn down, while others wanted to preserve it as a memorial of the bombing and a symbol of peace. Ultimately, when the reconstruction of Hiroshima began, the skeletal remains of the building were preserved.

Next to the Genbaku Dome is the the Peace Memorial Museum, now under partial renovation. We could enter an adjacent building and see photographs, artifacts, and exhibits that offer a sober reminder of the devastating effect of the atomic bomb on the city. As we entered the exhibit we observed a clock which had been stopped by the blast at 08:15:17 local time on 6 August 1945. Continuing on we faced a large mural which showed the devastation, centered by the ruins of the Genbaku Dome.

In other exhibits we learned that workers began repairing the rails of the tram system two days later, before people understood the effects of radiology poisoning. There were more photographs of individuals suffering severe medical problems. There were also written works by survivors, to include the story Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes is a children's historical novel written by Canadian-American author Eleanor Coerr and published in 1977. It is set in Japan after World War II.

The short novel is a fictional retelling of the story of Sadako Sasaki, who lived in Hiroshima at the time of the atomic bombing by the United States. Sadako was 2 years old when the atomic bomb (Little Boy) was dropped on August 6, 1945, near her home by Misasa Bridge in Hiroshima, Japan. She was at home when the explosion occurred, about one mile from ground zero. In November 1954, when she was 12 she developed swellings on her neck and behind her ears. In January 1955, purple spots had formed on her legs. Subsequently, she was diagnosed with leukemia (her mother referred to it as "an atom bomb disease"). She was hospitalized on February 21, 1955, and given a year to live.

After being diagnosed with leukemia from the radiation, Sadako's friend told her to fold origami paper cranes (orizuru) in hope of making a thousand of them. She was inspired to do so by the Japanese legend that one who created a thousand origami cranes would be granted a wish. Her wish was simply to live. In this retelling of her story, she managed to fold only 644 cranes before she became too weak to fold any more, and died on the morning of October 25, 1955. Her friends

376 and family helped finish her dream by folding the rest of the cranes, which were buried with Sadako.

However, the claim in the book that Sadako "died before completing the 1000 cranes, and her two friends completed the task, placing the finished cranes in her casket" is not backed up by her surviving family members. According to her family, and especially her older brother Masahiro Sasaki who speaks on his sister's life at events, Sadako not only exceeded 644 cranes, she exceeded her goal of 1000 and died having folded approximately 1400 paper cranes. Masahiro Sadako, says in his book The Complete Story of Sadako Sasaki that she exceeded her goal.[2] Mr. Sasaki and the family have donated some of Sadako's cranes at places of importance around the world: in NYC at the 9-11 memorial, at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, at The Truman Library & Museum on November 19, 2015, at Museum Of Tolerance on May 26, 2016, and the Japanese- American National Museum three days later. USS Arizona Crane Donation and President Truman Museum Donation helped by Mr. Clifton Truman Daniel who is the grandson of President Truman.

After her death, Sadako's friends and schoolmates published a collection of letters in order to raise funds to build a memorial to her and all of the children who had died from the effects of the atomic bomb. In 1958, a statue of Sadako holding a golden crane was unveiled in the Hiroshima Peace Memorial, also called the Genbaku Dome, and installed in the Hiroshima Peace Park.

At the foot of the statue is a plaque that reads: "This is our cry. This is our prayer. Peace on Earth." Every year on Obon Day, which is a holiday in Japan to remember the departed spirits of one's ancestors, thousands of people leave paper cranes near the statue. A paper crane database has been established online for contributors to leave a message of peace and to keep a record of those who have donated cranes.

We next walked to a Cenotaph looking to the Peace Flame and the A-Bomb Dome. The bomb that devastated the city in 1945 detonated above the A-Bomb Dome. “The Peace Flame has been burning continuously since 1964 and will only be extinguished when all nuclear weapons in the world have been destroyed.”

Adjacent to this is the Children's Peace Monument, "a statue dedicated to the memory of the children who died as a result of the bombing. The statue is of a girl with outstretched arms with a folded paper crane rising above her. The statue is based on the true story of Sadako Sasaki, a young girl who died from radiation from the bomb. She believed that if she folded 1,000 paper cranes she would be cured. To this day, people (mostly children) from around the world fold cranes and send them to Hiroshima where they are placed near the statue."

377 On the way to our last stop of the day Karori briefed us about Shukkeien Garden. “the name can be translated into English as 'shrunken-scenery garden,' which is also a good description of the garden itself. Valleys, mountains, and forests are represented in miniature in the garden's landscapes. Through careful cultivation of the land and vegetation, the garden mimics a variety of natural formations and scenic views.

Shukkeien has a long history dating back to 1620, just after the completion of . The garden displays many features of the traditional aesthetics of Japanese gardens. Around the garden's main pond there are a number of tea houses which offer visitors ideal views of the surrounding scenery.

The entire garden is connected by a path which winds around the pond at the center of the garden. The path passes through all of Shukkeien's various miniaturized sceneries. Following this path around the garden is the best way to enjoy Shukkeien.”

Shukkei-en

Construction began in 1620 during the Edo period at the order of , daimyō of the Hiroshima han. The seventh lord of the han summoned an expert in the construction of Japanese gardens from Kyoto, who greatly reconstructed Shukkei-en.

Since the Meiji period, the garden served as the villa of the Asano family. When under Emperor Meiji the Imperial General Headquarters were relocated to Hiroshima, the emperor briefly lodged at the villa. The gardens were opened to the public, and in 1940 the Asano family donated them to . Being a short walk from ground zero of the nuclear attack on Hiroshima, Shukkei-en suffered extensive damage, and then became a refuge for victims of the war. After renovations, it reopened in 1951.

Shukkeien is structured using a method called chisenkaiyushiki. This style of garden is characterized by a pond at its center. In the pond is a small, artificially made islet meant to represent an island located in the ocean.

We walked the path from the entrance toward the lake. The garden is laid out in a form of regional landscape examples. We loved walking the Kokokyo (straddling rainbow) Bridge to the central islet. There we discovered a pavilion overlooking the pond which was encircled by several tea houses throughout the property. Lord Nagaakira Asano designed the garden in 1620, modeling it after his favorite Chinese landscape. “The garden was designed by a warrior and tea master,” and there was a tea ceremony being held in one of the tea houses as we came around the far side of the pond. The ladies

378 were dressed in formal kimonos and very elegant. A perfect view of Japanese culture.

We returned to the ship and collected our documents to present our passports in a mandatory face-to- face departure immigration inspection inside the cruise terminal. Once we cleared this inspection we would not be allowed back ashore. We would be sailing to South this evening and would be out of Japan for the next two days.

The evening's entertainment in the theater would be Alexei and Anastasia Bolshakov, Duo Bolshakov, from the Nikulin Circus. We had seen them on another Celebrity cruise and opted to find Bryan James and listen to his music instead.

Friday, 19 Apr 2019

Today would be an “At Sea” day so we chose to have our breakfast in the Metropolitan Restaurant. There were a few more choices than in the Captain's Lounge but the service was a bit slow. It was a change but not so improved that we would return, given the choice. Sometimes an early excursion time will suggest going to the Oceanview Café in order to arrive at the excursion departure point on time.

xzAfter breakfast we returned to the room and I worked on processing the photos we had taken to date. We did try to go to the ship's shopping center but that was just a time killer. We didn't really see anything we wanted to buy. Other passengers were doing the same thing and milling around Many of the men were just standing on the sidelines rather than poke around the tables with sharp elbowed women who were seriously looking for bargains.

Later in the afternoon we attended music sessions with Bryan James at Café Al Bacio, and then the Rendezvous Lounge. That fit our mood nicely and topped off a slow day.

I did read the description of a Silent Disco (?) at 10:15 pm on the Cosmos Deck. “Join the worldwide phenomenon that is Silent Disco. Grab a pair of headphones and chose from three different channels of music; 60s & 70s, 80s & 90s; and today's new music. Featuring DJ Gio, dance and sing the night away at a party like you've never seen before.” But it seems like listening to your own music from and Ipod, and dancing and singing (silently) inside a group. Odd!

Saturday, 20 Apr 2019

No surprise! Our first duty was to present ourselves in the terminal between 07:30 – 09:30 for a

379 mandatory Korean Arrival Immigration Inspection. It went quite smoothly and we soon were on our way to meeting our tour buses on the pier.

Jeju Island is an island in Jeju Province, . The island lies in the Korea Strait, south of South Jeolla Province. The island contains the natural World Heritage Site Jeju Volcanic Island and Lava Tubes. Tourism is an important component of the local economy. The island is sometimes called "South Korea’s Hawaii".

While the economy booms with foreign travel, residents suffer negative repercussions of Jeju tourism. “Most commercial facilities are owned by foreigners and major companies.” and in addition to increasing tourism, problems such as beach pollution, traffic, and over-consumption of underground water presents a problem. Residents are not profiting and do not profit from the booming business.

Residents and tourists alike love with the nature of the Island. It has three UNESCO World Heritage sites, is “packed with museums and theme parks and also has horses, mountains, lava tube caves, and waterfalls with clear blue ocean lapping its beaches.” The Haenyeo (Jeju female divers) harvest oysters, abalone, clams, seaweed and other marine life and their history are showcased at the island’s Haenyeo museum.

We were met by our guide, Paul Moon, a retired Korean Air Force logistics officer from Seoul who retired to Jeju Island to move away from the congestion and frenzied life of the capital. As we drove toward our first stop Paul spoke extensively of the tradition of the Haenyeo divers and their strengths.

Extolling the virtues of this matriarchal society he said, “In Jeju Island, there is a community of women, some aged in their 80s, which goes diving 10m under the sea to gather shellfish, such as abalone or sea urchins for a living without the help of oxygen masks. With knowledge of the sea and marine life, the Jeju haenyeo (female divers) harvest for up to seven hours a day, 90 days of the year holding their breath for just one minute for every dive and making a unique verbal sound when resurfacing. Divers are categorized into three groups according to level of experience: hagun, junggun and sanggun with the sanggun offering guidance to the others.

Before a dive, prayers are said to the Jamsugut, goddess of the sea, to ask for safety and an abundant catch. Knowledge is passed down to younger generations in families, schools, local fishery cooperatives which have the area’s fishing rights, haenyeo associations, The Haenyeo School and Haenyeo Museum. Designated by the provincial government as representing the island’s character and people’s spirit, the culture of Jeju haenyeo has also contributed to the advancement of women’s status in the community and promoted environmental sustainability with its Eco-friendly methods and community involvement in management of fishing practices.

Speaking highly of this group, Paul also referred to the male spouses as cigarette smoking lazy louts who relished being supported by the Haenyeo divers. This was my interpretation of Paul's remarks and may not have been his full intent. By the time we reached our first designation he had completed his glowing picture of the women divers. However, this was just a break in his dissertation. We had reached the folk village.

‘Seongeup Folk Village," located at the foot of Mt. Haila on Jeju island, is a small town that holds a vast amount of culture.

380 Cultural properties in the folk village have been handed down from generation to generation and include treasures such as residential houses, Confucian shrines and schools, ancient government offices, stone statues, large millstones (pulled by horses or ox), fortress ruins, and stone monuments.

Among the cultural gems of the folk village are intangible cultural assets such as folk plays, native foods, local folk craftsmanship, and local dialect. Even the trees are an important part of the area's heritage. Several zelkova and nettle trees that are hundreds of years old stand at the center of the village, preserving the dignified atmosphere of a bygone era.

The Seongeup Folk Village shows the unique culture of Jeju lsiand: the black lava rock walls, the straight but curvy alleys to block the wind, and the stone grandfather statues (Harubang), which have become a prime feature of the landscape. The local black—haired pigs and tongsi (pigsty.-F restroom) are especially well—known characteristics of Jeju folk culture. The Jeju black pork is said to be very nutritious.

Paul informed us that we would find that there are various residential houses, shrines of Confucius, schools and many ancient government offices, millstones and ruins of fortresses In the village, there are numerous sites, which were apparently used as altars for shamanic rituals. Among them, Anhalmangdang is known as a place where homage was paid to the god of good luck and health, while Gwangju Buindang was an altar where prayers were said for women suffering from gynecological problems or lacking breast milk.

The thatched roof and lava rock wall homes have been passed down through the generations and locals still inhabit the 3,000 homes. Visitors gather here to watch villagers perform folk songs and

381 listen to them speak in the Jeju dialect.

Only a few of the buildings we saw appear to be inhabited and I assume those that are occupied serve as caretaker's residences. I did notice an automobile or two near several of the buildings and a woman was dying cloth outside of another house. However, there would not be a folk village entertainment today and I suspect none of our group would understand the Jeju dialect in any case.

Then, on to our next stop, Sangumburi. Paul reinforced his comments about the Jeju haenyeo and they way they lived. Certainly it was a difficult and dangerous occupation.

After a forty-five minute drive we reached Sangumburi crater. This is a popular tourist destination and draws thousands of Korean school children each year. With a circumference of over 2 km, it has been designated as a Natural Monument. It is located on the southeast side of Jeju-si, and is a flat crater, about 650 meters wide, 100 meters deep, and 2,070 meters in circumference.

If you look at the crater from above up, it looks like a man-made circular stadium. There is a variety of plant-life in the crater. On the north side, Nandaeseong vegetation such as red-thorn trees, and magnolia trees grow, along with the rare winter strawberries. On the south side of the crater, Ondaerim vegetation such as evergreens, maples, and mountain strawberry trees cover the area. Because so many different kinds of trees and plants grow in such a limited space, it attracts the attention of researchers as well.

Paul informed us that there are over 360 parasitic volcanoes on the island but Sangumburi is the only one to have ever erupted. We climbed to the viewing stands on the edge of the crater. I was amused by the signs along the path which warned of snakes in the thatch growth. I believed them... but I wasn't planning to leave the path in any event.

When we were able to look into the crater we observed it covers 300,000 square meters and hosts a variety of plant-life. It looked like a gigantic Greek theater which had been overgrown with foliage.

Later this evening we went to Café Al Bacio to listen to the Blue Moon Acoustic Duo. Bryan James was not performing tonight. We missed him. Still, we did not wish to go to the Millennium Production Singers and Dancers performance of Elysium, a fairy tale between the forces of good and evil.

382 Sunday, 21 Apr 2019

I was slow on the uptake this morning. As we were leaving our room to go ashore Alvin, our steward, said goodbye and hoped we would have a good day. Then, when we stepped off the gangway, we saw over 100 “new” crew-members returning from their contract vacation time. This was a large crew- exchange port and Alvin was beginning his contract vacation.

Alembo, our new steward from Goa, India, greeted us when we returned. This personnel exchange included Captain Theo Zakkas, who replaced Captain Alex Papadapolis.

Busan, formerly known as Pusan, is South Korea's second most-populous city after Seoul, with a population of over 3.5 million inhabitants. It is the economic, cultural and educational center of southeastern Korea, with its port — Korea's busiest and the fifth-busiest in the world — only about 120 miles from the Japanese islands of Kyushu and Honshu.

During the Korean War, Busan was one of only two cities in South Korea not captured by the North Korean army within the first three months of the war, the other being Daegu. As a result, the cities became refugee camp sites for Koreans during the war.

As Busan was one of the few areas in Korea that remained under the control of South Korea throughout the Korean War, for some time it served as a temporary capital of the Republic of Korea. UN troops established a defensive perimeter around the city known as the Pusan Perimeter in the summer and autumn of 1950.

Our guide for Past and Present of Busan was So He. As we drove she informed us we would first visit Beomeosa (Temple of the Nirvana Fish). This is the head temple of the Jogye Order of . Established by Great Monk Uisang in 678, it is one of the country's most known urban temples.

The mountain where Beomeosa is found is said to have huge rock at the summit where there is a golden well which never, ever dries up. The water of this well is believed to have very special magical properties as one day a golden fish came from heaven and has lived there ever since.

“From the Beomeosa Temple parking lot, you’ll make your way up a broad staircase, past a patch of pines and bamboo trees, to the first of three temple gates. The first gate, the Iljumun Gate, is an open design. What makes this gate design unique from most in Korea is that it has four pillars, instead of the customary two, to support its weight.”

383 As we climbed we saw sculptures along the way. I noticed the obelisk like pillar on the back of a tortoise and was reminded that in China we saw a similar structure and were told one could touch the head of the tortoise for wealth or the tail for health but the figures were too large for man to touch both at the same time. One had to choose!

We questioned Son He about life in Korea, their school system, their occupation opportunities and their concern about North Korea. This exchange continued until we reached the Lotte Department Store at Gwangbok Branch. This was our other excursion of the day and I thought it was the largest waste of time on the tour.

One could take an elevator to an observatory with an amazing view of Busan or you could wander the shops for an hour until it was time to enjoy “the biggest indoor Aquatique show in the world.” This turned out to be the world’s largest indoor musical water fountain, and is so registered in the Guinness World Book of Records. To me, it was a boring wait for a twenty minute display of water spray.

On Stage, at the Theater: Steve Carte “Live from Hollywood, as seen in 'Batman Forever, Austin Powers 2, and Baywatch.' A hilarious show filled with physical comedy, a dash of magic, juggling & music Steve Carte.”

We found the show hilarious. His jokes about old people (his audience) and millennials (our children) had everyone roaring. He hit so many soft spots about our lives that everyone could easily identify with the comparisons. I was a very good show.

Monday, 22 Apr 2019

Today is a sea day so we tried to sleep in a few minutes later but woke up the usual time. We watched the news programs and then went to the Captain's Club breakfast held in Toscana Restaurant. Thast way we could order a Cappuccino with an espresso side to make it a stronger coffee. And we can have a Bloody Mary too.

We went to the Asia Market souvenirs sale but typically, there was nothing we wanted. Nothing we would call a souvenir at any rate.

The Cruise Director held an Origami lesson in the Rendezvous Lounge. They did the dollar bill folding

384 plus making a heart or a fish with a dollar bill. The instructions were hard to follow on the computer projection. The instructor, from India, did the best he could to help with personal guidance but there were a lot of people trying to entertain themselves on a sea day and the lounge was full. I think You Tube will need to be searched to find the directions.

In the afternoon we went to trivia. Music trivia is not our strong suit so we don't waste much pencil and paper there. We do better on General trivia and always learn new things.

We skipped the Captain's Club at five o'clock and went to the Rendezvous Lounge to hear Music of the Beatles with Bryan James. He puts on a great show.

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Tuesday, 23 Apr 2019

Hakodate is a city and port located in Oshima Subprefecture, , Japan. It is the capital city of Oshima Sub-prefecture.

The port of was surveyed by a fleet of five U.S. ships in 1854 under the conditions of the Convention of Kanagawa, as negotiated by Commodore Matthew Perry.

Hakodate port partially opened to foreign ships for provisioning in the following year and then completely to foreign trade on 2 June 1859 as one of five Japanese open ports designated in the 1858 Treaty of Amity and Commerce signed with the U.S.

A mariner in Perry's fleet died during a visit to the area and became the first U.S. citizen to be buried in Japan when he was interred in Hakodate's cemetery for foreigners.

The city is well known for seafood and sushi, especially for tuna, squid, salmon roe, sea urchin and crab. Hakodate shio ramen is also a famous specialty of the city. Shio (salt) ramen has a pale, clear, broth made with plenty of salt and any combination of chicken, pork bone, vegetables, fish, and seaweed. On a similar note, Hakodate's city fish is the squid. Hakodate is famous for the restaurant Ikkatei Tabiji, which serves a dish called "dancing squid": - a recently deceased squid is served with soy sauce, the sodium of which causes a cadaveric spasm when poured over the squid.

Every year (August) the city gets together for the Hakodate Port Festival. Hordes of citizens gather in the streets to dance a wiggly dance known as the Ika-odori (Squid Dance), the name of which describes the dance appropriately. The glowing lights of squid-catching boats can be seen in the waters surrounding the city. The bell of Haristos Orthodox Church is one of the 100 Soundscapes of Japan.

We took the city shuttle to the JR Hokadote Railroad Terminal. The agent at the drop-off point directed us to the Hakodate Morning Market by way of the railway terminal across the parking lot.

We went inside the terminal and were pleased to find a Tully's Coffee, our preferred Seattle coffee (not Starbucks). We enjoyed their coffee a great deal and their WiFi even more. We were able to clear our

385 eMail accounts, download podcasts, and reset the thermostat at home. Simple chores but useful without using scarce ship's complementary minutes.

Then we walked a short block to the Hakodate Morning Market. This is a compact market, primarily featuring hundreds of stalls selling fish, seafood, vegetables and more. It was magnificent just seeing the variety of products. We saw local patrons going through their daily routine of meeting friends and colleagues for a fresh breakfast or later, lunch.

The Hakodate Morning Market is held daily from 5am (6am during winter) to noon, just a few steps away from JR Hakodate Station. The market area spans about four city blocks.

Products on sale include various types of fresh seafood such as crabs (kani), salmon eggs (ikura) and sea urchin (uni), as well as fresh produce such as melons. Many restaurants can be found in the market area, offering fresh seafood breakfasts, such as uni-ikura domburi.

Freshly-caught squids can be seen swimming vigorously around purpose-built fish tanks in the market. A really popular tourist pastime is to try catching these squids. All it takes to catch one is a rod with a hook on the end, so chance your arm! Once you've caught one, a chef will take your catch and prepare squid sashimi for you. Fresh squid sashimi with its glistening translucent flesh is not only a beautiful feast for the eyes but also a real taste sensation as well.

386 People were laughing and giggling as they fished for fresh squid. Once caught they would had their prize to a fish monger who would clean and cook their catch on the spot. One could not ask for fresher seafood than they offered. Further into the market we stopped at a stall which featured spider crab. I love Alaska King Crab but these make those seem small in comparison.

The Japanese spider crab, or Macrocheira kaempferi, is a species of marine crab that lives in the waters around Japan. It has the largest leg span of any arthropod (3.3 – 3.9 ft. leg span). It is the subject of fishery and is considered a delicacy. And, of course, the fish monger would cook your crab of choice. We love to visit world markets, and this was a spectacular example.

Another five blocks we came to an area common to most of the ports we visited in Japan. The red brick warehouses that line the Hakodate waterfront are just one of the many reminders of Hakodate's trading past. When the city was one of only three to be opened to international shipping in 1854 by a treaty with American Commodore Matthew Perry, these brick buildings served as storage facilities for goods that were brought into the city's harbor.

Probably grown under-developed or unused, these have been converted to consignment shops, jewelry stores and boutique markets. Run by the Hakodate Marukatsu Group the "Hakodate Factory, which started here nearly half a century ago as a fish dealer, has now expanded into a variety of other businesses. In addition to shopping and gourmet dining, you can participate in food processing workshops or enjoy sightseeing pleasure boat cruises."

We walked through displays of tea pots and china offerings, Japanese arts and crafts, and blown glass figurines. The glass-work shop offers you a chance at trying your hand at blowing class and making

387 your own unique glass art! The music box shop is unique in itself and lets you create your own collection of music selection of around 30 or more tunes. People were already seated in front of a large disk playing music box which would be demonstrated in another hour. We did not wish to remain for the show but assume it must be popular to have an audience lined up. We did find a few souvenirs to remind us of our two week visit in Japan.

Finished with the Factory Outlet we returned to the railway station on a parallel street. We came upon the Hakadote Brewery. It was a perfect spot for lunch and we watched the brew-master attending to the copper vats as we read through the list of beers they made. We skipped the coffee and raspberry flavored offerings.

One of the most popular dishes in Hakodate is the “seafood rice bowl,” featuring a bowl of steaming rice topped with freshly- caught seafood. It was stuffed with prawns, calamari, a firm whitefish, crab leg, clams, and mussels. The dish was perfect with their The brewery's Kaitakushi beer, a pilsner with a slightly bitter finish, much like an IPA.

We were very pleased with our visit and walked back to the railway station and our pick-up point for the shuttle back to the ship. When we arrived at our stateroom I found a not from Raffaele Bernardini, the Hotel Director.

Dear Mr. & Mrs Schuck Stateroom 7031

I would like to thank you for taking the time during your cruise to share your thoughts in our “We'd like to hear from you” card.

I am delighted to hear you are enjoying the excellent service we are known for. It is always gratifying to know that our efforts to create a memorable experience are appreciated.

Your kind words and compliments have been communicated to Brian you have mentioned, so he is aware of the wonderful experiences he is creating daily for you.

On behalf of all our officers, staff and crew I would like to thank you for choosing Celebrity Cruises and wishing you a memorable vacation with us.

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388 and facial expressions. He's continually shifting comedic gears that turn into hilarious and hearty tales

Wednesday, 24 Apr 2019

Aomori City is the northernmost prefectural capital city on Honshu, Japan's main island. This port town used to be the main departure point to Hokkaido via ferry; and, although it remains the main port for car ferries, the opening of the Seikan Undersea Railway Tunnel and the advent of cheap flights have reduced ridership and many travelers now bypass the city altogether. Today is best known for its spectacular Nebuta Matsuri summer festival.

Like most of Tōhoku, Aomori has a humid temperate climate with hot summers, and cold, though not extreme, winters. Aomori and its surrounding area are renowned for heavy snowfall, the heaviest among all Japanese cities, and, in fact, among the heaviest in the world.

Aomori Station has been the main station of the city since 1891. The two trunk lines of the Tōhoku region, the Tōhoku Main Line (now Aoimori Railway) and the Ōu Main Line, terminated at Aomori Station and were continued to Hakodate by the Seikan Ferry. In 1988, Seikan Tunnel replaced the ferry, but the station was still the connecting point between main line trains and trains for Aomori- Hakodate section.

The Tōhoku Shinkansen opened in 2010 with a new terminal at Shin-Aomori Station. The Shinkansen provides High-speed service between Shin-Aomori, , , and Tokyo.

Fumiko was our guide for The Highlights of Aomori and we began with a drive to the Seiryū-ji (Blue-Green Dragon) Temple. She informed us that this relatively new temple was founded by Great Acharya Ryūkou Oda and was completed in 1982 and features Japan’s forth highest five-story pagoda made totally of Aomori Hiba and Kondo. Here too is a colossal likeness of Dainichi Nyorai completed in 1984. This particular Buddha, known primarily as Vairocana in the sanskrit, is the principal deity of the esoteric Shingon sect of Buddhism. This particular Daibutsu is the tallest seated bronze statue (70-foot tall, 220 ton) of the Buddha in Japan, taller even than the famous Daibutsu of Nara.

Many of the buildings were built by Katsushiro Omuro, Aomori-born master carpenter, from Hiba cypress raised in Aomori prefecture. Aomori's Tsugaru-Nuri (lacquer) workers also used their excellent skills in putting lacquer and gold leaf on a dias in the main hall.

Returning from the seated bronze statue we walked past the pond. Here we saw a steaming teakettle in a shelter. You may rest and taste Japanese tea free of charge. Inside the house you may order Soba (buckwheat noodles), coffee, and Japanese sweets.

389 After our tour of the temple and the grounds we re-boarded the coach for a ride back to the harbor. When we first sailed into the port we noted an unusual building which was very striking. Now we learned it was the headquarters of the Aomori Tourist Information Center, ASPAM. “The ASPAM is a triangle-shaped building after the image of the letter “A” from “Aomori”. It is a 76-meter (249 feet) tall building with 15 floors, and is the central facility for local information about Aomori. The facility has a wide selection of shops and entertainment, such as local produce shop, a panorama movie theatre, observation deck and restaurants with great view and local cuisine.

At the souvenir shop, visitors can purchase traditional art crafts as well as sweets such as apple pie. The tourism information desk is available with seasonal sightseeing information about events, transportation guide, and recommended tourist routes.”

We stopped a short distance away in the parking lot of Nebuta House, also known as “Wa Rasse.” Here, we were able to view the award- winning floats from the Nebuta Festival. The Nebuta Festival is a summer festival that takes place in the Aomori prefecture and is one of the largest celebrations in the region.

Nebuta and Neputa are a type of Tanabata related summer festival held in towns around Aomori Prefecture. The largest of these festivals is the Nebuta Matsuri of Aomori City, held every year from August 2 to 7. The highlight of the festival is the daily parade of enormous lantern floats, flanked by large taiko drums, musicians and dancers.

Local teams build the festival's two dozen floats, which are constructed of painted paper over a wire frame and take an entire year to design and construct. They can be up to nine meters wide and five meters tall and often depict gods, historical or mythical figures from both Japanese and Chinese culture, kabuki actors, and characters from the popular NHK Taiga Drama historical TV series.

The floats are pushed along the street by human power, weaving back and forth, and spinning around for the crowd. Each float is accompanied by teams of taiko drummers, flute and hand cymbals players, as well as hundreds of dancers, called haneto in the local dialect, who follow the procession chanting "Rassera, Rassera" while performing a dance that looks a little bit like skipping.

We spent an hour walking through the platforms and viewing many of traditional floats. We were asked to volunteer to play the taiko drums but opted to watch and listen to other tourists take up the challenge. Most were from from the two cruise ships now in the harbor. We were able to learn how the floats were constructed and lit. Later we shopped in the museum gift shop and purchased a stylized fish on a stand

390 and two T-shirts to take home.

Across the street from the museum was the A-Factory. The A-FACTORY is a duty-free market-style shopping center selling local products such as sweets, processed goods, fresh vegetables and fruits. Aomori is the number one producer of apples in Japan. The most featured facility in A-FACTORY is the apple cider factory which makes cider and juices using Aomori grown apples.

We did walk through the factory but the thought of buying apple products and bringing them back home to Washington State would be like 'Carrying coal to Newcastle.'

Our coach driver had volunteered to assist a wheel-chair passenger through the day's tours. We did need to wait past our scheduled meeting time because he was still busy with this task. It was a bit of an issue as the ship had an early “All-Aboard” time for an early departure to Yokohama, 550 nautical miles away.

We had time in the cruise terminal to catch-up with wi-fi access. I am saving Liz's remaining minutes on her shipboard access so that I will be able to get our boarding passes tomorrow evening.

While I was clearing the email Liz discovered another opportunity to look at kimonos tailored down just in ladies jackets. She found a lovely example with a cherry blossom pattern but thought it might be too expensive. She asked me to convert the price and I told her it was extremely inexpensive and I thought she should buy it. It would be perfect for tomorrow evening's last “dress: chic” (what used to be called 'formal') dinning code.

Thursday, 25 Apr 2019

Today would be our last “at sea” day so we enjoyed a leisurely breakfast and then we went to the theater. Today is ANZAC Day in commemoration of the 25th of April 1915, when Australian and New Zealand (ANZAC) soldiers formed part of the allied expedition that set out to capture the Gallipoli peninsula. As military veterans, Liz and I have participated in this ceremony numerous times. Once we were actually off Gallipoli for a very meaningful tribute to our allies.

391 In 1915, Australian and New Zealand soldiers formed part of an Allied expedition that set out to capture the Gallipoli Peninsula to open the way to the Black Sea for the Allied navies. The objective was to capture Constantinople, the capital of the Ottoman Empire, which was an ally of Germany during the war. The ANZAC force landed at Gallipoli on 25 April, meeting fierce resistance from the Ottoman Army commanded by Mustafa Kemal (later known as Atatürk). What had been planned as a bold strike to knock the Ottomans out of the war quickly became a stalemate, and the campaign dragged on for eight months. At the end of 1915, the Allied forces were evacuated after both sides had suffered heavy casualties and endured great hardships.

The Allied deaths totaled over 56,000, including 8,709 from Australia and 2,721 from New Zealand. News of the landing at Gallipoli made a profound impact on Australians and New Zealanders at home and 25 April quickly became the day on which they remembered the sacrifice of those who had died in the war. It is traditional on Anzac Day to wear a sprig of rosemary pinned to a coat lapel or to the breast (it does not matter which side, but left seems most common), or held in place by medals. Rosemary has particular significance for Australians on Anzac Day as it grows wild on the Gallipoli Peninsula.

One traditional recitation on Anzac Day is the Ode from For the Fallen, a poem by the English poet and writer Laurence Binyon and was published in London in the Winnowing Fan; Poems of the Great War in 1914. The verse, which became the League Ode, was already used in association with commemoration services in Australia in 1921.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old; Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning We will remember them.

After remarks by Australian and New Zealand member of the crew and the captain of the Millennium, we returned to our stateroom. It was time to begin packing. We could pack most of our clothes as well as set out our last day travel outfits.

Once again we went to the Super Shopper Raffle, Win A Gift Bag, the Mega Clearance Sale, and the Fine Jewelry Clearance with the same results, and returned empty handed. Nothing we wished to buy. I do wonder how the liquor stores on cruise ships remain profitable. You can not buy and consume any on the ship but may take the bottles off the ship. That seems impractical if you are then flying as airport “duty free” purchases must be comparably priced. And I wouldn't think many passengers would be remaining at our final port to take it “home” or to a hotel.

392 After lunch we participated in the music trivia followed by a general trivia game. Our response to the music trivia was so poor we could reuse our almost blank score sheet for the general trivia game. That was more respectable, we were one answer away from the top score. It was just a time filler until we could go to the Captain's Club followed by listening to the guitar of Bryan James.

Friday, 26 Apr 2019

Reaching Yokohama in the early morning. we were cleared by the port authorities by 08:30 and people could leave the ship for their excursions. We had none planned but intended to take the shuttle downtown to the central area. Thinking the stores and shops would not open until 10 or 11 o'clock, we took our time and did not rush to get off the ship.

Once docked, we noticed an area across the quay which seemed identical to the Factory Shops we saw in Hakadote, and Aomori. Even more interesting, we could see what looked like temporary stalls and tents set between the old warehouse structures. We thought we would walk around the harbor to check them out.

I was flabbergasted when we came to the opening of the area. They were setting up a Frühlingsfest, complete with Bavarian colors, Deutsch signage, Bier Halle, wurst, and pretzels. It was too early to open and we were not ready for a Pilsner celebration. But there were hundreds of teenagers, in apparent school uniforms, walking through the area in anticipation of sampling German culture.

We were too early for the Factory Shops (Mitsui Outlet Park) however several of the restaurants were open and we found our way to cups of coffee and a Japanese pastry. We also could review the permanent structures and decide if we wished to wander deeper into the mall. We decided to return to the cruise terminal and take the shuttle downtown.

We were dropped off at Yokohama Landmark Plaza, a giant, galleria-style shopping mall located from the 2nd basement level to the 5th floor in the building next to the skyscraper "Yokohama Landmark Tower" composing of 70 floors. The moving sidewalk starting from the front of Sakuragicho Station took directly to the 3rd floor of Landmark Plaza. The 1st and 2nd floors are directly connected to Queen's Square located seaward and consists of five floors surrounding a huge open ceiling space, with a lineup of Yokohama brand and other unique shops, global casual clothing brands such as H&M, Banana Republic, and GAP, and popular restaurants and fashionable cafes.

We window shopped for an hour and then returned to the ship. We wanted to finish packing and get ready to dress for dinner. Afterward I logged onto the internet and sent the All Nippon Airline boarding passes to our account. Then I needed to go to the Internet Cafe to open our email account and print those boarding passes. By the time I finished that it was time to set out our luggage in the corridor for tomorrow's departure.

The ship then left Yokohama around 03:30 and sailed 15 nautical miles to Tokyo. We later heard that Yokohama was expecting four cruise ships in the morning and we would be disembarking at the Tokyo harbor to free up those terminals.

Saturday, 27 Apr 2019

393 We had booked an excursion, Tokyo Half Day and Airport Drop Off, to maximize our visit to Tokyo and take advantage of our late flight (18:15) from Narita Airport. Our excursion met at the Rendezvous Lounge and we departed the ship at nine o'clock. A half hour later we had our luggage in tow and boarded our coach for the day.

The trip from the Tokyo Cruise terminal took us right past the Hotel Grand Nikko Tokyo Daiba, where we stayed the first two days in Japan. The coach continued across the Rainbow Bridge, a suspension bridge crossing northern Tokyo Bay between Shibaura Pier and the Odaiba waterfront development in Minato. It was build in 1993.

Our guide, Mei, routed us through the Japanese financial and shopping districts as she described Tokyo living. I was particularly impressed when we drove across the tracks of the Tokyo station, the main shinkansen (bullet train) terminal. Here were approximately fifteen bullet trains lined up, ready to depart to distant commuter terminals. Mei said these trains did not provide large luggage areas, they are for the daily commuters. “Workers traveling to greater Tokyo experience the longest daily round-trip commute time. The travel time to and from Tokyo is computed to be at almost 2 hours daily.”

One can not help but speculate on what has happened to the U.S. Railway system, once the envy of the world, and how we are unable or unwilling to invest in this technology.

Our first stop was Meiji Shrine, an imposing structure with twin 40 feet tall Toriii Gates, one of the highest in Japan.

Meiji Shrine is a shrine dedicated to the deified spirits of Emperor Meiji and his consort, Empress Shoken. Located just beside the JR Yamanote Line's busy Harajuku Station, Meiji Shrine and the adjacent Yoyogi Park make up a large forested area within the densely built-up city. The spacious shrine grounds offer walking paths that are great for a relaxing stroll.

The shrine was completed and dedicated to the Emperor Meiji and the Empress Shoken in 1920, eight years after the passing of the emperor and six years after the passing of the empress. The shrine was destroyed during the Second World War but was rebuilt shortly thereafter.

Emperor Meiji was the first emperor of modern Japan. He was born in 1852 and ascended to the throne in 1867 at the peak of the Meiji Restoration when Japan's feudal era came to an end and the emperor was restored to power. During the Meiji Period, Japan modernized and westernized herself to join the world's major powers by the time Emperor Meiji passed away in 1912.

394 We passed the Emperor's Palace and Mei told us that Japan was anticipating the abdication of the throne of Emperor Akihito to his eldest son, Naruhito, on 30 April. The country is celebrating with ten days of holiday and this may effect the crowds we may see today. Mel also said the Japanese are not used to a ten day holiday and most people do not know how to deal with the time off; some are not happy with the holiday.

We drove through processions which held up traffic but Mei did not explain the reason for the parade. Ultimately she pointed out a tall tourist office building which could be used for a garden overlook of the temple and would also serve as a point for grabbing a snack before going to the airport.

In the meantime we offloaded near Nihonzutsumi Fire Station which would be our meeting point after an hour and a half of exploring. That put us near Sensō-ji, completed in 645 and Tokyo's oldest temple, it

395 was built to honor Kannon, the goddess of mercy. The temple was crowded and we marveled at the construction and the decoration.

After viewing the temple we faced directly outward from the entrance and saw that we at the head of the “Street of Inside Shops,” an alley lined with souvenirs and handmade crafts. We walked through the shops lining three parallel streets and down to Nitenmon or Kaminarimon Gate, bedecked with a huge red paper lantern. People were gathering their to have their pictures taken, both individually and in groups.

I was delighted to see so many young women and girls dressed in their traditional, formal kimonos. It completed a picture I had painted in my mind's eye and took me to a high point in Japanese culture. They also were up to date, laughing and enjoying their friends while capturing them with their iPhone's.

We did find some of the souvenirs we had previously been unable to find in Japan. And then we stopped at a sushi bar for a snack. We did not wish to go to one of the formal appearing Japanese restaurants but we also did not wish to go to a Western chain restaurant.

Liz and I were very impressed with our tour of Japan. The people were courteous and polite at all times. I think they are more reserved than I had imagined and they certainly seem to be a very disciplined society. All of our guides were well spoken and highly educated.

It is possible we were seeing people who worked primarily in the hospitality industry and who tended to cater to tourists. But we also saw local volunteers cleaning the path to the beach in Shimizu. They were courteous towards us, strangers, and responsive to our greetings as we were to theirs. We saw people at the temples and castles who were generous with their time and understanding of foreigners. So were the students we saw at the Frühlingsfest in Yokohama

Japan was a delightful surprise. As exciting as my first tour to Germany. And for the same reasons. A spectacular culture that was as new to us as a bright penny. The people were delightful. The sights were unique. Liz and I were so impressed we would like to return. The next time we will find guides for smaller groups who will assist us through local, public transportation. Guides who will help us delve deeper in the culture. We have climbed the castles and temples but there is much more to explore. We look forward to that.

The process of negotiating Narita Airport went as smooth as our arrival had been. We quickly processed through passport control and had time to walk through the airport shops. We saw lovely souvenirs but the temple “Street of Inside Shops,” we saw earlier met our last minute shopping needs. Now it was time to settle in for our long, 9.5 hour flight.

396