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Published: February 25th 2024
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Tour Day 132, Cruise Day 30 – Osaka, Japan – I fully intended to visit Kaiyukan, the Osaka Aquarium, and to ride the Tempozan Wheel (a.k.a an observation wheel or a giant wheel), but I saw too many deployed umbrellas from the Deck 9 Lido Market while having breakfast. By lunchtime, I saw fewer umbrellas and took a chance. Of course, the gangway is mid-ship, the immigration facility is at the bow and all of the attractions (including Legoland, which I had no intention of visiting) are well past the stern of the ship. A bump in the road. I walked past the wheel and saw there are three flights of stairs to reach the boarding area. On a clear, beautiful day, just another bump in the road but on an overcast day with compromised vistas, …. I had been told by aquarium visitors at the previous Osaka stop that admission is by allocated time slot to disperse the masses. They hadn’t purchased their tickets beforehand (nor had I) and had to wait almost an hour to gain admission. When I arrived at the aquarium, there was a line of 40-50 people. Nearing 1 PM, and with an all-aboard time of
4:30 PM, I calculated 1 hour of waiting time, 2 hours of aquarium watching and a 30-minute walk back to the ship. Threatening skies and sporadic sprinkles sealed the deal. Back to the ship I went. That turned out to be a good decision for Uncle "Fair Weather" Larry, as there was a moderate but steady rain at 4 PM. Osaka seems like a pretty cool city. No wonder we stopped there twice!
Tour Day 133, Cruise Day 31 – Day at Sea
Tour Day 134, Cruise Day 32 – Naha, Okinawa, Japan – Author’s Note: Okinawa Island had the bloodiest ground battle of the Pacific War from 1 April to 22 June 1945. During this 82-day-long battle, about 95,000 Imperial Japanese Army troops and 20,195 Americans were killed. The Cornerstone of Peace at the Peace Memorial Park in Itoman lists 149,193 Okinawan civilians (approximately one quarter of the civilian population) as having been killed or committed suicide during World War II. Very few Japanese ended up in POW camps because of the Japanese soldiers' reluctance to surrender. The total number of casualties shocked American military strategists and made them apprehensive to invade the other main islands of
Back Aboard ms Westerdam
The Aft Pool Deck at the Time I Would Have Been Walking Back to the Ship Japan. Fearing a very high casualty rate among both the military and civilian populations, the decision was made to use the nuclear bomb to shorten the duration of the war and, arguably, to reduce the casualties.
“Battle of Okinawa” Shore Excursion – Visit two of the most historical places in Okinawa. Peace Memorial Park is located in the southern part of Okinawa's "mainland," where the last conflicts of the Battle of Okinawa occurred. The Peace Memorial Museum, established in 2000, interprets a range of individual war experiences. Its purpose is to pass on the message about the devastation of war and the importance of human life.
Author’s Note on Additional Attraction Visited: Himeyuri Peace Museum opened in Itoman, Okinawa, Japan in 1989 and is dedicated to the Himeyuri Student Corps during the Battle of Okinawa and to the ideal of Peace. Most members of the student corps served in “nursing-type” functions.
Next, you'll visit the former Japanese Naval Headquarters, set in an underground shelter. At the end of the war, Commander Minoru Ohta and other officers committed suicide in the shelter. It remains unaltered to this day.
Notes:
Wear comfortable walking shoes. There are more
Back Aboard ms Westerdam
Not a Downpour but Inconvenient than 100 steps at the former Japanese Navy Headquarters in the underground shelter. Not advisable for guests using a wheelchair or for those with mobility limitations. Traffic can be unpredictable. The driver will do his/her best to keep moving safely. Your patience is greatly appreciated. Delays occasionally extend tour duration.
Author’s Note: To describe the rooms as "unaltered" is misleading. Most rooms have been stripped bare, and the radio equipment is replica.
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