Japan Cruise on Westerdam - 04/14/19 - Live(ish) report

[bennybear]

Otaru with one for kazu

[Miaminice]

Japan Cruise 2019 - Day 11 - Otaru/Sapporo

The first stop on today’s private tour was the Shiroi Koibito Chocolate Factory. Although it was a display of Kitsch Galore, it was just too cute and we all had big smiles on our faces.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our next stop was more adventurous. We went to the Okurayama Ski Jump Stadium... OK, we did not really jump. However we got to pose as winners 😉

 

 

 

 

Our guide took us up to the top of the jump by chairlift and we enjoyed a scary but gorgeous view.

 

 

 

 

 

 

If we needed to show gratitude for surviving this we could do so on our next stop, the Hokkaido Jingu Shinto Shrine, before looking at some old former government buildings in downtown Sapporo.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When it was time for lunch our guide Yuko took us to a little restaurant a bit outside of Otaru. The family run place is very popular with locals - and we could see why.

 

 

 

 

 

Just a bit up the hill we could already see our next destination. The Otaru Nishin Goten Herring fishery lodge. Here we could see how the fishermen worked and lived who made the town thrive in the 19th century, when fishing Herring was a gold mine.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last but not least we got to see downtown Otaru. The shops sold all the goods the area is known for: music boxes, glas, pastries and ice cream made from Hokkaido milk and all kinds of fishy things.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Krazy Kruizers]

Otaru looks like a very interesting port.  The Shiroi Kobito Chocolate Factory with the Kitsch Galore would be my favorite place.

 

Great report with wonderful pictures.  The restaurant for lunch looks wonderful.

[Miaminice]

Thank you!

We are docking in Hakodate this very moment. Unfortunately our luck regarding the weather does not seem to continue.

Anyway, rain or shine we will enjoy our day here and post about it later.

[Miaminice]

Japan Cruise 2019 - Day 12 - Hakodate

The weather in the morning did not give away what a magnificent day this was going to be. After breakfast Birgit and I took a streetcar to Yunokawa. Right next to the station there was a beautiful shrine and we were just about the only people there.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A short walk took us to the Hakodate Botanical Gardens known for their hot springs fancied by monkeys. They sure seemed to enjoy their spa time and grooming.

 

 

 

 

We took another streetcar back and got off at the stop for Goryokaku Fort. Before visiting the star shaped fort, we had lunch at a highly recommended Ramen restaurant. It deserved the recommendations for sure!

 

 

From Goryokaku Tower we got a good view of the fort from above before walking along the fortifications. The blossoms were not fully out yet. What we saw, however, gave us an idea of the unbelievable sight to come in a few days time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another ride on the tram took us to the Motomachi area. Its old red brick warehouses are lovingly restored and converted into shops and cafés.

 

 

 

 

 

 

From here we walked up the hill to the base station of the Hakodate cablecar which we took to the top of Mount Hakodate.

 

 

 

Our late departure time gave us a chance to enjoy the sunset from up there. What a beautiful day!

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Miaminice]

Japan Cruise 2019 - Day 13 - Aomori/Hirosaki

Today was our last port day of this cruise. In terms of cherry blossom viewing it was supposed to be the highlight of the cruise... so spoiler alert - you are going to see a lot of cherry blossom photos. 

 

Unfortunately today’s weather was rainy and miserable. However, the clouds in the sky could not cloud our joy and amazement when we entered the Cherry Blossom Festival at Hirosaki Park. Again, no words could describe the experience, so I‘ll just give you the photos.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

An area of the park was reserved for food stalls and vendors offering all kinds of Japanese specialties catering to the people celebrating Hanami despite the cold. By now the rain had really set in and Birgit and I warmed up by having a nice and hot bowl of Ramen in one of the stalls.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Writing this we are having a hot cup of tea as we are waving Aomori goodbye and head out into the stormy sea.

We have the same feeling like two years ago when we left the last port of the cruise - we miss Japan already.

 

[Krazy Kruizers]

Sad this was your last port for this cruise and you had so much rain.

 

The cherry blossoms are beautiful.  All the food looks fantastic.

 

But the winner of all these great pictures is the one with the 4 monkeys.

[puppycanducruise]

Fabulous pictures.  I loved seeing the trees in bloom, and those monkeys!

Thanks for sharing.

[Alphen]

Enjoying your report 👍 and picking up manny pointers for our cruise next year, same time.👍

[cat shepard]

Spectacular pics. Thank you. 

 

Perhaps the one one thing I miss most about the D.C. area is being a Metro ride or a walk at lunch away from the Tidal Basin at cherry blossom time. You are correct, words can not do it justice.

[dodo bird]

Thank you for the fabulous photos.  As this cruise comes to an end, it's time to plan for the next one.  As for me, I have just added Japan on my bucket list.  

[3kidsplayingball]

Thank you for so many details and fabulous photos from your cruise!

[kiwicruisers51]

Awesome photos thanks. Makes us excited to be there the same time next year.

[kiwicruisers51]

12 hours ago, Miaminice said:

Japan Cruise 2019 - Day 13 - Aomori/Hirosaki

Today was our last port day of this cruise. In terms of cherry blossom viewing it was supposed to be the highlight of the cruise... so spoiler alert - you are going to see a lot of cherry blossom photos. 

 

Unfortunately today’s weather was rainy and miserable. However, the clouds in the sky could not cloud our joy and amazement when we entered the Cherry Blossom Festival at Hirosaki Park. Again, no words could describe the experience, so I‘ll just give you the photos.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

An area of the park was reserved for food stalls and vendors offering all kinds of Japanese specialties catering to the people celebrating Hanami despite the cold. By now the rain had really set in and Birgit and I warmed up by having a nice and hot bowl of Ramen in one of the stalls.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Writing this we are having a hot cup of tea as we are waving Aomori goodbye and head out into the stormy sea.

We have the same feeling like two years ago when we left the last port of the cruise - we miss Japan already.

 

 

 

The cherry blossoms look amazing.  Did you do this port as part of a tour or did you do it solo??  Thanks

[Copper10-8]

Many thanks! Safe trip home!

[Miaminice]

17 hours ago, kiwicruisers51 said:

 

 

The cherry blossoms look amazing.  Did you do this port as part of a tour or did you do it solo??  Thanks

 

We had only organized and booked a transfer to Hirosaki for 8 people with triplelights.com

[Hlitner]

Fabulous photos and thanks for posting :).  I would really appreciate a post, summing up your onboard experience.  We are particularly interested in the food and entertainment that you have experienced.  Have there been shows every evening and were they all so-called "Guest Entertainers?"

 

Hank

[kiwicruisers51]

5 hours ago, Miaminice said:

 

We had only organized and booked a transfer to Hirosaki for 8 people with triplelights.com

 thank you.🙂

[Miaminice]

6 hours ago, Hlitner said:

Fabulous photos and thanks for posting :).  I would really appreciate a post, summing up your onboard experience.  We are particularly interested in the food and entertainment that you have experienced.  Have there been shows every evening and were they all so-called "Guest Entertainers?"

 

Hank

 

Will do... for now please look at post #41 for a first summary. It has not really changed after posting the first impressions.

 

There were shows every evening. Can’t comment on the quality though - we never go to the shows. The entertainers in Billboard and BB King‘s Blues Club were really good though.

Edited April 27, 2019 by Miaminice

[2 old to drive]

On ‎4‎/‎26‎/‎2019 at 2:01 PM, kiwicruisers51 said:

 

 

The cherry blossoms look amazing.  Did you do this port as part of a tour or did you do it solo??  Thanks

I have enjoyed the story of your journey and the wonderful pictures so very much.   We will be on the Westerdam next year and while we have toured Japan before there is so much to see and enjoy one could go a dozen times and still enjoy it.

Did you go to Tokyo as some of you pictures looked a little like a tour (Best of Tokyo) we signed up for but are having second thoughts about as the reviews are not good, we will probably take it and hope for the best.

 

Once again, thank you so much and enjoy your future travels.   Joyce

 

[Miaminice]

We spent a day before the cruise in Tokyo and I am writing this while on a subway in Tokyo again. We are staying one more night. 

 

We did a private tour two years ago. This time we just explore - which is very easy thanks to the great train network.

[cruisemom42]

Thank you so much for your great photos and summaries of your trip. I am now twice as excited about doing this trip next year....!  

 

 

[Miaminice]

Some impressions from our last day at sea...

 

 

 

 

Edited April 29, 2019 by Miaminice

[Miaminice]

Japan Cruise 2019 - Day 15 - Yokohama/Tokyo

Unfortunately the beautiful sunrise of this day marked the final hours on the ship.

 

 

When we sailed underneath the bridge in Yokohama and past the Queen Elisabeth, the Red Brick Warehouses of Yokohama were shining in the sun. The beautiful wooden Yokohama Terminal is usually a very enjoyable sight. Today, looking down at it from our breakfast table, however, made us realize that we would leave beautiful Japan soon again. 

 

 

 

We had arranged a shared transfer to Shinjuku with a Canadian couple and found the driver with the sign at 9am sharp. In Shinjuku we went to our respective hotels. Birgit and I had booked the APA Kabukicho Tower as a simple place to stay just for one night.

Again, the size of the room made everything a team effort... you always had to wait until the other was hiding in the bathroom to be able to move 🙂

 

 

We headed out again right away to make the most of the day. First we took a train to Ginza. The world of Fendi, Armani, Louis Viton, Hermes. 

 

 

 

 

 

Much to my despair we managed to find the world‘s largest UniQlo store where Birgit left me in a corner for more than an hour. I watched the busy street outside being turned into a pedestrian zone after 12 o’clock (because it was a weekend day) and waited to be collected again.

 

 

 

 

 

 

With the added load of a shopping bag we walked back to Tokyo Station. The famous „Ramen Street“ hidden in the maze of the underground tunnels was our destination. The best restaurants could be found by looking for the longest lines - some were so long that we joked about people probably getting in for dinner. We picked a restaurant and were rewarded by some of the best Ramen we ever had.

 

 

 

 

After lunch we left the station through the exit of the grand old brick building, followed the avenue leading away from it and headed towards the Imperial Palace. The watchtower’s reflections in the water of the moats were a beautiful sight.

 

 

 

 

 

The next subway took us back to the hotel for a rest. Later in the evening we met Brenda & Neil, the Canadian couple, again for some Yakitori in Memory Lane.

 

 

 

 

 

To add a bit more to the experience, we took a train to Shibuya and looked at the one minute madness of the Shibuya Crossing once more before heading back to the hotel.

 

 

[Krazy Kruizers]

Wonderful report on your last day in Yokohama/Tokyo seeing the sights and eating.

 

Great pictures.

 

Have a safe trip home.