HA Cruise -Westerdam- Japan - Tokyo to Kobe

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Japan – Vancouver 6^th April – 15^thMay 2023

Up at 2.45am on the 6^th April 2023 to catch the 4.00am bus to Heathrow! The plane (that was huge) took off on time for the 13-hour flight to Kuala Lumpur! It seemed a very strange way to go to Tokyo as there were a lot of people on the plane going to Australia ……and that was only another 8hrs to Melbourne, whereas we also still had a 7-hour flight to do! AND we also had a 7 1/2 -hour lay-over as the London to KL landed early!!

All things have a silver lining, so instead of sitting around in the airport, we managed to find a travel agent, in the airport, who arranged for us to have a 2-hour sight-seeing tour of Putrajaya – the government district of KL. And so it was we set off with ‘Merta’ (who we thought was able to speak English but he only had a few phrases!!)

Drove across the Seri Wawasan Bridge inspired by the beaty of a sailboat blown, and sailed against the wind!!) into the Putrajaya District. Walked down to the waterfront and along part of the City Trail to the huge Mosque, where I donned a dark red robe, with a hood & long sleeves to enable me to visit!! Boy was I hot with the temperature up to 32C !! The humidity in KL was certainly building already!! Had a Look at the roundabout with ponds and gardens and the government building (surrounded by scaffolding at the top!) before going down some steps into the laburnum garden, had a quick peer at a lake…and then back up the steps!! Went to another Mosque (that was unfortunately shut!!) and another lake, (Perbadanan Putrajaya) (with a guy who was trying to do some meditation!) and then we went to the café….water was needed!! Mmmm….it was vending machines, which only took cash….so we were out of luck!! Wandered about the garden, admiring the canna flowers and over the bridges – saw loads of people celebrating, dressed in purple, a festival in Ramadan. Went to yet another lake, where we saw a heron before we decided we were flaking abit, so back to the airport it was for our 7½ hour flight, which was leaving at 13.50pm.

Slept for an hour on this flight – I think exhaustion had kicked in and arrived in Haneda Airport, Tokyo at 10.00 but by the time we met up with the taxi guy, checked in the hotel and did essentials, (checked out the toilet – heated seat, water noises to help you go I presume, spray and bum cleaner!!!) it was 12.30pm before we got to bed & slept!! (Keio Plaza Hotel, Tokyo)

Saturday 8^th April 2023 TOKYO

Chris was up at 6.30 am!!! So we set off about 9.00am to find breakfast and go to our first stop Shibuyu. Everything seems very complicated in Japan at first glance, but it’s not! It’s fairly straightforward – it’s just that Tokyo is huge and there are a lot of different train lines!! We decided to get a JR 24-hour railpass that covered us for the tubes and buses as well, so we didn’t have to worry too much about that!!

Met a Japanese gentleman on the train, who sort of befriended us, and led us up to a viewpoint in his office block – only unfortunately it didn’t open until 11.00am. Went to the Sky Tower, tickets were sold out for the day, so went to level 14 for some excellent photographs of the ‘Shibuya crossing – busiest set of pedestrian crossings in the World’ - aka the Scramble Crossing. Saw a ceremony (not sure what it was about!!) but it involved the statue of a dog that was well known in a Richard Gere film!

Our next stap was the Meiji Jingu shrine! (One stop on the Fukutoshin line) We walked up the hill and then through the massive Wooden Gate which was the entrance to the Shrine and Yoyogi Park. Walked through the park ( another thing I like about the Japanese is they walk on the left, so you have two streams of human traffic, so people tend to not bump into each other – and if they do they just apologise profusely and bow to each other!!!) past the Barrels of Sake wrapped in Straw and the barrels of wine – in remembrance of the brewers who have donated their wares! The temple itself didn’t seem that interesting but it was made interesting by the number of brides that adorned the garden and also the Japanese [people that bowed profusely at all the gates and then clapped 2x when viewing the Shrine!! Don’t know what that was all about!! Had a quick lunch in the Park (delicious rice and a seafood pancake!!) was going to go in the gardens but they only took cash (500 JPY) so we caught the tube to the East Gardens of the Imperial Palace! (We had a tube map by now, so it makes everything a little bit easier!)

The Imperial Palace was quite impressive! Surrounded by a moat and in the heart of the modern city. Its huge gey walls and gates date back to 1659. It was very strange seeing the old and new together!! Followed the path, past the Guardhouses (Had a quick peer at the Keep!) up to the lawn! Saw loads of cherry blossom trees even though we knew the season was over (and the Japanese chap from this morning confirmed it!) Walked back down into Ninomaru Garden where all the azaleas that they had cut into hedges were out! Saw the Sowa no Chaya Teahouse that unfortunately was shut! Followed the path round, over the little bridge with the lakes and huge Koi Carp…..and then it started raining heavily!! It started off sunny this am, then it got cloudy, bit of drizzle in the air at the Imperial Palace, then heavy rain!! We were shattered by now anyway, so after speaking to our granddaughter (who is 15years today!) made our way back by retracing our steps to the hotel! A Japanese woman started chatting to us on the train, concerned that we didn’t seem to know where we were going (but we did!!! Sort of!!!) The Japanese are very friendly and helpful ….and really don’t want anything in return!!

We nearly got caught out as we thought, because of the rain, we would eat in the hotel tonight (it has 11 restaurants!!) so duly caught the lift from our tower block to the central tower block, on the 7^th floor and opted to eat Japanese food! We were told there was just a 10 minute wait and invited to sit on chairs outside. This is when we realised that there were 3 set menus at 11,000, 14,000, 18,000 JPY – which converted to £68.75, £87.50, £112,50 each!!! We made hasty retreat and ate outside of the hotel, and ate in at a takeway noodle bar ( Sangokuichi Nashiguchi ),and had a very nice Japanese meal each, beer and gin and tonic for 3990 JPY – Total of £24.75!!! (Keio Plaza Hotel 2023)

Sunday 9^th April 2023 TOKYO

For some reason we were both awake by about 5.00am!! Chris went into the bathroom to try and sort out his FB account which has been hacked, while I tried to sleep for another hour or so! No such luck!! But we were down in the lobby by 8.00am ready for our trip to Mount Fuji (Sunrise Tours Ltd)!! Mount Fuji is 3776 metres high and a perfect iconic shape of a volcano!! It was a beautiful sunny day so we had high hopes of seeing the mountain, although it can only be seen 2 out of 7 days!!

Duly picked up our guide (Hiro) and went out of Tokyo towards Hakone! It was about 1hr drive before we stopped at toilets (beautifully clean and sprays etc!!) and then, after catching our first glimpse of Mount Fuji, drove. past the racecourse, and the lovely different coloured trees on the mountains for about another 2hrs to Mount Fuji! We were only able to get to Station 4 (2020 metres) because of the snow and took some photos of the Japanese Alps and then snow on Mount Fuji. It was a bit like a cattle market up there, with loads of coaches all disgorging their passengers who were only allowed 20minutes as the coaches were queueing to get parked!!

Another 1hrs drive brought us to our lunch stop where we all had a Japanese meal!! It looked prettier and nicer than it actually tasted!!) We the drove on towards Hakone and came across a car lying on its side! It must have only just happened as the car behind stopped and then helped passengers out of the car door at the top! Our guide, forever keen to keep to schedule, wouldn’t let a couple of guys off the bus to go and help and proceeded to hold up the traffic the other way, with his flag, to ensure our coach got through!! Fortunately no-one seemed hurt in the accident.

Reached Lake Ashinoko, Hakone afer about another 1 hour for what we were told would be a short boat trip! It was probably about 10mins maximum, but it did get us to our next stop which was a cable car up Mount Komagatake!! By now there was cloud over Mount Fuji but we got some nice photos of the lake! Arrived at the top and walked around the volcano, the smell of sulphur still apparent, and walked to an old temple! Mount Komagatake is the next highest mountain after Mt Kamiyama and is known as a place for Gods festivals!!

We were supposed to be getting the bullet train at 17.14, but because there was heavy traffic it was the 18.14 train that we got from Odawara. It was quite fascinating stood on the platform watching most of the bullet trains whizz through the station! Our train duly arrived for the final leg of the journey and we were treated to about 40mins on the Bullet Train, reaching speeds of 285km ah hour (so our guide said!!) It was pretty fast anyway!! Got off at Tokyo Station and Hiro said goodbye to most of the group, who dispersed onto various other train lines!! Went back to the Shinjuku with Hiro, and after eating some more Japanese food, went back to the Keio Plaza Hotel, where we thought we would go to the lounge bar on the 45^th floor! Turned out it was only for the guests who were in rooms from floor 31 upwards anyway!!

Monday 10^th April 2023 TOKYO / YOKOHAMA

Transfer Day!! Always a messy day! We were getting picked up at 12.30 so we thought we would visit Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden which was about a 20-minute walk from us! (because of my knee, make that 30 mins!!) Up at 7.00am and after packing and storing our luggage had breakfast in the local café, and off to the park about 9.45am.

Had to pay 250 JYR to get in as a pensioner (recent introduction!) and waked along one of the paths, past the gardeners and down to the Japanese Garden! It was stunning!! Cherry trees, lakes, bridges, acers, azaleas, small fir trees (don’t know what they were called!) koi carp, islands, statues. tea house– it was just so photogenic!!

Walked back via the main road and Shinjuku Station, and got back about noon. Our driver didn’t turn up until about 12.45 but it was a very straightforward transfer onto The Holland America line, Westerdam! Other than just checking you were fully vaccinated for Covid and presenting them with a Negative Covid Test less than 24hrs old, we were on the ship by 14.45pm including our plastic bottles of water!!!

Walked off the ship again, after checking our Muster Station…..about 15.45ish and just walked about , (also discovered that I had last my magnetic sun glasses!) taking photos and made our way to the gardens along the seafront (I’ve forgotten what the gardens were called! ) where there was a flower competition to see who could create and name the best display! Loads of beautiful flower beds and displays of tulips against a sea view completed the experience!!

Tuesday 11^th April 2023 OMAEZAKI 7.00am – 3.30pm

We know its Tuesday because they change all the mats in all of the lifts to the correct day of the week!! There are about 10 lifts!!! We woke up at 5.45am due to the ships activity – lots of banging and crashing and chains. We docked at 7.00am and were welcomed by a band, ( I think we were the first ship they had seen since Covid and no other ship is due until September!!) and off the boat by 8.00am, only to discover that nothing was open until 10.00am!! Tried to find another couple of people to share the 40,000 JYR taxi ride (failed dismally!!) and duly queued up for the free transfer to a tea garden!

It was very interesting!! Passed through a small village that was full of rice paddy fields before going up the hills which were covered in tea plantations and also small wind fans whizzing around. Not quite sure what the fans were about but we think its something to do with electricity. Went into the Grinpia Makinohara tea factory, where after duly admiring their tea fields and greenhouses, we went to the factory. A lot of it was in Japanese and I don’t think they were used to English speaking guests. However, there were a few boards translated into English that explained the health benefits of deep steamed tea, which far outweighs Green Tea. We then saw the people working in the factory, bagging the tea into huge sacks. We had ‘lost’ the rest of the group by now and didn’t really know where to go, so we took the stairs up onto the 4th floor where they were filling mould with thin green strips – funny shaped tea thought I!!! (We found out later, that it was the part of the factory that made green tea chocolate!!! Had some green tea ice cream – Chris had a very mild flavour (1) and I had a No 3. It went up to 7!!!

Caught the shuttle bus back to Port and jumped onto the No 2 bus that took us on a 15-minute drive to the Omaezaki lighthouse. Climbed up the steps and wandered around while Chris climbed the lighthouse. Went past the Tsunami Warning board that explained if an Earthquake lasts for more than a minute, IMMEDIATELY EVACUATE to higher ground! Decided then to walk to the Fish Market as we had about enough time to take the last transfer bus back to the Port. Had palled up with Tom and Karen by this time (who are willing to share a taxi with us!} and walked along the coast, past a Japanese sign with a turtle on is back…..with sunglasses on!! Not sure what that was about – can only assume that if you saw a turtle on its back (with sunglasses on!!) then you put it up the right way!! Anyway, the Fish Market was closing up – I think all the fresh fish had been sold apart from a few eels, a tank full of lobsters and a couple of trays of pinky fish!! Caught the No 1 transfer bus back to the Port and spent the rest of the time wandering around the craft market and drinking green tea!

Brought a tear to my eye when we left as they had done a huge drawing of a dragon on the floor, playing their drums again and waving flags. Quite a few people had come to wave us off and it was all quite emotional, saying ‘goodbye’ and ‘come again soon’ on the loudspeaker, and the ship replying by blasting its horn!

Wednesday 12^th April 2023 KOBE 9.00am – 21.00pm

Well we have no idea what Kobe was like as we went to Kyote the old capital of Japan!. Got the driverless train from the Port to Sonnemia ( something like that!!) two stops anyhow, and very easy to navigate! Got a return ticket to Kyote on the JR Rapid train, went in the Tourist Info, and had a very helpful guy that told us where to go!! We took the No 205 from B3 Bus stand at the bus station, passed quite a few temple/shrines on the way, to the Kinkakuji Temple (Golden Pavillion) which was a ‘Must See’!! It was originally built in the Kamakura period (1185-1332) but burnt to the ground in 1950, and an exact reproduction was built in 1955. Followed the one way system around the garden and past the temple and then got the No 12 bus to Nijo-jo Castle. Stopped by the little stream with its walk, stepping-stones, and cherry blossom trees before entering.

The Castle consist of the Honmaru, which was once the main part of the castle and the Ninomaru that surrounds it and was built in the Edo period. We entered via the Kara-Mon Gate built in 1625, and then went into the Ninomaru-goten Palace built at the Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu who brought 130years of civil war to an end. The Palace was very different to anything we had seen before, being quite dark and walls were all pained with trees or Japanese paintings. It is completed with ‘nightingale’ floors ie, floors that replicate birdsong, which we thought were supposed to warn off intruders, but another explanation is that because so many people have walked on then floors they are wearing out and the noise is created by the worn nails and floorboards rubbing together! The Honmaru Garden was reconstructed in 1896, the Emperor personally supervising the layout from them top floor of the Honmaru-goten Palace, built in 1626 and demolished in 1898. There were old statues and trees as well as the compulsory (or so it seems!!) azalea hedges, along with the obligatory cherry trees. Rock pools and bridges completed the garden.

Went to the third area that Tourist Information had recommended (no 12 bus to Shiji Keihan-mae) got out by the river and walked towards the Yasaka Shrine. Loads of old shops under a covered walkway with lanterns – it seemed to be a very old district! Explored the Yasaka shrine that consisted of about 6 different buildings, loads of geisha girls about! Retraced our steps along the main road and then went down another old street. Loads of temples and shrines but we had to ignore most of them as time was getting short, so we made our way back to the train station via the 206 bus and caught the JR train back to Sonnemia (not Kobe!!!!) and then the driverless train back to the port and had 10 minutes on the internet before re-boarding the ship about 19.30pm!! A long day!! It makes it harder I think when most of the instructions and directions, explanations etc are in Japanese, although most of the people bend over backwards to always help you!!

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Comments

[Tracie Bennett]

Wonderful Adventure
It all looks and sounds amazing!