Day 14 Kobe, Japan

Our arrival into Kobe was lovely. We were welcomed with fireboats spraying water and the great Japanese bands. After docking it was time for my adventure for today…. My trip today to Nara & the Horyuji Temple turned out to be great. The weather, itinerary and guide were amazing…. Our first stop was the Horyuji Temple which houses the world’s oldest surviving wooden structures. It conveys images of Japan more than 1300 years ago. The temple, pagoda and grounds we beautiful. Since it was a long drive to Nara, after we finished touring the Horyuji Temple, it was time for lunch. Lunch was great as it has been at every stop in Japan. One of the highlights during the day was countless groups of young school kids eager to have their photo taken. Our next stop was at the Todai-ji Temple (Great Buddha) housed in the worlds largest wooden structure. Beautiful & Amazing! This is located in a deer park where deer have roamed for over a thousand years. Finally, we visited the Kasuga Shinto Shrine. There were more stone lanterns there than I have ever seen. The day was magnificent which is not surprising in such an amazing country like Japan. Tomorrow I go to Osaka, here is the tour description:
Osaka Highlights & Japanese Lunch
Join this tour for an orientation of Osaka and a visit to its special attractions. You will pass through Osaka's downtown area on the way to the Osaka Castle. Built in 1583 and destroyed just 32 years later, the castle has undergone many reconstructions--the most recent in 1931. Its walls encompass the Municipal Museum and the Hokoku Shrine, which is dedicated to its original owner, Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Next you will visit Shitennoji Temple, built in AD 593 and believed to be the oldest Buddhist temple in Japan. Although it has been rebuilt many times in its long history, excavations have shown the current layout to be very true to its original design. The temple's great southern gate, central gate, pagoda, main hall and lecture hall are constructed in a straight line-- a design layout called Shitennoji cathedral style. The temple houses six national treasures and many other items of cultural importance. After Japanese-style set menu lunch at Taiko-en, drive through Dotonbori, one of the symbols of Osaka and beloved by residents. Dotonbori is a dense area of restaurants and amusement spots located along the south bank of the Dotonbori Canal.

Day 13 At Sea

Finally! Finally we had a beautiful day at sea that was sunny and warm. It was just perfect! As you can see, there are more people on the ship than just me. They started coming out of the woodwork as the temperatures climbed. The is also a photo of my friends Peter and Brigitta & I waving hello to our friend Dianne from last year who had to stay home to take care of some important issues. We hope she is doing well. We are sailing along the coast of Japan sailing in a south westerly direction, occasionally seeing islands off the coast. Tomorrow we will arrive early in the morning at the port city of Kobe Japan. Last year I went to Kyoto (which is fantastic) when we arrived at Kobe. This year we will be here overnight and on day one (Friday) I will visit Nara & the Horyuji Temple and on Saturday I will go to Osaka. Here is the description of tomorrow’s tour: Nara & the Horyuji Temple
The world's largest statue of Buddha is the first of many interesting sights that await you in the city of Nara--a center of arts, literature and religion. Nara is home to a number of very impressive buildings and landmarks, as you will discover on today's motor coach tour. The Todaiji (Great Buddha) is cast in
bronze and set in an enormous wooden building. See this star attraction for yourself, then continue to the Kasuga Shrine before stopping for lunch at a local restaurant. Again boarding the coach, you'll continue to the Horyuji temple, the oldest temple in Japan, which contains some of the nation's rarest treasures. Additionally, it is reputed to be among the oldest wooden buildings in the world. Its inside walls are covered in clay images which depict the life of Buddha.

Day 12 Miyako, Japan

We arrived into the port of Miyako early this morning for my first visit. This is a small seaside town known for its fishing. It was also apparent as we came in that they import a lot of lumber…. It’s everywhere. It is imported from Russia for use in the paper mill. I was pretty smoky here with smoke rising at numerous locations. I also had almost an immediate reaction to all the lumber….allergies. It was probably all the cedar logs stacked everywhere. After our traditional Japanese greeting which normally involves some impressive drumming, I took a half day tour. The show was particularly impressive since it involved small kindergarten children. Anyway, our first stop was at Sannoiwa or Sanno Rock, three large rock pillars along magnificent coastline. There are several shots here because it was so amazing. On the way down we were able to make an unscheduled stop at a small fishing village, Taro, where they have a 10 meter walled around the village to protect it against Tsunamis… It has had an unlucky history in that regard. Next we visited Jodogahama Beach which was beautiful…. The jagged rocks and crystal clear water make a beautiful setting. We also saw seaweed being dried on the beach and people cutting it up for sale after the drying was completed. It was truly magnificent scenery! Finally we stopped at a local market before heading back to the ship. It was a memorable visit….. Tomorrow, we have a day at sea to rest up for Kobe.

Day 11 Aomori, Japan

We arrived early this morning into Aomori Japan. I enjoyed my visit here last year so I was looking forward to coming back. Our first stop on my tour was to visit the Showa Daibutsu, Big Buddha. This was an amazing place. The temples, grounds and the Buddha itself were spectacular. This was certainly the highlight of the day. They even had rice fields adjacent to the temple and if there is anything I love it’s the natural beauty of rice fields….. Next, we went to see the showcase for the Nebuta Festival. I went to a different site celebrating the festival last year and loved, once again, seeing the floats from the Spring Festival. We went to lunch at the really lovely, Aomori Hotel. The food and service was fabulous. Finally, we visited the ruins and excavation of the Sannai Maruyama site. It is amazing that this goes back to the time of the pyramids…. Finally we went to the Tourism & Produce Center which wasn’t particularly good. I did get a nice shot of the ship from there. It was a great day….
Tomorrow, we are once again at another port, Miyako, Japan. I will be taking another ship’s tour in the morning. Here is the ship’s description: Miyako Highlights
Known for the stark and beautiful contrast between the cobalt blue of the ocean and the white cliffs and rocks of the shoreline, Jodogahama Beach is located in the center of Rikuchu Coastline National Park and it's popular with bathers and sightseers alike. The name of the beach is supposedly derived from a Buddhist priest 200 years ago who once remarked, "This place is like paradise!" The word for paradise of Buddhism in Japanese is jodo, and hama means beach. Gentle waves make for good ocean fun and the promenade is spectacular regardless of the season. Sanno Rock is a collection of three large rock pillars that appear to be standing upon the surface of the ocean, including the Taiko Rock shaped like a large drum. The Otoko Rock, fully 164 feet tall, hides a cave that is said to bring good luck to those who pass through it. There are strata of conglomerate and sandstone contained within the rocks that date back to the Cretaceous period. Finally, you will visit Seatopia Naado, short for Sea/Utopia/Naado. Naado means "how?" in Miyako dialect. Here, local fish, vegetables and specialty products are sold and visitors can enjoy the local foods at the restaurants.