monkey@cruise

Special notes for cruisers who will be onboard Celebrity Millennium and will be dock at Hiroshima Ujina Wharf at 1:00pm. 1. The earliest high speed ferry departure from Hiroshimako wharf is 2:25pm, and arrives Miyajima at 3:05pm. The ferry fare is ¥2200/pp. Taking a taxi from Ujina Wharf or Hiroshimako wharf to Itsukaichi Station, though taxi fare is ¥4200-¥4400 (included toll fee), plus ¥200 train fare to Miyajimaguchi Station, ferry crossing is ¥200/pp, for extra ¥800 expense, you will be in Miyajima between 2:15pm - 2:30pm, instead 3:05pm. Do expect meeting Celebrity Shore Excursion groups on the ferry. 2. Schedule depart Miyajima no later than 4:30pm, if Aqua ferry not operating due to tide level, then, ferry, train and tram to Genbaku Dome-Mae stop. Attend Peace Park Memorial Museum before 6:00pm, so you can complete your tour around 7:00pm. 3. Return to Hiroshimako wharf shuttle stop is very easy, take tram either #1 or #7 (bound Hiroshimako) from Hondōri stop. Most taxi drivers do not understand English. Itsukaichi Station in Japanese, just show the driver. Itsukaichi Station 五日市駅

Since Hiroshima Port Ujina Foreign Trade Wharf had elongated, where most foreign cruise ships will dock at. The terminal has newly built facilities, but fewer taxis. You can take the port shuttle to Hiroshimako where more taxis are available. Access from Itsukaichi Wharf: Port shuttle drop off at Itsukaichi Station. The Itsukushima Shrine (Miyajima): From Itsukaichi station, either a 15min San-yo Line train to Miyajimaguchi Station and 5 min walk to ferry terminal, or 25 min Miyajima Line tram from Hiroden-Itsukaichi stop to Hiroden-Miyajimaguchi stop and 1 min walk to ferry terminal. Ferry crossing is 10 min. Atomic Bomb Dome/Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park/Hondori Shopping Arcade: From Itsukaichi station, a 35min Miyajima Line tram from Hiroden-Itsukaichi stop to Genbaku Dome-Mae stop. From Itsukushima Shrine (Miyajima) to Atomic Bomb Dome/Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park/Hondori Shopping Arcade: 1. High speed ferry (operation depend on tide level) https://www.aqua-net-h.co.jp/en/heritage/schedule.html 2. Ferry to Miyajimaguchi Ferry Terminal, 5 min walk to Miyajimaguchi Station, a 22min San-yo Line train to Yokogawa Station, transfer to Yokogawa Station tram stop, a 11min Hiroshima Tram Line #7 to Genbaku Dome-Mae stop. Access from Ujina Foreign Trade Wharf: Port shuttle drop off at Hiroshimako SKK Ferry Pier. The Itsukushima Shrine (Miyajima): Miyajima — Hiroshima high speed ferry 35 min, https://setonaikaikisen.co.jp/language/en/highspeedship/ Atomic Bomb Dome/Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park/Hondori Shopping Arcade: From Hiroshimako stop, a 35min Hiroshima Tram Line #7 to Genbaku Dome-Mae stop. From Itsukushima Shrine (Miyajima) to Atomic Bomb Dome/Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park/Hondori Shopping Arcade: 1. High speed ferry (operation depend on tide level) https://www.aqua-net-h.co.jp/en/heritage/schedule.html 2. Ferry to Miyajimaguchi Ferry Terminal, 5 min walk to Miyajimaguchi Station, a 22min San-yo Line train to Yokogawa Station, transfer to Yokogawa Station tram stop, a 11min Hiroshima Tram Line #7 to Genbaku Dome-Mae stop. Anyone who wish to maximize time for Miyajima and Peace Park (access from Ujina) Taxi ride from Hiroshimako to Itsukaichi Station, 20min fare ¥4200 (included toll), for 30-45 min additional time. If the ship dock at 1:00pm, sunset is around 6pm and Peace Park closes at 7:00pm (last admission is 6:30pm)

Just landed in Vancouver, Canada. Temperature is 16C, what a big difference. Before Osaka departure, took a train from KIX to Rinku-town (1 stop, 5 min) and shopped at TRIAL, loaded up Japanese candies and snacks. Whoever will travel in Japan during summer (June - mid September), factor in typhoon, hot and high humidity (85%) weather.

Still hot and very humid weather in Tokyo and Kyoto, 33C and 35C respectively. Tokyo Go-kart tour: kyoto station always crowd with tourists.

Because of Air Canada pilots strike, will travel to Kyoto tomorrow and take the Osaka flight back home on Sunday

Fujikawaguchiko Arakurayama Sengen Park 440 steps hike to reach the observatory deck. Mount Fuji Ropeway Mount Fuji from Fujisan station 6th floor observatory floor, no need taking mt. Fuji photo from Kawaguchico Lawson convenience store.

Post cruise: Oshino Hakkai mount Fuji

Shimizu port: Japan red phone box. Sushi museum Global capital for model Mount Fuji heritage center, Fujinomia Fujisan Hongu Sengen Tanisha Shrine Mt. Fuji water fountain

Yes, built in nightlight in the bathroom floor.

Kagoshima Sengan-en Tenmankan shopping district Farewell drum show by the locals

Jeju

If nick meat shop then is correct.

Because of hot weather, returned to the ship earlier. Stock up candies and snack from Aeon supermarket, located near Chinatown and next to the bus terminal. (12 min walk from cruise terminal). Onboard chips are selling US $5/bag, while Aeon selling the same chips for 120 yen/bag. Juju tomorrow and Kagoshima on Monday.

Sunny and hot 32C in Nagasaki, lots of cruisers back onboard around 2:30pm because of the hot weather. Nothing special in Nagasaki. Oura Cathedral Peace Park Nagasaki harbour view from Glover Garden. Nagasaki Chinatown

Japan is a honesty system country, they rarely check on your medication unless you have an evil look and act suspiciously. As long as your medication is not over 30 days limit, you are OK. You must declare if bringing in a CPAC machine.

The butcher shop is 15 walk from Sannoyima station, will post thedetails when back home because need a PC for the work.

@DaKahuna, @Provence55always No raw oysters in that set lunch: grilled, pickled, fried, steamed… The restaurant is Kakiya, website is kaki-ya.jp (do google translate), you purchase the meal ticket from a vending machine (support English) , cost is 2600 yen. The restaurant is not far from the tourist centre.

A relaxing sea day, tomorrow Nagasaki port and Japan exit immigration, all passengers must leave the ship before 10:20am and can reboard after 12:00pm. Wrote a how-to visit Hiroshima peace park from Ujina wharf within 4 hours for ship staffs; and howto DIY Nagasaki Mt. Inasa for few CC members. Will post how to DIY Hiroshima from Ujina wharf when I return home in late September.

High speed ferry pier to Miyajima. From Hiroshima port shuttle drop off walking towards ferry and tram terminal, taxi stand is further. Ujina wharf Miyajima oyster set lunch

Most cruise ships will eventually docking at Port Hiroshima Ujina because the area is more spacious. Yesterday we docked at Ujina wharf at 1pm and took the shuttle to Hiroshima Port, sunset time was 6:30pm, anyone who wishes to do Miyajima and Peace Park more likely “bite the bullet” to maximize the daylight times. We were on the same Miyajima ferry with 3 Celebrity groups, lucky I didn’t join the shore excursion, they were like cattle herds. The $$$ I saved, had a Japanese Oyster set lunch and Japanese curry oyster buns.

They are upset because they thought Celebrity will provide the shore info and maps, so they don’t have to book a shore excursion. Lots of 1st timer to Japan, with high expectations.

Just confirmed with customer service that the ship will dock at Hiroshima Port Ujina, not a convenient docking location visit Hiroshima Peace Park and Miyajima. Some passengers are upset because I told them they can visit the Peace Park for 1000 yen instead $100/pp. just take the shuttle to port of Hiroshima area, take tram #7 to the Atomic Dome stop in 35 min, fare 220 yen, peace park is free, and museum entrance fare is 200 yen.

After couple days of observations, one of my findings. Everyone thinks google map is the Japan travel saviour. Not totally true, while I was inside Kobe’s Sannomiya station hallway, ran into a cruiser group rushing to catch train to Kyoto, a leading guy holding a smartphone was telling everyone to catch the next train. I told them to take the 10 min later express train to Kyoto in 50 min compare coming normal train in 80 min. In Japan, long haul train has several types: express, limited express and normal. Very few read station exit display boards, just follow the flow. 😱

Use cruise port address, I used for Vietnam eVisa and Visit Japan Web if fly in on embarkment day.

Sorry the web is Klook.com, lookup Osaka JR Haruka Kansai AirPort Express ticket.